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Best Microsoft Desired State Configuration Alternatives in 2026

Updated

20 platforms from configuration management tools ranked against Microsoft Desired State Configuration on the same published basis.

  1. 1
    CFEngine Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb Free7.9
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs CFEngine
  2. 2
    Rudder Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedWebWin Free7.8
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Rudder
  3. 3
    Salt Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.4
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Salt
  4. 4
    AWS Systems Manager State Manager Free plan LinuxMacWebWin Free7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs AWS Systems Manager State Manager
  5. 5
    Chef Infra Free trial apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin $4.92/mo7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Chef Infra
  6. 6
    Google Cloud VM Manager Free plan apiLinuxWebWin Free7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Google Cloud VM Manager
  7. 7
    Puppet Free trial apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb 7.2
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Puppet
  8. 8
    OpenVox Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenVox
  9. 9
    pyinfra Free plan apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs pyinfra
  10. 10
    Quattor Free plan Linuxself-hosted Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Quattor
  11. 11
    Uyuni Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedWeb Free7.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Uyuni
  12. 12
    config.XO Free plan apiLinuxWebWin €449/mo7.0
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs config.XO
  13. 13
    OpenDSC apiLinuxMacself-hostedWeb 6.8
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenDSC
  14. 14
    OpenText Dimensions CM apiLinuxMacself-hostedWin 6.4
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenText Dimensions CM
  15. 15
    Fabric LinuxMacWin 6.3
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Fabric
  16. 16
    Azure Machine Configuration Web $6/mo6.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Azure Machine Configuration
  17. 17
    OpenText Server Automation LinuxWin 6.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs OpenText Server Automation
  18. 18
    Radmind LinuxMacWin 6.1
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs Radmind
  19. 19
    LCFG Free plan Linuxself-hosted Free6.0
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs LCFG
  20. 21
    cdist Free plan LinuxMacself-hosted Free5.8
    Microsoft Desired State Configuration vs cdist

Microsoft Desired State Configuration alternatives compared

#PlatformScoreFree planFromRuns on
1CFEngine7.9Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
2Rudder7.8Free planFreeAPI, Linux, self-hosted, Web, Windows
3Salt7.4Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
4AWS Systems Manager State Manager7.2Free planFreeLinux, Mac, Web, Windows
5Chef Infra7.2No$4.92/moAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
6Google Cloud VM Manager7.2Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Web, Windows
7Puppet7.2No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
8OpenVox7.1Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
9pyinfra7.1Free planFreeAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
10Quattor7.1Free planFreeLinux, self-hosted
11Uyuni7.1Free planFreeAPI, Linux, self-hosted, Web
12config.XO7.0Free plan€449/moAPI, Linux, Web, Windows
13OpenDSC6.8No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
14OpenText Dimensions CM6.4No—API, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
15Fabric6.3No—Linux, Mac, Windows
16Azure Machine Configuration6.1No$6/moWeb
17OpenText Server Automation6.1No—Linux, Windows
18Radmind6.1No—Linux, Mac, Windows
19LCFG6.0Free planFreeLinux, self-hosted
21cdist5.8Free planFreeLinux, Mac, self-hosted
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Questions about Microsoft Desired State Configuration alternatives

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Desired State Configuration?

CFEngine, number 1 in configuration management tools with a score of 7.9 out of 10. The others here: Rudder, Salt, AWS Systems Manager State Manager and 16 more.

What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Desired State Configuration?

CFEngine is the best-ranked alternative with a free plan. 12 of the 20 alternatives here publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.

How are these alternatives ranked?

Ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going: documentation depth, a free tier or trial, and the platforms it runs on.