13 Best Patch Management Software in 2025

What is patch management?

Patch management refers to the process of acquiring, testing, and applying software updates, known as patches, to IT infrastructure. Patches are often released by software vendors to address vulnerabilities, fix bugs, or improve functionality. This management is critical for maintaining the security and stability of technical systems, as it helps close security gaps that cybercriminals may exploit. 

By regularly updating systems with the latest patches, organizations can protect themselves from malware, ransomware, and other types of cyberattacks.

What is patch management software?

Patch management software is a specialized tool designed to automate the process of updating software across an organization's systems and devices. It helps IT administrators streamline the patching process by centralizing patch management tasks, ensuring that all technical infrastructure, whether operating systems, applications, or firmware, are consistently updated. 

Patching platforms provide detailed insights into which devices require updates, allow for scheduling patch deployments to minimize downtime, and often test patches before full implementation to ensure compatibility with existing systems.

Why is patch management software important?

In today’s IT environment, software vulnerabilities can be quickly exploited by cybercriminals to launch attacks such as malware, ransomware, and SQL injections. Patch management software helps prevent these threats by automatically applying security updates and reducing the window of exposure. Without an effective patch management system, technical teams risk leaving critical vulnerabilities unaddressed, potentially leading to costly data loss, downtime, or even damage to their organization’s reputation.

Beyond security, patch management systems are vital for operational efficiency and compliance. Many industries are required to follow strict regulations that mandate timely updates to verify system integrity and data protection. Moreover, these solutions help maintain optimal performance of systems by addressing bugs and improving software functionality. 

Successful use cases of patch management systems

Patch management systems are versatile enough to be applied across various industries, each with their own unique IT demands and challenges. Here's how different sectors may benefit from a capable patch management platform:

• Healthcare: Patch management is vital for healthcare providers, as it ensures that medical devices and patient record systems are shielded from cyber threats with timely security updates.

• Finance: Financial establishments utilize patch management to help bolster their systems with security updates, thereby protecting financial data, preventing fraud, and preserving customer trust in digital transactions.

• Education: Educational institutions often rely on patch management to secure student information systems and digital learning technologies, safeguard against data breaches, and maintain a safe educational environment.

• Retail: In the retail sector, patch management is key for securing point-of-sale (POS)  systems and e-commerce platforms, as it protects customer data and financial transactions to ensure business continuity.

Limitations and risks of manual patching

Within the intricate world of IT management, manual patching can often be like a tightrope walk, filled with risks and limitations. This traditional approach strains resources and exposes organizations to various vulnerabilities and inefficiencies.

Let’s take a look at some of the difficulties you may experience when taking on patch management without a dedicated software to assist in your efforts:

Limitations and challenges

The traditional approach of manual patching presents numerous challenges:

• Time-consuming process: Manually tracking and applying patches across various systems is both labor-intensive and inefficient.

• Risk of human error: Manual processes are prone to oversights, leading to inconsistent patch applications and potential security gaps.

• Difficulty keeping pace: With the rapid release of new patches, manually keeping up with them is nearly impossible, especially for larger organizations.

Real world consequences

The negative consequences of ineffective manual patching can be significant:

• Security vulnerabilities: Missed updates can leave systems exposed to cyberattacks, risking data breaches, financial loss, and reputational damage.

• Operational disruptions: Unpatched systems may lead to failures and downtime, impacting customer service, employee productivity, and ultimately, your bottom line.

13 best patch management softwares for your business

1. Freshservice

Freshservice acts as an all-in-one ITSM solution, offering a plethora of AI-powered tools and a dedicated module for patch management. It emphasizes providing IT teams with complete visibility over patch connections and pending updates, ensuring that there are no gaps where services or sensitive information are vulnerable.

Freshservice’s powerful automation tools help simplify various patching-related activities, from scanning to ensuring compliance, while its alert management capabilities consolidate notifications from across the IT ecosystem to verify nothing slips through the cracks. Together, this vast array of functionalities helps ensure that patches and updates are applied seamlessly and on time, verifying that your technical infrastructure always remains secure.

Key features

• Patch management module handles all the patching steps from scanning the tools to enforcing policy and ensuring compliance

• Powered by Automox, one of the market’s premier cloud-based cybersecurity and patch management software

• End-to-end visibility displays statuses on patch connection, device, and pending updates on a single dashboard

• Aids perform different actions such as restarting and scanning devices, deploying pending patches, and applying defined device policies from a single window

• Cross-platform compatibility allows patches to easily be applied to Windows, Mac, and Linux

Pros

• Helps in effortless discovery and management of assets, while eliminating the need for multiple discovery tools

• Alert management tools consolidate notifications from all monitoring tools on a single pane of glass, while Freddy AI digs through the noise to highlight critical operational issues

• SaaS management capacity offers a 360-degree view of your applications and optimizes usage with insight-driven actions

• Integrated CMDB maintains a complete repository of all organizational assets with in-depth visibility into how they’re connected to each other

• Change management helps deploy a well-governed change control process that allows for standardization and automation

Why clients rave about Freshservice

When it comes to a secure ITSM solution that offers comprehensive service management capabilities in addition to patch management, it simply doesn’t get any better than Freshservice. Whether you operate via Windows, Mac, or Linux, Freshservice’s cross-platform capacity enables your team to easily apply patches to keep all of your systems secure. With SaaS management, alert management, and incident management potential to boot, business leaders can rest easy knowing that their technical environment is well taken care of.

Take it from one of our many satisfied clients, Matt B., who lauds Freshservice’s secureness, saying, “We moved from an on-prem ITSM tool that we had used for approximately 15 years. Moving folks from an on-prem tool to a SaaS-based tool that was in the cloud was challenging. There were several hurdles to overcome. We are a very security-minded company, so getting my internal security department to sign-off on the tool was a bit challenging. However, FreshService had all of the tools available to us to ensure a very secure deployment of the software.”

2. SolarWinds

SolarWinds focuses on providing IT infrastructure management software, including tools for monitoring and overseeing technical environments. Its IT security tool acts as a powerful solution for managing security and compliance needs.

Key features

• Automatically prioritize and route issues to increase your ability to learn from incidents and the processes leading to their resolution

• Integrated assets help seamlessly track every resource (IT and otherwise) across your entire organization

• High Availability (HA) provides failover protection for your SolarWinds server and additional polling engines to reduce data loss

Pros

• Easy-to-understand reports and dashboards provide insight into what's happening in real-time for IT-issue-tracking purposes

• Teams can easily set up dependencies to better represent the relationships between network objects and account for constraints on the network

• Packet analysis sensors help to see packet-level traffic information about key devices and applications on your network

Cons

• Non-intuitive interface leads to excessive ‘bouncing around’ when navigating from one feature to the next

• Sometimes doesn’t update or lags behind on keep both end-users and support agents informed of progress on tickets

• Difficult to configure and train users on how to utilize the extensive set of features

Price

SolarWinds’ Application Observability plan begins at $27.50 per application instance per month, while its Database Observability package runs $70 per database instance per month

3. Avast

Avast is a company that offers antivirus software, security, and privacy protection for computers, phones, and other devices. Its Premium Security package delivers advanced protection against internet threats and can be used on up to 10 different devices.

Key features

• Remote patching ensures all devices are patched, whether they’re behind the firewall, on the road, at remote sites, or even asleep

• Visual dashboard empowers teams to view missing patches, patch names, and severity levels, along with release notes, release dates, and more

• Flexible deployment schedules serve to deploy approved patches at desired times or manually deploy to groups or individual devices

Pros

• Distribute thoroughly tested patches to thousands of machines in minutes, with minimal impact on your network

• Provides businesses with total control over the entire patching process, including patch discovery, distribution of software updates, and reporting

• Users can select the frequency of the patch scan, either daily, weekly, or monthly, and schedule when they would like the scan to take place

Cons

• Lots of useful features are available as add-ons, which can significantly increase expenses

• History of client data leaks present a potential security concern and may raise questions about the overall effectiveness of the software

• User reviews mention frequent false positives, leading to unnecessary alerts and disruptions

Price

You’ll need to contact Avast directly for a custom quote on its various offerings

4. ManageEngine

ManageEngine is a suite of IT management software products that helps companies run their technical operations more smoothly. Its IT operations management (ITOM) software assists in managing all types of technical operations, including networks, servers, devices, applications, and more.

Key features

• Flexible deployment policies enable admins to schedule patches over varied windows and also allows end-users to skip/postpone the deployments 

• Patch testing prevents defective patches from causing unforeseen issues in systems by automatically testing and approving them before deployment

• Distribution server ensures low bandwidth utilization, secure communication between the server and the agent, and that no separate VPN infrastructure is required

Pros

• Supports patch deployment for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and eight different Linux flavors

• Admins can swiftly patch the distributed workforce via Distribution Servers and enable direct downloading of patches in remote endpoints

• Ability to decline patches for legacy applications or roll back faulty patches causing anomalies in managed systems

Cons

• Weak spam filter makes it difficult to dig through the noise and highlight critical operational issues

• Initial implementation and customization can be both time- and resource-intensive, raising costs and impacting the user experience (UX)

• Manual SDP patches required often, sometimes multiple times per month

Price

You’ll need to reach out to ManageEngine directly for a custom quote on its various plans and packages

5. Chocolatey

Chocolatey serves as an open-source package manager for Windows that builds on top of external technologies. It operates via command-line interface (CLI), making it simple to automate software installation and management processes.

Key features

• Package builder automatically creates high-quality packages from an installer/zip in seconds

• Deployments enable teams to securely manage endpoints with PowerShell scripts and states of Chocolatey packages directly

• Auto-synchronization allows users to uninstall directly from Chocolatey, as it detects when changes have occurred outside of the platform and updates the Chocolatey package inventory accordingly

Pros

• Highly integrable with leading repositories, patch management, and software monitoring solutions

• Quick deployment environment (QDE) simplifies set-up with ready-to-go virtual appliance

• Real-time insights empower users to quickly see all software packages across their infrastructure and what needs immediate attention

Cons

• Community package repository isn’t fully reliable because of distribution rights

• Limited set of features compared to similar providers at comparable price points

• User reviews mention a lack of customer support when assistance is required

Price

Chocolatey’s Open-Source plan is totally free of cost, while its Business package starts at $17 per license per year

6. Ninite

Ninite is a package management system that allows users to automatically install and update popular applications for Windows. With it, users can select a list of applications and bundle them into a single installer executable; Ninite then checks if the applications are already installed and updates them if necessary.

Key features

• Simple download caching saves bandwidth; if the cache server already has a copy of the requested data, it can just deliver it directly without doing another download

• Command line can be used for integrating in other tools or scripts if you prefer not to click around

• Overview tab provides a high-level view of all machines where users can see their patching status at a glance and update everything with a single click

Pros

• Users can manually control apps in the new Pro interface, and can also set up auto-update policies to apply updates as soon as they're available

• Ability to organize machines however you’d like by assigning them one or more tags, while Ninite will also automatically tag machines with their online/offline status or if they're running Windows server or workstation

• Easily issue install/update/uninstall commands for offline machines and have them delivered the next time those machines are online

Cons

• Limited third-party integration can restrict connection with existing IT infrastructure

• Not great at unifying all machines being managed, particularly when there’s a high volume

• Lack of customization can make it hard to tailor installation and modify the platform to meet unique business needs

Price

Ninite’s is a subscription service based on machine count—for instance, 50 machines run $35 per month, while 20,000 machines will set you back $5,115 per month

7. Atera

Atera is a cloud-based IT management software that combines remote monitoring and management (RMM) with other tools to help IT teams oversee technical infrastructure. In patch management, it can be used to automate software updates for Windows, Mac, Linux, and more.

Key features

• Automated alerts and thresholds provide full visibility into device or group behaviors

• Server monitoring software seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure, providing proactive insights and real-time tracking of server health

• Activity log records every action or command that you or any other user issued, providing total traceability for a 360-degree view of what’s going on inside your IT systems

Pros

• Automate repetitive tasks by setting IT automation profiles and assigning them to different devices and/or end-users

• Threshold profiles automatically take action based on predefined triggers

• Manages all OS patches for Windows and Mac, and also integrates with Chocolatey and Homebrew to automate software installation, patching, and updates

Cons

• File size limitation when moving files can complicate the UX

• Overreliance on customer service chatbots can lead to user frustration when contacting support

• Reporting and analytics tools are weak compared to similar solutions

Price

Atera’s Professional plan begins at $149 per user per month, while you’ll need to contact the company directly for a custom quote on its Enterprise package

8. Automox

Automox is a cloud-based ITOM platform that assists organizations in managing the security, patching, and configuration of their endpoints. It offers extensive patch management capacity and cross-platform troubleshooting to help IT administrators quickly resolve vulnerabilities.

Key features

• Groups and tags enable users to segment their organization's devices to simplify patching and make configuration updates

• Patch Safe scans all incoming third-party packages using an industry-leading malware detection platform to ensure patch security and integrity

• Worklet automation scripts serve to automate and enforce any scriptable action on endpoints, from software deployment to enforcing local configuration policies

Pros

• Automates OS patching for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems from a single console

• Easily group devices by department, OS, or region, and add custom tags to offer even more granular grouping

• Remediates updates across OS platforms, empowering users to confidently define policies for all their endpoints

Cons

• Difficult to write worklets and understand what permissions specific agents have

• Limited remote monitoring and management capabilities

• Dashboard and overall user interface (UI) are a bit dated, as user reviews mention they could benefit from some modernization

Price

Automox’ Patch OS plan starts at $1 per endpoint per month, while you’ll need to contact the company directly for a custom quote on its Automate Enterprise package

9. Action1

Action1 serves as a patch management software that’s designed to discover, prioritize, and remediate vulnerabilities in a single solution to prevent potential security breaches. It can be utilized to automate the patching process by identifying missing updates, testing and deploying patches, and generating status reports.

Key features

• Software repository is a continuously updated private application repository that hosts the latest versions of all supported apps to keep your endpoints secure and patched

• Third-party application patching deploys updates for many popular apps, tested by the Action1 team, saving you the hassle of checking vendor websites for the latest versions

• Patch compliance includes automated application updates and offers real-time visibility into missing updates

Pros

• See in seconds which OS and application patches are pending on what machines, either by an endpoint or by an update

• Easily update Windows OS consistently on all workstations and servers, even if they’re not on a corporate network, disconnected from a company VPN, or not joined to a domain

• Offers real-time assessment of missing patches and compliance status

Cons

• No iOS app available—users must use a web browser to access

• Limited search functionality makes it difficult to find specific reports and data

• Excess of features, particularly for vulnerability management, can make the interface difficult to navigate

Price

With Action1, your first 100 endpoints are free forever, while you’ll need to reach out to the company directly for a custom quote on its other packages

10. Datto RMM

Datto RMM is a cloud-based platform that assists IT professionals in remotely monitoring, managing, and securing devices and networks. It offers features like patch management, ransomware detection, and automatic responses to help secure your entire technical infrastructure.

Key features

• Advanced software management builds on the established software management framework to grant users access to an expanded application list 

• Flexible parameters help deliver patching to meet the needs of the specific environment

• Patching policies enable users to pre-approve patches to be installed on their Windows devices on an ongoing basis, based on conditions they define

Pros

• Offers support for large and complex networks with policy-based patch approvals, local caching, and device-level compliance reporting

• Supports secure IT environments by automating the delivery of updates for operating systems and common software applications

• Monitors all of your devices in real-time, instantly informing you of current issues and flagging potential problems

Cons

• UI isn’t the most user-friendly, requiring a steep learning curve and significant effort to navigate

• No SSL checking, so this must be done manually

• Patching and endpoint auditing can be inconsistent and unreliable

Price

You’ll need to visit Datto’s website and fill out a pricing request form to recieve a custom quote for your unique business needs

11. Kaseya VSA

Kaseya VSA is an RMM software platform that helps IT professionals manage their technical environments. It can be used to manage networks, servers, devices, users, and other endpoints.

Key features

• Automated patch scheduling and deployment protects your IT environment, allowing your team to focus on more strategic tasks

• Auto-remediation transforms how you handle routine technical issues, such as restarting print spoolers, to speed up resolution times

• Remote access and control feature allows users to troubleshoot and resolve issues discreetly, no matter where the endpoint is located

Pros

• Stay ahead of problems with real-time alerts, which enable users to address issues proactively

• IT automation can be tailored to fit unique workflows, fixing issues before they’re raised and streamlining repetitive tasks

• Easily customize reports to track the metrics that matter most to your team, from ticket resolution times to patch compliance rates

Cons

• Limited integration with popular third-party systems and applications

• User reviews mention various bugs and glitches that can negatively impact the UX

• Frequent staff turnover results in constant changes in account managers, making it hard for Kaseya to stay up to speed with your business’s unique requirements

Price

You’ll need to get in touch with Kaseya directly for a custom quote on its various packages

12. Acronis

Acronis True Image is a software suite that provides data protection and cybersecurity solutions. It’s capable of automatically creating backups before applying updates to ensure quick recovery if patches cause instability.

Key features

• Anomaly-based monitoring of system and hardware performance helps reduce the number of alerts

• AI-powered scripting serves to automate repetitive tasks and remediate cyberattacks faster

• Machine learning (ML)-driven hard drive health monitoring assists in detecting early signs of failure

Pros

• Native integrations offer unique features like fail-safe patching and AI-assisted scripting for cyberattack remediation

• Full-cycle security is aligned with major compliance standards like NIST and secure code development

• Users can automatically backup systems before patching via fail-safe patching

Cons

• Pricing can be restrictive for startups and small- and mid-size businesses (SMBs)

• Initial installation process can be both time- and resource-intensive, requiring lots of back-and-forth with customer support and substantial staff training

• Cloud storage is sold separately, which can increase expenses even further

Price

Acronis’s Cyber Protect Standard plan starts at $85 per year, while its Cyber Protect Advanced package runs $129 per year

13. NinjaOne

NinjaOne acts as a robust RMM platform that helps IT departments and MSPs manage endpoints. It offers a variety of tools for remotely managing IT environments, including monitoring and alerting, automation, remote control, and more.

Key features

• Built-in remote terminal and registry editor serve to easily remediate patching and other device issues 

• Preemptive patch approval helps prevent zero days and automatically blocks problem patches to avoid service outages

• Alerts and notifications instantly notify technicians of pending or failed patches via email, SMS, and Slack

Pros

• Identify known vulnerabilities and deploy patches at scale across servers, workstations, and laptops to minimize your attack surface

• Patch endpoints 90% faster with zero-touch patch identification, approval, and deployment

• Get visibility into endpoint security with per-patch data on known vulnerabilities including KB articles, CVE bulletins, and CVSS scores

Cons

• No ability to group devices within sites

• Relatively new compared to more established providers, so frequent developments and updates may disrupt existing workflows

• Lack of customization in regard to reporting and analytics make it difficult to tailor the platform to reflect specific key performance indicators (KPIs)

Price

You’ll need to reach out to a NinjaOne sales representative directly for a custom quote on its various plans and packages

How to choose the right patch management software for your business

In order to select the best patch management software for your unique business needs, start by assessing the size and complexity of your IT environment. For instance, you might want to consider whether you need a tool that supports multiple operating systems, third-party applications, or diverse devices such as desktops, servers, and mobile devices. If your organization operates in a highly regulated industry, prioritize platforms that offer robust reporting and auditing capabilities to ensure compliance with industry standards.

Additionally, you should evaluate the ease of use of potential solutions and their integration with your existing infrastructure. Patch management systems should be intuitive and fit seamlessly into your current technical ecosystem, working alongside security tools, monitoring systems, and other IT management software. Also, don’t forget to weigh the software’s pricing structure against its feature set to ensure it meets your budget without compromising functionality.

Optimize your patch management operations with Freshservice today!

Freshservice acts as the market’s ultimate ITSM solution, providing a comprehensive set of features that includes incident management, problem management, and of course, patch management capabilities.

Freshservice’s patch management capacity is powered by Automox, a cloud-based cybersecurity software that’s designed to automate the patching process, ensuring that there are no gaps where your services are unsecure. The platform also offers end-to-end visibility of asset health, displaying statuses on patch connection and pending updates on a unified, visual dashboard.

Even more, users can test patches, deploy pending patches, apply defined device policies, and more, all from a single window.