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Head-to-head · Configuration Management Tools

Google Cloud VM Manager vs Salt

  • 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
Salt #6 in Configuration Management Tools 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Salt

Google Cloud VM Manager leads on 0 checks, Salt on 0, and 5 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

Google Cloud VM Manager scores higher on our rubric for configuration management tools: 9.0 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

On deployment model, Google Cloud VM Manager gives you Cloud where Salt offers Self_hosted. On agent model, Salt gives you Both where Google Cloud VM Manager offers Agent_based.

Google Cloud VM Manager is the better fit for google Cloud VM patch and policy operations. Salt is the better fit for free, flexible infrastructure automation at scale.

  • Google Cloud VM Manager fits best

    Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations

  • Salt fits best

    Free, flexible infrastructure automation at scale

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Google Cloud VM Manager 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Salt 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.6
Ranking #3 in Configuration Management Tools #6 in Configuration Management Tools
Best for Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations Free, flexible infrastructure automation at scale
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $0.003/device usage-based Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted
Platforms Web Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Google Cloud VM Manager 4/4 · Salt 4/4
Drift detection ✓ ✓
Patch management ✓ ✓
Policy as code ✓ ✓
Compliance reporting ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Self_hosted
Agent model Agent_based Both
Supported platforms Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Linux, Windows, macOS, AIX, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, Gentoo, SUSE
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
  • Combines agent-based and agentless management through Salt SSH
  • Supports configuration, orchestration, patching, packages, and remote commands
  • Runs across Linux, Windows, and macOS with an open-source model
Cons
  • Requires the OS Config agent on managed VMs
  • Designed for Compute Engine virtual-machine fleets
  • Supports English-locale operating systems
  • Self-hosted deployment puts infrastructure and administration responsibility on teams
  • Master-and-minion architecture may not suit teams seeking a simpler operating model
  • Compliance reporting and web management are tied to SaltStack Config
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 →

Salt is an open-source, Python-based framework for remote execution, declarative configuration management, provisioning, and infrastructure orchestration. It is suited to teams managing Linux, Windows, and macOS systems that want control…

Read the review →
  1. Google Cloud VM ManagerConfiguration Management Tools 9.0Free plan
  2. SaltConfiguration Management Tools 8.6Free 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

  • Salt — where it wins

    • Combines agent-based and agentless management through Salt SSH
    • Supports configuration, orchestration, patching, packages, and remote commands
    • Runs across Linux, Windows, and macOS with an open-source model

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment puts infrastructure and administration responsibility on teams
    • Master-and-minion architecture may not suit teams seeking a simpler operating model
    • Compliance reporting and web management are tied to SaltStack Config

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