Best Network Automation Software in 2026
Updated
Coordinating network changes across devices calls for tools that fit your environment and operational workflow. Compared on configuration management, deployment, device limit, network testing, supported platforms and workflow orchestration, these entries give teams several dimensions to assess. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing can help frame the cost comparison. Netmiko, ONAP and Containerlab are among the options; consider the tasks you need to automate, the platforms in your environment and whether the listed device limit and orchestration capabilities suit your work.
Network Automation Software, one module each.A lit port is something its maker publishes; 15 of 15 with a known API signal have a public API.
- 01 Netmiko API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.4Free
- 02 ONAP API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.4Free
- 03 ONOS API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.4Free
- 04 Containerlab API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 05 NAPALM API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 06 Nautobot API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 07 Gluware API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.2Free
- 08 OpenDaylight API yesFREE yesDOCS 7.2Free
- 09 Infoblox Cloud Network Automation API yesDOCS 7.0
- 10 Batfish API yesDOCS 6.9
- 11 AlgoSec API yesDOCS 6.8
- 12 NetBrain API yesDOCS 6.8
- 13 Itential Automation Platform API yesDOCS 6.7
- 14 Forward Enterprise API yesDOCS 6.6
- 15 SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager API yesFREE noDOCS 6.6
- 16 Arista NG Firewall FREE yesDOCS 6.0$22.50/mo
- 17 Cisco pyATS FREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 18 ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager FREE yesDOCS 5.9$19.83/mo
- 19 Nornir FREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 20 Blue Planet Orchestration DOCS 5.5
- 21 Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G DOCS 5.5
- 22 BackBox DOCS 5.4
- 23 Juniper Security Director DOCS 5.3
- 24 Tufin DOCS 5.3
- 25 Juniper Apstra DOCS 5.0
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Platform | Score | Free plan | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment | Configuration management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netmiko | 7.4 | Free plan | Yes | self_hosted | Yes | |
| 2 | ONAP | 7.4 | Free plan | self_hosted | Yes | ||
| 3 | ONOS | 7.4 | Free plan | self_hosted | Yes | ||
| 4 | Containerlab | 7.3 | Free plan | self_hosted | Yes | ||
| 5 | NAPALM | 7.3 | Free plan | Yes | self_hosted | Yes | |
| 6 | Nautobot | 7.3 | Free plan | Yes | hybrid | Yes | |
| 7 | Gluware | 7.2 | Free plan | No | |||
| 8 | OpenDaylight | 7.2 | Free plan | self_hosted | Yes | ||
| 9 | Infoblox Cloud Network Automation | 7.0 | self_hosted | Yes | |||
| 10 | Batfish | 6.9 | self_hosted | ||||
| 11 | AlgoSec | 6.8 | |||||
| 12 | NetBrain | 6.8 | No | ||||
| 13 | Itential Automation Platform | 6.7 | No | ||||
| 14 | Forward Enterprise | 6.6 | No | ||||
| 15 | SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager | 6.6 | No | No | |||
| 16 | Arista NG Firewall | 6.0 | Free plan | No | |||
| 17 | Cisco pyATS | 5.9 | Free plan | Yes | self_hosted | Yes | |
| 18 | ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager | 5.9 | Free plan | Yes | |||
| 19 | Nornir | 5.9 | Free plan | self_hosted | Yes | ||
| 20 | Blue Planet Orchestration | 5.5 | cloud | Yes | |||
| 21 | Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G | 5.5 | |||||
| 22 | BackBox | 5.4 | |||||
| 23 | Juniper Security Director | 5.3 | No | ||||
| 24 | Tufin | 5.3 | |||||
| 25 | Juniper Apstra | 5.0 | No |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.