Best Active Directory Management Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Softerra Adaxes is ranked #1 of 21 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus and Blazam. The best-ranked option with a free plan is ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Netwrix Password Secure at $5/mo.
Active Directory management software supports the administration and oversight of directory environments, from auditing and reporting to user lifecycle tasks and password self-service. This 2026 ranking compares AD auditing, delegated administration, deployment, lifecycle automation, reporting and password self-service, as well as free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus, Blazam and ManageEngine ADAudit Plus lead the entries shown, with Netwrix Password Secure and Cayosoft Administrator also near the top. When weighing the options, consider which responsibilities you need to delegate, automate or review, and what reporting is available. Deployment choices and pricing can help narrow down software that matches your organization's administrative needs.
21 active directory management software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Softerra Adaxes Top pick · 7.3 #2 ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus Runner-up · 7.2 Free plan · $49.58/mo
#3 Blazam Also great · 7.0 Free plan · Free
- Free trial macOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$49.58/mofirst paid tier About ManageEngine ADSelfService PlusVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan WebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment
- on_premises
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$49.58/mofirst paid tier About ManageEngine ADAudit PlusVisit site - AndroidiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$5/mofirst paid tier About Netwrix Password SecureVisit site - Free trial AndroidapiiOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- hybrid
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial AndroidmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment
- hybrid
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial AndroidiOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- hybrid
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial WebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- hybrid
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial self-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- hybrid
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- No
- AD auditing
- No
- Lifecycle automation
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$41.25/mofirst paid tier About ManageEngine ADManager Plus Access CertificationVisit site - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- hybrid
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms -
- Deployment
- cloud
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- Yes
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Deployment
- on_premises
- AD auditing
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- Delegated administration
- No
- AD auditing
- Yes
- Lifecycle automation
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Deployment
- on_premises
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
- AD auditing
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Windows
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment
- on_premises
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which active directory management software is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
Softerra Adaxes is ranked #1 of 21 with a score of 7.3. ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus is second and Blazam third.
How many of these have a free plan?
3 of the 21 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Netwrix Password Secure has the lowest first paid tier we found: $5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.