Best Network Automation Software in 2026
Updated
In short: ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager is ranked #1 of 26 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Containerlab and Nautobot. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Containerlab. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager at $19.83/mo.
Automating network work can involve configuration management, deployment, testing, and coordinating workflows. Compared on those capabilities, these software options also give you device limits and supported platforms to consider. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add cost context, while the listed features can help you assess whether a tool fits your environment and operational needs. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager, Containerlab, and Nautobot are among the entries to compare. Check platform support and device limits alongside the tasks you need to automate, then weigh whether network testing or workflow orchestration is central to your work.
26 network automation software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
26ranked
10free plans on this page
$19.83/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Network Automation Software 25 channels on this page · 70 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromDeploymentConfiguration managementWorkflow orchestrationNetwork testingSupported platformsDevice limit Spec sheet Score
01 ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.9
02 Containerlab Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsNokia SR Linux/SR OS/SR-SIM, Cisco XRd/XRv/XRv9k/CSR1000v/Nexus 9000v/Catalyst 9000v/IOL/ASAv/FTDv, Juniper cRPD/cSRX/vMX/vQFX/vSRX/vJunos, Arista, SONiC, Cumulus VX, VyOS, FRR, VPP, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, OpenWRT, Linux containers, generic VMs, and moreDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.2
03 Nautobot Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeploymenthybridConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsArista EOS; Aruba AOS-CX; Cisco AireOS; Cisco ASA; Cisco IOS; Cisco IOS-XR; Cisco NX-OS; Juniper Junos; Fortinet FortiOS; Palo Alto PAN-OS; Nokia SR OS; Linux; MikroTik RouterOS; Extreme NetIron; F5 BIG-IP; Citrix NetScaler; MRV OptiSwitchDevice limitnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 7.2
04 NetBrain Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.2
05 Arista NG Firewall Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.1
06 Cisco pyATS Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsCisco IOS, Cisco IOXE, Cisco IOSXR, Cisco NXOS, Cisco ASA; CLI, NETCONF, RESTCONFDevice limitnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 7.1
07 Infoblox Cloud Network Automation Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsMulti-vendor network devices; layer-2 physical infrastructure; layer-3 logical networks; VLANs; VRFsDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.1
08 ONAP Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsphysical network functions; virtual network functions; cloud-native network functionsDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.1
09 Netmiko Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsArista vEOS; Cisco IOS; Cisco IOS-XE; Cisco IOS-XR; Cisco NX-OS; Cisco SG300; Juniper Junos; Linux; and many additional vendor platformsDevice limitnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
10 Nornir Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsCisco IOS, Cisco NX-OS, Arista EOS, Junos, Palo Alto PAN-OSDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.0
11 OpenDaylight Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsOpenFlow, NETCONF, RESTCONF, BGP-LS, PCEP, OVSDB, gNMI, OpenROADM, SONiCDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.0
12 NAPALM Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingYesSupported platformsArista EOS, Cisco IOS, Cisco IOS-XR, Cisco NX-OS, Juniper JunOSDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 6.9
13 SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.7
14 AlgoSec Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.5
15 Tufin Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.4
16 Juniper Security Director Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.3
17 Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.1
18 Batfish Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingYesSupported platformsA10 Networks; Arista; AWS; Azure; Cisco NX-OS, IOS, IOS-XE, IOS-XR and ASA; Check Point; Cumulus; F5 BIG-IP; Fortinet; FRR; iptables; Juniper; Nokia SR OS/SR-SIM/MD-CLI; Palo Alto Networks; SONiC; limited Aruba, Dell Force10 and Foundry supportDevice limitnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.9
19 Blue Planet Orchestration Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentcloudConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationYesNetwork testingYesSupported platformsmulti-vendor, multi-domain, physical and virtual network environmentsDevice limitnot stated 5/8spec lines stated 5.7
20 ONOS Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentself hostedConfiguration managementYesWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingYesSupported platformsP4Runtime, gNMI/OpenConfig, gNOI, OpenFlowDevice limitnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
21 Juniper Apstra Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.6
22 Itential Automation Platform Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsRHEL 8/9; Rocky Linux 8/9Device limitnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.5
23 Forward Enterprise Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.4
24 BackBox Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 5.2
25 Gluware Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeploymentnot statedConfiguration managementnot statedWorkflow orchestrationnot statedNetwork testingnot statedSupported platformsnot statedDevice limitnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.2
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network automation software is ranked first on Specifiction?
ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager is ranked #1 of 26 with a score of 7.9. Containerlab is second and Nautobot third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 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 Network Configuration Manager has the lowest first paid tier we found: $19.83/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. Paid placements never change a rank.
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