Action1 Review (2026)
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- Starting price
- $4/endpoint/mo
- Free trial
- Free tier + 15-day full trial
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints)
Our verdict
Action1 earns 8.8/10 in our review, weighted from 4.8/5 (~300 G2 reviews) and its feature/pricing profile. The most generous free tier in patch management and a serious paid product beyond 200 endpoints. Best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints). Starting price: $4/endpoint/mo.
Backed by 4.8★ · 300 reviews on G2.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Genuinely free up to 200 endpoints with no feature gating
- Cloud-native — no on-prem servers
- Strong third-party app catalog
✕ Cons
- Windows-first (limited macOS depth)
- Support is a separate paid add-on on Growth
- Scales by endpoint count
Key features
- OS + third-party app patching
- Risk-based prioritization (CVE/CVSS/CISA KEV)
- Peer-to-peer patch distribution
- Vulnerability scanning
- Remote access
- Automated remediation
How Action1 compares
| Action1 | Automox | ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4/endpoint/mo | $3/endpoint/mo | Free tier available |
| Pricing model | per endpoint | per endpoint | per endpoint |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier + 15-day full trial | 14 days | Free tier + 30 days |
| Best for | SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints) | Cloud-native cross-OS patch + config automation for lean IT teams | Budget-conscious teams wanting on-prem or cloud patching with deep reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud | Cloud + on-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.8/5 (300) | 4.5/5 (90) | 4.3/5 (80) |
| Capterra rating | — | — | — |
| Our score | 8.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 |
Affiliate disclosure: Some links may be affiliate or partner links. If you sign up through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never changes our scores or rankings. Learn more.
Full review
Action1 Review
Our Score: 8.8/10 · G2: 4.8/5 (300 reviews) · Last tested: 2026-06-01
Verdict: The most generous free tier in patch management and a serious paid product beyond 200 endpoints.
What It Is
Action1 is a cloud-native patch management and vulnerability remediation platform aimed squarely at SMBs and MSPs whose top priority is keeping endpoints patched. Its headline hook is real: free for up to 200 endpoints with no feature gating — a rarity in a category where “free” usually means crippled.
Pricing
| Tier | Price | Endpoints | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 forever | Up to 200 | All features, no gating |
| Growth | $4/endpoint/mo (annual) | 201–1,000 | + separate support fee |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | 1,000+ | Annual |
Pricing as of 2026-06. Also offers a 15-day full trial.
The free tier is the standout. For a shop under 200 endpoints, this is arguably the best-value patch tool on the market — full stop. The catch appears the moment you cross 200: you jump to per-endpoint billing and pay for support separately on Growth. That support-as-add-on model is a mild annoyance and something to factor into TCO.
Features
- OS and third-party app patching (strong catalog)
- Risk-based prioritization using CVE/CVSS/CISA KEV
- Peer-to-peer patch distribution (bandwidth-friendly for distributed sites)
- Vulnerability scanning
- Remote access + automated remediation
The CISA KEV-aware prioritization is a genuinely useful touch — it steers you toward vulnerabilities that are actually being exploited rather than drowning you in CVSS noise. Peer-to-peer distribution is a smart nod to real-world networks.
The Good
- ✅ Genuinely free up to 200 endpoints — no feature gating, no bait-and-switch
- ✅ Cloud-native — zero on-prem servers to babysit
- ✅ Strong third-party app catalog — the part most patch tools skimp on
The Catches
- ⚠️ Windows-first — macOS depth is limited. If you’re a Mac-heavy shop, look elsewhere.
- ⚠️ Support costs extra on Growth — budget for it
- ⚠️ Per-endpoint scaling — costs climb linearly as you grow
Who Should Buy
| Fit | Verdict |
|---|---|
| SMB under 200 endpoints | Buy immediately — it’s free and complete |
| MSPs (Windows-centric) | Strong choice, especially the P2P distribution |
| Mac-heavy environments | Skip — Windows bias is a dealbreaker |
| 1,000+ endpoints | Get a quote, but compare against enterprise EDR/RMM suites |
Bottom Line
Action1 nails one job — patching — and gives it away free at a scale that covers most small businesses. The 4.8 G2 score across 300 reviews backs up the polish. Just go in clear-eyed: it’s a Windows-first tool, support isn’t bundled once you pay, and macOS teams will feel the gaps. For everyone else under 200 endpoints, there’s little reason not to try it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Action1 worth it?
- Action1 earns 8.8/10 in our review, weighted from 4.8/5 (~300 G2 reviews) and its feature/pricing profile. The most generous free tier in patch management and a serious paid product beyond 200 endpoints. Best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints). Starting price: $4/endpoint/mo.
- What does Action1 cost?
- From $4/endpoint/mo — see the pricing page.
Based on aggregated third-party ratings (4.8/5 (~300 G2 reviews)) and Action1's published feature and pricing data. Hands-on testing notes reflect the test date shown above. See how we test.