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Head-to-head · Configuration Management Tools

Google Cloud VM Manager vs Azure Machine Configuration

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Google Cloud VM Manager #3 in Configuration Management Tools 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Google Cloud
Azure Machine Configuration #11 in Configuration Management Tools 8.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Microsoft

Google Cloud VM Manager leads on 1 check, Azure Machine Configuration on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGoogle Cloud VM Manager · 9.0/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresGoogle Cloud VM Manager · 4 of 4

Google Cloud VM Manager scores higher on our rubric for configuration management tools: 9.0 against 8.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #11.

Google Cloud VM Manager offers patch management; Azure Machine Configuration doesn't.

Google Cloud VM Manager is the better fit for google Cloud VM patch and policy operations. Azure Machine Configuration is the better fit for azure and Arc environments needing policy enforcement.

  • Google Cloud VM Manager fits best

    Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations

  • Azure Machine Configuration fits best

    Azure and Arc environments needing policy enforcement

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Side by side

Feature Google Cloud VM Manager 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Azure Machine Configuration 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.1
Ranking #3 in Configuration Management Tools #11 in Configuration Management Tools
Best for Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations Azure and Arc environments needing policy enforcement
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $0.003/device usage-based —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Community, Docs Docs
Features Google Cloud VM Manager 4/4 · Azure Machine Configuration 3/4
Drift detection ✓ ✓
Patch management ✓ (best) —
Policy as code ✓ ✓
Compliance reporting ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Cloud
Agent model Agent_based Agent_based
Supported platforms Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server AlmaLinux 9; Amazon Linux 2; Ubuntu Server 16.04–24.x; Debian 10.x–13.x; CBL-Mariner 1–2; Azure Linux 3; Windows 10–11; Windows Server 2012–2025; Oracle Linux 7.x–9.x; CentOS 7.3–8.x; RHEL 7.4–10.x; Rocky Linux 8–9; SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 and 15.x
Our review
Pros
  • Patch deployment, compliance dashboards, and vulnerability reporting
  • Declarative OS policies with validation and enforcement modes
  • Terraform, API, CLI, and console management options
  • Configuration-as-code auditing with enforcement and drift autocorrection
  • Azure Policy assignments scale configuration across machines
  • Machine-level compliance evidence and Resource Graph queries
Cons
  • Requires the OS Config agent on managed VMs
  • Designed for Compute Engine virtual-machine fleets
  • Supports English-locale operating systems
  • Patch management is outside its feature set
  • Arc resources cost $6 per server per month
  • Custom packages use PowerShell Desired State Configuration
Our verdict

Google Cloud VM Manager is a cloud-based configuration management suite for Windows and Linux virtual machines running on Compute Engine. It is aimed at teams managing operating-system updates, software packages, configuration policies,…

Read the review →

Azure Machine Configuration audits or configures operating-system, application, and environment settings as code. It manages Azure virtual machines and hybrid Arc-enabled machines directly or through Azure Policy assignments. Its audience…

Read the review →
  1. Google Cloud VM ManagerConfiguration Management Tools 9.0Free plan
  2. Azure Machine ConfigurationConfiguration Management Tools 8.1Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Google Cloud VM Manager — where it wins

    • Patch deployment, compliance dashboards, and vulnerability reporting
    • Declarative OS policies with validation and enforcement modes
    • Terraform, API, CLI, and console management options

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires the OS Config agent on managed VMs
    • Designed for Compute Engine virtual-machine fleets
    • Supports English-locale operating systems

  • Azure Machine Configuration — where it wins

    • Configuration-as-code auditing with enforcement and drift autocorrection
    • Azure Policy assignments scale configuration across machines
    • Machine-level compliance evidence and Resource Graph queries

    Where it doesn't

    • Patch management is outside its feature set
    • Arc resources cost $6 per server per month
    • Custom packages use PowerShell Desired State Configuration

More comparisons

All configuration management tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update