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 
Tanium Action1 vs Tanium: on our data-weighted scoring, Action1 edges ahead (8.8 vs 6.9/10). Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and is best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints); Tanium starts at Custom quote and is best for very large enterprises needing real-time endpoint data at massive scale. Choose Action1 for the stronger overall track record; consider Tanium if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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Tanium
6.9/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.3/5 (~100 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- —
- Deployment
- Cloud + on-prem
- Best for
- Very large enterprises needing real-time endpoint data at massive scale
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 | Tanium |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 8.8 | 6.9 |
| User reviews | 9.6 | 8.6 |
| Adoption | 6.6 | 5.3 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 5.0 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 4.0 |
| Ease of trial | 10.0 | 3.0 |
Action1 vs Tanium: head-to-head
| Action1 | Tanium | |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Very large enterprises needing real-time endpoint data at massive scale |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud + on-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.8/5 (300) | 4.3/5 (100) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 8.8 | 6.9 |
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 Tanium if…
You need very large enterprises needing real-time endpoint data at massive scale.
✓ Pros
- Unmatched scale and speed
- Real-time visibility
- Converged endpoint platform
✕ Cons
- Enterprise-only pricing
- Overkill for SMB
- Steep learning curve
In depth
In Depth
Pricing
| Aspect | Action1 | Tanium |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Per-endpoint | Custom quote |
| Free Tier | Yes (200 endpoints, all features) | No |
| Starting Price | $4/endpoint/mo (Growth tier) | Enterprise only |
| Trial | 15-day full access | Not specified |
| Best Value | SMBs under 200 endpoints | Large enterprises only |
Action1 leads decisively on affordability and accessibility. Its free tier is genuinely unrestricted—no feature gating, no time limit—making it the obvious choice for teams testing patch management or managing small fleets. Growth tier at $4/endpoint scales cleanly to mid-market. Tanium is invitation-only pricing; expect five or six figures for serious deployments.
Features & Deployment
Action1 focuses on patch excellence: OS and third-party app patching, CVE/CVSS/CISA KEV risk ranking, peer-to-peer distribution, vulnerability scanning, remote access, and automated remediation. Cloud-native architecture eliminates on-prem overhead. Windows-centric; macOS support exists but lacks depth.
Tanium operates at a different scale tier. Real-time endpoint querying across linear chains, patch orchestration, asset discovery, and threat hunting appeal to enterprises managing 10,000+ devices across geographies. Hybrid deployment (cloud + on-prem) accommodates air-gapped networks. The platform converges patch, asset, and threat workflows into one console.
Verdict: Action1 is a focused patch champion. Tanium is an enterprise-grade endpoint command center. They don’t compete fairly—Action1 would choke at Tanium’s scale; Tanium is absurdly expensive for Action1’s use case.
Ratings & Verdict
| Metric | Action1 | Tanium |
|---|---|---|
| G2 Score | 4.8/5 (300 reviews) | 4.3/5 (100 reviews) |
| Our Score | 8.8/10 | 6.9/10 |
Action1’s higher ratings reflect its role as a best-in-class SMB/MSP tool—reviewers consistently praise the free tier and ease of deployment. Tanium’s 4.3 reflects polarized feedback: power users rave about scale and speed; others cite complexity and cost friction.
The Verdict: Choose Action1 if you patch and prioritize budget sanity. Its free tier and linear pricing make it the default for SMBs and MSPs. Choose Tanium only if you have 10,000+ endpoints, regulatory sprawl, and budget headroom. Tanium wins on sophistication; Action1 wins on everything else for its segment.
Frequently asked questions
- Action1 vs Tanium: which is better?
- Action1 vs Tanium: on our data-weighted scoring, Action1 edges ahead (8.8 vs 6.9/10). Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and is best for SMB and MSP teams whose #1 job is patching (free up to 200 endpoints); Tanium starts at Custom quote and is best for very large enterprises needing real-time endpoint data at massive scale.
- Is Action1 cheaper than Tanium?
- Action1 starts at $4/endpoint/mo and Tanium starts at Custom quote (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: action1.com, tanium.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.