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Best Microsoft Desired State Configuration Alternatives in 2026

Updated

20 tools from configuration management tools ranked against Microsoft Desired State Configuration on the same published basis.

  1. 1
    CFEngine Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb Free7.8
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs CFEngine
  2. 2
    Rudder Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedWebWin Free7.6
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Rudder
  3. 3
    Salt Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.5
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Salt
  4. 4
    Puppet Free trial apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb 7.4
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Puppet
  5. 5
    AWS Systems Manager State Manager Free plan LinuxMacWebWin Free7.3
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs AWS Systems Manager State Manager
  6. 6
    Chef Infra Free trial apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin $4.92/mo7.3
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Chef Infra
  7. 7
    Google Cloud VM Manager Free plan apiLinuxWebWin Free7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Google Cloud VM Manager
  8. 8
    OpenDSC apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb 7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenDSC
  9. 9
    OpenVox Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenVox
  10. 10
    pyinfra Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs pyinfra
  11. 11
    cdist Free plan LinuxMacself-hosted Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs cdist
  12. 12
    config.XO Free plan apiLinuxWebWin €449/mo7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs config.XO
  13. 13
    Quattor Free plan Linuxself-hosted Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Quattor
  14. 14
    Rex Free plan LinuxWin Free7.0
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Rex
  15. 15
    Uyuni Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedWeb Free7.0
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Uyuni
  16. 16
    Fabric LinuxMacWin 6.9
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Fabric
  17. 17
    LCFG Free plan Linuxself-hosted Free6.8
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs LCFG
  18. 18
    Mgmt Config apiLinuxself-hosted 6.6
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Mgmt Config
  19. 19
    OpenText Dimensions CM apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin 6.6
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenText Dimensions CM
  20. 20
    Radmind LinuxMacWin 6.3
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Radmind

Microsoft Desired State Configuration alternatives compared

#ToolScoreFree planFromRuns on
1CFEngine7.8Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
2Rudder7.6Free planFreeAPI, Linux, self-hosted, Web, Windows
3Salt7.5Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
4Puppet7.4No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
5AWS Systems Manager State Manager7.3Free planFreeLinux, Mac, Web, Windows
6Chef Infra7.3No$4.92/moAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
7Google Cloud VM Manager7.2Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Web, Windows
8OpenDSC7.2No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
9OpenVox7.2Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
10pyinfra7.2Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
11cdist7.1Free planFreeLinux, Mac, self-hosted
12config.XO7.1Free plan€449/moAPI, Linux, Web, Windows
13Quattor7.1Free planFreeLinux, self-hosted
14Rex7.0Free planFreeLinux, Windows
15Uyuni7.0Free planFreeAPI, Linux, self-hosted, Web
16Fabric6.9No—Linux, Mac, Windows
17LCFG6.8Free planFreeLinux, self-hosted
18Mgmt Config6.6No—API, Linux, self-hosted
19OpenText Dimensions CM6.6No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
20Radmind6.3No—Linux, Mac, Windows
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Questions about Microsoft Desired State Configuration alternatives

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Desired State Configuration?

CFEngine, number 1 in configuration management tools with a score of 7.8 out of 10. The others here: Rudder, Salt, Puppet and 16 more.

What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Desired State Configuration?

CFEngine is the best-ranked alternative with a free plan. 13 of the 20 alternatives here publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.

How are these alternatives 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.