Best Patch Management Software 2026: 9 Tools Compared With Prices

Quick answer: The best patch management software for most Windows-heavy teams is ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus (from $245 a year for 50 computers on-premises) or Action1 (free for up to 200 endpoints). Automox is the simplest cloud option for mixed Windows, macOS and Linux fleets ($1 per endpoint per month for OS patching). NinjaOne fits teams that want patching inside a full RMM. Microsoft Intune with Windows Autopatch is the natural choice if you already license Microsoft 365 E3, E5 or Business Premium. Enterprises with servers across many operating systems look at HCL BigFix and Ivanti. All prices are vendor-published in USD, checked September 2026.

Patch management software finds missing updates on your computers and servers, tests and schedules them, installs them, and reports on what is still exposed. The hard part is not Windows updates, which Microsoft’s own tools handle well. It is everything else: Chrome, Zoom, Adobe Reader, Java and the long tail of third-party apps that attackers target, plus Macs, Linux servers and laptops that are rarely on the office network.

This guide compares nine patch management tools on price, coverage and fit, answers the questions IT teams ask most (including whether Intune and SCCM count as patch management), and ends with a short checklist for choosing. Every price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page or documentation, checked September 2026; where a vendor only quotes, we say so.

Best Patch Management Software Compared

Browse every option, with filters, in the patch management software category.

What Is Patch Management Software?

Patch management software automates the update cycle for operating systems and applications across a fleet. A typical tool does five jobs: it scans each device for missing patches, pulls the patches from vendor catalogs, lets you approve or test them on a pilot group, deploys them on a schedule that respects maintenance windows and reboots, and reports compliance so you can prove to an auditor which vulnerabilities are closed.

It overlaps with two neighbouring categories. RMM software includes patching as one feature among monitoring, scripting and remote access. Endpoint management (UEM) software includes patching alongside enrollment, configuration and app deployment. A standalone patch tool makes sense when you already have those platforms but their patching is weak, or when patching is the only job you need done.

The 9 Best Patch Management Tools in 2026

1. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus: best for Windows-first IT teams

Patch Manager Plus is the most transparent of the established vendors on price. Its Professional edition costs $245 a year on-premises for 50 computers with one technician ($735 perpetual), or $34.50 a month ($345 a year) as a cloud subscription. Servers are licensed separately, from $95 a year for 10 on-premises, and each additional technician costs $195 a year. An Enterprise edition starts at $345 a year for 50 computers on-premises. Prices scale in published steps up to 10,000 computers ($13,495 a year on-premises Professional).

ManageEngine says it patches Windows, macOS, Linux and more than 1,100 third-party applications. Pick it if you want the choice of on-premises or cloud, a clear price list and a large third-party catalog. It is also sold inside ManageEngine Endpoint Central if you later want full endpoint management. See the Patch Manager Plus profile, its pricing page and alternatives.

2. Action1: best free patch management software

Action1’s pricing page is short: free for up to 200 endpoints, “not a free trial,” with “no feature limits” and a plan that “never expires.” Above 200 endpoints you request a quote. That makes it the most generous free tier among dedicated patch tools, and the direct answer for a small business or a lab that needs cloud patching without a budget. Action1 patches Windows, macOS and Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat and SUSE) plus third-party applications, with staged, ring-based rollouts.

The trade-off is that pricing above 200 endpoints is not published, so model the cost before you grow past the free tier. See Action1 and Action1 vs Automox.

3. Automox: best cloud-native option for mixed fleets

Automox is cloud-only and covers Windows, macOS and Linux. Its entry Patch OS plan costs $1 per endpoint per month with an annual commitment; monthly pay-as-you-go is also offered, and annual billing saves 25%. Read the plan table carefully: Patch OS covers operating system patching, while third-party patching (630+ titles), software deployment and API access start at Automate Essentials, which is custom-priced. Automate Enterprise adds Automox’s Worklets automation, multi-organisation management and remote control. Volume discounts apply at 200+ devices or on multi-year terms.

See Automox, Automox pricing and Automox vs Patch Manager Plus.

4. NinjaOne: best when patching is part of a wider RMM

NinjaOne’s patching (it brands it Autonomous Patch Management) covers Windows, macOS and Linux and, by NinjaOne’s account, auto-updates over 200 third-party applications. It is sold as part of NinjaOne’s per-device platform: a published range of $1.50 to $3.75 per device per month, with the exact rate by quote. It suits IT teams and MSPs who also want monitoring, remote access and backup on the same agent. Full detail in our NinjaOne pricing guide.

5. Microsoft Intune with Windows Autopatch: best for Microsoft 365 shops

Windows Autopatch automates Windows quality updates, feature updates, and driver and firmware updates through the Intune admin center. Microsoft’s documentation lists the qualifying licenses as Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Windows Enterprise E3 or E5 (included in Microsoft 365 F3, E3 or E5), Windows Education A3 or A5, and Windows Enterprise E3 or E5 VDA. It also requires Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 and Intune, and devices must be corporate-owned and enrolled in Intune (or co-managed with Configuration Manager). Support requests to the Autopatch team are available on E3+ and F3, not Business Premium or A3+.

Intune Plan 1 costs $8 per user per month on its own and is included in Microsoft 365 E3 ($39) and E5 ($60). For third-party app updates, Microsoft sells Intune Enterprise Application Management at $2 per user per month, which from July 2026 Microsoft says it is including in Microsoft 365 E5. See Microsoft Intune and Intune pricing.

6. PDQ: best for hands-on Windows admins

PDQ sells two products. PDQ Connect is cloud-based: Basic $12, Plus $18 and Premium $28 per device per year, with a 100-device minimum and a 14-day trial covering up to 250 devices. PDQ Deploy & Inventory, the on-premises pair many Windows admins know, costs $1,950 per admin per year. PDQ gives 10% off to nonprofits and schools. Pick it if you want fast, script-friendly deployment for Windows fleets. See PDQ Deploy, PDQ Deploy pricing and PDQ Inventory.

7. Ivanti Neurons for Patch Management: best for risk-based prioritisation

Ivanti’s cloud patch product prioritises patches by active risk exposure, patch reliability and device readiness, and covers operating systems and third-party applications. Ivanti says the pricing model “includes a platform fee and device-based licenses” and sends you to sales for an estimate; it can be bought alone or as part of a wider Ivanti endpoint package. It is aimed at security-led organisations that need to show SLA-driven remediation of exploited vulnerabilities.

8. HCL BigFix: best for large, mixed server estates

BigFix manages, patches and remediates endpoints across a very wide range of operating systems from a single agent and console, which is why it shows up in large enterprises with many server platforms. HCL says pricing is quote-based, set by the capabilities you select, deployment and subscription terms, and offers a 30-day free trial. A multi-tenant SaaS offering, BigFix SaaS Remediate, targets mid-market teams. See HCL BigFix and BigFix pricing.

9. Kaseya VSA: best for MSPs already on Kaseya

Kaseya VSA is Kaseya’s RMM, with automated patching of operating systems and third-party applications, policy-based controls and mobile device management. Kaseya also packages VSA inside its Kaseya 365 Endpoint subscription, licensed per endpoint. Both are quote-based. See Kaseya VSA.

What Is the Best Free Patch Management Software for Windows?

Action1 is the strongest free option: up to 200 endpoints, no feature limits, no expiry. Beyond that, the free routes are Microsoft’s own: Windows Update settings managed through Intune or Group Policy, and Windows Autopatch if you already hold a qualifying Microsoft license. Microsoft’s tools cover Windows itself well but leave most third-party apps to you, which is where the free tier of a dedicated tool earns its place. Level, an RMM, is also free for the first 10 devices with patching included.

Does Microsoft Intune Do Patch Management?

Yes, for Windows. Intune manages Windows update rings and policies, and Windows Autopatch automates quality, feature, driver and firmware updates on top of Intune for customers with Business Premium, E3/E5, A3/A5 or F3 licenses. What Intune does not do out of the box is broad third-party app patching; that needs the Enterprise Application Management add-on ($2 per user per month) or a dedicated tool. Intune also manages macOS, iOS and Android configuration, but its update automation is strongest on Windows.

Is SCCM a Patch Management Tool?

Yes. Microsoft Configuration Manager, formerly System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), deploys Windows updates on-premises through its software update point, which works with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Microsoft’s current direction is cloud management: Windows Autopatch supports devices co-managed by Configuration Manager and Intune, but not devices managed by Configuration Manager alone. Teams running SCCM often add a third-party catalog tool for non-Microsoft apps.

How Much Does Patch Management Software Cost?

Published prices in September 2026 fall into three shapes:

• Per endpoint per month: Automox $1 (OS patching, annual), NinjaOne $1.50 to $3.75 (whole platform).
• Per device per year: PDQ Connect $12 to $28.
• Per bundle of computers per year: ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus from $245 for 50 computers, or about $4.90 per computer per year, dropping to about $1.35 per computer at 10,000.

Free tiers: Action1 (200 endpoints) and Level (10 devices). Quote-only: Ivanti, HCL BigFix, Kaseya. Remember to price servers separately where the vendor does, and to check whether third-party patching sits in the entry plan or a higher tier.

How to Choose Patch Management Software

1. Inventory your platforms. Windows only, or macOS and Linux too? Servers as well as laptops?
2. List your top 20 third-party apps and check each vendor’s catalog covers them in the plan you will buy.
3. Decide cloud or on-premises. Remote laptops favour cloud agents; air-gapped or regulated networks may need on-premises.
4. Check what you already own. Microsoft 365 licenses may already include Intune and Autopatch; an existing RMM may already include patching.
5. Test reboot handling and reporting in a trial. The deployment is easy; the user experience and the audit report are what you will live with.

For patching as part of a broader toolset, see our guides to RMM software, endpoint management software and endpoint protection software, and the Atera pricing guide for a per-technician RMM that includes patching.

Patch Management Software FAQ