Best IT Automation Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is ranked #1 of 70 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus and OPSI. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus at $0.82/mo.
For IT teams, automation can cover configuration, deployment, patching, and remediation work across supported systems. Compared on configuration management, deployment model, free plan, included endpoints, paid from, patch management, remediation automation, and supported platforms, these entries give you specific operational and cost factors to review. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus, OPSI, and CFEngine are among the tools to compare. Start with the tasks you want to automate, then check whether the deployment model and platform support suit your environment. Endpoint coverage, patch management, and automated remediation can help clarify scope, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add another dimension to your evaluation.
70 IT automation software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
70ranked
15free plans on this page
$0.82/molowest paid tier
5 Oct 2026last checked
Input list IT Automation Software 25 channels on this page · 86 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromPatch managementConfiguration managementRemediation automationDeployment modelIncluded endpointsSupported platforms Spec sheet Score
01 ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux 2/8spec lines stated 8.1
02 ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus Free planYesPaid from$1.28/moPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsAndroid, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, Chrome OS, tvOS 3/8spec lines stated 7.9
03 OPSI Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpoints100 endpointsSupported platformsWindows, Linux, macOS 6/8spec lines stated 7.7
04 CFEngine Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux (RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu) and Windows 4/8spec lines stated 7.6
05 PatchMon Free planYesPaid from$1/moPatch managementYesConfiguration managementNoRemediation automationYesDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux, FreeBSD, Windows 7/8spec lines stated 7.6
06 Rundeck Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationYesDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux, Windows, macOS 4/8spec lines stated 7.6
07 Rudder Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsDebian, Ubuntu, RHEL and derivatives, SLES, Amazon Linux, Windows Server, Windows 4/8spec lines stated 7.5
08 Hexnode UEM Free planNoPaid from$2.2/moPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.4
09 Matrix42 FastViewer Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.4
10 baramundi Management Suite Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.3
11 Salt Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux, Windows, macOS, AIX, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, Gentoo, SUSE 4/8spec lines stated 7.3
12 ActiveBatch Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.2
13 Heimdal Patch and Asset Management Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationYesDeployment modelcloudIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux 5/8spec lines stated 7.2
14 Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux 1/8spec lines stated 7.2
15 Juju Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.2
16 Puppet Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsDebian, Fedora, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Amazon Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Alma Linux, Rocky Linux, Oracle Linux, Ubuntu 4/8spec lines stated 7.2
17 Automox Free planNoPaid from$1/moPatch managementYesConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationYesDeployment modelcloudIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux 7/8spec lines stated 7.1
18 AWS Systems Manager State Manager Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelcloudIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux, macOS on Amazon EC2, Windows Server 4/8spec lines stated 7.1
19 Chef Infra Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsLinux, macOS, Windows 3/8spec lines stated 7.1
20 Foreman Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationYesDeployment modelself hostedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsAmazon Linux, Debian, Enterprise Linux 8-10, Fedora, openSUSE/SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Ubuntu 6/8spec lines stated 7.1
21 Okta Lifecycle Management Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationYesDeployment modelcloudIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.1
22 Action1 Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementYesConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationYesDeployment modelcloudIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
23 Arista NG Firewall Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.0
24 Canonical MAAS Free planYesPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelnot statedIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
25 Gluware Free planNoPaid fromnot statedPatch managementnot statedConfiguration managementYesRemediation automationnot statedDeployment modelhybridIncluded endpointsnot statedSupported platformsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.0
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Patch management | Configuration management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus | 8.1 | Free plan | $20.42/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 2 | ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus | 7.9 | Free plan | $0.82/mo | Yes | 1.28 /mo | — | — |
| 3 | OPSI | 7.7 | Free plan | €41.58/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | CFEngine | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 5 | PatchMon | 7.6 | Free plan | $1/mo | Yes | 1 /mo | Yes | No |
| 6 | Rundeck | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | Rudder | 7.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 8 | Hexnode UEM | 7.4 | No | $2.20/mo | No | 2.2 /mo | — | — |
| 9 | Matrix42 FastViewer | 7.4 | No | €45/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 10 | baramundi Management Suite | 7.3 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 11 | Salt | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 12 | ActiveBatch | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | Heimdal Patch and Asset Management | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 14 | Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | Juju | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | Puppet | 7.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 17 | Automox | 7.1 | No | $1/mo | No | 1 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | AWS Systems Manager State Manager | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 19 | Chef Infra | 7.1 | No | $4.92/mo | No | — | Yes | — |
| 20 | Foreman | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 21 | Okta Lifecycle Management | 7.1 | No | $17/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 22 | Action1 | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 23 | Arista NG Firewall | 7.0 | Free plan | $22.50/mo | No | — | — | Yes |
| 24 | Canonical MAAS | 7.0 | Free plan | $2.50/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 25 | Gluware | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | No | — | — | Yes |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which IT automation software is ranked first on Specifiction?
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is ranked #1 of 70 with a score of 8.1. ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus is second and OPSI third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.82/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.
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