Patch management software ensures that known vulnerabilities are patched efficiently to prevent breaches while streamlining IT workflows. Find the best patch management solution for your business.
Many security breaches can be avoided by applying software patches to known vulnerabilities as soon as they’re released by the vendor. Patch management software provides a centralized place for IT administrators to identify known vulnerabilities and deploy patches across most or all of the computer systems and applications in use across the organization.
The best patch management software offers an intuitive interface, affordable pricing, and automation to improve efficiency while mitigating risk. In this guide, I compare my top choices for business patch management to help you make the right choice for your organization.
Every patch manager on my list provides centralized management for at least one administrator to scan, approve, and deploy updates for multiple machines at once. The main differentiating factors, feature-wise, are their cost, supported platforms, and automation capabilities.
| Our rating (out of 5) | Starting price | Supported platforms | Centralized management | Automation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESET project | 5 | $287 per year for 5 devices | Windows, Linux, macOS | Yes | Scanning and deployments |
| NinjaOne | 4.8 | Custom quote | Windows, Linux, macOS | Yes | Scanning, approval, deployments, reboots, alerts, and notifications |
| ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus | 4.6 | Free | Windows, Linux, macOS | Yes | Scanning, testing, approval, deployments, and reboots |
| SolarWinds Patch Manager | 4.4 | $2,274 per year | Windows | Yes | Scanning and deployments |
| Avast Business Patch Management | 4.2 | $16.42 per device per year | Windows | Yes | Scanning |
| Heimdal Patch & Asset Management | 4.0 | Custom quote | Windows, macOS, Linux, routers, and more | Yes | Scanning, deployments, and compliance management |
Our rating: 5 out of 5
ESET includes patch management capabilities as part of several ESET Protect security software bundles. Its patch management features include automatic scanning and prioritization of vulnerabilities and automatic deployment of Windows, macOS, Linux, and third-party software updates.
Other security functionality depends on the plan package you select, but at a minimum, all patch management bundles include endpoint protection for workstations, servers, mobile devices, and cloud applications, as well as full disk encryption. You can also upgrade to an extended detection and response or managed detection and response plan for comprehensive security management.
SEE: Patch Management Best Practices for IT Professionals (TechRepublic)
ESET provides a complete endpoint protection platform for businesses at a highly affordable cost. While I found the initial configuration to be a bit challenging, the Protect dashboard makes it easy to manage updates across operating systems and software applications. It provides comprehensive, instant reporting on your patch compliance and security posture.
ESET’s patch manager comes bundled with three of the ESET Protect plans:
Visit ESET Project
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Up-to-date CVE management. | Initial configuration has a steep learning curve. |
| Ease of use. | |
| Additional security features. |
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
NinjaOne Patch Management is a standalone product that automatically identifies and deploys software updates for Windows, Linux, Mac, and third-party apps. It also automatically reboots systems to finish applying updates and generates automatic alerts and notifications when vulnerabilities are detected, or the vendor releases new updates.
I appreciated that the NinjaOne dashboard includes remote remediation tools to help teams troubleshoot and fix patch installation problems or system hangs without needing anyone on-site. The only reason I didn’t give it a perfect 5 out of 5 is that I found some of the automation features a little buggy, which could be frustrating for beginners.
SEE: Patch Management Policy (TechRepublic Premium)
NinjaOne Patch Management is a beginner-friendly solution that provides many automation capabilities and remediation tools to streamline patch management for small, busy IT teams. NinjaOne also offers other endpoint security and device management products for those who need a more complete solution.
NinjaOne does not publicly provide pricing information, requiring potential customers to request a custom quote. According to a Reddit user, the minimum spend is $180 per month.
Visit NinjaOne
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use for beginners. | Some features can be buggy. |
| Includes additional remediation tools. | Pricing isn’t transparent. |
| Provides lots of automation. |
Our rating: 4.6 out of 5
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is a fully-featured patch management solution that businesses can use for free for up to 20 workstations and five servers. While all the other options on my list are cloud-only, ManageEngine’s software can also be deployed on-premises for businesses that want to keep everything in-house.
Its paid options are affordable, and the Enterprise plan adds updates for antivirus definitions, device drivers, and BIOS, as well as automatic patch testing, approval, and bandwidth optimization. ManageEngine agents are easy to deploy, but the management dashboard is challenging to configure, and I found its error codes less than helpful.
On the other hand, even the free version comes with response customer support to help with any setup issues.
SEE: Patch Management Plays a Critical Role in Layered Endpoint Cybersecurity (TechRepublic)
ManageEngine offers a free business-class password manager, making it a great choice for startups or other companies on a strict budget. The affordable paid plans add device sets and extra patching capabilities for those who need them, and a responsive customer support team is standing by to help with any configuration frustrations.
Visit ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Agents are easy to deploy. | Unhelpful error codes. |
| Available both on-premises and in the cloud. | Difficult initial configuration. |
| Responsive support. |
Our rating: 4.4 out of 5
SolarWinds Patch Manager is a Windows-only solution that integrates with Windows Server Update Services and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. It focuses entirely on patch management, though SolarWinds offers many other solutions for asset management, network monitoring, and more. Its interface design is incredibly intuitive for Windows administrators, offering customizable patch logging to aid with compliance and executive reporting.
Unfortunately, one of SolarWinds’ other products recently suffered an extremely high-profile breach, which raises some security concerns. That said, the breached software had nothing to do with the Patch Manager solution.
SEE: Everything You Need to Know about the Malvertising Cybersecurity Threat (TechRepublic Premium)
SolarWinds provides one of the best patch management solutions for Windows-only enterprises using SCCM to install and manage their software. I found the interface easy to navigate and the software easy to configure, though I think it could use a bit more extra functionality at its high price tag.
Visit SolarWinds Patch Manager
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with Microsoft patch management. | High price. |
| Customizable reports. | Only works with Microsoft environments. |
| Intuitive interface. | SolarWinds recently suffered a high-profile breach. |
Our rating: 4.2 out of 5
Avast offers a standalone business patch management solution and also includes a patch manager in its Ultimate Business Security plan. The standalone tool offers deployment scheduling, customizable patches, and roll-backs of failed or buggy patches. It also offers master agent capabilities, allowing teams to deploy updates to a single agent that distributes those patches to all managed devices on the network.
The Ultimate Business Security package also comes with endpoint, ransomware, phishing, data, USB, web protection, and a personal VPN service. Combined with an ultra-intuitive dashboard, these capabilities should earn this solution a higher rating. Still, I lowered my score due to Avast’s history of illegally selling data from its free antivirus users.
Avast provides an intuitive standalone patch management solution with automatic scanning and scheduled deployments at a very affordable price. Small businesses that need more protection can also upgrade to a complete security solution without breaking the bank.
Visit Avast Business Patch Management
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable standalone patch manager. | Windows only. |
| Customizable patching rules and schedules. | Avast was fined for selling customer data. |
| Intuitive dashboard. |
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Heimdal offers an enterprise-grade patch and asset management solution focusing on security over features or design. The platform provides complete IT asset management for Windows, Mac, Linux, and routers. It is ideal for large organizations with distributed locations and many mobile or Internet of Things devices.
It offers a speedy, four-hour turnaround on newly released vulnerability patches to limit exposure times. Heimdal Patch & Asset Management also includes a policy and compliance management dashboard to simplify regulatory requirements. Heimdal offers a full range of integrated enterprise security products like DNS security and a next-generation firewall.
I picked Heimdal because its security-first approach to patch management and enterprise-grade IT asset management capabilities suit enterprise environments in regulated industries like healthcare and government contracting. It also offers other enterprise security products for a more integrated management experience.
Visit Heimdal Patch & Asset Management
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Includes asset management. | Limited third-party app support. |
| Cross-platform support. | Only basic reporting. |
| Very fast patches. | Learning curve to use the platform. |
Each organization’s needs are different, but there are a few common factors to consider when choosing a patch management solution. It needs to work with your existing operating systems and business applications. Your staff needs the skills to configure and use it effectively; it must fit your budget and, crucially, be secured against breaches.
ESET was my top pick because it strikes a nice balance among all these characteristics. Still, every choice on my list has advantages and disadvantages that you’ll need to weigh according to your requirements.
I chose patch management solutions that are popular among the IT professionals I know and have worked with in the past, as well as those rated highly by customers on platforms like Reddit. When possible, I downloaded free trials to test features first-hand, and otherwise, I watched demos to see the product’s capabilities in action. I also researched each vendor to gauge their trustworthiness and assess any known security risks or breaches.
Nicole Rennolds is a content writer with more than a decade of hands-on IT experience in systems and network administration that she leverages to deliver expert insights. In addition to working as a ghostwriter in the tech industry, she has contributed to numerous online publications including MakeUseOf, ScreenRant and Proxy Gaming News.
