A common conversation with internal IT managers goes like this: “Our auditor wants proof that every laptop is patched within 14 days. Do we need a full RMM, or just a good patching tool?” MSPs ask a variant of the same thing when a client wants patching only, without a full managed-services contract. Action1 and NinjaOne sit on either side of that line. Action1 is a cloud-native platform built around patch management, with software deployment, remote access and scripting on top. NinjaOne is a broad RMM where patching is one strong module among monitoring, automation, ticketing, documentation, backup and mobile management. Both are per-device; the difference is how much platform you are paying for.
At a glance
| Action1 | NinjaOne | |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Patch management and software deployment | Full RMM: monitoring, patching, automation, ticketing |
| Pricing model | Per endpoint; free tier for a limited number of endpoints | Per device, quote-based |
| Hosting | Cloud (SaaS) | Cloud (SaaS) |
| Agent platforms | Windows-first; macOS support newer | Windows, macOS, Linux; mobile via MDM |
| OS patching | Core strength, with automation rules and approval | Granular policies per severity and product |
| Third-party patching | Large catalog, core feature | Broad catalog |
| Vulnerability view | Built-in vulnerability and compliance reporting | Patch status and reporting; vulnerability features vary by plan |
| Monitoring and alerting | Basic | Extensive: performance, services, SNMP devices |
| Ticketing / docs | Not included | Ticketing and documentation modules |
| Multi-tenant | Multiple organizations in one console | Full multi-tenant with policy inheritance |
| Best fit | Patch compliance on a budget, small fleets, patch-only contracts | MSPs running a complete managed service |
Confirm current limits and plan contents on each vendor’s site; both platforms change quickly.
Pricing: the free tier changes the maths for small fleets
Action1 lets a limited number of endpoints use the platform at no cost with full features. Check the vendor’s current pricing page for the exact cap and terms, since both can change. Above that, you pay per endpoint. For an internal IT team with 120 laptops, or an MSP piloting a patch-only service with a couple of small clients, that can mean real patch management with zero licence spend.
NinjaOne is also per device, but quote-based, and you are paying for the whole RMM. Ask about minimum device counts and which modules are included. On a per-endpoint basis NinjaOne will usually cost more than Action1, and that is fair: it does more. The useful question is whether you need the rest. Our pricing guide explains how to compare per-device quotes against per-seat alternatives.
Patching depth
This is closer than you might expect. Action1 was built around patching, and it shows: a large third-party catalog, automation rules that approve and deploy by severity and schedule, peer-to-peer distribution to save bandwidth on sites with slow links, and reports that map missing updates to known vulnerabilities. Its compliance reports are written with auditors in mind.
NinjaOne’s patching is among the strongest of the full RMMs: granular approvals, scheduling per device role, clear status per device and client-ready reports. The advantage NinjaOne holds is context. Patch status sits next to disk alerts, backup status and tickets, so a device that failed patching because its disk is full shows both problems on one screen.
If you follow a ring-based cycle like our monthly patching routine, both can implement pilot, broad and server rings with deferrals and reboot windows.
Everything that is not patching
Here the gap is wide. NinjaOne monitors performance, services, event logs and SNMP network devices, raises alerts into tickets, runs scheduled automation, stores client documentation and manages phones and tablets. Action1 offers remote desktop, script execution and software deployment, but it is not trying to be your monitoring and ticketing platform. An MSP selling full managed services will end up pairing Action1 with a separate RMM or monitoring tool and a PSA.
For MSPs specifically, NinjaOne’s multi-tenant model, with policies inherited from organization to device and technician roles scoped per client, is far more developed. Action1 supports multiple organizations in one console, which works well for a handful of clients but offers less structure at scale.
Security of the console
Both support MFA and role-based access. Because either platform can push software to every endpoint you manage, treat it as a privileged system: enforced MFA, separate admin identities and audit-log review. Our securing your RMM guide applies to patch platforms too.
Where each one frustrates
Action1: limited monitoring and no ticketing, so it is rarely the only tool an MSP needs; macOS and Linux coverage is behind Windows; organizational structure is simpler than dedicated MSP platforms.
NinjaOne: no free tier, opaque pricing, and you pay for breadth you might not use if patching is the actual requirement.
The verdict
Pick Action1 if patch compliance is the main job, your fleet is mostly Windows, you are an internal IT team or a small MSP offering patch-only contracts, or your endpoint count fits within the free allowance and you want to start without licence spend.
Pick NinjaOne if you run full managed services and need monitoring, alerting, automation, ticketing and documentation alongside patching, you manage many clients that benefit from policy inheritance, or you support a mixed Windows, macOS and mobile estate.
Some MSPs run both: Action1 for patch-only clients and NinjaOne for fully managed ones. That works, but make sure the extra console is covered by the same MFA and offboarding discipline.
Read more
Full reviews: Action1 and NinjaOne. Compare other options in the patch and endpoint category and the RMM software category, or see NinjaOne vs Atera. Our scoring approach is on the methodology page.