Patch section · 6 products compared
Patch & endpoint management for MSPs
Patching is the part of managed services clients never see until it goes wrong. A missed browser update becomes an incident; a forced reboot in the middle of month-end becomes an angry call to the owner. For a small MSP the job is really two jobs: getting updates onto machines on a predictable rhythm, and proving afterwards, per client, that it happened. The second half is increasingly what cyber-insurance questionnaires and client quarterly reviews ask for.
Here we compare the tools small teams actually use to do that work. Some are full RMM platforms with patching as one module; one is a patch-first cloud service; and two are there for context, because they tell you what exists on a network without updating it. We look at operating-system and third-party coverage, rollout control (test rings, deferrals, maintenance windows), reboot handling, and how the compliance evidence looks when a client or auditor asks for it. How we score is explained on the methodology page.
6 patch and endpoint tools side by side
Rows are ordered by how often small MSPs shortlist each product for this job, not by any commercial arrangement — see our methodology. We describe pricing models rather than quoting prices, because tiers change; confirm current figures on each vendor's site.
| Product | Pricing model | Deployment | Key feature | Patching scope | Best for | Vendor site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action1Action1 | Per endpoint; free tier for a limited fleet | Cloud SaaS + lightweight agent | OS and third-party patching with compliance reports | OS and third-party apps; patch-first design | Teams whose main pain is patch compliance | Official site → |
| NinjaOneNinjaOne | Per device, quote-based | Cloud SaaS + endpoint agent | Policy-driven OS and third-party patching | OS and third-party apps with approval policies | MSPs that want one polished console | Official site → |
| AteraAtera | Per technician, tiered plans | Cloud SaaS + endpoint agent | RMM, ticketing and billing in one plan | OS and common third-party apps | Lean MSPs with many endpoints per tech | Official site → |
| SyncroSyncro | Per technician (user) subscription | Cloud SaaS + endpoint agent | Tickets, invoices and scripts in one record | OS patching with policy schedules; app updates via scripts | Small shops moving from break-fix to managed | Official site → |
| LansweeperLansweeper | Subscription tiered by asset count | Cloud console + on-site scanning sensor | Agentless discovery of IT, OT and cloud assets | Does not patch; reports missing updates and versions | Onboarding audits and asset registers | Official site → |
| PRTG Network MonitorPaessler | Subscription tiers by sensor count | Self-managed Windows server or hosted | SNMP, WMI, flow and HTTP sensors with maps | Does not patch; can alert on update-related service states | Deep monitoring of a client server room | Official site → |
"Official site" links open the vendor's own website directly. None of them is an affiliate link, and placement in this table is not for sale. Disclosure.
Five questions to settle before a demo
- Third-party coverage
- Operating-system updates are table stakes. Browsers, PDF readers, runtimes and conferencing clients are where most exposure sits, so check the size and freshness of the app catalogue.
- Rollout rings
- You want a pilot group per client that receives updates a few days early, then the rest of the fleet. Without rings, one bad update lands everywhere at once.
- Reboot etiquette
- Look for deferral options, user prompts with a deadline, and maintenance windows set per client — not one global schedule for everyone you support.
- Evidence for clients
- A monthly per-client report showing installed, pending and failed updates is what turns patching from a cost into something a client can see and value.
- Failure handling
- Check how failed installs are surfaced and retried, and whether you can see why a machine has not checked in for weeks rather than silently counting it as compliant.
How to narrow it down
If you already run an RMM whose patching covers your clients’ application mix, adding a separate patch product rarely pays off. The case for a patch-first tool like Action1 is strongest when your current platform handles Windows updates well but leaves third-party apps to hand-written scripts, or when you are an internal IT team that needs patching and reporting more than ticketing and billing.
Whatever you choose, build the routine before you build the tooling: a pilot ring, a fixed deployment window, a check for failures two days later, and a report at month end. Our monthly patching routine guide lays that schedule out step by step. Inventory tools such as Lansweeper then help you find the machines the patch tool never saw — usually the source of the ugliest surprises.
About Action1’s free tier
Action1 is a commercial cloud service that, at the time of writing, offers a free tier for a limited number of endpoints. That is a tier of a hosted service, not standalone software, and the limit and conditions are set by the vendor, so check its pricing page before you plan a client rollout around it. The other products on this page are paid subscriptions with time-limited trials.
Guides and head-to-heads
- A monthly patching routine for a small MSP
- Action1 vs NinjaOne
- Action1 review
- MSP client onboarding checklist
- Action1 review
- NinjaOne review
- Atera review
Questions we get from other shops
What is the difference between patch management and an RMM?
Patch management is one job: getting updates onto machines and reporting on it. An RMM does that plus monitoring, remote access, scripting and often ticketing. Many small MSPs use their RMM’s patch module; others add a patch-first tool when third-party coverage or reporting falls short.
How often should an MSP patch client machines?
Most small MSPs work on a monthly cycle aligned with Microsoft’s release schedule, with a pilot ring a few days ahead of everyone else, plus an out-of-band process for urgent browser and security fixes. Document the rhythm in each client agreement.
Can an asset inventory tool replace patch management?
No. Tools like Lansweeper can show which machines are missing updates or run outdated versions, which is valuable for audits, but they do not install anything. Use them to find gaps and your patch tool to close them.
What should a patch compliance report for a client include?
Per-device status for the month (installed, pending, failed, not checked in), the list of critical updates applied, any machines excluded and why, and the date range covered. Keep the format identical every month so trends are easy to read.