LCFG vs Rudder
LCFG
lcfg.org
Rudder
rudder.ioSide by side
| Figure | LCFG | Rudder |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 8 |
| Spec score · Configuration Management Tools | 8.2 (#10) | 8.7 (#5) |
| Documentation | The project documentation includes a practical system configuration book, a guide, build tool documentation, and material on dynamic network configuration. | Documentation includes reference manuals, installation guides, API references, examples, YAML techniques and changelogs. |
| Support | LCFG provides an archived mailing list for discussion and announcements, and its package documentation directs bug reports and feedback to [email protected]. | Enterprise includes unlimited standard support, while the Corporate Security Suite includes unlimited premium support and a dedicated customer success manager. |
Plans
Rudder
- Rudder CoreFree
- Rudder Starter - Essential (Monthly)$4 a month
- Rudder Security Suite - Premium (Monthly)$23 a month
- Rudder Starter - Essential (Yearly)$40 a year
- Rudder Security Suite - Standard (Yearly)$200 a year
- Rudder Security Suite - Premium (Yearly)$225 a year
- Rudder Corporate Security SuitePriced on request
- Rudder EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
LCFG
LCFG is a free, GPL-licensed system for automatically installing and managing configurations across large groups of Unix machines. It targets sites where systems differ and change frequently. Administrators keep source settings on a central server; LCFG compiles them into XML profiles that clients download when changes occur. Client components react to resource changes by generating configuration files and reconfiguring related daemons. A package component aligns installed software with each machine’s profile. New machines can be installed over a network file system after source files are created, using a boot floppy or PXE. LCFG is self-hosted and agent-based, with patch management and HTTP resource transport. Listed supported platforms include Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, and 24.04; FAQ material also names Fedora Core 3, 5, and 6 and Scientific Linux 5. Solaris support is weaker and un-packaged, Mac OS X is experimental, and the demonstration Windows client lacks real components. Documentation covers configuration, dynamic networking, and build tools.