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Puppet

puppet.com

From $120/mo Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 8.9 #2 of 26 in Configuration Management Tools

What it is

Puppet Enterprise provides policy-driven configuration management and infrastructure automation for complex cloud and hybrid environments. It uses policy as code to continuously enforce desired state, helping organizations identify and remediate configuration drift. Both agent-based and agentless management are supported, with a web interface and role-based access control. Puppet Enterprise Advanced adds continuous enforcement of CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs, self-service automation, AI features, observability integrations, and advanced patching. It also integrates with third-party vulnerability scanners, including Nessus, for remediation. Listed integrations include GitHub, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, HashiCorp Vault, and ServiceNow. Agents are listed for Linux, Windows, and macOS. Puppet describes the product as suited to medium and large organizations managing complex environments that require security, compliance, and centralized automation. Pricing is custom; a free trial runs on up to 10 nodes with no commitment or time limit. Network and edge device management is optional, and licensing for those devices requires contacting sales.

Spec sheet

What it does
Puppet Enterprise automates configuration, desired-state enforcement, deployment workflows and governance across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Purpose
Puppet Enterprise provides policy-driven configuration management and infrastructure automation for enterprise-scale environments.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Intended users
Puppet describes Puppet Enterprise as best suited to medium and large organizations managing complex hybrid environments that require security, compliance, and centralized automation.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Deployment
It supports agent-based and agentless automation and management of complex cloud and hybrid environments.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
API
Puppet and Puppet Enterprise expose HTTP APIs for application integrations, including inventory and orchestration services.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Integrations
Official integration listings include ServiceNow, VMware, Argo CD, Jenkins, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic, Splunk, Tenable Nessus and CIS Benchmarks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Security
Puppet describes Security Compliance Enforcement as applying policy as code aligned to CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs to identify and remediate configuration drift.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Support
Enterprise plans include standard or premium technical support, CVE service-level commitments and optional technical account management.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
License
Open-source Puppet is released under Apache-2.0, while Puppet Enterprise adds proprietary commercial components, orchestration, console and support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Founded
2005Read 23 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Acquisition
Perforce completed its acquisition of Puppet on May 18, 2022; transaction terms were not disclosed.Read 15 Oct 2026 · perforce.com
Advanced capabilities
Puppet Enterprise Advanced adds continuous CIS Benchmark and DISA STIG enforcement, self-service automation, AI features, observability integrations, and advanced patching.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Agent models
Deployments can use agent-based or agentless architecture and can combine declarative workflows with imperative tasks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Company founding
Puppet was founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon.Read 15 Oct 2026 · news.crunchbase.com
Company headquarters
Puppet’s historical headquarters was Portland, Oregon; current Perforce company information lists Minneapolis as head office.Read 15 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Company legal name
Crunchbase identifies the legal entity as Puppet, Inc., also known as Reductive Labs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Configuration management
The platform continuously enforces declared configuration state and records audit and correction information.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Desired state
It continuously enforces desired state through policy as code.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Documentation
Documentation covers Enterprise, Continuous Delivery, security compliance and Bolt task execution, with versioned installation and administration material.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Extensibility
The product supports an extensible scanner architecture and open API framework, while Puppet Forge provides more than 7,000 reusable modules.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Funding
A 2018 Series F raised $42 million led by Cisco, bringing reported aggregate venture funding to $127.5 million at that time.Read 15 Oct 2026 · news.crunchbase.com
Impact analysis
Enterprise Advanced previews the infrastructure impact of Puppet code before deployment.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Interface and access
The platform includes a web-based interface and role-based access control.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Limit: accessibility
The vendor’s accessibility report says some console controls lack labels, keyboard operation and sufficient focus or contrast support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Limit: learning curve
Independent reviewers frequently describe Puppet’s Ruby-based language, setup and implementation as difficult for beginners.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: setup complexity
Software Advice reviewers identify setup as more difficult than Ansible and say the broad feature set makes adoption complex.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Limit: UI gaps
Reviewers report missing or limited visualization, multi-tenancy and in-console code editing compared with their expectations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Limits
Puppet states that network and edge device management is optional, and its release notes say to contact sales for licensing those devices.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Notable release
Puppet Enterprise 2025.2.0 introduced vulnerability remediation for Enterprise Advanced, including scanner ingestion and CVSS-prioritized remediation workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Observability integrations
The observability connector sends event data to Grafana, Splunk, Prometheus, Datadog and New Relic.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Operating systems
Puppet Enterprise supports managed Linux, Windows and macOS agents; primary servers run on Unix-like systems rather than Windows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.puppet.com
Patching
The platform provides basic patching in Enterprise and advanced patching workflows in Enterprise Advanced.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Praise: automation and scale
Reviewers repeatedly praise reliable automation, consistent management of large server fleets, reusable modules and reduced deployment effort.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Praise: ecosystem
Users highlight the breadth of Puppet Forge modules, open-source community and integrations with tools such as Docker, Git, Jenkins and cloud platforms.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on Capterra
4.4 out of 5 from 24 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.2 out of 5 from 43 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Gartner Peer Insights
4.1 out of 5 from 47 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · gartner.com
Rating on GetApp
4.4 out of 5 from 24 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Software Advice
4.4 out of 5 from 24 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Rating on TrustRadius
8.5 out of 10 from 58 reviews and ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Scale
Puppet says its free trial runs Puppet Enterprise on up to 10 nodes with no commitment or time limit.Read 29 Sep 2026 · puppet.com
Security compliance
Security Compliance Enforcement supplies policy-as-code aligned with CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs and continuously remediates drift.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Self-hosting
Puppet Enterprise is downloadable for customer-managed installations, and Puppet also offers a self-hosted Unified Compliance appliance.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Self-service
Teams can publish catalogs of Puppet Tasks and Plans and restrict execution through roles and permissions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Vulnerability remediation
Enterprise Advanced can ingest scanner data, prioritize vulnerabilities and apply or roll back remediation actions; Nessus is integrated out of the box.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Web console
Puppet Enterprise includes a browser-based interface for managing infrastructure and viewing activity.Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com

Plans and prices

Puppet Core Free free development and testing edition; licensing options vary open-source Puppet Core · download available Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise free trial Free no time limit stated 10 nodes · no commitment Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise listing price $120 a month per feature third-party directory starting price; vendor pricing available on request Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Puppet Enterprise Priced on request subscription pricing by node; contact sales continuous desired-state enforcement · agent or agentless automation · web console · Linux, Windows and macOS agents Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise Advanced Priced on request subscription pricing by node; contact sales CIS/DISA STIG enforcement · vulnerability remediation · impact analysis · observability connectors · ServiceNow self-service Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com

Every Puppet plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Enforces desired state through policy as code.
  • Supports agent-based and agentless management.
  • Web interface includes role-based access control.
  • Free trial runs on up to 10 nodes.
  • Advanced adds continuous CIS and DISA STIG enforcement.

Limits

  • Pricing is custom and not listed.
  • Network and edge device management is optional.
  • Licensing for network and edge devices requires contacting sales.

Who it suits

Puppet Enterprise is intended for medium and large organizations managing complex hybrid environments that need centralized automation, security, and compliance controls. It is suited to teams managing Linux, Windows, and macOS agents.

Verdict

Puppet Enterprise focuses on continuous configuration control across complex environments, with security and compliance capabilities expanded in Advanced. The free trial covers up to 10 nodes, while prices are custom.

Where Specifiction places it

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