OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
PDQ Deploy is a Windows-focused tool for pushing installers and scripts to many machines at once, with packages, schedules and deployment status in one console. It is proprietary and Windows-only, so open-source replacements usually split the job between a configuration engine that does the pushing and a package manager that knows what to install.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (Apache-2.0 or GPL-3.0-or-later), checked against its repository. None of them reproduces PDQ's point-and-click console exactly; the trade is more scripting in return for cross-platform reach and no per-seat licence.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ansible | Agentless pushes to mixed fleets | GPL-3.0-or-later | Server |
| Salt | Event-driven management at scale | Apache-2.0 | Server |
| Puppet | Continuous desired-state enforcement | Apache-2.0 | Server |
| MeshCentral | Remote control and endpoint management console | Apache-2.0 | Server |
| Chocolatey (open-source CLI) | Windows package management from the command line | Apache-2.0 | Desktop app |
Best for: Agentless pushes to mixed fleets
Describes itself as a radically simple IT automation system. Playbooks run tasks against inventories of machines, and Windows hosts can be managed over remote protocols without installing an agent.
Best for: Event-driven management at scale
Built on Python, Salt is an event-driven automation tool and framework to deploy, configure and manage complex IT systems. A master and minion model gives fast, persistent control of many endpoints.
Best for: Continuous desired-state enforcement
An automated administrative engine for Linux, Unix and Windows systems that applies tasks from a centralised specification. Suited to keeping software and settings consistent over time rather than one-off pushes.
Best for: Remote control and endpoint management console
Describes itself as a full computer management web site. Provides a web console for remote desktop, terminal, file transfer and running commands across enrolled machines.
Best for: Windows package management from the command line
Described as being like yum or apt-get, but for Windows. Package installs become one-line commands that you can script and run across machines with any of the tools above.
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| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Push installers to Windows machines with no agents | Ansible |
| Thousands of endpoints with fast remote execution | Salt |
| Keep software and configs consistent over time | Puppet |
| A web console for remote access and ad-hoc commands | MeshCentral |
| A catalogue of installable Windows packages | Chocolatey, driven by Ansible or Salt |
Quick answers to common questions
PDQ Deploy is proprietary and there is no single open-source clone. Most teams pair a configuration tool such as Ansible or Salt with a package manager like Chocolatey to cover the same ground.
Ansible is agentless: it connects to Windows hosts over remote management protocols. Salt, Puppet and MeshCentral use an agent on each endpoint.
Yes. Ansible, Salt and Puppet manage both, which is a practical advantage over a Windows-only tool such as PDQ Deploy.
MeshCentral provides a web console for remote management. Ansible, Salt and Puppet are mainly driven from code and the command line, so expect to script your deployments.
Packages built around silent-install commands translate directly: the same installer and arguments go into an Ansible task, a Salt state or a Chocolatey package. You will recreate the schedule and targeting logic in the new tool.
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