Top 6 SCCM alternatives IT pros are switching to in 2026

Microsoft SCCM is known as a powerful endpoint management tool, but it takes a long time to learn, the pricing is steep for most, and Microsoft updates it infrequently, with no updates for Mac and Linux support.

For these reasons, many IT teams (like probably yours) are looking for alternatives.

Fortunately, many modern solutions are available, offering better support for multi-platform environments while being much easier to use, even in large IT environments.

To help you choose the best SCCM alternative, we have written this article. Below, we will review the 6 best SCCM alternatives, and then go through the main limitations of SCCM and its strengths.

6 best SCCM alternatives

The best SCCM alternatives for 2026:

1. Atera
2. Action1
3. Automox
4. SolarWinds
5. ManageEngine
6. Microsoft Intune

To select the alternatives, we compared the pricing, features, Agentic AI, and customer reviews of each software. Below is a breakdown of each Microsoft SCCM alternative.

1. Atera

1. Key features: Both Atera and SCCM offer endpoint management capabilities for 

enterprises, but their approaches differ. While SCCM offers granular control for on-premises servers and Windows-heavy environments, Atera is an autonomous IT platform that helps monitor Windows, macOS, and Linux devices with Agentic AI.

Atera combine sRMM software, patch management, remote access, network discovery, and Agentic AI through AI agents in one unified solution. 

2: AI advancements: Microsoft has made notable AI advancements, but these don’t reach SCCM, at least for now.

Comparatively, Atera’s Robin is available to resolve up to 92% of Tier-1 and complex Tier-2 technical issues end-to-end. Robin follows a four-step process to make this happen:

• Diagnose: Robin receives the request and asks follow-up questions to gather the full context.
• Remediate: Robin takes the approved action directly on the device, network, or in the cloud.
• Verify: Robin confirms the issue is actually resolved, or escalates to a technician with full context.
• Close: Robin updates the ticket with the outcome and logs every action for compliance.

Tasks you’d need to do manually with SCCM, Robin can handle autonomously. For example, installing/updating pre-approved software on end-users’ devices, Robin can handle without an issue. See all of Robin’s use cases here.

3. Pricing: Atera is known for its transparent pay-per-technician pricing model. This means you can manage unlimited devices for a fixed monthly cost, making scaling more 

cost-effective and predictable.

SCCM’s pricing is based on the number of devices you have, and it has received some complaints for being expensive to use.

Atera customer reviews 

Atera’s G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,200+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on G2:

• “One unexpected benefit is the AI feature, especially Robin. It can reduce technicians’ workload by assisting with responses, ticket handling, and general troubleshooting,” Emil C. says.

• “The most helpful of using Atera is that you have both RMM and PSA in one platform and also the AI capabilities with Copilot and Robin,” Alan S. says.

Atera’s Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (430+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on Capterra:

• “The ticketing and monitoring features are useful for keeping issues organized, while patch management helps reduce the amount of manual follow-up needed,” Stacie B. says.

• “Atera gives me the opportunity to maintain low overhead costs; I did find the automation function worked as expected and didn’t crash the entire dashboard,” Alison K. says.

Atera pricing plans

Atera pricing plans for IT departments:

• Professional: $149 per month, per technician
• Expert: $189 per month, per technician
• Master: $219 per month, per technician
• Enterprise: Custom quotation; contact sales to get pricing

Atera pricing plans for MSPs:

• Pro: $129 per month, per technician
• Growth: $159 per month, per technician
• Power: $209 per month, per technician
• Superpower (Enterprise): Custom quotation; contact sales to get pricing

2. Action1

Action1 is known as patch management software for Windows, Linux, and Mac devices, as well as for third-party applications. It helps automate patching by scanning your network for missing updates and installing patches to multiple endpoints.

Action1 also has a simple endpoint management tool that proactively detects and mitigates threats and reduces IT disruptions. You can create a detailed asset inventory that highlights installed software and system configurations. It’s well known for its free plan, which lets you deploy patches for free for the first 200 endpoints.

G2 Rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (1,200+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (230+ reviews)

Action1 Pricing:

• Free for the first 200 endpoints
• Custom quotation for organizations with more than 200 endpoints

3. Automox

Automox helps users to automate patching, configuration, and control for Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints. Endpoints can be accessed through the remote troubleshooting feature, and the available reports provide insights into the state of your devices.

A standout feature of Automox compared with SCCM is its AI scripting capability. Similar to Atera’s AI scripting tool, users can generate custom scripts to fix issues like slow device performance or recurring application crashes.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (300+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (150+ reviews)

Automox Pricing:

• Patch OS: $1 per endpoint per month, with annual commitment
• Automate Essentials: Pricing is based on a custom quotation; please contact Automox for details
• Automate Enterprise: Based on custom quotation

4. SolarWinds Patch Manager

As the name suggests, SolarWinds Patch Manager is a patch management software for managing Microsoft and third-party applications. The key features include automated patching, compliance reporting, remote access, and automation.

While SolarWinds Observability lets you manage Mac, Linux, and Windows devices, SolarWinds’ patch management tool supports only Windows patching. This can be a drawback for IT teams with multi-OS environments. SolarWinds has launched its SW1 AI assistant in April 2026, but its features don’t yet expand to patch management.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (190+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars (15+ reviews)

SolarWinds Patch Manager Pricing:

• Custom pricing: Pricing starts at €587. To find out the exact pricing, contact the SolarWinds sales team.

5. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus helps users scan, detect, and remediate missing patches for Windows, macOS, Linux, and 850+ third-party applications. Users can create test patch groups and prioritize deployment by declining less critical patches.

For capabilities like RMM and PSA, Patch Manager Plus can be integrated with other ManageEngine products, like Endpoint Central. The only downside of this is the increased cost of paying for multiple products. Also, Patch Manager Plus can integrate with Analytics Plus, where Zia turns questions like “which systems are missing critical patches?” into visual reports.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (190+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (410+ reviews)

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Pricing:

• Free plan: Only suitable for small-scale patch management of up to 25 computers
• Professional: Starting from $245/year per technician
• Enterprise: Starting from $345/year per technician

6. Microsoft Intune

Compared to SCCM, Intune is Microsoft’s broader endpoint management solution that is better for mobile-first management. IT admins can use it to enforce security policies, ensure compliance across platforms, and configure device settings. It’s known for Windows device management, but is also suitable for managing macOS and Linux devices.

Microsoft updated its Intune pricing plans in August 2026; Intune is now part of Microsoft 365 commercial suites. Intune also launched its Security Copilot Agents in preview at Ignite in November 2025.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (270+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (40+ reviews)

Microsoft Intune Pricing:

• Microsoft 365 E3: $39/month per user (includes Intune)
• Microsoft 365 E5: $60/month per user (includes Intune)
• Microsoft 365 E7: $99/month per user (includes Intune)

Choosing the right SCCM alternative: Checklist to follow

Hopefully, our article on the best SCCM alternatives will be useful to you. If you’re still not sure which alternative is the right option, consider these five factors:

1. Pricing: Compare the pricing models of different providers. Providers with pay-per-technician pricing, which enable you to manage unlimited endpoints, may offer the best value.

2. Features: List the key features your organization needs, such as autonomous patch management and remote monitoring, and look for a solution that best meets your criteria.

3. Agentic AI: With autonomous endpoint management solutions (like Atera) already available, look for a tool that can resolve issues on its own rather than only suggest fixes, so your technicians spend less time on repetitive tickets.

4. Customer reviews: Look for customer reviews and case studies of the different providers and see how each solution performs in real-world scenarios.

5. Customer support: Opt for an SCCM alternative that offers 24/7 support through channels like email and live chat.

If you’re looking for an SCCM alternative with broad IT management capabilities, fair pay-per-technician pricing, and Agentic AI technology, look no further than Atera.

IT professionals are switching to Atera to move from automated to fully autonomous IT, and the 30-day free trial available makes it extremely simple.

Try it yourself for free, no credit card required!

What is SCCM?

SCCM, or System Center Configuration Manager (now officially Microsoft Configuration Manager), is a software management tool developed by Microsoft that enables IT administrators to manage, deploy, and secure devices and applications within an organization. It offers capabilities for managing desktops, servers, and mobile devices.

Since it is part of the Microsoft Intune family of products, it can be used alongside Intune and other Microsoft products.

Why look for an SCCM alternative?

As part of writing this review, we read hundreds of SCCM user reviews to find the platform’s actual limitations.

After doing this, we quickly found that SCCM’s main limitations are its lack of Apple and Linux support, infrequent Microsoft updates, complexity, and steep price. Below is a breakdown of customer reviews.

1. Complex to use

The main complaint SCCM users left was the complexity of using it. To just learn the basics of SCCM, expect to spend 2-4 months learning the different features. To fully use SCCM, you can expect to spend years learning the software.

Part of the learning curve is the complexities in the UX, as explained by this Reddit user:

As another Reddit user explained, the key reason SCCM is difficult to learn is that the product is written with a very old codebase, which they’re trying to make work with more modern devices and workloads.

Whether you’re an SMB or an enterprise, this can make deploying your IT infrastructure difficult and exceptionally lengthy.

2. Steep price

SCCM’s pay-per-endpoint pricing plan is steep, and according to users, the licensing can be confusing. For example, this Reddit user called the quote from SCCM “astronomically high” for 800 computers:

As you look for an SCCM alternative, make sure the pricing matches your organization’s budget. Compare different RMM pricing options, such as pay-per-endpoint and pay-per-technician, as they can make a massive difference in the overall cost.

3. Microsoft updates it infrequently

SCCM is an older product than Intune, but due to its slowing release schedule, new features and fixes arrive less often. 

While most IT admins agree it’ll still be around for a long time, Microsoft has definitely neglected it over Intune, which most users also agree with:

There have also been no updates to SCCM to support Linux and Apple ecosystems. A G2 user mentions that their customers using macOS are in the process of looking for an alternative solution.

As you select an alternative to SCCM, make sure there is support for Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. Even if you currently don’t have all of them, it’s wise to future-proof your IT infrastructure.

What are SCCM’s strengths?

SCCM has limitations but also notable strengths. Below, we have broken down aspects of the software that customers appreciate.

1. Tools for managing an IT infrastructure

According to users, one of SCCM’s main strengths is its features for managing endpoints, servers, private cloud, and backups. 

One G2 user specifically said using it for ITIL workflows, like service requests, product management, and more.

2. Useful integrations

SCCM’s one key advantage is its broad integrations with tools like Device 42, Active Directory, and Windows Autopilot.

One Reddit user concluded this capability and said, “With SCCM, I never have to worry about what comes in through the door at my firm because I can connect the platform with just about anything.”

SCCM pros and cons: Takeaways

The pros:

• Comprehensive tools for managing an organization’s IT infrastructure
• Broad integrations with other Microsoft and third-party tools

The cons:

• Microsoft updates it less often than Intune, for example
• It doesn’t support Linux and Apple ecosystems
• High prices and licensing can be hard to understand
• Complex to use, especially for those with no experience with Microsoft products