Best Network Automation Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Netmiko is ranked #1 of 21 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Containerlab and Nautobot. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Containerlab. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager at $19.83/mo.
21 network 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 | Deployment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Netmiko | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | self_hosted | View |
| 2 | Containerlab | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 3 |  Nautobot | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | hybrid | View |
| 4 |  OpenDaylight | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 5 | Infoblox Cloud Network Automation | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 6 |  AlgoSec | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 7 | NetBrain | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 8 |  SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 9 |  Arista NG Firewall | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $22.50/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 10 |  Cisco pyATS | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | self_hosted | View |
| 11 | ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $19.83/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 |  Nornir | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 13 |  NAPALM | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | self_hosted | View |
| 14 |  Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 15 |  Juniper Security Director | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 16 |  Tufin | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 |  Blue Planet Orchestration | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | cloud | View |
| 18 | ONAP | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 19 |  Batfish | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 20 | Juniper Apstra | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 21 | ONOS | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | self_hosted | View |
| 22 | BackBox | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 | Itential Automation Platform | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 24 | Forward Enterprise | 4.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 25 |  Gluware | 4.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | 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 network automation software is ranked first on Inferse?
Netmiko is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 7.4. Containerlab is second and Nautobot third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager has the lowest first paid tier we found: $19.83/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.