Action1
8.8/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $4/endpoint/mo
- Reviews
- 4.8/5 (~300 G2 reviews)
- 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)
Best Patch Management Software · 2026
Action1 vs 
ConnectWise Automate Action1 vs ConnectWise Automate: on our data-weighted scoring, Action1 edges ahead (8.8 vs 6.7/10). Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and is best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints); ConnectWise Automate starts at Custom quote and is best for larger MSPs wanting deep customization and ConnectWise PSA integration. Choose Action1 for the stronger overall track record; consider ConnectWise Automate if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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ConnectWise Automate
6.7/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 3.9/5 (~450 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- —
- Deployment
- Cloud + on-prem
- Best for
- Larger MSPs wanting deep customization and ConnectWise PSA integration
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | Action1 | ConnectWise Automate |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 8.8 | 6.7 |
| User reviews | 9.6 | 7.8 |
| Adoption | 6.6 | 7.0 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 5.0 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 4.0 |
| Ease of trial | 10.0 | 3.0 |
Action1 vs ConnectWise Automate: head-to-head
| Action1 | ConnectWise Automate | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4/endpoint/mo | Custom quote |
| Pricing model | per endpoint | quote |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier + 15-day full trial | — |
| Best for | SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints) | Larger MSPs wanting deep customization and ConnectWise PSA integration |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud + on-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.8/5 (300) | 3.9/5 (450) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 8.8 | 6.7 |
Choose Action1 if…
You need smb and msp teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints).
✓ 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
Choose ConnectWise Automate if…
You need larger msps wanting deep customization and connectwise psa integration.
✓ Pros
- Extremely customizable
- Powerful at scale
- Tight ConnectWise ecosystem
✕ Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Quote pricing
- Heavier admin overhead
In depth
Pricing: Action1 vs ConnectWise Automate
Action1 bills on a per endpoint model from $4/endpoint/mo (free tier available), while ConnectWise Automate uses a quote model from Custom quote. Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
Action1 ships 6 headline capabilities (OS + third-party app patching, Risk-based prioritization (CVE/CVSS/CISA KEV), Peer-to-peer patch distribution, Vulnerability scanning) and deploys Cloud. ConnectWise Automate ships 4 (Highly scriptable RMM, Patch management, Deep PSA integration, Monitoring templates), deploying Cloud + on-prem.
Ratings & verdict
Action1 holds 4.8/5 (~300 G2 reviews); ConnectWise Automate holds 3.9/5 (~450 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Action1 edges ahead (8.8 vs 6.7/10). Pick ConnectWise Automate instead when larger msps wanting deep customization and connectwise psa integration. See Action1 alternatives or ConnectWise Automate alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Action1 vs ConnectWise Automate: which is better?
- Action1 vs ConnectWise Automate: on our data-weighted scoring, Action1 edges ahead (8.8 vs 6.7/10). Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and is best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints); ConnectWise Automate starts at Custom quote and is best for larger MSPs wanting deep customization and ConnectWise PSA integration.
- Is Action1 cheaper than ConnectWise Automate?
- Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and ConnectWise Automate starts at Custom quote (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of November 1, 2026. Sources: action1.com, connectwise.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.