Infrastructure automation and management
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99 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Configuration management
Biggest con
Learning curve
TL;DR - SaltStack
- SaltStack is an infrastructure automation and configuration management tool
- It manages servers at scale with event-driven automation
- Free and open-source, Enterprise version available
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.3/5 across review platforms
What is SaltStack?
SaltStack automates infrastructure with event-driven approach. Configuration management with remote execution-infrastructure automation that reacts.
The speed is notable. The event-driven approach differs. The community supports it.
Operations teams wanting reactive automation consider SaltStack for event-driven infrastructure.
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Configuration management
- Good for scale
- Active development
- VMware backed
- Event-driven
Cons
- Learning curve
- Ansible more popular
- Documentation gaps
- Smaller community
- Complex setup
Ratings Across the Web
4.3(99 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Configuration managementRemote executionEvent-drivenCloud provisioningVMwareOpen source
Pricing Plans
60-day Free TrialPricing checked Jul 7, 2026
Most Popular
Salt Open Source
Free
Community
- Configuration management
- Remote execution
- Event-driven automation
- Community support
VMware Aria Automation
Custom
Enterprise
- Enterprise support
- GUI management
- Compliance features
- VMware integration
Reviews

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4.3/5
Across 99 verified user reviews on G2
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SaltStack FAQ
How does SaltStack facilitate infrastructure automation?
SaltStack automates infrastructure through an event-driven approach, allowing for reactive configuration management and remote execution. This system is designed to respond to events within the infrastructure, triggering automated actions.
Which teams benefit most from using SaltStack?
Operations teams looking for reactive automation and robust configuration management will find SaltStack particularly useful. It is well-suited for environments that require event-driven infrastructure management and can operate at scale.
How does SaltStack's approach compare to Ansible?
SaltStack utilizes an event-driven approach for infrastructure automation, which differs from Ansible's more popular agentless push model. While Ansible is generally more popular, SaltStack offers a distinct reactive automation capability.
What kind of trade-offs should users consider with SaltStack?
Potential users should be aware of SaltStack's learning curve and potentially complex setup. It also has a smaller community and some documentation gaps compared to more widely adopted tools.
How is SaltStack priced?
SaltStack is available on a free tier, providing basic access to its features. For users requiring more extensive usage and additional functionalities, paid plans are offered.
Can SaltStack handle large-scale infrastructure management?
Yes, SaltStack is designed to be good for scale, making it suitable for managing large and complex infrastructure environments. Its configuration management capabilities are robust for extensive deployments.
Source: saltproject.io