OCS Inventory NG

Overview

OCS Inventory NG is open-source software for discovering and inventorying computers and network hardware, with tools to deploy software across managed fleets. It is best suited to IT teams that can operate a hybrid or on-premise inventory system and want discovery and deployment in one workflow. Its breadth and unlimited-agent free plan are compelling, but teams seeking a hosted service or formal support should weigh the paid options.

Key features

Inventory and discovery

Agents gather hardware and software information from client computers, while a management server consolidates it in a web administration console. IP discovery and SNMP scans can also find network hardware without an OCS agent, so the inventory can extend beyond managed endpoints. Hardware, software, network asset, and agentless discovery are all supported.

The main site lists Windows, Linux, BSD, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, HP-UX, MacOS X, and Android support. The broader platform list also includes iOS, API, web, and self-hosted. For organizations with varied systems, that range is a practical advantage, though it does not by itself establish that every listed platform has identical capabilities.

Deployment and extensions

Administrators can upload software packages for agents to retrieve over HTTP or HTTPS; the console exposes deployment status and statistics. The publisher says this capability is used on fleets exceeding 150,000 machines, an indication of its intended scale rather than a guarantee of fit for every large deployment.

Plugins can extend what agents collect, what the server stores, how administration data is displayed, and how tasks are controlled. A REST API web service, available since version 2.4, connects OCS with ITSM-NG, GLPI, CMDBuild, and iTop. CVE Search compares fleet inventory with the CVE-Miter register to identify machines exposed to software vulnerabilities. These options make OCS more adaptable, although they also mean the exact workflow can depend on integrations and extensions.

Agent-server communication uses HTTP or HTTPS, with XML data compressed using zlib. OCS Inventory has been around since 2001; FactorFX identifies itself as its editor and says it provides integration and support. The announced 3.0.0-rc2 release is a testing release candidate, not a production deployment choice.

Pricing

OCS Free: free (billed 0 € / month). It includes the complete software, community support, plugins, and unlimited agents. This is the clearest starting point for teams able to rely on community help; its trade-off is support, not an agent quota.

OCS Cloud: €250 a month (billed 250 € / month). SaaS hosting, unlimited support, and updates are included. Choose it when avoiding self-managed hosting and obtaining support matter more than the free plan's zero monthly price.

OCS Pro (up to 10,000 agents): €92,500 a year (billed 0,9 € / agent + 2500 € / an). This is on-premise and includes up to 10,000 agents, unlimited support, advanced documentation, and project expertise. It fits organizations that need professional assistance and an on-premise setup; the 10,000-agent ceiling makes the larger-fleet option relevant beyond that scale.

OCS Pro (more than 10,000 agents): custom pricing. This on-premise plan includes unlimited support and covers fleets above 10,000 agents. OCS Free remains the low-cost option, but it does not include the paid plans' unlimited support, hosting, or Pro services.

Platforms

OCS Inventory uses a hybrid deployment model, with a management server and web console alongside endpoint agents. Listed platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API, and self-hosted; the supported-systems list additionally names BSD, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, and HP-UX. That combination serves organizations managing both endpoints and network equipment, rather than readers looking for a single-device consumer utility.

Who it's for

OCS Inventory is a strong fit for IT administrators who need centralized hardware and software inventory, agentless network discovery, and package deployment in the same system. Its unlimited-agent free plan gives teams room to build a substantial inventory without an agent cap, while plugins and API integrations provide ways to adapt it to existing systems. Teams that want SaaS hosting can choose OCS Cloud; those needing deeper support or expertise can consider Pro. It is less suitable for organizations unwilling to manage an on-premise or hybrid system and those that need paid-level support at no cost.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Unlimited agents on the free plan make it viable for large inventories without per-agent free-plan limits.
• Pros: Agentless IP and SNMP discovery can surface network hardware beyond computers running OCS agents.
• Pros: Package deployment includes status and statistics, connecting inventory management with software rollout.
• Pros: Plugins, REST API integrations, and CVE Search extend the system into collection, service-management, and vulnerability workflows.
• Cons: Free support is community-based; unlimited support and hosting are part of paid plans.
• Cons: The Pro plan for up to 10,000 agents has a stated cap, while larger fleets move to custom pricing.
• Cons: The latest announced release candidate is for testing rather than production, so it should not be treated as a production-ready release.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see IT Asset Discovery Software.

• GLPI is worth comparing if a freemium alternative with a free trial and a public-cloud plan priced at €19 a month (per user (IT agent), from 1 billed agent) better matches your needs.
• LOGINventory is another freemium option with a free trial; its Forever-Free plan covers 20 devices, which may suit smaller inventories.
• Open-AudIT offers a freemium plan with unlimited devices and community support, plus a free trial.
• runZero may suit readers looking for a freemium tool with a free trial and a Community Edition capped at 100 assets, one organization, 10 recurring tasks, and 30 days of data retention.
• CloudQuery offers a free forever plan with a 1M-row limitation, cloud asset inventory in your database, an MCP server, and 50+ sources.
• IT Asset Tool has a free Basic plan for up to 35 assets, a more bounded starting point than OCS Inventory's unlimited-agent free plan.
• Flexera One IT Asset Management is a paid option with custom pricing.
• BelManage is a paid alternative with a free trial.

Verdict

Choose OCS Inventory NG if your IT team wants broad device discovery, centralized inventory, and software deployment with no agent cap on the free plan. Its main advantage is the range of discovery and deployment workflows available before paying; its main drawback is that hosting and unlimited support require a paid plan, while larger Pro deployments need custom pricing. Look elsewhere if you need a consumer-focused tool or cannot take on its hybrid or on-premise operating model.