In doing your due diligence on the best patch management software for your specific business, you may have come across Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and its WSUS patching. Unlike other software vendors that we have written about previously, WSUS patch management is a Microsoft program that allows your IT technicians to deploy the latest Windows products and updates on your client’s endpoint devices.
So, what is WSUS patch management? Essentially, it’s a built-in Microsoft program that helps your organization configure and automatically deploy patches to all Windows systems in your IT environment. It is designed to simplify patch management, especially if your IT team or MSP mostly manages Windows devices.
That said, there are a few limitations to WSUS patching, including limited cross-platform support and time-consuming WSUS patch approvals. Given the ever-evolving IT landscape, it is crucial that your IT company can deploy automated patching policies easily and seamlessly so that you can focus on other high-value tasks and maintain your competitive advantage.
Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done the research, looked at all the relevant data from leading review sites, and compiled everything into this comprehensive guide of the top alternatives to WSUS.
1. NinjaOne
NinjaOne, the #1 rated RMM and endpoint management solution on the market today, is known for its powerful patch management tool that helps you identify, evaluate, and deploy patches to any of your client’s Windows, macOS, and Linux devices – all from a single pane of glass. Built for today’s IT teams, NinjaOne’s patch management automates every step of the patching process so you can spend 90% less time patching and more time on support and strategic projects.
5 reasons to choose NinjaOne over WSUS patch management
1. Easy to use
One of the main reasons users search for alternatives to WSUS is for better usability. NinjaOne helps you identify known vulnerabilities and deploy patches at scale across servers, workstations, and laptops to significantly reduce threat risks and keep your IT infrastructure healthy. Most importantly, these patches can be pre-emptively approved to prevent zero-day vulnerabilities.
2. Fast monitoring
As the top alternative to WSUS, NinjaOne improves patch compliance with 360-degree visibility from a powerful, intuitive patching dashboard. This allows your team to proactively monitor all your managed endpoints and patch hundreds of common business applications across multiple platforms at scale.
3. Helpdesk
Helpdesks are integral to any good patch management software. As the first line of contact for software or user-related concerns, your IT helpdesk needs to be fast, knowledgeable, and tailored to your specific needs. NinjaOne’s helpdesk software helps you become more efficient through its self-service portals, knowledge bases, and FAQs. Additionally, Ninja allows you to easily create and assign IT tickets for every incident.
4. Pricing
NinjaOne is committed to providing market-leading time to value with its quick deployment and low total cost of ownership. As a 100% cloud-based solution, its patch management system can be set up in just minutes and is immediately functional so that you can start patching right away. Because the software does not require any expensive on-premises infrastructure, it’s a much more cost-effective alternative to WSUS.
5. Reporting
One of the strengths of any excellent patch management software is its performance reporting. After all, how can you say that your IT environment is efficient, secure, and up-to-date if you can’t offer evidence of its performance? NinjaOne’s endpoint device reporting helps you create impactful reports that clearly depict the data you need to know. The best part? NinjaOne offers a variety of data section templates that you can filter by location, device, group, or timeframe to create your own customized report.
Strengths of NinjaOne
- Unified management. NinjaOne gives you a single pane of glass to monitor, manage, patch, and support all your endpoints. Because of this unified management, Ninja helps you replace 2.5 tools in new customer environments on average.
- Alerts and notifications. Operating on the principle of proactive IT management, NinjaOne uses real-time endpoint health and performance data to generate context-rich alerts through email, SMS, Slack, and other channels.
- Remediation tools. With Ninja, you can easily remediate patching and other device issues with its built-in remote terminal, registry editor, and remote access tools.
- OS patching. NinjaOne reduces the time you need to spend on patching with its automated policies that help you patch hundreds of third-party applications all at once.
Customer story
Phil Collett, IT Director of Citrus Motors, loves how easy NinjaOne is to use. Having worked with multiple third-party vendors, he appreciates how easy everything is now with NinjaOne’s unified and automated patch management.
“I used WSUS for updates, LogMeIn for remediating remote endpoint issues, we had SolarWinds for managing endpoints as well as Spiceworks for our inventory needs. These legacy applications began having significant breaks and I wanted to slim down my tech stack to a single tool to save time and money,” said Collett. “Since using NinjaOne’s automatic reboot feature, we’ve reduced the number of helpdesk calls we get by 80%. When we do receive calls, NinjaOne’s remote access reduced our issue resolution time by 89%.”
Read more NinjaOne customer stories.
Pricing information
NinjaOne’s IT management software has no forced commitments and no hidden fees. You can request a free quote, schedule a 14-day free trial, or watch a demo.
Reviews
- 1,090 reviews (at the time of writing)
- 4.8 / 5 stars
- 203 reviews (at the time of writing)
- 4.8 / 5 stars
2. Automox
Automox is an endpoint management solution that offers third-party patch management across Windows, macOS, and Linux devices from a single console. Its cloud-based patch management solution gives IT departments full visibility into all the software installed across their IT network.
Use cases
Automox is used by small to medium-sized businesses in the healthcare, aviation, and IT management industries looking for cross-platform patch management.
Pros
- Centralized tool. Automox’s unified dashboard makes patch management easier, as you can see all device information in one centralized tool.
- Suitable for diverse teams. Automox helps you patch and manage Windows, macOS, and Linux devices.
- Cloud-based console. Automox enables your IT team to easily deploy or remove any software application on any device from anywhere.
Cons
- Poor reboot scheduling. On occasion, Automox will not show if a machine has been scanned and is ready to accept patches if it’s waiting on reboots from the end user. This may necessitate manual reboots.
- Customized reporting. Automox could improve its customized reporting capabilities, particularly in generating reports using real-time information.
- Careful scripting. Automox requires very detailed, thorough scripting, which may become time-consuming.
See how Automox compares to NinjaOne or read a more in-depth analysis of Automox competitors.
3. Ivanti
Ivanti is an IT software company that offers a variety of IT tools for today’s workforce. It operates on the principle of “Everywhere Work” so that modern IT enterprises can thrive, even as their teams become more remote and distributed.
Use cases
Ivanti is more commonly used for its endpoint management system that can control multiple devices in a single platform. In general, larger enterprises use Ivanti while smaller businesses tend to go with other solutions.
Pros
- Single platform. Ivanti takes pride in providing its solutions from a single, centralized platform, which offers greater visibility.
- User-friendly. Ivanti’s software solutions are easy to use and understand.
- Automated patch management. Ivanti leverages automation to make its patch management tool more efficient.
Cons
- Complex internal documentation. Ivanti could improve its internal documentation and resources so that IT technicians can easily locate essential information.
- Inconsistent patch reporting. Ivanti’s patch reporting can be erratic, with some users stating that their solution does not gather information in real-time.
- Performance issues. Ivanti may become slow when accessing devices through a VPN.
See how Ivanti compares to NinjaOne.
The best alternatives to WSUS
Patch management automates the process of deploying updates to keep your IT network healthy and reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities. Not only is patch management a healthy IT habit, but it is also a fundamental cybersecurity practice that allows you to continue providing excellent service to your end users.
When choosing the right patch management for your needs, it’s a good idea to find a vendor that provides a wide range of monitoring and management tools as well so you benefit from a single, integrated solution rather than looking at several third-party vendors.
