Top 11 SCCM alternatives IT pros are switching to in 2025

Searching for an alternative to Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)? 

While SCCM is generally known as a powerful solution, it has limitations, such as its limited support for Mac and Linux environments, complexity in everyday use, and high price. There are many modern solutions that offer better support for multi-platform environments and more intuitive user interfaces for managing various endpoints. 

To help you choose the best SCCM alternative, we have written this article. Below, we will go through the main limitations of SCCM and its strengths and then review the 11 best SCCM alternatives.

What is SCCM?

SCCM, or System Center 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 is part of the Microsoft Endpoint Manager suite, offering robust 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 to manage devices both on-premises and in the cloud.

Why look for a SCCM alternative?

After analyzing customer reviews and reviewing the features of SCCM, we found out that the platform’s main limitations as reported by users are the lack of Apple and Linux support, complexity, and steep price. Below is a breakdown of reviews customers have left.

1. No support for Linux or Apple ecosystem

While SCCM is effective within the Windows environment, it offers little to no support for the Linux and Apple ecosystems. A G2 user mentions that their customers using macOS are in the process of looking for an alternative solution. 

Another G2 user mentions that they have Linux systems, which are not compatible with SCCM.

2. Complex to use

With today’s modern IT management tools, many SCCM users find the interface to be outdated and complex. A G2 user mentions that the implementation process is annoying and lacks direct instructions that are easy to follow. Another reviewer mentions that SCCM is difficult to use without taking a course.

3. High price

A Capterra user mentions that SCCM isn’t cheap and the licensing is complex. This is a notable downside when compared to today’s IT management solutions with transparent pricing, such as Atera.

What are SCCM’s strengths?

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

1. Tools for managing an IT infrastructure

According to a Capterra user, one of SCCM’s main strengths is its features for managing endpoints, servers, private cloud, and backups. Although customers appreciate this, most competitors offer similar capabilities, often at a lower cost. 

2. Basic automation

SCCM has basic automation capabilities for tasks like software deployment, patch management, and ticket management. A G2 user appreciates this and mentions that SCCM has helped their organization reduce manual tasks.

SCCM pros and cons: Takeaways

The pros:

• Comprehensive tools for managing an organization’s IT infrastructure
• Automation for tasks like patch management and ticket management

The cons:

• 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

11 best SCCM alternatives

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

1. Atera

Atera is an AI-powered IT management platform that helps users secure endpoints, such as laptops, desktops, servers, and printers. It integrates features like patch management, real-time monitoring and alerting, ticketing, and reporting into a unified platform. Atera’s all-in-one capabilities enable IT teams to manage all IT tasks from a single platform, reducing the need to invest in multiple tools.

Atera is known for its transparent pay-per-technician pricing model, where users pay for the number of technicians using the platform. It is considered great value for money. 

Atera customer reviews 

Atera’s G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (700+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on G2:

• “Atera’s pay-per-technician licensing is exceptional in this era and gives full flexibility to manage devices”, a G2 user mentions.

• “Atera’s ticketing system has become indispensable and is the most important tool in my company,” a G2 user explains.

Atera’s Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (400+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on Capterra:

• “Atera offers an easy integration with Anydesk, which we have used for remote configuration,” a Capterra user explains.

• “Atera’s shared libraries for scripts and SNMP templates are a huge time-saver,” a Capterra user mentions.

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: $179 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 a 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.

Compared to SCCM, Action1 focuses mainly on patch management and lacks IT management features like RMM and PSA. If these features are important to you, another SCCM alternative may fit better.

G2 Rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (300+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (140+ reviews)

Action1 Pricing:

• Custom quotation: You can get pricing from Action1 by requesting a quote.

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 concurrent application crashes.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (150+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (90+ reviews)

Automox Pricing:

• Patch OS: $1 per endpoint per month for patch management
• 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 Microsoft and third-party applications. The key features include automated patching, compliance reporting, remote access, and automation.

SolarWinds Patch Manager offers an integration with SCCM. Both solutions support patch management only for Windows-based devices, which is a notable drawback for IT teams with cross-platform environments.

G2 Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars (50+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars (10+ reviews)

SolarWinds Patch Manager Pricing:

• Custom pricing: Pricing starts at $1,851. To find out the exact pricing, contact the SolarWinds sales team.

5. SysAid

Compared to SCCM, SysAid is a more ITSM-focused solution with features like helpdesk and ticketing, asset management, problem management, and change management. Despite focusing mainly on ITSM, it offers patch management for Windows and third-party applications.

SysAid might not be the best SCCM alternative for features like RMM and remote access, as they’re not available built-in.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (700+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (400+ reviews)

SysAid pricing:

• The pricing is based on a custom quotation. Book a demo call with SysAid to receive pricing.

6. Ivanti Endpoint Manager

Ivanti Endpoint Manager is an endpoint management solution for monitoring and managing Windows, macOS, Linux, and IoT devices. The key features include automated device discovery, remote control, reporting, and user profile management.

As an add-on, users can access patch management and cloud-based endpoint management capabilities. These features come at an extra cost, which is a downside, as most SCCM alternatives, like Atera, offer them as part of the basic plans.

G2 Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 stars (130+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars (1 review)

Ivanti Endpoint Manager Pricing:

• To find out the exact pricing, fill out a contact form from Ivanti’s website.

7. N-central Patch Management

N-central Patch Management is a software for patching Windows-based devices and third-party applications. You can set up patch policies for automating updates, defining approval rules, and scheduling deployments.

As with SCCM, N-able doesn’t support Linux and Mac environments, which organizations should take into consideration. The integrations with other N-able products help to extend the functionality of the product.

G2 Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars (400+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 3.9 out of 5.0 stars (40+ reviews)

N-central Pricing:

• N-able N-central’s pricing is based on a custom quotation. Visit N-able’s website to learn more.

8. Syncro

Syncro is an IT management solution for MSPs and IT departments. It offers real-time monitoring and alerting, scripting, remote access, IT ticketing, and reporting and analytics. While patch management is available, it can only be used for Windows devices. 

Similarly to Atera, Syncro offers AI features for ticket management, although Atera also expands the AI to other areas, like device troubleshooting, scripting, and remote session summaries. 

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (200+ reviews)

Syncro’s Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (70+ reviews)

Syncro Pricing:

• Core: $139 per month, per user
• Team: $189 per month, per user

9. Acronis

Acronis is a backup and cybersecurity solution for IT teams and MSPs. One of its most popular products is Acronis Cyber Protect, which offers automatic anomaly detection, scripting, remote access, and patch management capabilities.

Users can receive real-time alerts on vulnerabilities, malware, natural disasters, and other global events that affect data protection. 

G2 Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (1,000+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 stars (70+ reviews)

Acronis Pricing:

• Visit Acronis’ website to learn more about the pricing; it is based on a custom quotation.

10. 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.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (170+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (300+ reviews)

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Pricing:

• Free plan: Only suitable for small-scale patch management.
• Professional and Enterprise plans: Based on a custom quotation, contact ManageEngine’s sales team to find out more.

11. Kaseya VSA

Kaseya VSA is a cloud-based RMM software for IT departments and MSPs. The key features are real-time monitoring and alerting, patch management, asset management, remote access, and auto-remediation.

Unlike SCCM alternatives like Atera, Kaseya VSA doesn’t offer PSA capabilities. However, it can be integrated with Kaseya BMS for PSA for an extra cost.

G2 Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 (300+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 (200+ reviews)

Kaseya VSA Pricing:

• Visit Kaseya’s website to learn more; a custom pricing system is in place

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 things:

• 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.
• Features: List your organization’s key features, such as patch management and remote monitoring, and look for a solution that meets your criteria the best.
• Customer reviews: Look for customer reviews and case studies of the different providers and see how each solution performs in real-world scenarios.
• Customer support: Opt for a SCCM alternative that offers 24/7 support through channels like email and live chat.

If you’re looking for an SCCM alternative with all-in-one IT management capabilities, fair pay-per-technician pricing, and 24/7 customer support, look no further than Atera. 

IT professionals are switching to Atera for simplified IT management, and the 30-day free trial available makes it extremely simple.

Try it yourself for free, no credit card required!