AWS Systems Manager State Manager vs Pulumi

AWS Systems Manager State Manager9.1Visit Pulumi8.9Visit

Higher score AWS Systems Manager State Manager #3 in IT Configuration Management Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit State Manager

vs

Pulumi #5 in IT Configuration Management Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Pulumi

• AWS Systems Manager State Manager fits best

  AWS fleet state and compliance management

• Pulumi fits best

  Developer-led multi-cloud infrastructure automation

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Side by side

Feature	AWS Systems Manager State Manager 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Pulumi 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.9
Ranking	#3 in IT Configuration Management Software	#5 in IT Configuration Management Software
Best for	AWS fleet state and compliance management	Developer-led multi-cloud infrastructure automation
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	$40/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Docs	Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations	8 integrations	8 integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features AWS Systems Manager State Manager 1/4 · Pulumi 1/4
Configuration as code	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Drift detection	✓	✓
Agentless operation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Compliance policies	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model	Cloud	Not checked yet
Operating system coverage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Managed node limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Desired-state associations support schedules, targeting, scripts, and drift management. Supports Linux, macOS, Windows Server, edge devices, and on-premises servers. Integrates with S3, EventBridge, AWS Config, and Systems Manager services.	Supports TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, .NET, JavaScript, and YAML Works across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, and self-managed state Includes policy as code, imports, secrets, and drift remediation
Cons	Its strongest coverage is within the AWS ecosystem. Associated AWS resources and some operations may incur separate charges. Cloud deployment may not suit teams seeking an on-premises control plane.	The free Individual plan is limited to 1 user Individual includes up to 500 workflow minutes Paid plans start at $40 per month and Enterprise at $400 per month
Our verdict	AWS Systems Manager State Manager is a cloud configuration management service for AWS customers. It uses associations and Systems Manager documents to define and repeatedly apply desired configurations to managed nodes and other AWS… Read the review →	Pulumi is an open-source infrastructure-as-code platform for developers, platform engineers, and DevOps teams. It defines and manages cloud infrastructure with TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Go, .NET, Java, or YAML. The platform combines… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• AWS Systems Manager State Manager — where it wins

  • Desired-state associations support schedules, targeting, scripts, and drift management.
  • Supports Linux, macOS, Windows Server, edge devices, and on-premises servers.
  • Integrates with S3, EventBridge, AWS Config, and Systems Manager services.

  Where it doesn't

  • Its strongest coverage is within the AWS ecosystem.
  • Associated AWS resources and some operations may incur separate charges.
  • Cloud deployment may not suit teams seeking an on-premises control plane.

• Pulumi — where it wins

  • Supports TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, .NET, JavaScript, and YAML
  • Works across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, and self-managed state
  • Includes policy as code, imports, secrets, and drift remediation

  Where it doesn't

  • The free Individual plan is limited to 1 user
  • Individual includes up to 500 workflow minutes
  • Paid plans start at $40 per month and Enterprise at $400 per month

• AWS Systems Manager State Manager9.1/10 · Free plan

  A free AWS-focused service for scheduled configuration, drift management, and compliance reporting.

  Visit State ManagerFull verdict →
• Pulumi8.9/10 · Free plan

  A developer-focused IaC platform for multi-cloud provisioning, governance, and drift management.

  Visit PulumiFull verdict →