Renovate
Highly configurable automated dependency updates, free and self-hostable.
What it is
Renovate opens pull requests to update dependencies across dozens of package managers, with grouping, scheduling, automerge rules and dependency dashboards. Its configurability is the differentiator: you can automerge patch updates for dev dependencies at 3am on Sundays and hold majors for manual review.
Best for
Where it is strong
- Far more configurable than Dependabot — grouping, scheduling and automerge rules that keep PR volume sane.
- Supports dozens of package managers including Docker, Terraform, Helm and GitHub Actions.
- Free hosted app, or self-host it entirely.
Where it falls short
- The configuration surface is large enough to be its own learning curve.
- Without careful grouping rules it produces a lot of pull requests.
- Vulnerability context is thinner than a dedicated SCA tool.
Pricing
Free and open source
Open sourceFree tier: Everything, self-hosted
What drives the bill: Free and open source, including the hosted GitHub app. Mend sells an enterprise edition with support.
Check current pricing on Mend.io’s siteFigures are indicative and were last reviewed August 2026. Vendors change pricing often; confirm before you commit.
Works with
What people who use Renovate say
No reviews of Renovate yet. If you have used it in anger, yours would be the first.
Alternatives to Renovate
If Renovate is not the right fit, these solve the same problem differently.
Dependabot
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Free dependency updates and vulnerability alerts, built into GitHub.
Snyk
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Mend.io
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Software composition analysis with automated remediation and licence compliance.