10 Kandji Alternatives for Apple Device Management at Scale

Kandji built its reputation as the clean, IT-friendly way to manage Mac, iPhone, and iPad fleets, and in October 2025 it rebranded as Iru, expanding from an Apple-only MDM into a broader identity, security, and endpoint management platform that now covers Windows too. That shift is exactly why some Apple-focused teams are looking elsewhere: a platform racing to become a unified security suite isn’t necessarily optimized anymore for the narrower job of running an all-Apple or Apple-majority fleet at scale, and reviewers already point to rising per-device costs, gated API access on smaller plans, and pushy sales cycles as reasons to compare options before renewing.

This list covers ten real alternatives across three different categories. Lifecycle platforms like ZenAdmin connect device management to procurement, identity, and retrieval instead of stopping at policy enforcement. Apple-native specialists like Jamf Pro, Mosyle, and Addigy compete directly on the same turf Kandji built its name on. Cross-platform and identity-first tools like Microsoft Intune, Hexnode, JumpCloud, ManageEngine, SimpleMDM, and Fleet trade some Apple-specific polish for broader OS coverage, lower cost, or open-source control.

Key Takeaways

• ZenAdmin replaces MDM-as-a-standalone-tool with a full lifecycle platform: Apple device management tied to procurement, identity, SaaS management, and retrieval, priced transparently with no reseller-style markup.
• Jamf Pro is the closest like-for-like Apple specialist, deeper third-party integrations and a larger admin community, though EDR and vulnerability management cost extra where Kandji/Iru bundles them.
• Mosyle and Addigy are the strongest budget-to-mid-market Apple-only picks, with Mosyle’s free tier and Addigy’s multi-tenant dashboard standing out for MSPs and education buyers.
• Microsoft Intune makes sense mainly for teams already paying for Microsoft 365 who want Apple devices managed inside the same console as Windows.
• Hexnode, SimpleMDM, JumpCloud, ManageEngine, and Fleet round out the list for teams prioritizing flat per-device pricing, identity-plus-device bundling, budget enterprise coverage, or full open-source control, respectively.

Jump to the comparison table, or skip to how to choose for your team.

Quick Comparison Table

ZenAdmin is the featured pick in this comparison. See why below.

The 10 Best Kandji Alternatives

1. ZenAdmin

ZenAdmin isn’t trying to out-MDM Kandji at its own game, and that’s the reason it leads this list. Jamf Pro, Mosyle, Addigy, Hexnode, SimpleMDM, and even Kandji/Iru itself are all, at their core, policy-enforcement tools: they push configuration profiles, track compliance, and report device posture. What happens before a device gets enrolled (sourcing and shipping it) and after (retrieving it when someone leaves) typically sits with separate vendors or manual internal processes.

ZenAdmin folds Apple MDM into a connected system that also handles procurement, identity, SaaS management, and offboarding, so switching away from a standalone MDM tool closes gaps most teams don’t notice until an audit or a departing employee’s laptop goes untracked.

Zero-touch enrollment without a separate reseller relationship

Devices ordered through ZenAdmin arrive pre-configured and already enrolled via Apple Business Manager, collapsing what would otherwise be two vendor relationships (the reseller shipping the hardware, and the MDM enrolling it) into one order and one dashboard.

MDM tied to identity and SaaS from day one

Device policy enforcement, encryption, app provisioning, and shadow IT detection run in the same system as identity and access management and SaaS license tracking, so a new hire’s laptop, apps, and access all get provisioned and revoked together instead of across three disconnected tools.

Global device management without enterprise minimums

Procurement, MDM enrollment, and shipping run across 150+ countries, comparable to the largest Apple MDM vendors’ global footprint, without a minimum device count or a required annual contract to get started.

What Apple-only specialists don’t cover

Jamf Pro, Mosyle, and Addigy manage Apple devices exceptionally well, but none of them source the hardware, retrieve it during offboarding, or track the SaaS licenses tied to the person using it. ZenAdmin closes that loop: procurement, MDM, identity, SaaS management, and device retrieval run through one workflow instead of a separate tool for each stage.

Pricing

Free core platform, transparent pay-per-use, with no platform fee and no per-feature gating on API access the way some Apple-only MDM vendors structure their lower tiers.

Key features:

• Apple MDM (macOS, iOS, iPadOS) alongside Windows device management, in the same console
• Zero-touch deployment with pre-configured, MDM-enrolled devices shipped globally
• Native identity and access management and SaaS license tracking
• 24/7 IT helpdesk included, not billed as a separate line item
• Automated device retrieval and offboarding tied to the same workflow as enrollment

Pros:

• Device management connects directly to procurement, identity, and retrieval instead of ending at policy enforcement
• No reseller markup or per-feature paywall on core capabilities like API access
• Global procurement and deployment reach without enterprise minimums
• One system replaces the MDM-plus-reseller-plus-ITSM stack most Apple-only teams run today

Cons:

• Apple management depth on advanced, Apple-specific configuration profiles is narrower than a pure-play specialist like Jamf Pro that’s built nothing but Apple tooling for over a decade
• Teams that only need device policy enforcement, with no procurement or identity component, may find the broader platform more than they need

Best for: Distributed teams that want Apple device management connected to procurement, identity, SaaS tracking, and retrieval instead of a standalone MDM tool that stops at policy enforcement.

Pricing: Free core platform, transparent pay-per-use.

Also Read: 7 Best IT Procurement Software in 2026

2. Jamf Pro

Jamf Pro is Kandji/Iru’s closest direct rival in the Apple-only category, and for enterprises that are exclusively or predominantly Apple, it remains the heavyweight by sheer depth: the largest third-party integration marketplace in the Apple MDM space, the biggest community of Apple admins sharing scripts and configuration profiles, and a product built around nothing but Apple management since 2002.

The tradeoff shows up in pricing structure. Jamf for Mac runs roughly $12.50 per device per month and Jamf for Mobile around $5.75, with security add-ons like endpoint detection and vulnerability management billed separately rather than bundled the way Kandji/Iru and some competitors now include them. Jamf also implemented a 6% pricing uplift alongside a broader 10% increase in early 2025, so teams comparing quotes should confirm they’re working from current numbers.

Key features:

• Deepest third-party integration ecosystem in Apple device management
• Mature, Apple-only feature set refined over two decades
• Large community-driven library of scripts, extension attributes, and configuration profiles
• Granular device grouping and smart group automation

Pros:

• Broadest integration marketplace of any Apple MDM vendor on this list
• Large admin community means faster answers to edge-case configuration questions
• Purpose-built for Apple with no cross-platform feature dilution

Cons:

• EDR and vulnerability management cost extra, unlike Kandji/Iru’s bundled security add-ons
• Custom, negotiated pricing with a documented history of annual increases
• No native procurement, identity, or SaaS management layer; still a standalone MDM

Best for: Apple-exclusive enterprises that want the deepest integration ecosystem and don’t mind paying for security add-ons separately.

Pricing: $3.67-$12.50/device/month depending on device type; custom quote for enterprise scale.

3. Mosyle

Mosyle built its business on being the low-cost, Apple-only alternative, and that positioning holds up at scale. The free Business tier covers up to 30 devices with zero-touch deployment through Apple Business Manager, App Store distribution, and automated patching already included, not stripped down to a crippled trial. Paid tiers scale from roughly $1 per device per month for core management up to $3 for macOS-specific Fuse security add-ons like automated hardening, built-in antivirus, and zero-trust compliance templates.

The tradeoff is the same one that applies to any Apple-only specialist: Mosyle covers macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS well, but there’s no path to managing a Windows or Android device inside the same console if your fleet ever needs it.

Key features:

• Free tier for up to 30 devices with the full core MDM feature set included
• Native Apple Business Manager integration for zero-touch enrollment
• Fuse security add-ons: automated hardening, built-in Mac antivirus, zero-trust compliance
• watchOS and tvOS managed free alongside an iPhone or Mac/iOS license

Pros:

• Lowest per-device cost of any Apple-only MDM on this list at scale
• Genuine free tier, not a time-limited trial, for smaller fleets
• Full Apple OS coverage including visionOS and watchOS

Cons:

• Apple-only; no path to Windows or Android management in the same platform
• Advanced security add-ons (Fuse) are a separate line item from core MDM
• No procurement, identity, or retrieval layer beyond device policy enforcement

Best for: Budget-conscious Apple-only teams and education buyers who want a genuine free tier and the lowest per-device cost at scale.

Pricing: Free for up to 30 devices; paid tiers from $1-$3/device/month depending on features.

4. Addigy

Addigy’s clearest differentiator is multi-tenancy: a single dashboard built to manage multiple separate Apple fleets, which makes it a natural fit for MSPs and IT consultancies juggling several client environments rather than one internal fleet. Pricing runs $8.25 per Mac per month for core MDM, scaling to $16 for the Security Suite, with mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV) priced separately at $2.25 per device per month. Multi-tenant plans start around $6.25 per device per month.

Recent additions include Apple Intelligence MDM controls and early agentic AI features for automating routine admin tasks, keeping Addigy competitive on the feature front even as Kandji/Iru expands into AI-driven management itself.

Key features:

• Native multi-tenant dashboard for managing multiple separate Apple environments
• No multi-year contract requirement; month-to-month per-device pricing
• Apple Intelligence MDM controls and emerging agentic automation features
• Separate pricing tiers for core MDM versus advanced security

Pros:

• Multi-tenant management is genuinely stronger here than most single-tenant Apple MDM tools
• No long-term contract lock-in required
• Keeping pace on newer Apple Intelligence and AI-automation features

Cons:

• Mac and mobile devices are priced on separate schedules, which complicates budgeting for mixed fleets
• Security Suite nearly doubles the per-Mac cost over core MDM alone
• Apple-only; no Windows or Android support

Best for: MSPs and IT teams managing multiple distinct Apple client environments from a single dashboard.

Pricing: $8.25-$16/Mac/month; $2.25/mobile device/month; multi-tenant plans from $6.25/device/month.

5. Microsoft Intune

Intune’s case for Apple device management isn’t that it manages Macs and iPhones better than an Apple specialist. It’s that a team already paying for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID gets Apple devices managed in the same console as Windows, with identity, conditional access, and endpoint policy unified across both ecosystems instead of split across two admin panels.

Standalone Intune runs roughly $8 per user per month, or it’s bundled into Microsoft 365 Business Premium at around $22 per user per month. Microsoft has been folding previously paid add-ons into core plans while raising list prices on those suites, with further list-price changes scheduled for July 2026, so teams evaluating Intune specifically for Apple management should confirm current bundling before comparing it against a per-device Apple MDM quote.

Key features:

• Unified management console for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Android, and Linux
• Native integration with Entra ID for conditional access and identity-based policy
• Apple Automated Device Enrollment and BYOD enrollment support
• Increasing AI-driven management features folded into core M365 plans

Pros:

• Strong fit if your identity and endpoint stack is already Microsoft-centric
• One console for Apple and Windows policy, useful for genuinely mixed fleets
• Bundled pricing inside M365 Business Premium can be cost-effective for smaller teams

Cons:

• Apple-specific configuration depth (declarative device management edge cases, macOS-specific profiles) trails purpose-built Apple MDM tools
• Pricing and bundling structure is in active flux through 2026, complicating budget planning
• Best value requires already being invested in the Microsoft ecosystem; a weaker standalone case otherwise

Best for: Teams already standardized on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID who want Apple devices managed in the same console as Windows.

Pricing: $8-$18/user/month depending on plan; ~$22/user/month bundled in M365 Business Premium.

6. Hexnode UEM

Hexnode’s pitch is pricing simplicity: five flat tiers from $1 to $5 per device per month, billed annually, with the same rate whether the device is a MacBook or a Windows laptop. For a genuinely mixed-OS fleet where Apple devices are one part of a broader inventory, that flat structure is easier to budget against than a platform with separate Apple and non-Apple pricing schedules.

Apple coverage includes DEP-based zero-touch enrollment, VPP app licensing, iOS kiosk mode for locked-down deployments, and over-the-air Mac enrollment without requiring physical device access. The platform spans macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and visionOS alongside Windows and Android.

Key features:

• Five-tier flat per-device pricing regardless of platform
• Apple DEP and VPP support for zero-touch enrollment and volume app licensing
• iOS kiosk mode for single- or multi-app locked-down deployments
• Over-the-air Mac enrollment without physical device access

Pros:

• Simplest, most predictable pricing structure of any platform on this list
• Strong genuinely cross-platform coverage, not an Apple tool with Windows bolted on
• Kiosk and locked-down deployment modes useful for shared or public-facing devices

Cons:

• Apple-specific configuration depth is lighter than Apple-only specialists like Jamf Pro or Mosyle
• No native procurement, identity, or SaaS management layer
• Higher tiers needed to unlock more advanced security and compliance features

Best for: Mixed-OS fleets wanting one flat, predictable per-device rate regardless of platform.

Pricing: $1-$5/device/month across five tiers, billed annually.

7. SimpleMDM

SimpleMDM’s positioning is speed of setup over feature breadth. It manages macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS from a single, straightforward admin interface, with Dynamic Groups automating device segmentation and a full-featured REST API included at the base $2.50 per device per month tier rather than gated behind a higher plan the way some competitors structure API access.

US-based support with an average 30-minute response time during business hours is a real differentiator for smaller IT teams that don’t have the bandwidth to wait on a ticket queue, though SimpleMDM’s smaller scale relative to Jamf Pro or Kandji/Iru means a thinner third-party integration ecosystem.

Key features:

• Zero-touch enrollment via Apple Business Manager
• Dynamic Groups for automated device segmentation by attribute
• RESTful API included at the base pricing tier
• 30-day free trial and US-based support

Pros:

• Fast setup with minimal admin overhead, well suited to lean IT teams
• API access included at the base tier, not paywalled separately
• Responsive, US-based support with a documented average response time

Cons:

• Smaller integration ecosystem than Jamf Pro or larger competitors
• Apple-only; no cross-platform coverage
• No procurement, identity, or retrieval layer beyond device policy enforcement

Best for: Small-to-mid Apple fleets wanting fast setup and responsive support without a steep admin learning curve.

Pricing: From $2.50/device/month; custom enterprise pricing for larger deployments.

8. JumpCloud

JumpCloud approaches the problem from the identity side rather than the device side. Device Management starts at $9 per user per month, but the more common entry point for mid-market teams is Device Identity Management at $13 per user per month, which bundles device management with directory services and SSO under one per-user price rather than running MDM and identity as separate line items and separate tools.

That bundling is the real value proposition: policy enforcement tied directly to a user’s identity and trust status, across macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, and Android, with up to three devices covered per user license.

Key features:

• Device and identity management bundled under one per-user price
• Cross-platform coverage: macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android
• SSO and directory services available in the same platform
• Free tier for up to 10 users

Pros:

• Genuinely useful if you want device trust tied directly to identity, not managed separately
• Cross-platform from the ground up, not an Apple-first tool extended later
• Per-user pricing covers up to three devices, useful for multi-device employees

Cons:

• Apple-specific management depth trails purpose-built Apple MDM tools
• Per-user pricing can cost more than per-device models for organizations with lean device-to-user ratios
• No procurement or SaaS license management layer

Best for: Teams wanting device management bundled with directory services and SSO under one per-user price.

Pricing: $9-$13/user/month depending on tier; free for up to 10 users.

Also Read: Jamf vs Intune vs JumpCloud: Device Management Comparison 

9. ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus

ManageEngine’s MDM Plus is the budget enterprise option on this list, with plans starting at a flat $64 per month rather than per-device pricing, plus a genuine free tier for smaller deployments. It covers iOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows, and fits naturally for organizations already running other ManageEngine ITSM or asset management products, since the console and licensing model carry over.

The tradeoff worth flagging directly: several reviewers report costs climbing faster than expected as device count grows, and features like remote access can carry additional fees beyond the base plan, so the flat entry price doesn’t always hold at scale the way it first appears to.

Key features:

• Flat monthly pricing tiers rather than pure per-device billing
• Genuine free tier for smaller deployments
• Native fit for teams already using other ManageEngine ITSM products
• Coverage across iOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows

Pros:

• Low flat-rate entry point, easier to budget for smaller teams than per-device pricing
• Free tier available, not just a trial
• Natural console consolidation for existing ManageEngine customers

Cons:

• Reported cost increases as device count scales, undercutting the flat-rate appeal
• Some features, like remote access, carry additional fees beyond the base plan
• Apple coverage listed as iOS/iPadOS only in current documentation; macOS support should be confirmed directly before buying for a Mac-heavy fleet

Best for: Budget-focused enterprises already using ManageEngine’s ITSM stack who want device management in the same console.

Pricing: From $64/month flat rate; free tier available.

10. Fleet

Fleet is the outlier on this list: an open-source, MIT-licensed MDM built on osquery, Facebook’s open-source endpoint agent, rather than a proprietary SaaS platform. The free, self-hosted core includes MDM built on Apple’s native Declarative Device Management protocol and Apple Business Manager integration, real-time device, software, and security-posture visibility through osquery, and infrastructure-as-code workflows via native GitOps support, a rarity in this category.

Fleet Premium adds team-based access controls, advanced audit logging, SSO, and professional support for $7 per host per month. The real tradeoff is operational: self-hosting means your engineering team owns uptime, updates, and infrastructure, a genuinely different commitment than any SaaS platform on this list.

Key features:

• MIT-licensed, self-hostable core with no forced upgrade path
• Built on osquery for real-time device, software, and security-posture visibility
• Native GitOps support for infrastructure-as-code device policy management
• Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, and Android

Pros:

• Free, open-source core with full source-code transparency, unusual in Apple MDM
• Real-time visibility through osquery instead of periodic inventory sync
• GitOps workflow fits naturally into engineering-led IT operations

Cons:

• Self-hosting requires engineering resources most non-technical IT teams don’t have
• Smaller ecosystem and community than Jamf Pro or Kandji/Iru
• No native procurement, identity, or SaaS management layer

Best for: Engineering-led teams wanting open-source, self-hosted device management with real-time visibility and GitOps workflows.

Pricing: Free (self-hosted core); Fleet Premium at $7/host/month for advanced controls and support.

Also Read: 10 Best Fleet Alternatives for Device Lifecycle Management in 2026

How to Choose the Right Kandji Alternative

The wrong choice here usually comes from comparing every option as if it solves the same problem. Here’s what actually separates them.

1. Decide whether you need Apple-only depth or genuine cross-platform coverage

Jamf Pro, Mosyle, Addigy, and SimpleMDM are Apple specialists, and that specialization shows up in configuration depth for macOS- and iOS-specific edge cases. Intune, Hexnode, JumpCloud, ManageEngine, and Fleet manage Apple devices well but treat them as one platform among several. If your fleet is genuinely Apple-exclusive and likely to stay that way, a specialist’s depth is worth paying for. If Windows, Android, or Linux devices already sit alongside your Macs, a cross-platform tool avoids running two separate MDM consoles.

2. Price the full stack, not just the MDM line item

Per-device MDM pricing ranges from roughly $1 to $16 depending on the vendor and tier, but that number alone doesn’t capture the real cost. Jamf Pro bills EDR and vulnerability management separately; Addigy splits Mac and mobile pricing onto different schedules; ManageEngine’s flat entry rate has reportedly climbed for some customers as device count scales. Ask what’s actually included at the tier you’d realistically buy, not the cheapest advertised number.

3. Ask what happens before enrollment and after offboarding

This is the question a pure MDM comparison won’t answer. Every platform on this list except ZenAdmin picks up once a device is ready to enroll and stops once policy is configured. Sourcing the hardware, shipping it globally, and retrieving it when someone leaves are typically separate problems, solved with a separate reseller relationship and a separate offboarding process. Factor that coordination overhead into the comparison, not just the per-device MDM price.

4. Match platform reach to how your team actually deploys

“150+ countries” for global procurement and deployment and “supports iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows” for device coverage are two different claims, and it’s worth checking both against your actual footprint. A platform with deep Apple feature coverage but no global shipping infrastructure won’t solve device logistics for a distributed team hiring outside its home region, and vice versa.

5. Weigh community and integration depth against platform consolidation

Jamf Pro’s integration marketplace and admin community are a genuine asset if you’re building a highly customized Apple management stack with dozens of third-party tools plugged in. If the actual goal is fewer tools and less context-switching across procurement, identity, MDM, and offboarding, that integration depth is less valuable than a platform that already connects those stages natively.

Conclusion

Kandji’s rebrand to Iru signals where the whole category is heading: from single-purpose MDM toward broader identity, security, and endpoint platforms. That shift is a reasonable moment to check whether your current tool still fits. Apple-only specialists like Jamf Pro, Mosyle, and Addigy remain the right call for teams that want the deepest possible Apple-specific configuration control. Cross-platform and identity-first tools like Intune, Hexnode, JumpCloud, ManageEngine, and Fleet make sense when Apple is one part of a broader, mixed fleet. Teams whose real problem is bigger than policy enforcement, sourcing devices, managing identity, tracking SaaS spend, and retrieving hardware cleanly at offboarding, are usually better served by a platform built around that full lifecycle instead of an MDM tool that stops at enrollment.

Book a ZenAdmin demo to see Apple device management connected to procurement, identity, and retrieval in one system.

FAQs

Is Kandji still called Kandji? 

No. As of October 2025, Kandji rebranded as Iru, expanding from an Apple-only MDM into a broader identity, security, and endpoint management platform that now also supports Windows. Existing Kandji customers moved to the Iru platform automatically, with no disruption to device management during the transition.

What’s the difference between an Apple-only MDM and a lifecycle platform like ZenAdmin? 

An Apple-only MDM like Jamf Pro, Mosyle, or Addigy enforces device policy, security configuration, and compliance on devices already in your hands. A lifecycle platform connects that same MDM function to procurement, identity, SaaS license tracking, and retrieval, so device management doesn’t become a separate problem from sourcing and offboarding.

Which Kandji alternative is cheapest at scale? 

Mosyle has the lowest advertised per-device cost for Apple-only management, starting free for up to 30 devices and scaling to roughly $1-$3 per device per month. ManageEngine’s flat-rate plans can also be cost-effective at smaller scale, though several reviewers report costs rising faster than expected as device count grows.

Do I need a separate tool for identity and SaaS management if I switch from Kandji/Iru? 

With Jamf Pro, Mosyle, Addigy, Hexnode, SimpleMDM, and Fleet, yes, these are device-management tools without native identity or SaaS license tracking. JumpCloud bundles device management with identity and SSO. ZenAdmin is the only option on this list that natively combines MDM, identity, SaaS management, and device retrieval in one platform.

Which alternative works best for a genuinely mixed Apple and Windows fleet? 

Microsoft Intune, Hexnode, JumpCloud, ManageEngine, Fleet, and ZenAdmin all manage Apple and Windows devices from a single console. Intune is the strongest fit if your identity stack is already Microsoft-centric; Hexnode offers the simplest flat per-device pricing; ZenAdmin is the only one that also connects that management layer to procurement and retrieval.