Free and open-source RMM in 2026

By the Helios team · Last checked 28 September 2026

There are genuinely free ways to run an RMM. Each one moves the cost somewhere else: to a server you run, a feature you sponsor, or a device limit you will outgrow. Here is what each option gives you, and where it stops being free.

Written with respect. We ran an MSP on several of the products we compare, we rate them, and without them Helios would not exist. These pages are here because buyers deserve the facts, not because we want a fight.

The short answer

Tactical RMM is free to self-host, source-available rather than open source. Signed Windows agents, macOS and Linux agents and single sign-on need a sponsorship from $55 a month; reporting from $80 (Tactical RMM docs, checked 28 September 2026).
MeshCentral is open source under Apache 2.0 and free. It does remote desktop, terminal and files, not patching or monitoring alerts.
Level is free for your first 10 devices with no time limit, then $2 a device a month.
Action1 is reported free for the first 200 endpoints, with full features; above that it is quote-based.
Self-hosting needs a server with a public address, a real domain and working certificates, plus your time to patch and back it up.
Free is a real option for a handful of your own machines. For client work, count the server, the sponsorship and your hours before you compare it with a paid RMM.

The options

Option	What it is	Free up to	What costs money	Source
Tactical RMM	Self-hosted RMM: monitoring, patching, scripts, remote access	Unlimited, self-hosted	Sponsorship for signed agents, macOS/Linux and SSO from $55 a month; reporting from $80; your server	List
MeshCentral	Self-hosted remote access: desktop, terminal, files	Unlimited, self-hosted	Your server and time; no patching or monitoring alerts	List
Level	Hosted RMM	10 devices, no time limit	$2 a device a month after that	List
Action1	Hosted patching and endpoint management	200 endpoints	Quote above 200, plus a paid support subscription	Reported

Tactical RMM: free, with conditions

Tactical RMM does the full RMM job: monitoring, patching, scripting and remote access, from one dashboard on your own server. Its licence is source-available, not an open-source licence. It allows you to manage your own and your customers' networks, and forbids offering the software itself as a hosted or for-profit service without permission.

The free build has real gaps for client work. Windows agents are not code signed unless you sponsor, so antivirus and SmartScreen treat them with suspicion. macOS and Linux agents and single sign-on also need Tier 1 at $55 a month, and the reporting feature needs Tier 2 at $80. Paid email support starts at Tier 3, $105 a month.

It also needs a server: the standard install wants a machine with a public IP, a real domain and certificates that validate, on port 443.

MeshCentral: free remote access

MeshCentral is Apache 2.0 open source and does one thing well: remote desktop, terminal and file access to machines running its agent, from a web console on your own server. It is not an RMM on its own. There is no patching, no monitoring alerts and no ticketing, so it pairs with other tools rather than replacing them.

Free tiers of hosted products

Level's first 10 devices are free forever, and Action1 is reported free for 200 endpoints. Both are hosted, so there is no server to run. The catch is the ceiling: most MSPs pass 10 devices quickly, and Action1 is patching and endpoint management rather than a full MSP stack.

What free costs in practice

A server. A small cloud server is cheap, but it is yours to patch, secure and back up. If it goes down, so does every client.
Trust. Unsigned agents trip antivirus and SmartScreen, and explaining that to a client is a cost of its own.
Your hours. Upgrades, certificates and fixes come out of billable time.
The rest of the stack. None of the free options includes a helpdesk, billing or Microsoft 365 checks.

When a paid platform is cheaper

Add up a server, a $55 or $80 sponsorship and a few hours a month, and the gap to a hosted platform closes fast. Helios starts at $5 a device on Launch, from $25 a month, with nothing to host. That includes the service desk with SLAs, patching including third-party apps, remote access, Microsoft 365 and Defender checks, backup monitoring, a client portal, billing into Xero or QuickBooks, and Helio, the AI technician that investigates problems, writes the fix and runs it, with every feature on every plan and a price locked while you stay subscribed.

Common questions

Is there a free RMM for MSPs?

Yes. Tactical RMM is free to self-host, with a sponsorship from $55 a month needed for signed Windows agents, macOS and Linux agents and SSO. Level is free for 10 devices, and Action1 is reported free for 200 endpoints.

Is Tactical RMM open source?

It is source-available, not open source. Its licence allows managing your own and your customers' networks, and forbids offering it as a hosted or for-profit service without permission.

How much does Tactical RMM cost?

The software is free to self-host. Sponsorship tiers run from $55 a month (signed agents, macOS and Linux, SSO) to $850 a month, with reporting from $80 and paid email support from $105.

Is MeshCentral an RMM?

Not on its own. MeshCentral is free, open-source remote access: desktop, terminal and files. It does not patch or raise monitoring alerts.

What is the best free alternative to Atera or Datto?

For a full self-hosted RMM, Tactical RMM. For a hosted free tier, Level up to 10 devices. For a small paid option with no server, Helios starts at $5 a device on Launch.

Sources

Prices and terms come from the linked pages, and from our own pricing pages, which date each figure. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it.

See it on your own fleet

Helios is the AI-native platform for MSPs: monitoring, patching, security, Microsoft 365, backup monitoring, remote access, client billing and an AI service desk in one product, at one flat price per MSP. Contracts and logged time become invoices in Xero or QuickBooks without leaving the platform. Every feature is on every plan. 14-day free trial, card-free, set up in minutes, cancel any time.

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Details of other products on this page were checked on or before 28 September 2026 against public pricing pages, documentation and named third-party buyer data, and may have changed since. Always confirm current pricing with the vendor. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@heliosmsp.io and we will fix it.