Best Free Asset Management Software in 2026: Top Picks, Pros & Cons

After extensive research of eight free asset management platforms, AssetTiger is our top pick for the best free software. It’s ideal for tiny businesses, due to a  useful alert system, unlimited cloud storage, and unlimited users for tracking up to 250 fixed assets — rare for a free plan.

Virtually all businesses have some physical assets, from laptops to forklifts, and avoiding lost, stolen, or damaged assets can cost a lot. However, for a small business with just a few assets, a free plan can do just fine.

Here are the best permanently free options alongside paid options that offer free trials. Our favorite paid option is Samsara, which pairs great prices with industry-leading features.

Best Free Asset Tracking Software

Quickly compare all the top free asset tracking systems.

In this guide:

• Best Free Asset Tracking Software
• Free Asset Tracking Overview
• Is Free Asset Tracking Worth It?
• Paid IT Asset Tracking
• How Does Asset Tracking Work?
• What Are the Benefits of Asset Tracking?
• How We Test Asset Tracking Software
• Best Overall: Verdict
• FAQs

Free Asset Tracking Overview

Asset tracking software allows business managers to monitor their assets, and some of them are entirely free — especially if the assets being tracked are smaller “fixed” assets like desks, laptops, or filing cabinets, rather than active and movable assets like machinery. Lists or groups will track details like:

• Asset names
• Conditions
• Last-used dates
• Additional data

These systems often use asset tags: Barcodes or QR codes might be free, but the most powerful type of tag, GPS, almost always costs money. That’s because GPS tags have more functions. They can send location data in real time, and can flag engine problems or temperature changes in the assets.

Don’t confuse asset tracking software with fleet tracking software, which tracks entire fleets of commercial vehicles rather than just assets. The two can overlap, with brands like Samsara and Verizon offering feature-packed software for both categories.

Jump to each review summary with one click:

1. AssetTiger
2. FreshService
3. Snipe-IT
4. Samsara
5. Spiceworks
6. GLPI
7. Zoho
8. SysAid IT Asset Management

1. AssetTiger – Best Overall

AssetTiger offers a permanently free, stripped-down service that tracks your fixed assets. The free plan is capped at 250 assets, with paid plans supporting more assets.

Each cloud-based account allows for unlimited users, who will each receive their own permissions level.

AssetTiger is our top pick because it packs a lot of functionality into completely free software: Notifications can even be set to remind users when maintenance is needed, which is an uncommon feature among free services. Barcode tags are heatproof, although there is no GPS functionality.

What we liked about AssetTiger

From AssetTiger’s dashboard, users can easily view a list of assets, add an asset, or sort through contracts, employees, customers, funding, insurance, users, and “groups” (the term for different sets of user permissions).

Alerts can also be managed with a checklist featuring different types of alerts to activate. Alerts can be triggered when contracts, warranties, or insurance policies are about to expire, when an asset needs maintenance, or when an asset is past due.

AssetTiger is ideal for a business with multiple floors, rooms, or sites, since managers can group assets and can further track activity with asset-specific notes.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Barcodes, QR codes
• Mobile barcode creation and scanning
• Maintenance tracking
• Email alerts and notifications
• Contract tracking
• Great security features with customizable permissions
• iOS app rating: 3.3 stars
• Android app rating: 4.2 stars

While AssetTiger doesn’t offer the detailed depreciation tracking offered by FreshService, it does support scheduled maintenance alerts.

Granted, there is no significant billing or facility management included – but you do have access to a technical support team via phone and email if needed. It is worth noting that this system is aimed at fixed assets, not movable ones, so facility and billing management aren’t essential.

We’ve found it to be a smart choice for small operations with fewer than 250 assets, because then it will be totally free, with every other aspect of the service fully available at no cost – unlimited users, unlimited cloud storage, and mobile compatibility are all great perks.

Read our full AssetTiger review to learn more.

AssetTiger’s homepage might include graphs and a calendar. Source: Tech.co’s testing

Is AssetTiger software really free?

AssetTiger’s asset tracking software is completely free, but this service is capped at 250 assets. If you need to track more, its paid plans start at $20 per month for up to 500 assets, with tiers rising as high as $275 per month for 250,000 assets. (Costs have climbed: in 2025, 250,000 assets used to cost just $1,600 per year, compared to the 2026 annual bill of $3,025)

AssetTiger remains our highest-rated system to offer a completely free plan, since FreshService only offers free trials.

2. FreshService – Best for IT Businesses

FreshService software is our research team’s top pick for asset tracking when it comes to IT service management. Users get a barcoding system, sure, but they can also set up a company knowledge base, multiple internal workspaces, and a ticket support system for customer service. Plus, all these management tools can be used from a central hub.

What we liked about FreshService

Like AssetTiger and Snipe-IT, FreshService uses barcodes and QR codes to log assets, with support for 3G connectivity. Users won’t get automatic alerts for usage, but you can manually create an incident report.

The system allows users with admin access to assign assets to specific agents in the organization, allowing for work order support.

FreshService also lets users calculate depreciation in three modes: declining balance, straight line, and sum-of-the-years’ digits.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Barcodes, QR codes
• Barcodes, QR codes
• Work orders
• Incident reports
• IT knowledge base
• 21-day free trial

Examples of asset lists within the FreshService system. Image source: FreshService.

Is FreshService software really free?

While FreshService does not have a permanently free plan, it does offer a free 21-day trial. Paying users can choose from four plans, but only three include asset tracking: Growth ($49 per agent, per year), Pro ($99 per agent, per year), and Enterprise, which is now custom-priced, but used to be $119 per agent, per year back in 2024.

Plus, these plans only manage up to 100 assets; additional tags will cost $125 per month per 500 assets (this price has also increased: It was previously $75 per month for the 500 asset cap).

Read more in our Freshservice review.

3. Snipe-IT – Best for Customization With an Open API

As a web-based open source platform, Snipe-IT is a great choice for users who are comfortable adding third-party integrations to help build the asset tracking software needed for their business. It’s very secure and receives regular updates – a huge boon for any open-source program. Granted, you’ll need to manually update it each time.

The software’s list of assets makes data easily viewable and sortable by:

• Device image
• Asset tag
• Serial number and model
• Category
• Status
• Which user the asset is checked out to

Each individual asset page gives you access to more data, from the purchase date, cost, and the supplier name to the level of depreciation and the final date at which the asset is considered fully depreciated.

What we liked about Snipe-IT

Snipe-IT is another barcode-based tracking system (although neither FreshService nor AssetTiger has an open API). Snipe-IT works with standard USB or Bluetooth barcode scanners.

It offers unlimited assets and users, so its great for tight budgets.

However, you’ll need a software programmer or two to take full advantage of the open API. There’s no mobile app, but the mobile-friendly software is accessible from the web.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Barcodes, QR codes
• Easily import and export assets
• Ability to group asset models by common features
• Customizable fields for additional asset attributes
• Pre-marked assets can be requested by a user
• Full history including checkouts, check-ins, and maintenance
• Optional digital signatures on asset acceptance
• Email alerts for expiring warranties and licenses
• Open API
• Fast and easy asset auditing

Snipe-IT for IT Asset Tracking

Snipe-IT is suitable for handling IT assets and work orders while offering users pretty basic functionality. Limitations include: limited alerts, no maintenance other than manually-entered data, and no network connectivity.

The service’s ability to track which assets have been checked in or out makes it a perfect fit for an IT department that supplies laptops or other equipment to workers on a rotating basis.

Each asset’s maintenance history is tracked, but unlike FreshService and AssetTiger, no proactive maintenance alerts are available.

Snipe-IT’s homepage lists recent activity like which assets have been checked out or returned. Source: Snipe-IT

Is Snipe-IT asset tracking software really free?

Yes, the Snipe-IT asset tracking software is free, but it also offers affordable hosting packages to businesses that also need support and security features. A paid tier with Snipe-IT starts at $39.99 per month, and includes server maintenance, automated backups and upgrades, and access to a support team.

While the paid version doesn’t add features, access to a support team and security upgrades will be important for most businesses.

4. Samsara – Best Features

Samsara is the top-paid asset tracking firm overall and beats any other option on this list for sheer functionality. We’ve included it here since it offers a free 30-day trial.

It’s completely wireless, feature-rich, and allows you to track assets of any size. Its software is one of the most widely trusted names in the business for good reason.

What we liked about Samsara’s features

Samsara offers a range of rugged GPS tracking units with industry-leading weatherproofing.

Reporting and analytics are also two of Samsara’s strongest core features, while its alerts will keep managers aware of geofencing violations, maintenance needs, and authorized usage.

Read our full Samsara review. Features include:

• Asset tag type: GPS
• Geofencing alerts
• Automatic updates
• Historical data
• Maintenance tracking and alerts
• Inventory reporting
• Auto-generated reports

Network coverage includes North America, the EU, and the UK. Features will vary depending on which unit you choose, with some allowing you to track engine hours, diagnostics, and fault codes.

“If my generator or backhoe isn’t where it’s supposed to be and I need to find it, it only takes two clicks for me to track my machines down,” says Victor Miral, Service Manager at Ghilotti Bros.

Check-in rates are customizable, from near-real-time GPS updates to twice-a-day updates. Samsara’s active tracking provides you with more information about the location and activity of your assets than FreshService, AssetTiger, or any service that relies on barcodes or manual data entry. As a result, Samsara is a great choice for any business with movable machinery, from construction to landscaping.

Installation is fast and easy with the Samsara asset tracking GPS device. Image source: Samsara.

Is Samsara software really free?

Samsara is not permanently free. The service offers free installation and a 30-day free trial, but you’ll have to pay once the trial ends. Prices will vary depending on your business’s needs. If you need a feature-rich platform with reliable asset tracking software, Samsara asset tracking software is your best bet.

5. Spiceworks – Best for Tracking Documents Alongside Assets

Spiceworks asset tracking software is targeted at IT-focused businesses and operates on a unique revenue model: it’s ad-supported. Watch a few ads, and Spiceworks enables you to create a hardware inventory, manage your network and licenses, and easily generate reports on your fixed assets, inventory, and your latest network metrics.

What we liked about Spiceworks

One feature scans subnets for all hardware with an IP address, letting users automatically add computers, routers, switches, and printers. That’s helpful, since users will have to manually enter data or upload spreadsheets: Spiceworks doesn’t support scannable barcodes or RFID tags.

No alerts are offered, but users will get an email notification if resources are unreachable from remote sites.

Barcoding is supported via the linkIT app, but we’ve found that Spiceworks is best for office managers who need to keep track of documents and software as much as (if not more than) their physical assets.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Manual entry (Barcodes with integration)
• Automatically updates as devices are added and removed
• Reporting, auditing, and compliance tools
• Detects and tracks cloud service assets
• Great for tracking software licenses and mobile devices

Spiceworks for IT Asset Tracking

Unlike Samsara’s GPS asset tracking system, Spiceworks is designed primarily for IT asset tracking, from laptops to software licenses and warranties.

It offers two benefits for IT assets: help desk integration, so support tickets can be easily tied to specific assets, and network monitoring to automatically find any assets connected to your network, log details, and categorize them.

Email alerts can be toggled on or off within Spiceworks. Image source: Spiceworks

Is Spiceworks asset tracking software really free?

Spiceworks asset tracking software comes with one totally free plan and one paid plan. Both are cloud-based (and the service has now retired the self-hosted free plan it used to offer). The free option, Core Plan, is capped at five seats and comes with advertisements, but it supports nearly all the features you’ll need, including ticketing, incident tracking, reporting, alerts, and a portal for end users.

The paid plan, Premium, costs $5 per user per month when billed annually, or $6 per user per month when billed monthly. Ads are removed for Premium, and you’ll get access to two more features: Bulk actions for tickets, and the ability to create checklist workflows for recurring tasks.

Just like FreshService, Spiceworks offers help desk software to handle work tickets and centralize your operation. It also offers access to troubleshooting forums.

Check out our Spiceworks review for more info.

6. GLPI Asset Tracking – Best for Simple Open-Source Tracking

GLPI asset tracking is designed for manual data entry rather than barcodes or RFID tags, but it does support large volumes of information. It is worth noting that it only has fields for the manufacturer, model, type, serial number, the technical manager who controls the asset, users of the station, and specifications, including power supply and firmware.

In addition to community support, GLPI’s FAQ page offers pages of detailed advice if you need help with troubleshooting. Both on-site and cloud versions are available. Free users won’t gain access to consultations or aid for the installation process beyond the installation manual, which can be found on its FAQ page.

What we liked about GLPI

The open-source, web-based GLPI lets you manage IT expenses, budget, IT assets, and a service desk. You’ll be able to log computers, printers, network equipment, devices, and phones. With the right plugins, you can add non-IT assets like vehicles or other tools. You’ll also have access to the complete historical data on every asset modification, and assets can be tracked right down to their connections and network ports.

As with Spiceworks, users must manually enter asset information to track its use. However, GLPI does not support barcode integration, like Spiceworks.

You can also manage licenses, contracts, and documents related to each asset, and users can track work orders as well as maintenance needs.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Manual entry
• Asset inventory: computers, screens, printers, network equipment, and mobile devices
• History of modifications for each asset
• Operating system management (name, version, edition, kernel, license, etc)
• Inventory and management tracking of installed software
• Management of internal components
• Asset lifecycle management (from stock to withdrawal)
• Virtualization
• Inventory or OCS Inventory plugins

GLPI supports languages including French. Image source: GLPI

Is GLPI asset tracking software really free?

Yes, but there’s no support or warranties – unless you opt for one of the paid plans. If you sign up for a paid plan, you’ll get a 45-day trial period, with plans starting at just 19€ per month (that’s about $22.30) for unlimited IT assets and end users. That’s right, it’s in Euros, as the software hails from across the pond. It’s a good pick for an international business. An on-premise version is also available, starting at 100€ per month for up to 500 IT assets, with 300€ and 1,000€ plans available to support more assets and features.

Since it’s an open-source service, the occasional bug or hiccup should be expected. Like Snipe-IT, GLPI has a paid version available for those who may need tech support.

If you need a reliable version of GLPI, our testers recommend paying for a warranty that ensures a “stable and predictable performance” thanks to a team of techs ready to help customers navigate and understand the system.

While the free version tracks unlimited assets, the paid versions will give you access to warranty and support, but include asset caps. For more information, read our GLPI review.

7. Zoho Asset Tracking – Best for Integrating With Other Zoho Apps

Zoho’s IT Asset Tracker app can be found within the Zoho Creator platform, which allows you to manage all your computers and software licenses from a central location. Three tabs let you manage assets by type: machines, software, and hardware. A limited but useful list of third-party integrations includes Google Drive, OneDrive, and WordPress.

Zoho is best for businesses with plenty of office supplies, since it aptly tracks intra-office assets through its system of manual data entry, with no scannable barcodes. However, if you need to know who has checked out the laptop you need, this app offers a simple way to find out.

What we liked about Zoho IT Asset Tracking

Zoho’s IT asset tracking service is customizable, with updatable user profiles and asset reports that can be configured and grouped by time or department. Screenshots can be attached to verify that assets are at a location. Since the app is built using a low-code platform, most updates can be made with a drag-and-drop interface, and any additional tweaks come with relatively little coding.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Manual entry
• Mobile-friendly, allows you to manage your assets and reports on the go
• Easy drag-and-drop interface
• Good third-party app integrations, including Excel and GSuite
• Customizable profiles and reports
• Integrates with all Zoho products, including Books and Zoho CRM

The Zoho suite of apps includes additional business software, from Books to CRM and SalesIQ. The Zoho IT Asset Tracker integrates with all of them, so it’s easy to cover your auxiliary needs.

If you don’t currently use Zoho, you might not want to start using its asset tracking software — it’s more of an all-or-nothing deal, since it integrates well with so many of its own business software apps. This makes Zoho a great choice for a new startup that wants it all.

FreshService fills a similar niche, offering additional tools beyond tracking assets (like your own company knowledge base and ticket support).

Software statistics can be viewed by software, OS, or machine type. Image source: Zoho

Is Zoho asset tracking software really free?

While Zoho IT asset tracker is free, you need the core Zoho Creator platform to run it. A paid version of Zoho Creator starts at $8 per user, per month, (down from $10 in our previous round of research for this guide). This includes data backups, reports, offline access, and notifications. Zoho is a great free asset tracker for a small operation, but you’ll need to upgrade to a paid option as your business grows. There’s a 15-day free trial as well.

8. SysAid IT Asset Tracking – Best for On-Premise Hosting

SysAid IT asset tracking software allows you to manage all of your IT assets from your service desk, with the intention of helping you resolve issues faster. With SysAid, you can keep all the asset data and records you need inside each ticket, while easily taking stock of your hardware and software assets.

While other SysAid software (SysAid Mobile) supports barcode scanning, the asset tracking application does not support barcodes. As with Spiceworks, GLPI, and Zoho, you’ll need to manually enter the assets.

Check out our SysAid for IT review for more information

What we liked about SysAid

SysAid’s asset tracking, reporting, and analytics features are comprehensive, letting users generate reports to cover asset details, assets that haven’t been updated, and any asset changes by date and group. The service is mobile-friendly, but does not have an iOS or Android app.

Features include:

• Asset tag type: Manual entry
• AI service desk
• Service automation
• Task automation
• Workflow automation
• Incident management
• Service orchestration
• BI analytics

SysAid for IT Asset Tracking

The system handles license management in addition to physical hardware, making this a potential management solution for offices with documentation that’s tied to their assets.

Like all non-GPS options on this list, SysAid doesn’t have active tracking, so it can’t send many alerts. However, IT managers can receive email and SMS notifications to track CPU, disk space, and memory usage.

Like FreshService and Zoho, SysAid’s core product is designed to let businesses set up and manage a service desk for their customers, so the asset tracking solution integrates well with the SysAid help desk solution. If your business uses both, you’ll be able to manage assets directly from the service desk, keeping everything in an efficient, centralized location.

SysAid offers an easy-to-operate user interface, pictured here. Image source: SysAid.

Is SysAid asset tracking software really free?

SysAid asset tracking used to be free for on-site installation only, which was capped at 100 assets (well below AssetTiger’s 250 asset cap). Today, the service sells both the on-premise and cloud-based versions, though it does not make the prices public. Free trials are available for both.

The on-premise version is likely less expensive, but you’ll need to install the software on your local servers, and you will be responsible for keeping it debugged and running smoothly. If you opt for the cloud, prices still aren’t public, but sources indicate it will cost around $1,200 per 500 assets per year, with support for five users.

Is Free Asset Tracking Software Worth It?

Free asset tracking software is only the right choice for a small company with no room in the budget for this addition. Everyone else can afford better tools that will save you much more money in the long run. Almost half of small companies (43%) are using ineffective tracking techniques – or none at all.

Typical limitations of free asset tracking software:

• No data backups, which can restore your information if it’s lost in a power failure. Samsara and FreshService offer backups or data exports, while others do not.
• No offline access, which prevents downtime during an internet failure.
• Asset caps or user caps, which limit company growth.
• No support or hosting, increasing time spent on administration tasks.
• No GPS tracking for movable assets.

Even open source software – as flexible as it is – requires in-depth IT knowledge to operate.

Best Paid Asset Tracking Software

Here’s what sets each of the best-paid IT asset trackers apart:

• Samsara – A large and high-quality range of features, including powered and non-powered assets of any size, travel scheduling, driver monitoring, billable client hours, geofencing, and maintenance tracking. It also tracks inventory, so retailers can keep products safe as well.
• Tenna – While Samsara and Verizon offer GPS tracking, Tenna offers RFID and barcodes as well as GPS, making it a versatile pick. Features include maintenance tracking, historical data, geofencing, custom fields, work orders, and a well-rated mobile app for iOS and Android.
• Verizon Connect – GPS-powered asset tracking with weatherproof, battery-powered devices suitable for equipment, trailers, and other high-value assets. It integrates with other Verizon software, so field service and fleet management can be included in one package.

Some IT asset management solutions are stripped down while others are feature-rich, and either option might be for you.

Check out our BLE tracking guide for more information

How Does Asset Tracking Work?

Asset tracking systems use a combination of software and hardware to log and manage the location of a business’s assets.

There are three main types of asset tracking: barcoding, GPS units, and RFID. Barcodes are passive trackers that must be physically found and scanned, GPS units are active trackers that will broadcast data anywhere in the world via satellite signal, and RFID tags send data a short distance.

Barcodes are useful for tracking assets that stay in one place, such as computers and fax machines, while GPS units are best for tracking powered assets like backhoes or lawnmowers.

What Are the Benefits of Asset Tracking?

Asset tracking software is becoming a regular fixture of many industries – even educational facilities now track assets with dedicated software. This makes a lot of tasks easier:

• Theft deterrence
• Insurance claims
• Employee habit tracking (for powered assets, this may include travel times, engine hours, and unauthorized use or misappropriation)
• Reporting, data insights, and asset tracking spreadsheets
• Efficiency
• Scheduled and corrective maintenance

How We Test Asset Tracking Software

FAQs