Best Configuration Management Tools in 2026
Updated
For teams maintaining settings and policies across infrastructure, configuration management choices can differ in how they apply controls and support ongoing operations. Compare agent model, deployment model, and supported platforms against the systems you manage. Drift detection and patch management matter when assessing maintenance capabilities, while policy as code and compliance reporting speak to policy and governance needs. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing offer cost context. Salt, CFEngine, and config.XO are among the tools shown; use the listed attributes to assess fit with your platform coverage and operational requirements.
Configuration Management Tools, one module each.A lit port is something its maker publishes; 13 of 13 with a known API signal have a public API.
- 01 Salt API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.4Free
- 02 CFEngine API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 03 config.XO API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3€449/mo
- 04 Google Cloud VM Manager API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 05 pyinfra API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 06 Rudder API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 07 Uyuni API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 08 OpenVox API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.2Free
- 09 OpenDSC API yesDOCS 7.0
- 10 Chef Infra API yesDOCS 6.9$4.92/mo
- 11 Mgmt Config API yesDOCS 6.9
- 12 Puppet API yesDOCS 6.9
- 13 OpenText Dimensions CM API yesDOCS 6.8
- 14 cdist FREE yesDOCS 6.0Free
- 15 Quattor FREE yesDOCS 6.0Free
- 16 LCFG FREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 17 AWS Systems Manager State Manager FREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 18 Rex FREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 19 Fabric DOCS 5.5
- 20 Azure Machine Configuration DOCS 5.3$6/mo
- 21 OpenText Server Automation DOCS 5.2
- 22 Radmind DOCS 5.2
- 23 Microsoft Desired State Configuration DOCS 5.1
- 24 Microsoft Configuration Manager FREE noDOCS 4.9$1,455/mo
- 25 Tripwire Enterprise DOCS 4.8
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Platform | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Agent model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | self_hosted | both | |
| 2 | CFEngine | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | self_hosted | agent_based | |
| 3 | config.XO | 7.3 | Free plan | €449/mo | Yes | cloud | agent_based | |
| 4 | Google Cloud VM Manager | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | cloud | agent_based | |
| 5 | pyinfra | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | both | agentless | ||
| 6 | Rudder | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | self_hosted | agent_based | |
| 7 | Uyuni | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | both | both | ||
| 8 | OpenVox | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | self_hosted | both | ||
| 9 | OpenDSC | 7.0 | self_hosted | agent_based | ||||
| 10 | Chef Infra | 6.9 | $4.92/mo | No | both | agent_based | ||
| 11 | Mgmt Config | 6.9 | No | self_hosted | both | |||
| 12 | Puppet | 6.9 | Yes | self_hosted | both | |||
| 13 | OpenText Dimensions CM | 6.8 | ||||||
| 14 | cdist | 6.0 | Free plan | Free | self_hosted | agentless | ||
| 15 | Quattor | 6.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | self_hosted | agent_based | |
| 16 | LCFG | 5.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | self_hosted | agent_based | |
| 17 | AWS Systems Manager State Manager | 5.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | cloud | agent_based | |
| 18 | Rex | 5.8 | Free plan | Free | self_hosted | agentless | ||
| 19 | Fabric | 5.5 | self_hosted | agentless | ||||
| 20 | Azure Machine Configuration | 5.3 | $6/mo | Yes | 6 /mo | cloud | agent_based | |
| 21 | OpenText Server Automation | 5.2 | self_hosted | both | ||||
| 22 | Radmind | 5.2 | Yes | self_hosted | agent_based | |||
| 23 | Microsoft Desired State Configuration | 5.1 | self_hosted | |||||
| 24 | Microsoft Configuration Manager | 4.9 | No | $1,455/mo | No | |||
| 25 | Tripwire Enterprise | 4.8 | No |
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Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.