Mostly laptops on good Wi-Fi?
A cloud-only tool like Automox may be all you need.
Compare
Most patch tools were built for the office. We built for the plant.
How your options stack up, using each vendor's own public documentation.
Side by side
The plant-floor checklist.
13 things that matter when your machines run something physical.
What you need | Update Sentinel | Cloud patch toolsAutomox, Action1, NinjaOne | On-prem patch serversWSUS, ManageEngine, PDQ Deploy | OT security platformsClaroty, Nozomi, TXOne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installs OS updates on your machines | Mostly find or shield | |||
| Keeps patching with no internet | ||||
| Nothing to host but a light relay | You run the server | Appliances | ||
| Reaches inner networks without manual file copies | Often manual | |||
| Staged rollouts with automatic pass/fail gates | Manual approvals | |||
| Signed packages and scripts, checked on every machine | ||||
| CVE, CVSS and CISA KEV status for missing updates | WSUS: none | |||
| Tamper-evident audit log | Activity logs | |||
| Windows and Linux in one console | WSUS: Windows only | |||
| Approved third-party apps, not just OS updates | WSUS: Microsoft only | |||
| Sealed sites with no network path, via signed USB transfer | Manual export and import | |||
| Published prices and a self-serve trial | Sales-led | |||
| Designed for plant-floor networks |
Yes Partly, or depends on the product No, or not the tool's job
Categories summarize typical products based on public vendor documentation as of September 2026. Individual products vary.
By the numbers
Scored on the same 13 things.
- One point for a yes, half a point for partly
- Scores come straight from the table above
- We built Update Sentinel for exactly this list
Plant-floor checklist score
Out of 13, from the comparison table
| Update Sentinel | 13 / 13 |
|---|---|
| Cloud patch tools | 7.5 |
| On-prem patch servers | 6.0 |
| OT security platforms | 2.5 |
Our scoring of the table above
Tool by tool
What each option does well, and what we add.
Based on each vendor's public documentation, September 2026.
Microsoft WSUSDeprecated
Included with Windows Server, with no extra license
Familiar to most Windows administrators
What we add
Ongoing development and Linux support. WSUS was deprecated in 2024; Update Sentinel is actively developed and patches Windows and Linux.
Source: Microsoft Learn
Windows AutopatchCloud
Run by Microsoft, with nothing to host
Keeps Windows and Microsoft 365 Apps updated automatically
What we add
Machines without internet. Autopatch requires connected, Intune-managed devices; Update Sentinel patches machines that never reach the internet.
Source: Microsoft Learn
AutomoxCloud
Cloud console with nothing to host
Covers Windows, macOS and Linux, plus a catalog of third-party apps
What we add
Offline patching. Automox is cloud-only and its endpoints need internet; Update Sentinel keeps patching through an on-site relay or USB transfer.
Source: automox.com
Action1Cloud
Free for the first 200 endpoints
Endpoints share downloads peer to peer to save bandwidth
What we add
Sealed networks. Action1 agents get their updates through its cloud; Update Sentinel reaches sites with no internet through a relay or signed USB bundles.
Source: action1.com
NinjaOneIT management
Monitoring, remote access and patching in one console
A common choice for MSPs managing many customers
What we add
A plant-floor fit. NinjaOne is built for internet-connected IT devices with remote control; Update Sentinel is patching only, adds no remote-access tools to OT machines, and works offline.
Source: ninjaone.com
ManageEngine Patch Manager PlusOn-prem or cloud
Large catalog of third-party app patches (1,100+ apps)
Available as a cloud service or an on-prem install
What we add
Hands-off delivery into closed networks. Its closed-network setup needs a separate internet machine and manual file copies each cycle; Update Sentinel relays pass approved updates down for you.
Sources: Supported apps, Closed networks
PDQ Deploy & InventoryOn-prem
Straightforward software deployment for Windows
Unlimited endpoints on a per-admin license
What we add
Many sites from one place. PDQ Deploy runs from an on-prem Windows console; Update Sentinel manages every site from one cloud console, Windows and Linux.
Source: pdq.com
Claroty, Nozomi, TXOneOT security
Deep visibility into OT assets and network traffic
Threat detection, and shielding for machines you can't touch
What we add
Installing the update itself. These tools find and shield vulnerable machines; Update Sentinel applies the fix and works alongside them.
Source: txone.com
OT patch servicesOT
Built for OT, with vendor-approved update lists
Hands-on help from automation specialists
What we add
Self-serve setup and published prices. Rockwell SecureOT, ondeso and similar services are sold through sales teams and contracts; Update Sentinel publishes its prices, and you can start a 7-day trial today.
Fit check
When another tool might fit better.
Machines that can never be patched?
Pair us with a shielding tool like TXOne for those, and let us patch the rest.
Want a vendor to do it all for you?
Our preferred partner, Net Tech Integration, can install and run Update Sentinel for you.
Your next Patch Tuesday could be the easy one.
Set up a relay, add a few machines, and watch your first rollout finish on schedule.
7-day free trial · No sales call needed