MAAS
MAAS: A capable open-source choice for teams managing bare-metal and virtual machine fleets. Ranked #2 of 35 in Server Provisioning Software by our editors (9.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for bare-metal and VM provisioning with hardware control.
At a glance
- Editor score9.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forBare-metal and VM provisioning with hardware control
- Free planYes
- Supported operating systemsBoth
- Founded2004 · London, United Kingdom
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Discovers, commissions, and provisions physical and virtual machines
- Controls power, storage, networking, RAID, LVM, and PXE workflows
- Offers REST API, CLI automation, custom images, and role-based permissions
Where it doesn't
- Requires a self-hosted deployment
- Standalone support requires Ubuntu Pro for MAAS controllers
- Advanced support costs $100 per managed machine annually
Our verdict on MAAS
MAAS is Canonical’s open-source infrastructure management platform for provisioning and managing physical servers and virtual machines. It is designed for data-center operators, IT teams, private-cloud builders, HPC environments, edge deployments, and organizations managing server fleets at scale. Its scope covers hardware discovery, commissioning, operating-system deployment, machine lifecycle operations, network and storage configuration, and power control through hardware controllers. Web, command-line, REST API, and self-hosted workflows support different operating models.
The published plans separate the software from support. Self-support is free for all machines. Essential costs $30 per managed machine per year and adds high availability support, role-based access control, and a Knowledge Base. Standard costs $50 per managed machine per year and adds a four-hour SLA Sev 1 response time plus phone and ticket support during office hours. Advanced costs $100 per managed machine per year and provides a one-hour SLA Sev 1 response time with phone and ticket support 24 hours a day, every day. Standalone support also requires Ubuntu Pro for machines hosting MAAS controllers.
MAAS is particularly suited to environments that need direct hardware control alongside repeatable provisioning. It supports image-based operating-system deployment, custom images, PXE and network boot workflows, BMC power control, partitioning, RAID, LVM, preseed, cloud-init, deployment scripts, resource pools, and user-group permissions. Integrations with Juju, Chef, Ansible, Terraform, and cloud-init extend its place in infrastructure automation workflows. Choose MAAS when bare-metal control, virtual machine provisioning, and self-hosted automation are central requirements. Teams seeking a hosted service rather than an infrastructure platform they operate should consider a different approach.
Your product? Our editors can test MAAS in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
MAAS pricing
MAAS fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Supported operating systems | Both |
| Server types | Both |
| Provisioning method | Both |
| Managed server limit | Not verified |
| Control panel support | Not verified |
| Multi-tenant management | Yes |
| API access | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Linux |
| Support | Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 5 integrations: Juju, Chef, Ansible, Terraform, cloud-init |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | canonical.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
MAAS integrations
MAAS lists 5 integrations on its own site.
- Juju
- Chef
- Ansible
- Terraform
- cloud-init
Alternatives to MAAS
- ForemanA broad self-hosted platform for provisioning, configuration, patching, and compliance.9.4
- Digital Rebar ProvisionA broad server provisioning platform for complex, multi-site hardware operations.9.1
- OpenStack IronicA focused API service for discovering, deploying, and managing dedicated physical servers.8.8
MAAS vs the competition
- MAAS vs Foreman
- MAAS vs Digital Rebar Provision
- MAAS vs OpenStack Ironic
- MAAS vs Metal³
- MAAS vs Tinkerbell
- MAAS vs Cobbler
Compare MAAS with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
MAAS is ranked in 2 of our directories.
Used MAAS? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used MAAS for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
MAAS is listed in our Server Provisioning Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/maas/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/maas.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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.
Last updated · How we research and update