EMCO Remote Installer vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus

EMCO Remote Installer centrally audits software and deploys packages across Windows PCs on a local network. It can remotely install, uninstall and repair EXE, MSI and MSP packages, with silent, parallel deployments that do not require client software preinstalled on target PCs. Administrators can select computers directly or build dynamic targets using domains, workgroups, computer names, organizational units, operating systems or installed software. The inventory stores operating system and application information centrally and can track changes between scans. Deployments can combine multiple install, uninstall or repair steps with custom actions before or after; Professional users can save reusable deployment and audit tasks for manual or scheduled one-time and recurring runs. The Free Edition costs nothing and supports up to 5 remote PCs at a time and up to 5 packages per multi-step deployment. Professional Edition (Single Copy) costs $399, paid once, plus tax or VAT depending on country, for a perpetual version 6 license. Professional Edition (Unlimited Copies) costs $595, paid once. Remote deployment requires administrative Windows accounts, standard Windows networking services and corresponding network ports to be open.

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus automates patch management from scanning and assessment through deployment and reporting. It manages patches for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and the vendor says it can deploy updates for more than 1,100 third-party applications, including Adobe, Java, and WinRAR. Administrators can form test groups, test patches, and automatically approve them for production. Real-time audits and reports show patch compliance and endpoint patch status. The Free edition is listed for up to 20 workstations and five servers; the trial runs for 30 days and requires no credit card. Edition differences matter: antivirus definition updates, driver and BIOS updates, and automated patch testing and approval are unavailable in Professional but shown in Enterprise and Free. Enterprise is described as suitable for WAN patching and includes distribution server support for bandwidth optimization. Listed prices include Professional cloud at $34.50 a month and Enterprise cloud at $44.50 a month. Professional on-premises costs $245 a year; Enterprise on-premises costs $345 a year.