Best IT Automation Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Foreman is ranked #1 of 67 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus and OPSI. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Automox at $0.08/mo.
IT automation tools address work such as configuration management, patching, and remediation across supported platforms. Compare deployment models and included endpoints to understand the scope each entry covers, then weigh its patch management and remediation automation capabilities. Free-plan availability and the paid-from price add cost context. Puppet and OPSI lead the entries, followed by ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus and Rundeck; Salt and Foreman come next. Use the listed comparison points to focus on the systems you run and the operational tasks you need to automate, with the ranking order offering another way to navigate the options.
67 IT automation 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 | Patch management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foreman | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 2 | ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $20.42/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 | OPSI | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | €41.58/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 4 | Salt | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 | Canonical MAAS | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $2.50/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 6 | CFEngine | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 7 | ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.82/mo | Yes | 1.28 /mo | — | View |
| 8 | Puppet | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 | Rudder | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 10 | Rundeck | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 |  WAPT | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 | OpenVox | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | — | — | Yes | View |
| 13 | StackStorm | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 14 |  BMC Helix AIOps | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 2,400 /mo | — | View |
| 15 | NetBrain | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 16 |  Okta Lifecycle Management | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $17/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 17 | Automox | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.08/mo | No | 1 /mo | Yes | View |
| 18 |  HCL BigFix | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 19 | JAMS Scheduler | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $833/mo | No | 833 /mo | — | View |
| 20 | ActiveBatch | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 21 |  Arista NG Firewall | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $22.50/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 22 | ManageEngine Endpoint Central | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $66.25/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 23 | Oracle Enterprise Manager | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 24 | VMware Workstation Pro | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | — | — | — | View |
| 25 | Action1 | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | 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 IT automation software is ranked first on Inferse?
Foreman is ranked #1 of 67 with a score of 7.4. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is second and OPSI third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Automox has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.08/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.