The Automox alternative for Windows-first teams
Automox is good. It’s a mature, cloud-native platform for patch and configuration automation, and its script-based automation (Worklets that run fleet-wide) is powerful. It also covers Windows, macOS, and Linux from one console - cross-platform reach with years of field time behind it. If you manage a mixed fleet and want broad patch automation with a deep library of ready-made scripts, Automox is a strong pick.
So why would a Windows team pick RFF instead? One specific reason, plus a philosophy:
Readable Group Policy, with drift detection. Capture a known-good box’s effective GPO, assign it as a baseline to a group, and RFF flags every machine that drifted - in plain English, down to which GPO set each value. Fix the drift in a click. Patch-automation platforms center on getting updates and scripts out; RFF also centers on keeping Windows configured right against a desired state. It’s the thing we built that general-purpose automation platforms don’t focus on - and the whole conformance workflow is on every plan, free tier included.
And you don’t even need a golden box. Seed a baseline from a CIS Windows L1 starter template instead of capturing one, then edit it like a desired-state document - it’s versioned, so you can see what changed between revisions and roll back the document itself. Turn on enforce and RFF closes the gaps: approval-gated, one-click-rollback fixes, per registry value, with which GPO owns each setting still spelled out. That’s conformance you can actually read - not a pass/fail compliance score, the literal settings and who set them.
And Windows first. RFF goes deepest on Windows, where the Group Policy baselines and imaging live. Since October 2026 it also patches Macs (softwareupdate) and Linux (apt, dnf), in the same Patch Tuesday cycle as Windows Update if you want. Free for your first 100 endpoints, no credit card.
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Where RFF fits next to Automox
- GPO baselines + drift is the wedge. Capture effective Group Policy from a golden machine, diff the fleet against it, and remediate - readable, per-value, one click. This is where RFF is different. Automation platforms push scripts and patches; GPO conformance is a different job.
- Windows-first. Windows has the deepest feature set. Macs and Linux machines sit in the same console, each with a device page for its OS: launchd and FileVault on a Mac, systemd and LUKS on Linux.
- Cloud-native, nothing on-prem. Agents check in over outbound HTTPS (443) only - no inbound ports, no on-prem server. Same modern model both tools share. (RFF can also run agentless over SMB + WMI for one-off pushes.)
- Deploy anything. MSI, EXE, PowerShell, or any script, pulled in parallel from a Cloudflare R2 CDN edge so pushes stay fast at fleet scale.
- A real free tier. 100 endpoints, forever, no credit card - not a time-boxed trial.
- Self-serve and transparent. Published monthly pricing, sign up and go. No sales call to see a number.
- Everything audited. Every privileged action - deploy, remote action, policy change - lands in a full audit trail, isolated per tenant.
RFF vs Automox, honestly
| RFF | Automox | |
|---|---|---|
| Patch management | Yes - ring rollout, health-gate + auto-halt, every plan | Yes (core strength) |
| Script automation fleet-wide | Yes - MSI/EXE/PowerShell/any script | Yes - Worklets (core strength) |
| Arbitrary software deploy | Yes - any package, parallel CDN pull | Yes |
| GPO baselines + drift detection | Yes - capture, diff, one-click fix | Not a focus |
| CIS-aligned conformance baselines (capture or template, versioned, enforce) | Yes - seed from CIS L1, edit as versioned desired-state, approval-gated enforce + rollback | Not a focus |
| Compliance posture dashboard | Yes - EOL OS, AV/EDR, certs, screen lock | Posture / patch-compliance reporting |
| Shadow-AI visibility | Yes - detects AI tools, local runners, extensions (detection free) | Not a focus |
| End-user self-service catalog | Yes - JAMF-style tray catalog; users install published apps without a ticket, brandable with your logo | Not a focus |
| Remote desktop | Yes - attended and unattended, browser-based (beta), every plan | Not the primary focus |
| Monitoring, alerting & auto-remediation | Yes - checks, email/webhook alerts, self-heal, workflows | Yes |
| Remote tools (console / files / registry / live processes) | Yes - browser, no screen takeover | Limited |
| Recurring policies / scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Windows + macOS + Linux (Windows-first) | Windows + macOS + Linux |
| On-prem server | None (outbound 443 only) | None (cloud-native) |
| Integrations breadth | Focused (Microsoft/Google SSO, REST API + alert webhooks) | Broader integration ecosystem |
| Multi-client separation | Yes - true per-client tenants (RLS-isolated, pooled licensing, switch from one login) | Available |
| Free tier | 100 endpoints, forever | Trial / paid |
| Hosting | Hosted SaaS | Hosted SaaS |
Where Automox wins: breadth and reach - cross-platform coverage across Windows, macOS, and Linux that’s been in the field for years, mature patch automation, a deep Worklet library, and a broader set of integrations. If a mixed fleet or those integrations matter most, Automox is the safer call. Where RFF wins: if your fleet is mostly Windows and you want Group Policy you can actually read, baseline, and keep from drifting, that’s the thing we built and general-purpose automation platforms don’t center on.
Try the one thing that’s different
Forget feature-count for a second. Point RFF at one well-configured Windows box, capture its effective Group Policy as a baseline, then point it at a machine you think matches. Watch RFF tell you - in plain English - exactly which GPO-set values drifted. That five-minute moment is the whole pitch.
Switching from something else?
RFF has honest, side-by-side comparisons for the tools teams usually weigh against it:
- PDQ alternative
- Action1 alternative
- NinjaOne alternative
- Tactical RMM alternative
- ManageEngine alternative
- Intune alternative
FAQ
Does RFF automate patching like Automox? Yes - ring-based patch rollout with a health gate and auto-halt, on every plan including Free. Patch automation isn’t where we claim an edge; Group Policy baselines are.
Automox is cross-platform - can RFF do Mac and Linux? Yes, since October 2026: scripts, software, OS updates, checks, and remote tools on both. Automox has years more Mac and Linux mileage, and RFF goes deepest on Windows. If your fleet is mostly Macs or Linux, Automox is still the safer call. What runs where.
Can RFF run scripts fleet-wide like Worklets? Yes - deploy MSI, EXE, PowerShell, or any script across a group, pulled in parallel from a CDN edge. Automox’s Worklet library is more mature; RFF’s advantage is the readable GPO conformance layer sitting alongside deployment.
How are credentials and traffic secured? Agents check in over outbound HTTPS (443) only - no inbound ports. Credentials are encrypted at rest and isolated per tenant - security details here.