Visibility in this ranking can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the
shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review. The largest vendors in mobile device management software
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 14 tools, reviewed
#1 SimpleMDM
Apple-only MDM with a single per-device price · United States · simplemdm.com
Apple only No contract API and webhooks
SimpleMDM does one thing: iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs and Vision Pro headsets. The pricing page has two numbers and neither needs a quote, the vendor says no contract is required, and the 30-day trial is fully functional with unlimited enrollment, so a real pilot on real laptops is possible.
- Pricing: Per device / month. $3.00 per device per month on the monthly plan or $2.50 per device per month on the annual plan, no contract required. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Apple-only offices that want no sales call
- Strengths: Automated device enrollment; Configuration profiles; Remote script execution.
Where it falls short
The platform list on the vendor site stops at Apple: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS. One Windows laptop or one Android handheld in the warehouse means a second tool.
Wrong for
Mixed Windows and Android fleets need Hexnode, Scalefusion or Intune instead.
Visit SimpleMDM →
#2 Fleet
Open-source device management you can run yourself · United States · fleetdm.com
MIT licensed core Self-hosted GitOps
Fleet is the one product on this page whose source you can read: the vendor states the majority of the code is MIT licensed and that both the free and the paid versions can be self-hosted, including on air-gapped networks.
- Pricing: Open source + paid tiers. Free tier at $0 per host per month with no support. Free plan: open source.
- Best for: Engineering-led IT teams that self-host
- Strengths: Multi-platform MDM; Device inventory and live reporting; Configuration as code from git.
Where it falls short
The free tier ships without vendor support, and the pricing page puts MDM migration, zero-touch setup, disk encryption enforcement and vulnerability scanning in Premium at $7.00 per host per month, above the entry tier of every hosted rival on this page.
Wrong for
A company without someone comfortable running a server and a database should not self-host its device management.
Visit Fleet →
#3 Esper
Device management for dedicated, single-purpose hardware · United States · esper.io
Dedicated devices 25-device minimum Pipelines
Esper says plainly what it is for: company-owned hardware doing a single job, such as kiosks, point-of-sale systems, barcode scanners and signage.
- Pricing: Per device / month. Genesis $2, Bridge $4 and Architect $6 per device per month. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Kiosk, POS and signage fleets
- Strengths: Kiosk mode; Blueprints for desired device state; Software deployment pipelines.
Where it falls short
Limits are tight on the lower tiers.
Wrong for
Ordinary office fleets where each person carries a phone and a laptop: the product is shaped for unattended hardware.
Visit Esper →
#4 Miradore
Cloud MDM for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows · Finland · miradore.com
Free up to 50 devices Four platforms Monthly billing
Miradore earns its place because a 40-person company can enroll every phone and laptop it owns, pay nothing, and still get an inventory with remote lock, wipe and passcode reset. The vendor describes it as cloud-based and lists Android, iOS, macOS and Windows as supported.
- Pricing: Free + paid tiers. Free for up to 50 devices after a 14-day trial. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Small mixed fleets starting at zero cost
- Strengths: Device tracking; Remote lock and wipe; Passcode reset.
Where it falls short
The free tier is an inventory with a panic button, not a management tool: configuration profiles, application deployment, system update scheduling and automation all start at Premium, and integrations, the built-in remote support and phone support sit in Premium+.
Wrong for
Shops that run Linux laptops or Chromebooks alongside phones should look at Hexnode or Fleet, and an all-Apple office gets deeper Apple tooling from SimpleMDM or Mosyle for similar money.
Visit Miradore →
#5 Hexnode UEM
Unified endpoint management across eleven device platforms · United States · hexnode.com
11 platforms Kiosk lockdown Published tiers
Hexnode is what you buy when the device list reads like a lost-property box: the pricing page names Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire OS, visionOS and Zebra Link OS printers.
- Pricing: Per device / month. Pro lists at $2.2, Enterprise at $3.2 and Ultimate at $4.7 per device per month, with monthly or annual billing. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Mixed fleets with kiosks or rugged devices
- Strengths: Mobile kiosk management; App management; Location tracking and geofencing.
Where it falls short
Laptop management is rationed by tier.
Wrong for
A company that mainly needs Windows and Mac patching with encryption enforcement will land on the quote-only tier.
Visit Hexnode UEM →
#6 Mosyle Business
Apple-only management with security add-ons in one product · United States · business.mosyle.com
Apple only Free up to 30 devices Annual billing
On price alone nothing here touches Mosyle for Apple hardware. The free tier takes up to 30 Macs, iPhones and iPads, and the paid Premium tier lists at $1.00 per device per month.
- Pricing: Free + paid tiers. Mosyle Business FREE covers up to 30 devices. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Apple shops watching every dollar
- Strengths: Apple device management; Mosyle Auth 2 single sign-on; Admin On-Demand privilege control.
Where it falls short
Every paid tier carries a minimum of 30 licenses and is billed annually, so the step from free to paid is a yearly commitment for at least 30 devices even if you own 31.
Wrong for
Anyone with Windows or Android devices, and buyers who want month-to-month billing: SimpleMDM bills monthly for Apple fleets and Miradore does the same across four platforms.
Visit Mosyle Business →
#7 Microsoft Intune
Cloud endpoint management bundled with Microsoft 365 · United States · microsoft.com
Included in M365 Per user Six platforms
For a company that already buys Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3 or E5, Intune is a license it holds and has not switched on.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Intune Plan 1 is listed at $8.00 per user per month, paid yearly, and is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($22.00 per user per month), E3 and E5. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Microsoft 365 tenants with Windows laptops
- Strengths: Windows Autopilot enrollment; App protection policies; Conditional Access integration.
Where it falls short
The standalone price is per user on an annual subscription, and the useful extras are separate line items: Remote Help at $3.50, Endpoint Privilege Management at $3.00 and Enterprise Application Management at $2.00 per user per month on top of Plan 1.
Wrong for
Companies that run Google Workspace and mostly Macs gain little from the bundle and inherit the complexity.
Visit Microsoft Intune →
#8 Scalefusion
Device management for frontline, kiosk and office fleets · India · scalefusion.com
Annual billing Kiosk mode 10-device minimum
Scalefusion is built around devices that do a job rather than belong to a person: delivery handhelds, shop-floor tablets, reception kiosks. Single and multi-app kiosk mode, remote cast and control for troubleshooting, and shared-device management with policy switching are all named on its product page.
- Pricing: Per device / month. Essential $2, Growth $3.50, Business $5 and Enterprise $6 per device per month, all billed annually, with a minimum of 10 devices. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Frontline and shared-device fleets
- Strengths: Single and multi-app kiosk mode; Remote cast and control; Workflows automation.
Where it falls short
All four tiers are billed annually and the order form needs at least 10 devices, so it is the least flexible of the published-price vendors for a seasonal workforce.
Wrong for
Offices of fewer than ten devices, and anyone who wants to pay monthly: Miradore and SimpleMDM both take a card month to month with no minimum stated.
Visit Scalefusion →
#9 JumpCloud
Cloud directory with device management attached · United States · jumpcloud.com
Per user Directory included 30-day trial
JumpCloud approaches the problem from the account rather than the handset. The same console that creates a user can bind that user's Mac, Windows PC, Linux box and phone, and patch management covers Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, browsers and applications.
- Pricing: Per user / month. The Device Management package is $9 per user per month billed annually or $11.00 billed monthly. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Companies replacing Active Directory too
- Strengths: Windows, macOS and Linux management; iOS, iPadOS and Android MDM; Patch management.
Where it falls short
Pricing counts people, not hardware, which is awkward for a warehouse with 40 shared scanners and six named staff.
Wrong for
A business that already has an identity provider it likes and only wants phones enrolled is paying for a directory it will not use.
Visit JumpCloud →
#10 Jamf
Apple device management and security platform · United States · jamf.com
Apple first Quote only 14-day trial
Jamf is the vendor other Apple MDMs are compared against. Jamf Pro provisions Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV hands-free, groups devices dynamically with Smart Groups, and ships compliance benchmarks for hardening.
- Pricing: Quote only. Jamf for Mac and Jamf for Mobile are both priced on request. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Larger Apple fleets with dedicated admins
- Strengths: Zero-touch deployment; Smart Groups; Blueprints with Declarative Device Management.
Where it falls short
No price for Jamf for Mac or Jamf for Mobile appears on the pricing page; both say Contact Us, and the page notes localized pricing comes from a representative or partner.
Wrong for
A 20-person studio that wants to see a number and enter a card will be happier with SimpleMDM or Mosyle.
Visit Jamf →
#11 Iru
Endpoint, identity and compliance platform, formerly Kandji · United States · iru.com
Formerly Kandji Quote only Auto Apps
Iru started as Kandji, and the renamed company now lists macOS, Windows, Android, iPhone and iPad, Apple TV and Vision Pro as managed platforms.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only: the vendor says pricing is based on the solutions you need and the number of users and devices. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Mid-sized firms wanting management plus compliance
- Strengths: Assignment Maps; Auto Apps library with automated patching; Security templates aligned to CIS benchmarks.
Where it falls short
There is no published price for any product.
Wrong for
Buyers who need a firm number this week, or who have fewer than a few dozen devices, should price SimpleMDM, Mosyle or Hexnode first and come back if those run out of depth.
Visit Iru →
#12 NinjaOne
Endpoint management platform with MDM for mobiles · United States · ninjaone.com
Patching first Volume tiers 14-day trial
NinjaOne is an endpoint management and patching platform for Windows, macOS and Linux machines, and its MDM product brings Android and Apple mobiles into the same console. For an internal IT team of two that already lives in a patching dashboard, enrolling the company iPhones there beats opening a second tool.
- Pricing: Per device / month. Per-device tiered pricing with volume discounts. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: IT teams and MSPs managing laptops first
- Strengths: Zero-touch enrollment; Remote lock, wipe and passcode reset; Mobile application management.
Where it falls short
The published range tells you the floor and the ceiling, not your price: the vendor FAQ says each quote is customized to agent count and functionality.
Wrong for
A phones-and-tablets-only fleet with no laptops to patch.
Visit NinjaOne →
#13 TinyMDM
Android-only MDM from a French publisher · France · tinymdm.net
Android only Priced in euros Based in France
TinyMDM manages Android and nothing else, across the four Android Enterprise modes: single-purpose kiosk, fully managed, work profile on a personal phone, and work profile on a company-owned one.
- Pricing: Per device / year. Classic is €21.20 per device per year billed annually. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: European firms with Android-only fleets
- Strengths: Kiosk mode; Fully managed mode; Work profile for personal devices.
Where it falls short
It is Android only, so the first iPad or laptop needs another product.
Wrong for
Any company with iPhones or computers to manage.
Visit TinyMDM →
#14 Headwind MDM
Open-source, self-hostable MDM for Android · United Arab Emirates · h-mdm.com
Open source On-premises Android only
Headwind MDM is the answer to a specific brief: Android devices, on our own server, no third-party cloud. The vendor states the software does not rely on any cloud services and can run on your premises even without an internet connection.
- Pricing: Open source + paid tiers. A free open-source Community edition. Free plan: open source.
- Best for: Self-hosters with Android device fleets
- Strengths: QR-code device enrollment; Application install, update and removal; Group policies.
Where it falls short
It is described by the vendor as an MDM system for Android; iPhones and laptops are out of scope.
Wrong for
Teams without a Linux administrator, and any fleet that includes Apple devices.
Visit Headwind MDM →
Questions and answers
What is the best mobile device management software in 2026?
SimpleMDM ranks first of 14, best for apple-only offices that want no sales call. Fleet is second (engineering-led IT teams that self-host) and Esper third (kiosk, POS and signage fleets). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
What is the difference between MDM, EMM and UEM?
They are generations of the same idea. MDM originally meant controlling the whole phone: enrollment, settings, passcode, wipe. EMM added management of individual apps and content, which made personal devices workable.
Is there free mobile device management software that is usable for a business?
Yes, four options on this list cost nothing to keep using. Miradore's free tier takes up to 50 devices with tracking, lock, wipe and passcode reset. Mosyle Business FREE takes up to 30 Apple devices.
How much does MDM software cost per device?
Among the vendors here that publish prices, entry tiers run from $1.00 per device per month (Mosyle Business PREMIUM, 30-license minimum, billed annually) through $2 (Scalefusion Essential, Esper Genesis), $2.2 (Hexnode Pro), $2.50 to $3.00 (SimpleMDM) and $2.75 (Miradore Premium, annual billing) to $7.00 per host for Fleet Premium.
Do I need Apple Business Manager to use an MDM?
Not strictly, but you want it. Without Apple Business Manager, each iPhone or Mac has to be enrolled by hand or by the user, and the user can usually remove management.
Can an MDM see personal photos, messages or browsing on an employee's own phone?
On a personally owned phone enrolled the modern way, management is confined to a work container.
Can one MDM manage iPhones, Android phones, Windows laptops and Macs together?
Several can. Miradore covers those four platforms, and Iru covers them too; Hexnode, Scalefusion, Intune, Fleet, JumpCloud and NinjaOne also list Linux. The question to ask is how deep the laptop side goes at your tier.
What happens to enrolled devices if we switch MDM vendors?
The inventory can be exported; the enrollment cannot. Each device trusts one management server, so moving means removing the old profile and enrolling with the new one. For personally enrolled devices that is a few taps per user.
Is Microsoft Intune enough if we already pay for Microsoft 365?
Often, yes. Microsoft lists Intune Plan 1 as included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3 and E5, so check your licenses before buying anything. It supports Windows, macOS, iOS and iPadOS, Android, Linux and Chrome OS.
Is open-source MDM a realistic choice for a small company?
Only with the right person on staff. Fleet's code is mostly MIT licensed and its free tier can be self-hosted with no support from the vendor; Headwind MDM's Community edition is on GitHub and manages Android.
Which MDM is best for kiosks, point-of-sale tablets and shared scanners?
Look at the products built for dedicated devices. Esper targets kiosks, point-of-sale systems and scanners, with blueprints for device state and pipelines for staged updates, from $2 per device per month with a 25-device minimum.
