Automated Patching Solutions Compared: 2026 Buyer's Guide

Your patching tool was probably built for a world that no longer exists: endpoints on corporate networks, workers in offices, Windows everywhere. That world is gone. Today's IT teams manage remote workers, contractors on personal devices, and mixed fleets of Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints scattered across home offices, coffee shops, and coworking spaces.

Automox was built for this reality. The platform is cloud-native, cross-platform, and requires no VPN, no servers, and no distribution points to patch endpoints anywhere in the world.

A note on perspective: This guide is published by Automox. We've done our best to provide accurate, useful comparisons, and we're direct about where competitors are the stronger choice. But you should know where this content comes from as you evaluate your options.

If your employees work from home, travel, or split time between office and remote, your patching tool needs to reach them wherever they are. Most tools weren't built for this - they assume endpoints live on a corporate network.

Automox doesn't make that assumption. An endpoint in a home office, airport, or coffee shop receives patches the same way as one in headquarters. The agent talks directly to the cloud over HTTPS. No VPN, no corporate network access required.

On-premises patching tools like Microsoft MECM require endpoints to connect to internal infrastructure. Remote workers must connect through VPN or organizations must deploy Cloud Management Gateway with additional Azure infrastructure. Automox eliminates this complexity by design.

The platform includes integrated Splashtop remote control for direct endpoint access when patches require hands-on troubleshooting.

Most patching tools were built for Windows and treat everything else as an afterthought. Microsoft MECM deprecated Linux support in 2019 and macOS support in 2022. If you're managing a mixed fleet, you end up juggling multiple tools or accepting feature gaps.

Automox doesn't work that way. One policy engine handles Windows, macOS, and Linux. Same scheduling, same Automox Worklets™ automation, same console. You get 412+ pre-built Worklets for common IT tasks, plus the ability to create custom PowerShell or Bash scripts that execute across any OS. Built cross-platform from the start, not retrofitted.

"Cloud-native" gets thrown around a lot. Here's what it actually means: Automox has no servers for you to manage. No distribution points to size. No VPN infrastructure to maintain. Patches go directly to endpoints over HTTPS, and the platform scales as you add endpoints.

Some vendors offer "cloud-hosted" versions of their on-premises products. That's just the same architecture running in someone else's data center. You still deal with the complexity - it's just not in your building.

Automox supports 580+ third-party applications alongside OS patching, all from the same console.

A note on third-party application counts: Vendors count supported applications differently. Some inflate catalog numbers by counting each version, architecture, or platform variation as a separate entry. A single application available across Windows 10, Windows 11, Intel Mac, and Apple Silicon Mac might count as four or more entries.

Automox uses transparent counting: one entry per software title per platform, regardless of how many versions or architectures are supported. This means Automox's 580+ titles represent actual unique applications, not inflated variation counts.

Automox vs Microsoft MECM (SCCM)

MECM is the default choice for enterprises that standardized on Microsoft years ago, formerly known as System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). If you're 95%+ Windows, endpoints are on corporate networks, and you have System Center expertise on staff, MECM works fine.

But MECM shows its age with remote and cross-platform work. Microsoft deprecated Linux support in 2019 and macOS support in 2022. Remote patching requires VPN or Cloud Management Gateway (more Azure infrastructure to manage).

Automox and Microsoft Intune

Intune is Microsoft's cloud-native endpoint management platform - the modern alternative to MECM for organizations moving away from on-premises infrastructure. Many organizations use Intune and Automox together: Intune handles device enrollment and initial provisioning, while Automox manages ongoing patching and third-party application updates.

This pairing makes sense because Intune excels at getting devices enrolled and compliant with corporate policies, but its third-party patching capabilities are limited. Automox fills that gap with 580+ third-party applications and cross-platform support that extends beyond the Microsoft ecosystem.

Automox vs Ivanti Patch Management

Ivanti has assembled a broad portfolio through acquisitions. If you're already using Ivanti products, their patch management integrates with what you have. They're also strong on risk-based prioritization - correlating patches with active vulnerability data.

The tradeoff: complexity. Multiple products, varying feature sets depending on which one you're using, and deployment that requires more configuration than Automox.

Automox vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus

ManageEngine supports Windows, Mac, and Linux with a large third-party application catalog. The platform offers both on-premises and cloud deployment options, giving organizations flexibility in how they run their infrastructure.

Automox takes a different approach: cloud-only, no infrastructure to manage. Remote workforce support works out of the box instead of requiring configuration. And if you need custom automation beyond standard patching, Worklets give you scripting capabilities ManageEngine lacks.

Automox vs Action1

Action1 is the closest competitor to Automox in positioning: cloud-native, no infrastructure, cross-platform.

Both platforms solve the same fundamental problem. The differences: Automox has 412+ pre-built Worklets, vulnerability scanner integrations through Vulnerability Sync (Rapid7, CrowdStrike, Tenable, Qualys), and the Turnkey Results implementation program where Automox configures your environment for you. Action1 offers peer-to-peer patch distribution for bandwidth optimization and a free tier for smaller deployments.

Automox vs NinjaOne

NinjaOne is a full RMM platform with patch management as one component. If you need ticketing, remote access, backup, and patching in a single tool, NinjaOne consolidates those functions.

The tradeoff: NinjaOne's third-party patching coverage is narrower than dedicated patch management tools. Organizations with diverse application stacks often supplement NinjaOne with additional patching tools. If patching is your primary concern and you already have separate RMM and backup solutions, Automox offers deeper patching capabilities without the bundled features you may not need.

Automox vs Tanium

Tanium is an enterprise platform focused on real-time endpoint visibility and control. It excels at answering questions like "which endpoints have this vulnerability right now?" across hundreds of thousands of devices in seconds.

For large enterprises prioritizing real-time visibility and incident response, Tanium is a strong choice. For organizations primarily focused on automating patch deployment without the complexity of a full endpoint platform, Automox provides a more streamlined approach.

Automox patches over HTTPS by default. No VPN, no tunneling, no corporate network access required. Other cloud-native platforms like Action1 and NinjaOne work the same way.

For on-premises solutions, VPN-free patching requires additional configuration:

• MECM: Cloud Management Gateway (requires Azure infrastructure)

• Ivanti: Cloud-hosted option

• Kaseya VSA: Cloud option

• ManageEngine: Cloud-hosted version

If auditors ask "show me your patch history for the last 90 days," you need a tool that can answer that question quickly.

HCL BigFix is the enterprise compliance heavyweight - built for global organizations juggling multiple regulatory frameworks. SolarWinds has strong pre-built reports mapped to common compliance standards.

Automox covers the fundamentals: real-time dashboards, 20 prebuilt reports, automated audit trails, and over a year of historical patch data. Vulnerability Sync imports scan data from Rapid7, CrowdStrike, Tenable, and Qualys if you need to connect patching to your vulnerability management workflow. The platform holds SOC 2, PCI-DSS v4, and CISA Secure by Design certifications. For most organizations, this is enough. If you're dealing with complex multi-framework requirements across global operations, BigFix is probably the better fit.

Kaseya VSA was built for MSPs. Multi-tenant architecture, white-labeling, delegated administration. If you're managing patches across dozens of client environments, Kaseya has deeper MSP-specific tooling.

Automox has an MSP partner program with multi-tenant consoles and delegated administration. For MSPs prioritizing cross-platform patching and automation over PSA integrations, Automox is worth evaluating.

Scale matters here. At 100,000+ endpoints spread across global networks, you need relay architecture to distribute patches without crushing your bandwidth.

For mid-market and enterprise organizations that don't need relay infrastructure, Automox handles the load without requiring servers or distribution points. The cloud-native architecture scales with your endpoint count.

MECM works for large Windows-centric enterprises that already have the infrastructure and expertise in place.

If you're managing 100,000+ endpoints across global networks, BigFix's relay architecture handles bandwidth constraints Automox doesn't address. If you're an MSP managing dozens of client environments, Kaseya's multi-tenant tooling is purpose-built for that workflow. And if you're 95% Windows on corporate networks with MECM expertise already on staff and operating smoothly, switching may not be worth the migration effort.

For everyone else - remote workforce, mixed operating systems, no appetite for infrastructure - Automox is the #1 choice.

Here's what usually happens: you buy patch management software, install it, configure policies based on your best guess, and spend the next six months tweaking settings when things don't work as expected.

Automox offers Turnkey Results to skip that phase. The program starts with guided discovery of your environment, then delivers automation policies and configurations designed for your specific goals. Continuous validation catches configuration drift as your environment changes.

Most vendors answer tickets. Automox will do the work.