What's the best MDM software for your device fleet in 2026?
The best MDM isn't the one that supports the most platforms. It's the one that covers yours, at a fair price, without eating your week.
A sales rep leaves an iPhone in a cab. A warehouse tablet ends up on YouTube instead of the picking app. A new hire waits two days for a configured laptop. Mobile device management (MDM) software fixes all three: it enrolls devices straight out of the box, pushes apps and settings, and wipes a lost device remotely.
The short answer: if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and your fleet is mostly Windows, start with Microsoft Intune. For a mixed fleet (Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac) without Microsoft at the center, Hexnode or Scalefusion run $2 to $6 per device per month. For an all-Apple shop, Jamf is still the benchmark, and Mosyle covers the basics for $1 per device. Under 25 to 50 devices, ManageEngine, Mosyle and Miradore all have a free plan.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best MDM for your fleet
$8 per user per month, all their devices included
Mixed fleet, tight budgetFrom $2.20 per device, deep kiosk mode
Mixed fleet including LinuxFrom $2 per device, 10-device minimum
Demanding Apple fleet$12.50 per Mac, $5.75 per iPhone or iPad
Cheapest Apple MDMFree up to 30 devices, then $1 per device
Free and multi-platformFree up to 25 devices with every feature
The 7 best MDM tools compared
The full ranking. The "platforms" column rules tools out fastest: an Apple-only MDM will never see your Android phones. Also watch the pricing unit. Intune bills per user, every other tool here bills per device.
| Best for | Platforms managed | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft Intune | Best if you have Microsoft 365 | Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux | 4.4/5 | $8 per user per month (Plan 1) | — | 20 to 5,000 employees | Visit → |
| 2 | Hexnode UEM | Best multi-platform MDM | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, tvOS | 4.3/5 | $2.20 per device per month | — | 15 to 5,000 devices | Visit → |
| 3 | Scalefusion | Easiest to get running | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS | 4.2/5 | $2 per device per month (annual, 10 minimum) | — | 10 to 2,000 devices | Visit → |
| 4 | Jamf | Best for Apple fleets | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android (mobile) | 4.2/5 | $5.75 per mobile, $12.50 per Mac (25 minimum) | — | 25 to 10,000 devices | Visit → |
| 5 | ManageEngine MDM Plus | Best free multi-platform MDM | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, ChromeOS | 4.0/5 | Free up to 25 devices; $645 a year for 50 in the cloud | ✓ | 10 to 1,000 devices | Visit → |
| 6 | Mosyle | Cheapest Apple MDM | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS | 4.0/5 | Free up to 30 devices; $1 per device after that | ✓ | 5 to 2,000 Apple devices | Visit → |
| 7 | Miradore | Biggest free tier | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows | 3.8/5 | Free up to 50 devices; $2.75 per device after that | ✓ | 5 to 300 devices | Visit → |
List prices from each vendor's official pricing page in 2026, before tax.
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
How we compared and scored
The top Google results for this question are mostly vendor blogs that rank their own product first, plus directories where every price says "contact sales." Almost none of them tell you what 50 devices actually cost, or what the free plans leave out.
We read each vendor's pricing page and documentation, then the forums where admins talk about slow policy syncs and rollouts that stall. A tool only makes the ranking if its price is readable on the vendor's own site.
The weights follow what makes an SMB MDM rollout fail: a platform the tool handles poorly (35%), a cost that drifts with minimums and add-ons (25%), and a rollout that drags (20%).
- Platforms coveredAndroid, iOS, Windows, macOS: what the tool really manages, and how deep it goes.35%
- Pricing clarityPublic price, unit (user or device), purchase minimum, paid add-ons.25%
- RolloutZero-touch enrollment (Apple Business, Android zero-touch, Autopilot), time to the first managed device.20%
- Security and BYODRemote wipe, work and personal separation, compliance rules, encryption.10%
- Support and feedbackWhat admins say about support, updates and renewals.10%
No affiliate link changes a score or a rank.
Microsoft Intune
Intune is Microsoft's MDM, built into Entra ID (the Microsoft 365 directory). Its biggest edge fits in one line: it's licensed per user, not per device. An employee with a laptop, an iPhone and a tablet takes one license. And if your Microsoft 365 plan already includes Intune, your MDM is paid for.
On Windows, nothing beats it. Windows Autopilot ships a new laptop straight to the employee, who turns it on and finds it configured. Conditional access blocks email on a non-compliant device, which third-party MDMs do less cleanly. Microsoft also says it will fold Remote Help, Advanced Analytics and Plan 2 features into Microsoft 365 E3 starting in the third quarter of 2026.
Admins know the downside. The console is huge, and a one-person IT team needs time to learn it. Macs work, but deploying a non-App Store Mac app means packaging it yourself. Sync timing also surprises people: after enrollment the device checks in every 3 minutes for 15 minutes, every 15 minutes for 2 hours, then roughly every 8 hours. A policy change sends a push that speeds things up, but an offline device waits for its next check-in.
- Per-user license covering several devices
- Windows Autopilot and conditional access
- Often already in your Microsoft 365 plan
- ✓No extra cost if your plan includes it
- ✓The best tool for Windows
- ✓Clean work profile for BYOD
- ✗Heavy console for a solo admin
- ✗Macs less well served than with Jamf
- ✗Policy sync can lag on offline devices
The best MDM for a business already on Microsoft: check your licenses before shopping around. If your fleet is mostly Apple or Android without Microsoft 365, a per-device MDM costs less and takes less learning.
Hexnode UEM
Hexnode manages almost anything with a screen: Android, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, macOS, tvOS and even visionOS. Its specialty is kiosk mode, a tablet locked to one app for a front desk, a warehouse or a store. It works with Apple Business, Android Enterprise and Samsung Knox for zero-touch enrollment.
Prices are public and low, but read the tiers. Pro at $2.20 covers mobile devices. Basic desktop management starts at Enterprise ($3.20), and what admins actually want on Windows and Mac (scripts, Windows Autopilot, desktop app deployment, FileVault) only arrives at Ultimate, $4.70. Windows and macOS patching and BitLocker sit in Ultra, which is quote-only.
Admin feedback splits on support. Some find it fast, others call it uneven, and it's English-only. A few users find the interface dated, though it stays clear.
- Deep kiosk mode
- Six platforms in one console
- Public per-device pricing
- ✓Entry point at $2.20 per device
- ✓Monthly billing available
- ✓2 to 5 technicians included by plan
- ✗Useful desktop management starts at $4.70
- ✗Support only in English
- ✗OS patching only on a quote
The best pick for a mixed fleet without Microsoft 365 at the center. Budget for Ultimate if you manage computers: that's where the tool becomes complete.
Scalefusion
Scalefusion is the MDM admins often recommend for how quickly you get going. It covers Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, the widest range in this ranking. Cloud setup is free, and the 14-day trial unlocks everything with no credit card.
The catch is the first tier. Essential at $2 doesn't do BYOD: personal devices and Apple User Enrollment start at Growth ($3.50). Windows Autopilot, OS patching and the API wait for Business ($5). For a typical SMB, plan on $3.50 to $5 per device. Billing is annual only, with a 10-device minimum.
User reviews are very strong. The complaints are specific: content storage runs out fast (200 MB on Growth, 1 GB on Business), and there's no tool to migrate from another MDM.
- Manages Linux and ChromeOS
- Console known for being simple
- Free cloud setup
- ✓Entry point at $2 per device
- ✓Full trial with no card
- ✓Up to 25 admins on Enterprise
- ✗BYOD only from $3.50
- ✗Annual billing only
- ✗Content storage gets tight
The MDM to pick if you don't have a dedicated admin and your fleet is varied. Go with Growth at least if employees use their own phones.
Jamf
Jamf is the long-standing benchmark for Apple management, and its plans got simpler. Jamf for Mac ($12.50 per Mac) bundles management, threat protection, content filtering and zero trust network access. Jamf for Mobile ($5.75) handles iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Vision Pro, and Android phones too.
What sets it apart is depth on the Mac: scripts, fine-grained policies, detailed inventory, and support for new Apple releases right away. Admins who customized everything in Jamf often say they tried to leave and couldn't.
Price is the limit. The 25-device minimum means $312.50 a month for Macs. The contract is annual, so prepare the renewal talk early with a competing quote in hand. For teams under 25, Jamf Now from $4 per device covers the basics without Jamf Pro's depth.
- The deepest Mac management
- Security and access bundled in Jamf for Mac
- Fast support for new Apple releases
- ✓Clear public prices by device type
- ✓Android covered in Jamf for Mobile
- ✓Very active admin community
- ✗$12.50 per Mac, 25 minimum
- ✗Annual contract, Jamf Cloud only
- ✗No Windows management
The best MDM for a demanding Mac fleet. If you mostly need to enroll, push apps and wipe remotely, Mosyle or Apple Business do the job for far less.
ManageEngine MDM Plus
Mobile Device Manager Plus, from ManageEngine (part of Zoho), has two things nobody else in this ranking offers. Its free edition manages 25 devices with every feature and no time limit. And you can run it on your own server, with an annual or perpetual license, alongside the cloud version.
It covers Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and ChromeOS, with kiosk mode, an app catalog, a BYOD container and geofencing. Pricing comes in device bundles: $645 a year for 50 devices in the cloud, which works out under $1.10 per device per month.
Watch the technician count. One is included, and each extra one costs $445 a year in the cloud. The console is dense, like other ManageEngine products, so give yourself a few days to find your way.
- Free up to 25 devices, every feature
- Can run on your own server
- 30-day trial with unlimited devices
- ✓Among the lowest per-device prices
- ✓Perpetual license available
- ✓ChromeOS supported
- ✗Only one technician included
- ✗Dense console
- ✗Extra admins add up
The best free starting point for a mixed fleet. Past 25 devices it stays one of the cheapest, as long as one or two technicians are enough.
Mosyle
Mosyle only does Apple, and does it at a price nobody comes close to. Up to 30 devices, Business FREE gives you Premium's features at no cost. Past that, Premium is $1 per device per month. Fuse, the most complete plan, goes to $3 per Mac and $1.50 per iPhone or iPad.
Two details make switching easy: a trial that can run up to 6 months if you're leaving another Apple MDM, and a migration credit equal to your first year (conditions apply). Apple TV and Apple Watch come free with Mac and iPhone licenses.
Admins often call it the best value for Apple. Its real limit is scope: add one Android phone or Windows laptop to the fleet and you need a second tool.
- Free up to 30 Apple devices
- $1 per device after that
- One-year migration credit
- ✓Lowest price for Apple
- ✓Apple TV and Watch included
- ✓Long trial for switchers
- ✗Apple only
- ✗30-license minimum on paid plans
- ✗No Android or Windows devices
The obvious pick for an SMB Apple fleet that doesn't need Jamf's depth. Under 30 devices, start with the free plan.
Miradore
Miradore, now part of GoTo, manages Android, iOS, macOS and Windows in a clean console. Its free plan goes up to 50 devices, the highest cap in this ranking. Every account starts with 14 days of Premium+ and no device limit.
The free plan covers fewer features than Premium ($2.75 per device on a yearly plan). Before you move your whole fleet onto it, enroll a few devices during the trial and check what still works once you drop back to free. Monthly card billing lets you change plans or cancel any time; annual and invoice billing are final.
Its limit: it does the essentials and not much more. Mac management is shallow, Windows depth is limited, and growing teams often move on to Hexnode or Scalefusion.
- Free up to 50 devices
- Four platforms managed
- Month-to-month billing
- ✓Highest free cap
- ✓Simple console
- ✓Cancel any month
- ✗Limited advanced features
- ✗Annual billing is non-refundable
- ✗Shallow Mac management
The best free MDM for a small mixed fleet. Once you need to push apps at scale, compare its Premium plan with Hexnode Pro.
What your MDM really costs, and what it should see
Feature lists look alike from one MDM to the next. Four questions make the difference: the pricing unit, the minimums, what the free plan covers, and how much the tool sees on a personal phone.
Monthly cost for 30 employees and 90 devices
The minimums people forget
What free really covers
BYOD: keep work and personal apart
- Count your devices per platform before asking for a quote
- Check whether your Microsoft 365 plan already includes Intune
- Price the vendor's minimum, not your device count
- Require a separate work profile for personal phones
- Ask your reseller to register every new device in Apple Business or Android zero-touch
- Note your renewal date and negotiate three months ahead
Six steps to a managed fleet in month one
MDM projects rarely fail because of the tool. They fail because some devices never make it into the console, or because employees refuse to enroll their phones. These six steps prevent both.
List devices by platform and owner
BeforeList every device with its platform (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS) and its owner: the company or the employee. That list picks the tool for you. An all-Apple shop isn't shopping for the same MDM as a fleet of Android tablets.
- Time
- Half a day
Set up zero-touch enrollment
BeforeCreate your Apple Business account (free) and your Android zero-touch or Knox account. Then ask your reseller to register every device you buy. New devices configure themselves on first boot, and a factory reset doesn't knock them out of management.
- Cost
- Free
Write the BYOD policy before enrolling
BeforeSpell out what the MDM sees and doesn't see on a personal phone, and that a wipe only touches the work side. Share it with employees before rollout. People who understand the work profile say yes much faster.
- Length
- One page
Enroll a pilot group
RolloutStart with 10 devices from one team, including one of each platform. Check enrollment, email, Wi-Fi and pushed apps. On Intune, trigger a sync from the Company Portal app so you don't wait for the 8-hour cycle.
- Pilot devices
- 10
Set three compliance rules
RolloutPasscode required, encryption on, OS up to date. Those three rules block most incidents. Then run a remote wipe on a demo device, so you know exactly what to do the day a phone goes missing.
- Rules
- 3
Review every quarter
AfterEvery quarter, remove devices that haven't checked in for 90 days and free their licenses. With per-device billing, every ghost device costs you until renewal.
- Cadence
- Every 3 months
Your fleet is managed, now what
MDM manages devices. These pages cover what sits around it: tracking the rest of your IT assets, stopping attacks, and remote support.
For everything an MDM doesn't see.
You want to protect endpoints from attacksBest antivirus and EDR for businessMDM enforces rules, EDR catches threats.
You need to fix devices remotelyBest remote desktop softwareWhen your MDM doesn't include remote control.
MDM software · FAQ
Is there a free MDM?
Yes, four solid ones. ManageEngine MDM Plus manages 25 devices on any platform with every feature. Mosyle manages 30 Apple devices. Miradore manages 50 devices with fewer features. Apple Business, free since 2026, manages every Apple device with no cap. Beyond that, expect $1 to $6 per device per month.How much does MDM cost per device?
Between $1 and $12.50 per device per month at list price. Mosyle Premium is $1 for Apple, Hexnode starts at $2.20, Scalefusion at $2, and Jamf for Mac at $12.50. Intune is the exception at $8 per user, which covers several devices for the same person.Is Intune included in Microsoft 365?
In some plans, yes. Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 include it, and so does Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Business Basic and Business Standard don't. Check the licenses page in your admin center before buying another MDM: if Business Premium or E3 is listed, Intune is already paid for.What's the difference between MDM and UEM?
MDM manages the device: enrollment, settings, wipe. UEM (unified endpoint management) manages everything from one console, laptops and desktops included. Today Intune, Hexnode and Scalefusion all do both, and the labels are mostly marketing.Can my employer see my photos through MDM?
Not on a personal phone enrolled with a work profile or Apple User Enrollment. The MDM only sees and wipes the work side. On a company-owned device it can see more, such as installed apps, but not the content of your personal messages.Does Apple Business replace Jamf or Mosyle?
For a small, simple Apple fleet, often yes. Apple Business handles zero-touch enrollment with Blueprints, creates Managed Apple Accounts and distributes App Store apps, for free. It doesn't manage Windows or Android, and Apple doesn't pitch it for kiosks or scripting. Once you have locked-down tablets or Macs to script, a third-party MDM still earns its keep.How do I manage devices employees already have?
Enroll them manually, one by one. An iPhone already in use has to be reset to get full supervision, otherwise it goes through User Enrollment, which is more limited. From then on, have new devices registered in Apple Business or Android zero-touch at purchase.Why aren't Iru (formerly Kandji) and NinjaOne ranked?
We only rank tools whose price is readable on the vendor's official site. Iru prices by quote based on products and device count, and NinjaOne doesn't publish a price for its MDM. A price quoted only on someone else's site doesn't count. They'll come in once their pricing is public.
