Every small IT department ends up asking the same question: how far can a stack of free tools carry us before someone has to ask for budget? The answer depends less on features than on limits. A remote-support tool that is free for 30 computers is a different tool at 31, and a monitoring server that runs 250 nodes on Windows has no such cap on Linux. This article lays out a free stack for three sizes of company, 10, 50 and 250 users, and shows where each tool’s free limit starts to bite.
Limits were read on vendor pages on 16 October 2026 by the editorial team. We have not installed or tested these tools for this article (Not tested yet), and the sizing is a licence calculation, not a performance test. Licences change, so read the current text before a large roll-out.
The short answer
At 10 users, free tools cover everything: Remote Utilities Free for support, SyncBackFree for backups, SimpleWall on sensitive workstations. At 50 users the first limits appear, so move remote support to LiteManager Free (30 computers) and add NetXMS and Graylog for monitoring and logs. At 250 users the stack still works, but the Windows NetXMS server reaches its 250-node limit and you need Linux servers for monitoring and logging, plus a paid remote-support tool.
Limits that decide the stack
| Job | Tool | Free limit | Business use | Source checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remote support | Remote Utilities Free | 10 devices | Yes | Our program page (vendor site blocked automated access on the check date) |
| Remote support | LiteManager Free | 30 computers | Yes, “individuals and legal entities” | litemanager.com |
| Monitoring | NetXMS | Windows server: 250 nodes without a support contract; Linux: no limit stated | Yes | netxms.org download page |
| Log management | Graylog Open | No ingestion cap stated | Yes for own use (SSPL) | graylog.org |
| Backup | SyncBackFree | Windows desktop editions; Windows Server not listed | Yes | 2brightsparks.com |
| Backup | Personal Backup | None stated | Yes, includes companies | Author’s licence, via our program page |
| Outbound firewall | SimpleWall | None | Yes (GPL v3) | GitHub henrypp/simplewall |
| Log viewer | LogExpert | None | Yes, open source | GitHub LogExperts/LogExpert |
| hMailServer / Mail-in-a-Box | None | Yes (AGPL v3 / public domain) | Our program pages |
10 users: everything is free
With ten computers you stay under every limit in the table. Use Remote Utilities Free for support, which covers up to 10 devices for business use, so you can keep a spare slot for a server. Schedule file backups with SyncBackFree, which the vendor says may be used for “personal, educational, charity, government, and commercial use”. Do not skip the restore test: our guide on how to verify backups explains what to check.
Monitoring can be as light as reading Windows logs with LogExpert. A central server is not worth the maintenance yet.
50 users: the first limits appear
Fifty computers exceed Remote Utilities Free. LiteManager Free controls up to 30 computers at once, and the vendor says the free version is available “for both individuals and legal entities”. That still leaves 20 machines unreachable, so either pick the 30 that matter or plan for a paid licence. Read our free remote support software guide before choosing.
This is also the point where a central monitor pays for itself. NetXMS is open source and needs a database and a server; at this size a small Linux VM is enough. Add Graylog Open if you need to search logs across servers. It is a serious piece of infrastructure (it needs a search back end alongside the Graylog server), so give it its own machine.
250 users: where free stops being free
NetXMS’s Windows server build runs up to 250 nodes without a support contract. A 250-user company has more nodes than users once printers, switches and servers are counted, so run the NetXMS server on Linux, where the download page states no such limit. Graylog Open states no ingestion cap, but hardware and operating effort grow with log volume. The licence is no longer the bottleneck. Staff time is.
Remote support is the weak spot. Neither free remote tool covers this many machines, so the realistic options are a paid remote-support product or a self-hosted solution. Our licence matrix shows which tools in the wider catalogue are allowed in a company at all, and the paid products on our site, such as ScreenConnect, are shareware (conditionally free), not free.
What to watch regardless of size
- Servers are not workstations. SyncBackFree lists Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 and Vista; the page does not mention Windows Server, so check before putting it on a server.
- Count every device. Printers, kiosks and test machines count toward the limits of remote-support tools.
- SSPL and AGPL are not the same as GPL. For internal use they do not restrict you, but offering Graylog as a hosted service to others brings obligations.
- Keep a licence file. Save the licence text with the date next to each tool in your asset register.
How to choose your starting point
- Count devices, not users: laptops, servers, VMs and network gear.
- List the three jobs that hurt most when they fail: usually backup, remote access and alerting.
- Pick one free tool per job from the table and check its limit against your device count.
- Decide the upgrade trigger in advance, for example “more than 30 remote machines” or “more than 200 monitored nodes”.
- Review the stack every six months, since versions and terms change.
FAQ
Is LiteManager free for commercial use?
The vendor says the free version controls up to 30 computers and is available free of charge for individuals and legal entities. Beyond 30 computers you need a licence key.
What is the Remote Utilities free license limit?
Up to 10 controlled devices, for business as well as personal use, according to our program page. Check the vendor’s current terms before relying on it.
Does NetXMS have a node limit?
On Windows, the server runs up to 250 nodes without a support contract. The download page states no limit for Linux.
Is Graylog Open free for a company?
Yes for your own log management. Graylog says there are no ingestion caps and no per-user fees; the SSPL adds obligations only if you offer Graylog as a hosted service to others.
Can SyncBackFree be used in a business?
Yes, the vendor allows commercial use. The page lists Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 and Vista and does not mention Windows Server.
Can a free stack run a 250-user company?
Monitoring and logging can, if the servers run on Linux. Remote support cannot with the free tiers we checked, and you should budget for a paid tool there.
