Freedom251 › Patch Management Software
PatchPilot
What PatchPilot is
PatchPilot is a self-hosted patch management dashboard for homelabs running Linux, macOS, and Windows hosts. It continuously reports hosts that are current, need patches, or cannot be reached, then lets users patch selected hosts and watch live WebSocket output. Supported tools include apt, dnf, yum, brew, macOS softwareupdate, Windows Update, winget, and PSWindowsUpdate. Cron-style schedules can define maintenance windows and time zones. Encrypted backups support retention policies and full system restore using local or NFS storage. Scheduling, backup, and restore require an active license. PatchPilot describes JWT authentication with admin and viewer roles and Fernet-encrypted SSH keys. Deployment is available through Docker Compose or Kubernetes; Kubernetes can automate TLS with cert-manager and Let’s Encrypt. A native iOS app provides dashboard, host, patch, and live-progress views. Plans start at $5.99/mo, with a 14-day trial.
Who it suits
It suits homelab operators managing mixed Linux, macOS, and Windows systems. Teams needing schedules or backups should note the active-license requirement.
What it does well
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows hosts
- Continuous host status monitoring
- Live patch output over WebSocket
- Cron-style schedules with time zones
- Docker Compose and Kubernetes deployment
What to know first
- No free plan
- Scheduling and backups require an active license
- Each license key covers one installation
- Read endpoints expose inventory without a session
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $49/year · Backup and restore require an active license · One installation per license key | $4,932 a year |
| Monthly | $5.99/month · Backup and restore require an active license · One installation per license key | $5.99 a month |
As getpatchpilot.app lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
PatchPilot brings cross-platform patching, monitoring, scheduling, and backup tools into a self-hosted dashboard. Its trial lowers the entry barrier, but internet exposure requires an additional authentication layer and licensed features are needed for scheduling and recovery.
Facts from PatchPilot's own pages
- Backup and restore
- Encrypted backups support retention policies and full system restore, with local or NFS storage; backup and restore require an active license. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- PatchPilot can be deployed with Docker Compose or Kubernetes; its Docker Compose setup uses HTTP on port 8080, while the Kubernetes path provides automated TLS through cert-manager and Let’s Encrypt. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Host support
- The repository lists Debian/Ubuntu, RHEL/CentOS, macOS, and Windows host patching through apt, dnf/yum, brew/softwareupdate, and winget/PSWindowsUpdate. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations and components
- The repository identifies Ansible as the remote execution engine and PostgreSQL 15 as persistent storage, alongside Docker Compose and Kubernetes deployment options. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- License activation
- The maker’s repository says each license key activates on one installation and can be moved by deactivating it first. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Mobile app
- The repository describes a native iOS app with a dashboard, host list, patch operations, live progress, and Keychain storage. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Monitoring
- The dashboard shows hosts that are up to date, need patches, or are unreachable, with background checks running continuously. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Patching
- Users can patch selected hosts and view real-time output over WebSocket; supported package tools include apt, dnf, yum, brew, macOS softwareupdate, Windows Update, and winget. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- PatchPilot is a self-hosted patch management dashboard for Linux, macOS, and Windows hosts, built for homelabs. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Scheduling
- Patch schedules support cron-style maintenance windows and time zones, and scheduling requires an active license. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Security
- The product describes JWT-based authentication with admin and viewer roles, and Fernet-encrypted SSH key storage. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
- Security limits
- The repository warns that dashboard read endpoints expose fleet inventory without a session and says to put the app behind an additional authentication layer before internet exposure. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Trial
- The maker’s site includes a 14-day free trial; backup, restore, and patch scheduling require an active license. · getpatchpilot.app, 9 Oct 2026
Where PatchPilot stands on Freedom251
- Patch Management Software#26 of 49