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Windows Patch Management Tools: RMM Feature Comparison
Compare patch approvals, scheduling, reboot controls, third-party updates and reporting across NinjaOne, Datto RMM, Atera and nine other patching tools.
Quick Answer
Compare twelve Windows patching tools by the features that affect your daily work: approving patches, scheduling installations, managing restarts, updating applications and tracking results.
Use the feature table to compare tools or find your vendor in the troubleshooting table if patching is already causing problems.
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Compare NinjaOne, Datto RMM, Atera and other patching tools to find the approvals, scheduling, reboot controls and reporting your clients need.
NIST includes identification, prioritization, installation and verification within enterprise patch management. NIST: Enterprise patch management
What You'll Get
- Compare twelve vendors across five patch management feature areas
- Know what to check when updates are missing, delayed or failing
- Build a pilot that tests approvals, installations, restarts and reporting
Compare Windows Patching Vendors
Compare approvals, maintenance windows, reboot options, application updates and reporting side by side.
Scroll horizontally to see all features. The vendor column stays visible.
| Vendor / product | Approvals / deferral | Deployment timing | Reboot controls | Third-party apps | Reporting / visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NinjaOneNinjaOne sources | Automatic, manual and rejected categories; approval overrides. | Separate scan and install schedules; missed-run settings. | User prompts, forced restart after prompts, and logged-out options. | Software patching policies with application selection and approvals. | Pending, approved, installed and failed patch views; affected devices. |
| Datto RMMDatto sources | Policy filters plus device-level patch approvals and exclusions. | Policy patch windows at global and site levels. | Restart or do not restart after patching; power settings. | Separate Software Management policies; expanded catalog is a paid add-on. | Audit-based patch status and software compliance reporting. |
| AteraAtera sources | OS patch selection and exclusions in automation profiles. | One-time or recurring profiles; device or account time zone. | Reboot if needed, with configuration-policy controls; separate forced reboot task. | Chocolatey and WinGet updates for managed Windows applications. | Patch & Automation Feedback reports and email recipients. |
| SyncroSyncro sources | Category/severity approvals, deferrals and global exclusions. | Windows Update policy schedules; on-demand patch installation. | No reboot, forced reboot, user prompt or timed reboot options. | Separate Third-Party Patch Management policy module. | Missing-patch reports, installed history and patching dashboard. |
| ConnectWise AutomateAutomate sources | Approval policies, exception policies and pilot groups. | Update policies and maintenance windows; agent-local scheduling. | Separate reboot policies in Patch Manager. | Third Party Patching is a licensed option. | Patch compliance reporting and exception management. |
| Kaseya VSA 10VSA 10 sources | Managed OS rules plus global, policy and individual patch rules. | Deployment schedules; managed versus native OS policy modes. | Reboot schedules, delays, active hours and user notifications. | Software rules to install, update or uninstall supported applications. | Patch Management History with outcomes and detailed event logs. |
| SuperOpsSuperOps sources | Approve, manual, reject or defer in hierarchical policies. | Scheduled scan and installation windows; on-demand install. | Logged-in/out options; prompts and forced reboot behavior. | Application updates from catalogs such as Winget and Chocolatey. | Asset patch views and patch compliance status. |
| N-able N-sight RMMN-sight sources | Automatic/manual approval; classification and product rules. | Installation schedules plus individual patch schedule overrides. | Never, when-required or always restart after installation. | Third-party product approval controls in Windows Patch Management. | Patch Overview Report with status filters and downloadable formats. |
| N-able N-centralN-central sources | Automatic approval rules and individual approvals. | Separate detection, pre-download and installation windows. | A separate reboot maintenance window. | Microsoft and supported third-party updates through Patch Management. | Patch status views and client reporting. |
| ConnectWise RMMConnectWise RMM sources | Your approval or NOC-approved Windows security updates. | Customizable patch policies and patching schedules. | Policy-controlled reboots and user notifications. | Automated updates for the supported third-party catalog. | Compliance dashboards, device patch history and client reporting. |
| PulsewayPulseway sources | Ordered approval/hide rules; global rules take precedence. | Policy installation schedules in device-local time. | Restart if required; optional notification before reboot. | Supported application catalog plus custom software titles. | Scheduled patch reports covering executed and failed patches. |
| ManageEngine Endpoint CentralEndpoint Central sources | Manual deployment, declines, and staged test-and-approve workflows. | Automatic Patch Deployment tasks and maintenance windows. | Deployment-policy reboot settings and user scheduling options. | Supported third-party application updates through automated deployment. | Patch, system and deployment reports; scheduled email delivery. |
Match the features to your patching problems:
- Patches install before testing: use approvals and deferrals to test updates on a small group before a wider rollout.
- Reboots interrupt users: look for prompts, restart deadlines and maintenance windows that fit the client's working hours.
- Browsers and business apps stay outdated: compare support for the applications your clients actually use, including any required add-on.
- Devices still need work after patch night: check scan times, failed installations and pending restarts to find what is outstanding.
Sign up for free to track failed, successful and available Windows updates in PatchReporter alongside your RMM.
Vendor Workflow and Troubleshooting Comparison
See how each tool handles Windows patching and where to start when updates are missing, delayed or failing.
Find your vendor and open its troubleshooting guide. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
| Vendor / product | How patching works | What to check first | Troubleshooting guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| NinjaOne | OS patch policies separate scanning, approval and application.Official OS patch guide | Check Windows applicability, effective policy and pending-reboot gates before retrying an update. | NinjaOne patching issues |
| Datto RMM | Patch status is based on device audit data; approval changes refresh with a subsequent audit.Official approval guidance | Compare policy-change and audit times. Inspect patch details beneath the overall device label. | Datto RMM patching issues |
| Atera | Windows patch inventory uses Windows Update Agent; failed-patch views provide installation feedback.Official inventory guidance | Compare equivalent WUA inventory and collection times; read failure feedback for an attempted install. | Atera patching issues |
| Syncro | The Windows Updates module controls its update workflow; asset views separate missing, failed, rejected and installed patches.Official module scope | Verify update type: feature upgrades use a separate workflow. Distinguish offline queues from completed attempts. | Syncro patching issues |
| ConnectWise Automate | Patch Manager uses the Windows Update API to detect patches and schedules installations on each agent.Patch Manager guide | Check detected patches, the approval policy and the agent's scheduled installation time. | Automate patching issues |
| Kaseya VSA | VSA 10 evaluates global, policy and individual patch rules to decide which updates to install.VSA 10 approval rules | Check which rule applies to the update and whether it is approved for installation. | Kaseya VSA patching issues |
| SuperOps | Hierarchical policies control approval, deferral and installation windows.Hierarchical policy guide | Check the device's approval status, any deferral and the next installation window. | SuperOps patching issues |
| N-able N-sight RMM | Patch Status Check reports scan results; retry settings control failed installation attempts.Patch Scan guide | Check whether the scan results reached the console and whether installation is still being retried. | N-sight patching issues |
| N-able N-central | On-demand detection and installation maintenance windows perform distinct jobs.Official detection guide | Check detection results, approved classifications and installation timing independently of reboot completion. | N-central patching issues |
| ConnectWise RMM | Patch policies set deployment preferences; dashboards show device patch history and compliance.RMM patch management | Check the assigned policy, patching schedule and device patch history. | ConnectWise RMM issues |
| Pulseway | Global Rules are evaluated before policy and individual rules; execution history records policy runs.Official Global Rules guide | Trace the effective rule and assigned scope, then compare the run time with the device's local time zone. | Pulseway patching issues |
| ManageEngine Endpoint Central | Scan status and time are separate from deployment troubleshooting, which distinguishes component and installation issues.Official deployment troubleshooting | Match the edition/build, inspect scan freshness, and check task eligibility before interpreting an empty deployment. | Endpoint Central issues |
What to Test Before Choosing a Tool
Try each tool on a few devices that reflect your clients' environment: a workstation, a laptop that misses its patch window, a server and a device with a failed update.
- Detection: can you see when each device last scanned for updates?
- Approvals: can you approve, delay or block an update for the right devices?
- Missed schedules: what happens when a laptop is offline during its patch window?
- Failures: can you see which update failed and the error it returned?
- Restarts: can you control when users are prompted and devices restart?
- Reporting: can another technician see what installed and what still needs attention?
Use the same devices and checklist for each tool so you can compare the results.
Where PatchReporter Fits
PatchReporter gives your team a free workspace to see which Windows devices still need attention after patching.
Review failed updates, successful installations and available updates alongside your RMM. Open the device details to investigate outstanding work, then use the dashboard to track patch status across your devices. Explore the reporting features or sign up for free.
For help checking results, read how to verify Windows patch state. For help with your RMM, choose your vendor's troubleshooting guide.
Updating vs Patch Management
Updating installs a software change. Patch management is the wider process of finding, approving, installing and checking updates across your devices. NIST defines that process here. Microsoft's Windows update overview explains the scan, download, installation and restart stages.
Sources
- NinjaOne: Windows OS patch management and Windows third-party software patching.
- Datto RMM: Patch Management, policy controls and Software Management and the Advanced add-on.
- Atera: IT automation profiles and profile structure and reboot behavior.
- Syncro: Windows Update Management, Policy Builder and Third-Party Updates and Windows update policy best practices.
- ConnectWise Automate: product features and Patch Manager guide.
- Kaseya VSA 10: Patch Management policies, patch review rules and Patch Management History.
- SuperOps: hierarchical patch policies and patching features and application catalogs.
- N-able N-sight RMM: Windows Patch Management quick start and approval lifecycle and Patch Overview Report.
- N-able N-central: Patch Management overview, setup and maintenance windows and patch status and reporting capabilities.
- ConnectWise RMM: patch management features.
- Pulseway: OS patch policies, Global Rules, application patching and Patch Management Reporting.
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ManageEngine Endpoint Central: cloud patch management and automated patch management and deployment policies.
- Microsoft: Windows updates, channels and tools.
- Microsoft: Windows update release cycle.