PatchPilot
PatchPilot is a free, open-source, self-hosted patch management system for homelabs and small Linux environments.
What PatchPilot is
PatchPilot is a free, open-source, self-hosted patch management system for homelabs and small Linux environments. Its web dashboard follows pending updates, security patches, uptime, reboot requirements, and job history across nodes. APT support covers Debian and Ubuntu, while DNF support covers Fedora, RHEL, and AlmaLinux; Home Assistant OS is also listed. Agents connect to the server and poll for work, avoiding inbound access or SSH orchestration on managed virtual machines. Cron-based rules set patch windows, reboot schedules, and update checks for each node. Telegram and SMTP alerts report events, and a Prometheus endpoint can feed Grafana dashboards and alerting pipelines. Admin, User, and Read-Only roles divide access. Security listings include SHA-256 agent-token hashing, five-minute registration-key expiry, PBKDF2-SHA256, TLS 1.2+, SSRF checks, and systemd hardening. The server runs in Docker or on Debian or Ubuntu bare metal. PatchPilot uses GPL-3.0. Its iPhone and iPad companion requires a running server.
Good
- Open-source GPL-3.0 license
- Outbound agent connections avoid inbound access
- Cron-based patch and reboot scheduling
- Telegram, SMTP, and Prometheus integrations
- Admin, User, and Read-Only roles
Watch out
- Mobile app requires a running server
- No standalone mobile service
- Support is directed through GitHub
- Server deployment is self-hosted
Who it suits
PatchPilot suits homelab operators, small internal teams, and self-hosters managing supported Linux systems. It is also relevant to users wanting a self-hosted web dashboard with scheduled updates.
Verdict
PatchPilot focuses on scheduled Linux patching with dashboards, alerts, and role controls. Its self-hosted design and server requirement should be considered before deployment.
The facts
Each one read from PatchPilot's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Access control
- PatchPilot provides Admin, User, and Read-Only permission levels.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Access controls
- The dashboard has Admin, User, and Read-Only permission levels.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Agent model
- Agents initiate connections to the server and poll for jobs, so the server does not need inbound access to managed VMs.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Alerts
- PatchPilot can send event notifications through a Telegram bot or email via SMTP.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Dashboard
- Its real-time dashboard tracks pending updates, security patches, uptime, reboot requirements, and job history across Linux nodes.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The install page describes Docker deployment and bare-metal installation on Debian or Ubuntu, with systemd service management.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Fleet dashboard
- The dashboard tracks pending updates, security patches, uptime, reboot requirements, and job history across nodes.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- PatchPilot provides a Prometheus metrics endpoint and says its metrics can be used with Grafana dashboards and alerting pipelines.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The site identifies homelab operators, small internal teams, and self-hosters as intended users.checked 11 Oct 2026
- License
- PatchPilot is described as self-hosted and open source under the GPL-3.0 license.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Mobile companion
- PatchPilot Mobile is an iPhone and iPad companion that requires a running PatchPilot server and does not work as a standalone service.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Patch support
- The site lists APT support for Debian and Ubuntu and DNF support for Fedora, RHEL, and Alma.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- PatchPilot is a self-hosted Linux patch management system built for homelab operators and small environments.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Scheduling
- The site describes cron-based scheduling for patch windows, reboot schedules, and update checks per node.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Security
- The site says per-agent tokens use SHA-256 hashing, registration keys expire after five minutes, and agent connections use TLS 1.2 or later.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- The support page directs users to the project documentation and GitHub Issues for setup help, bug reports, and support requests.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- The site lists Debian and Ubuntu using APT, Fedora, RHEL and Alma using DNF, and Home Assistant OS support.checked 11 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Mobile app
- PatchPilot Mobile is described as an iPhone and iPad companion that requires a running PatchPilot server and does not work as a standalone service.checked 11 Oct 2026
Alternatives to PatchPilot
- 1
OPSI
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinuxmacOS8.4From €4.99 a year - 2
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.2From $245 a year - 3
PatchMon
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted8.1From $1 a month - 4
Patch My PC
Free planWebmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.7From $3.50 a year - 5
Oracle Cloud Compute
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.6Free plan - 6
Kudu
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.5From $5 a month