Best Active Directory Management Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Blazam is ranked #1 of 21 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ManageEngine ADAudit Plus and ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ManageEngine ADAudit Plus. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Netwrix Password Secure at $5/mo.
Active Directory management tools address the work of auditing directory activity, handling account lifecycles and supporting password self-service. Compare AD auditing, delegated administration, lifecycle automation and reporting to see which listed capabilities match your team’s responsibilities. Deployment is another point to weigh, alongside free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. The ranking begins with Blazam, ManageEngine ADAudit Plus and ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus, with ManageEngine AD360 and Softerra Adaxes next among the entries shown. Cayosoft Administrator, Netwrix Password Secure and One Identity Active Roles also appear near the top. Consider which tasks your team needs to delegate, automate or review, and how the deployment options fit your environment.
21 active directory management software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blazam | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | on_premises | View |
| 2 | ManageEngine ADAudit Plus | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $49.58/mo | Yes | — | on_premises | View |
| 3 | ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $49.58/mo | Yes | — | on_premises | View |
| 4 | ManageEngine AD360 | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | hybrid | View |
| 5 | Softerra Adaxes | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 6 | Cayosoft Administrator | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | hybrid | View |
| 7 | Netwrix Password Secure | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 8 |  One Identity Active Roles | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | hybrid | View |
| 9 |  SolarWinds Access Rights Manager | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | hybrid | View |
| 10 |  Specops uReset | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | hybrid | View |
| 11 |  INGOS Active Directory Manager | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | cloud | View |
| 12 |  LTB Self Service Password | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | on_premises | View |
| 13 |  AD Reports | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 14 |  Dovestones AD Reporting | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | hybrid | View |
| 15 |  Ithicos Directory Manager | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 16 | JiJi AD Manager | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | on_premises | View |
| 17 | ManageEngine ADManager Plus Access Certification | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $41.25/mo | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 18 |  PWM | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | on_premises | View |
| 19 | Active Directory Change Tracker | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 20 |  ADreporter | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
| 21 |  ASN Active Directory Manager | 4.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | on_premises | View |
Is your platform 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 active directory management software is ranked first on Inferse?
Blazam is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 7.2. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is second and ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus third.
How many of these have a free plan?
3 of the 21 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Netwrix Password Secure has the lowest first paid tier we found: $5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.