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Best Infrastructure Automation in 2026
Infrastructure automation tools help define and manage infrastructure with infrastructure as code and configuration management. Listed platforms run on Linux, Windows, macOS, the web, APIs, or self-hosted systems.
- 24 apps
- Research read 7 Oct 2026
- How the order is worked out
- 1
CFEngine
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3CFEngine combines policy-based configuration management with reporting and security controls, and is designed for a wide range of infrastructure scale.
- 2
Cloudify
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3Cloudify combines multi-cloud and edge orchestration with workflow management, integrations, and listed security controls.
- 3
Puppet
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3Puppet Enterprise brings policy-driven configuration management and automation together for complex environments.
- 4
Rudder
Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+2 - 5
AWS CloudFormation
Free plan APIiPhoneLinux+3CloudFormation brings template-based provisioning, change previews, and drift tracking to AWS resource management.
- 6
AWS CDK
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsAWS CDK lets teams define AWS infrastructure in familiar languages and deploy through CloudFormation, with reusable constructs and pipeline support.
- 7
Chef Infra
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Chef Infra combines infrastructure configuration, policy testing and drift correction, with a free non-commercial community edition and paid plans.
- 8
env0
Free plan APISelf-hostedWebenv0 brings deployment controls, drift handling, and cloud asset mapping into one infrastructure management platform.
- 9
OpenTofu
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1OpenTofu combines configuration-based infrastructure management with state tracking, reusable modules, and broad provider support. Its OCI provider installation remains secondary, rather than primary.
- 10
Pulumi
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Pulumi brings infrastructure definitions, deployment integrations, and secrets management into one platform. Its free plan has user and workflow-minute limits; listed paid plans start at $40 a month.
- 11
OpenStack Heat
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hostedChoose Heat if you need template-based orchestration in an existing OpenStack environment, including resource creation and instance scaling or availability features.
- 12
Salt
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Salt combines remote execution, configuration management, provisioning, and orchestration in a self-hosted framework.
- 13
Crossplane
Free plan Self-hostedCrossplane provides APIs, managed resources, and packaging for teams building infrastructure control planes. Check the cluster requirements and default RBAC permissions before deployment.
- 14
Scalr
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1Choose Scalr if your platform team wants Terraform and OpenTofu workflows with developer self-service, policy checks, and drift detection.
- 15
Terraform
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Terraform provides a configuration-based workflow, reusable modules, and providers for connecting to services.
- 16
Spacelift
Free plan APISelf-hostedWebChoose Spacelift if your organization needs infrastructure automation with policy controls and a choice of deployment models.
- 17
Terragrunt
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1Terragrunt combines unit and stack organization with dependency-aware operations for Terraform and OpenTofu.
- 18
Azure Bicep
Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1Azure Bicep brings Azure resource configuration together with managed state and capabilities such as policy as code, drift detection, and import.
- 19
Azure Resource Manager templates
Free plan LinuxMacWeb+1 - 20
Google Cloud Infrastructure Manager
Paid APIWebInfrastructure Manager supports Terraform-based Google Cloud deployments, previews and managed state information. Users should account for its time limits, usage charges and infrastructure-only scope.
5.5 Visit site - 21
Microsoft Desired State Configuration
Paid LinuxMacWindowsDesired State Configuration combines policy-as-code configuration with drift detection, patch management, and reporting. Its self-hosted model makes responsibility for hosting a key consideration.
- 22
Google Cloud Config Controller
Paid Web4.2 Visit site - 23
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes
Paid WebThe product covers several central cluster-management tasks across a wide range of named environments. Buyers should account for the customer-managed control plane and request pricing.
- 24
VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
by Broadcom (VMware)Paid On_premiseChoose VCF if your organization wants self-hosted, on-premise software with configuration management and the listed routing and traffic features.
#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price
Compare free plans, paid pricing, deployment models, cloud provider support, policy as code, and drift detection. A free trial may be available. If you need to read or change code, check the open-source licence.
Questions
Do infrastructure automation tools have free plans?
Yes. Items in this category offer free plans, while other pricing models are freemium or paid.
Are any options open source?
Yes. Open-source options are available, including Chef Infra, Crossplane, and Microsoft Desired State Configuration.
Can I try a paid tool before paying?
A free trial is offered by items in this category. Check the individual tool's terms for trial details.
Which platforms can these tools run on?
Platforms represented here include Linux, Windows, macOS, web, API, and self-hosted deployments.
What should I compare between tools?
Compare free plan, paid-from pricing, deployment model, infrastructure as code, configuration management, cloud providers, policy as code, and drift detection.