Software · head to head
Ansible vs Fig
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Ansible the open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform; Fig shut down on 1 September 2024. Amazon acquired Fig in August 2023 and folded it into Amazon Q Developer, which now carries the terminal autocomplete
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ansible and Fig actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Ansible
- Playbooks
- Inventory management
- Module library
- Variables and templating
- Handlers
- Roles
- Async tasks
- Plugins
Only in Fig
Nothing recorded that Ansible does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Ansible
- Configuration managementnot Fig
- Server provisioningnot Fig
- Application deploymentnot Fig
- Multi-node managementnot Fig
- Orchestrationnot Fig
Fig
No use cases recorded yet. See the Fig review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Ansible
- The open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
- Event-Driven Ansible and the AI coding assistant are platform features rather than open source ones
- Red Hat does not publish platform pricing
- Running open source Ansible at scale means building the control plane the platform otherwise provides
Fig
- Shut down on 1 September 2024. Amazon acquired Fig in August 2023 and folded it into Amazon Q Developer, which now carries the terminal autocomplete
- The standalone desktop app is no longer available or supported
- The completion specs remain open source on GitHub, but the product that consumed them is gone
Pricing, plan by plan
Ansible
Free- Open SourceFree
- Community edition
- Unlimited nodes
- Full functionality
- Ansible Automation Platform$5000/year
- Enterprise support
- Ansible Tower
- Advanced features
Fig
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Fig review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Ansible if
- You need playbooks.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
- You also want inventory management.
Questions people ask
- Is Ansible or Fig better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ansible starts at Free and Fig at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Ansible or Fig?
- Ansible starts at Free and Fig at Free.
- Does Ansible or Fig run on more platforms?
- Ansible runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. Fig runs on Web.
- Can I use Ansible for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Ansible best used for?
- Ansible is most often used for configuration management, server provisioning, application deployment, multi-node management. Of those, configuration management and server provisioning are not what Fig is typically brought in for.
- What can Ansible do that Fig cannot?
- Ansible covers Playbooks, Inventory management, Module library, Variables and templating.
Related pages
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