Compare
NinjaOne is excellent for device management and patching. But patching isn't hardening. WinSentinel audits 13+ security modules, scores your posture, and auto-remediates — for free.
| Capability | WinSentinel | NinjaOne |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Security hardening & audit | RMM + patching |
| Security Posture Score | ✓ 0–100 across 13+ modules | ✗ No security posture scoring |
| Auto-Remediation | ✓ Fixes misconfigurations | Patches software (not hardening) |
| Configuration Audit | ✓ 13+ hardening modules | ✗ Not a security audit tool |
| Patch Management | Not primary focus | ✓ Excellent patching |
| Remote Access | CLI-based | ✓ Full remote desktop |
| Free Tier | ✓ Full power, forever | ✗ Paid from day one |
| Open Source | ✓ MIT licensed | ✗ Proprietary |
| Target Audience | Security-conscious admins | MSPs & IT teams |
$0/forever
All features, no limits, one machine. Full power.
Pro fleet: $29/25 nodes · $79/100 nodes
~$3/endpoint/mo
Per-endpoint pricing. No free tier. MSP-focused.
Additional costs for add-on modules
Use NinjaOne for patching and device management. Add WinSentinel for the security hardening layer that NinjaOne doesn't cover.
dotnet tool install --global WinSentinel.Cli
No. NinjaOne is remote monitoring and management focused on patching and device administration. WinSentinel is security hardening: it audits 13+ security modules, scores posture, and auto-remediates misconfigurations. Patching keeps software current; hardening fixes how it's configured.
Yes. Many teams run an RMM for patching and deploy WinSentinel for configuration hardening and posture scoring on the same fleet.
WinSentinel is free for unlimited use on a single machine. NinjaOne is RMM/patching software priced per endpoint. WinSentinel Pro - which adds fleet management across many machines - is $29/mo for up to 25 nodes or $79/mo for up to 100 nodes, with annual billing saving 17%.
Yes. The CLI and every audit module are free and open source under the MIT license, installed with dotnet tool install --global WinSentinel.Cli. A single machine gets the full power - all audit modules, the real-time monitor, scheduled scans, and PDF reports - with no limits and no account required. Pro is only for organizations that want to manage many machines from one control plane.
Yes. WinSentinel is built specifically for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (and Windows Server). It uses native Windows APIs to audit configuration that cross-platform tools treat generically, which is why its hardening checks are deeper on Windows.