xAssets ITAM

Overview

xAssets ITAM brings IT asset records, software licensing and network discovery into one lifecycle-management system. It is best suited to enterprises and public-sector teams with varied infrastructure and integration needs. Its breadth is compelling, but the free edition omits several operational features and the first listed paid user costs $60 a month.

Key features

The platform covers assets from procurement through maintenance and disposal, with software-license and contract tracking. Discovery can use the PC Analyser agent or run agentlessly through WMI, SSH or SNMP, giving teams options across different environments. Barcode scanning and employee self-service can support day-to-day inventory work, though neither is included in the free ITAM instance.

Built-in connectors span Active Directory, Microsoft SCCM and Intune, JAMF, Azure AD and cloud services from Azure, AWS and Google, as well as JIRA Service Desk and OKTA. The API provides programmatic access to all functions and can integrate ERP, SaaS, PaaS, legacy and cloud systems. It can recognize, clean and deduplicate complex imports, then export records to CSV, Excel or PDF. That flexibility is useful when consolidating data across a large estate; organizations with a straightforward inventory may have little need for this integration depth.

Customer instances use separate databases, communications use TLS 1.2, and customers can periodically download a decryptable database backup. xAssets states compliance with GDPR, SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP and CyberEssentials. Version 7 products were certified for use on US Air Force NIPRNET and SIPRNET networks in January 2018. The company says its tests scale to 2.5 million fixed assets and 250,000 IT assets in one database, and describes direct access to product specialists with proactive consultative support.

Pricing

The Express Edition is free forever for one user. The free instance permits 100 endpoints, 1,000 total assets, optional network discovery and SSO. Those caps can make it useful for evaluation or a small inventory, but it excludes Intune, SCCM, procurement, contracts, barcoding, configuration and workflow. The plan description also names capabilities such as procurement, barcoding, software asset management, contract management, configuration and workflow; the free-instance exclusions make clear that the free ITAM instance does not provide them.

Express Edition (additional user) costs $60 a month, billed monthly, and includes discovery of 100 endpoints per user. That per-user endpoint allowance is a meaningful constraint for larger teams: adding users expands access and the stated discovery allowance, but carries a recurring charge. Professional Edition requires a minimum of two named users, while Enterprise Edition includes two users in its base license; both have custom pricing. These editions may suit organizations that need a larger deployment, but their cost cannot be weighed against Express without a quote.

Platforms

xAssets ITAM is offered through the web, as self-hosted software, on Windows and via API. Hybrid deployment gives organizations deployment flexibility, while the API supports connections to existing systems.

Who it's for

xAssets is a strong fit for enterprise, government and military organizations managing substantial IT estates, especially where software assets, discovery and data exchange need to work together. The free edition is better suited to a limited pilot or modest inventory than to a full ITAM operation, given its one-user and 100-endpoint caps and its feature exclusions. Teams that need a multi-user setup should budget for paid access or seek custom pricing.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Agent-based and agentless discovery support different network environments; broad connectors and API-based imports and exports can unify complex asset data; separate customer databases, TLS 1.2 and downloadable backups provide defined security measures.
• Cons: The free instance is limited to one user, 100 endpoints and 1,000 assets, and excludes several core workflows; the listed additional-user price adds a monthly cost, while Professional and Enterprise require custom pricing.

Alternatives

For a lighter fixed-asset inventory, AssetFrog offers a free plan for up to 50 assets and one user, with its AF100 plan at A$16 a month billed annually for up to 100 assets and unlimited users. Its listed platforms span Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows; choose it when that smaller asset scale and platform mix matter more than xAssets' IT discovery and integration breadth.

AssetCenter may suit a reader seeking a lower-cost starting point: its free plan covers 25 available or deployed assets with no reports, while Starter is $39 a month for 250 assets. Its platforms include Android, API, iOS and web. AssetComply is another free option, with up to 100 assets and Android and web platforms, for readers whose needs fit that cap.

Minty Assets has a free Starter plan for 50 assets and one company, with eight reports and CSV import and export; its Pro plan is $9 a month billed annually. It is worth considering for a small web-based inventory where those fixed-asset features suit the job. AssetAccountant offers a free plan for up to 10 assets, with all features and integrations except leases, and provides API and web access. It is a better starting point when a very small asset count matters more than xAssets' wider ITAM scope.

Fixed Asset Register is another alternative. ActivMan and MeltX FAM are also options to compare.

For category browsing, see IT Asset Management Software and Fixed Asset Management Software.

Verdict

Choose xAssets ITAM if your organization needs lifecycle management joined to network discovery, broad integrations and structured data exchange, particularly across a large or regulated estate. Its free instance can support a small trial, but the low user and endpoint caps and missing operational features make it a poor substitute for a paid deployment. Smaller teams with simpler inventories should compare leaner alternatives before committing to the monthly per-user cost or a custom-priced edition.