ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus

Overview

ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus is an enterprise tool for administering and securing a mixed fleet of devices, apps, and work data. It is best suited to IT teams that need enrollment and policy controls across employee- and company-owned equipment. Its strongest case is broad management coverage with a choice of cloud or self-managed deployment; the 25-device free cap and on-premises support lifecycle deserve close attention.

Key features

Enrollment and device policies

The product covers smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, TVs, and rugged devices running Android, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, Windows, or Chrome OS. Enrollment ranges from self-service, invitations, and bulk setup to QR codes or EMM tokens and platform-specific methods such as Android Zero Touch, Apple Automated Device Enrollment, Windows Autopilot, and Chrome manual enrollment. That range can accommodate varied fleets and rollouts, while profiles for Wi-Fi, VPN, and other settings give administrators a way to standardize device configuration.

Apps, content, and security

Admins can distribute store and in-house apps, review app inventory, separate work and personal profiles, and use Kiosk Mode to dedicate devices to a controlled purpose. Remote lock and wipe, rooted or jailbroken-device detection, role-based permissions, data loss prevention, and device- and app-access controls add safeguards for managed equipment. Managed email access works with Office 365 and Azure; documents can be distributed and updated remotely, with third-party backups restricted.

Cloud and On-premises editions are available, alongside integrations including ServiceDesk Plus, ServiceNow, Zendesk, Jira, Active Directory, Entra ID, Google Workspace, Zoho Directory, Zoho Creator, and REST APIs. On-premises gives the organization deployment responsibility as well as control: the vendor recommends HTTPS, current builds, strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and appropriate administrator roles. Once an on-premises version reaches end of support, it no longer receives technical help, security updates, or other updates and enhancements.

Pricing

The Free edition costs nothing and is described as a fully featured Professional edition for up to 25 devices. That makes it a useful way to cover a small fleet, but the device ceiling rules it out for larger deployments. A 30-day trial is also offered.

• Standard edition (Cloud): $1.28 a month, billed starting at; annual billing can save up to 20%. It includes mobile device management, app distribution, configuration and restriction management, Kiosk Mode, geotracking, and remote commands. This is the lower-cost paid option for teams that need core controls.
• Professional edition (Cloud): $2.38 a month, billed starting at; annual billing can save up to 20%. It adds content management, custom configurations, app and OS update policies, conditional access, remote control, and geofencing. Choose it when those higher-level controls matter; otherwise Standard covers the stated core feature set.
• Standard edition (On-premises): $9.90 a year, billed starting at, with the same stated core features as Cloud Standard. It suits organizations choosing self-managed deployment, provided they can maintain the server and manage its security and support lifecycle.
• Professional edition (On-premises): $17.90 a year, billed starting at, adding the Professional features to On-premises Standard. It is the self-managed choice for teams needing content and advanced access, update, or location controls.

Paid prices are stated as starting rates, so they are not a guaranteed total for every deployment. The free tier's device cap and the on-premises edition's end-of-support consequences are the clearest limits to factor into a decision.

Platforms

Supported platforms are Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, Chrome OS, and tvOS. The product also offers web, API, and self-hosted platform options.

Who it's for

This is a strong fit for enterprise IT teams managing a varied corporate-owned and employee-owned fleet, especially when app administration, enrollment, and security policy need to sit together. Teams that want a limited free deployment can start with up to 25 devices. Organizations unwilling to maintain an on-premises server or track its support status should favor Cloud; teams needing only basic controls may not need the Professional feature tier.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Broad device and operating-system coverage, with numerous enrollment paths, helps accommodate mixed fleets and different deployment workflows.
• Pro: App distribution, kiosk controls, content handling, and security measures combine management tasks that otherwise span several parts of a device program.
• Pro: Cloud and On-premises editions let organizations choose between vendor-hosted and self-managed deployment.
• Con: The Free edition stops at 25 devices, limiting its usefulness as a lasting solution for larger teams.
• Con: On-premises customers must keep the server current and secure; an unsupported version loses security updates and technical support.
• Con: The published paid rates are starting prices, so the entry rates alone do not establish the final cost of a particular rollout.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, browse Mobile Device Management Software. IT Automation Software and Mac Management Software are also useful lists when the buying need is wider IT automation or specifically Mac administration.

• ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is the more relevant alternative when patch management is the priority; its free edition covers up to 20 workstations and five servers.
• CFEngine is another freemium option for teams seeking configuration management across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
• OPSI offers a free Community plan with unlimited devices and core features, making it worth considering for a self-managed alternative.
• Rundeck is an alternative to consider for small teams looking for a free community automation option.
• Action1 offers a free plan for up to 200 endpoints, a fit to consider when endpoint count is the main constraint.
• Foreman is a free, open-source, self-managed option to consider for Linux-oriented environments.
• PatchMon offers a free, self-hosted community edition for teams prepared to operate the server, updates, backups, and uptime themselves.
• Rudder is another option for teams seeking software whose source code can be downloaded and modified under open-source licenses.

Verdict

Choose ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus if your IT team needs one system for enrolling and governing a diverse fleet, distributing apps, and applying security controls, with cloud and self-managed editions to choose from. Its breadth is the main reason to shortlist it; look elsewhere if 25 free devices are insufficient and the starting paid rates do not fit, or if your team cannot own the maintenance and lifecycle demands of On-premises deployment.