Level vs Tactical RMM (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Level grades higher than Tactical RMM: 2.6 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Level grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Level
Remote monitoring and management priced per managed device
Tactical RMM
Source-available RMM with remote control, scripting and patching
Which one is for you
Pick Level if
- Fits if you look after 10 devices or fewer and want a free monitoring tool
- Works for small IT shops that already run a separate PSA for tickets
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want tickets inside the same product, as Level has no ticketing
- Tight if your fleet is just over 10: the paid rate then applies to every device, so 11 devices cost $22 a month
- Watch out: billing uses the peak device count in the month
- Too light for large fleets, since the calculator stops at 2,000 devices and more needs a quote
- Too light for anyone who wants many integrations, as the published list is short
Pick Tactical RMM if
- Fits if you are an MSP or IT team that can run its own server
- Works for small shops that want to read the source of the tool they run
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you can't host and secure a server, since that is on you
- Tight if you stay free, as Mac and Linux agents, signed Windows agents and SSO are paid
- Pricey if you go hosted at scale, with Business at $280 a month
- Watch out: the license is source-available, not open source, and payments are non-refundable once the key is issued
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALevelGood | 1.8GPATactical RMMWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$2 per device per month, under the category's $2.78 cheaper-quarter start, and the first 10 devices are free. It counts per device, so a larger fleet adds up fast. | CFree only if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so this sits in the middle. Paid starts at $55 a month for up to 199 endpoints and reaches $155 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | B10 devices free with every feature and no time limit. A home lab or a small shop can stay there, but an 11th device moves the whole fleet onto paid billing. | CThe core is free to self-host with community support only, but Mac and Linux agents, code signing, reporting and SSO need a paid tier. |
| Features | CBrowser remote control, patching, scripting, monitoring and an API are in the listing. There is no built-in ticketing or PSA, which the listing names as a gap in the core work. | CRemote desktop, shell, scripting, monitoring, patching and inventory. Reporting starts at Essentials and Mac and Linux agents are paid, which are gaps in the free product. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Agents have to be installed on each device and the automations written before it does much. | DNo rating on record, and you install, update and secure the server yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb console with agents for Windows, macOS and Linux, a public API and PSA connections such as HaloPSA and ConnectWise. No phone apps or phone management are listed. | CWeb console and agents for Windows, Mac and Linux, with no phone app listed. |
| Best for | remote monitoring for small fleets, free up to 10 devices | a self-hosted RMM for a small IT shop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Level and Tactical RMM. How we grade
Price against what you get
Level starts at $2 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Tactical RMM starts at $55 a month and scores 1.7.
Level scores higher and starts $53 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, 6 score higher than Level for less, and 48 score higher than Tactical RMM for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Tactical RMM is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tactical RMM also covers reports.
At a glance
| Level | Tactical RMM | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2 per device / month, billed monthly | $55 per month for up to 199 endpoints, self-hosted |
| Free plan | The first 10 devices are free with every feature included and no time limit. | Core features are free to self-host; Mac and Linux agents, code-signed Windows agents, reporting and SSO need a paid tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Level Software, Inc. | Amidaware |
| Price read from | level.io | tacticalrmm.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Level
- Level is an RMM only: it has no built-in ticketing or PSA, so tickets come through integrations.
- Billing uses the peak device count in the month, and the paid rate applies to every device once an 11th is added.
- The public calculator stops at 2,000 devices; larger fleets need a custom quote.
- Published integrations are PSA, documentation and incident tools plus the API, a short list next to larger RMM suites.
Tactical RMM
- Mac and Linux agents, code-signed Windows agents and SSO are paid 'sponsorship' features, and reporting starts at the Essentials tier.
- Self-hosting means you install, update and secure the server yourself; the free tier includes community support only.
- Hosted plans have lower endpoint ceilings than self-hosted ones and cost more at higher tiers (Business is $280 a month hosted).
- The vendor calls the project source-available under its own Tactical RMM License, not open source, and payments become non-refundable once the license key is issued.
Key features
Level
- Remote control in the browser
- Opens a desktop session on Windows, macOS or Linux from the device list with no separate viewer, with terminal and file explorer in the same tab.
- Patch management
- Schedules operating-system updates and third-party app updates, using WinGet on Windows, Homebrew on macOS and native package managers on Linux.
- Automations and scripting
- Runs repeatable work against one device, a group or the whole fleet, and runs scripts with live output.
- Monitoring and alerting
- Watches device conditions in real time and notifies the right team when they change.
- CLI and public API
- A command-line tool called lvl and a REST API let teams query devices, trigger automations and build custom workflows.
- Security controls
- SSO, two-factor authentication, role-based permissions, IP restrictions for remote sessions and an audit trail of sessions.
Tactical RMM
- Remote desktop and shell
- Remote desktop control that the docs call TeamViewer-like, through MeshCentral, plus a real-time remote shell and a remote file browser.
- Scripting and automation
- Run PowerShell, Python, Bash, batch, nushell and deno scripts remotely or on a schedule, with automation policies for patching and deployment.
- Monitoring and alerting
- Automated checks for CPU, disk, memory, services, scripts and event logs, with email, SMS and webhook alerts.
- Patching and inventory
- Windows patch management, software installs through Chocolatey, and software and hardware inventory for each endpoint.
- Reporting
- Customizable reports in HTML, PDF and CSV plus a live dashboard; the sponsor page ties reporting to Tier 2 and above.
Plans
Level
Free$0
Up to 10 devices with every feature included. Pricing starts when an 11th device is added.
Paid$2
per device / month, billed monthly
All features at one rate on the whole fleet, so 11 devices cost $22 a month and 50 cost $100. Unlimited technicians.
VolumeCustom
Volume pricing for deployments above 2,000 devices, arranged with Level.
Tactical RMM
Free (self-hosted)$0
Source-available core with unsigned Windows agents, remote control, shell, scripting, patching and alerts; community support only.
Starter$55
per month for up to 199 endpoints, self-hosted
Adds Mac and Linux agents, code signing and SSO; 48-hour email support SLA. Hosted: $65 a month for up to 100 endpoints.
Essentials$80
per month for 200 to 399 endpoints, self-hosted
Adds reporting (HTML, PDF, CSV, live dashboard); 48-hour support SLA. Hosted: $80 a month for 101 to 250 endpoints.
Professional$105
per month for 400 to 599 endpoints, self-hosted
72-hour email support SLA. Hosted: $150 a month for 251 to 600 endpoints with a 36-hour SLA.
Business$155
per month, self-hosted; custom endpoint counts
For larger fleets, with a 48-hour SLA; the docs suggest it for under 1,000 agents. Hosted: $280 a month.
Ways to pay less
Level
No public discounts listed.
Tactical RMM
- Annual discount
Yearly billing saves $60 at Starter
Self-hosted Starter is $600 a year against $55 a month ($660); the page shows a saving at each tier for paying yearly.
- Nonprofit
Free tier upgrade for nonprofits
Nonprofits get a complimentary tier upgrade with each self-hosted subscription on proof of status; it does not apply to hosted plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Level or Tactical RMM?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Level is cheaper to start with: $2 a month, against $55 a month for Tactical RMM. Level starts at $2 per device / month, billed monthly, and Tactical RMM starts at $55 per month for up to 199 endpoints, self-hosted.
Which has a free plan, Level or Tactical RMM?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Level and Tactical RMM have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.