ManageEngine Endpoint Central Alternatives: Top 5 Vendors Compared
ManageEngine Endpoint Central is an endpoint management platform with a free edition, cloud and on-premises deployment, and published per-endpoint pricing. The alternatives differ from it mainly in licensing unit, deployment model, and what is included without add-ons.
We compared Endpoint Central with five direct ManageEngine competitors on deployment model, remote control licensing, Linux patch management, and price. We limited the list to endpoint management tools sold to internal IT teams that manage desktops and mobile devices from one console.
Differentiating features of ManageEngine Endpoint Central alternatives
Product | On-premises option | Remote control | Linux patching |
|---|---|---|---|
ManageEngine Endpoint Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
✕ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Microsoft Intune | ✕ | ✓* | ✕ |
Omnissa Workspace ONE UEM | ✓** | ✓* | ✓ (SaaS only) |
Ivanti Neurons for UEM | ✕ | ✓*** | ✓ |
Hexnode UEM | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ |
*Add-on or higher tier only.
**On-premises support ends April 30, 2027.
***Windows and macOS only.
All six products provide patch management for Windows devices, software deployment, software inventory, and mobile device management for iOS and Android, so these are not listed as columns. In Hexnode UEM, Windows and macOS patch management is available in the Ultra tier, which has no published price. See common features for definitions.
Pricing of ManageEngine Endpoint Central alternatives
* $1.50 at 10,000 endpoints, $3.75 at 50 or fewer.
** Patch management and desktop remote control require the quote-only Ultra tier.
Omnissa lists a cheaper Employee Essentials edition at $1.67 per device, but it has no device management, so we excluded it.
ManageEngine Endpoint Central
ManageEngine Endpoint Central manages Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and ChromeOS from one console, in a cloud based or on-premises deployment.1
Pricing: Endpoint Central publishes per-endpoint prices that fall with volume. At the 50-endpoint minimum cloud deployment, Professional costs $1.74 per endpoint per month, Enterprise $2.07, UEM $2.32, and Security $3.40. At 500 endpoints, Professional costs $1.09. The price also depends on deployment type, server count, and technician seats. A free edition covers up to 25 endpoints. The calculator on the same page shows $1,045 per year ($1.74 per device per month) for 50 Professional cloud endpoints with one technician, against $795 on the edition card.2
Key features
- Remote control: A web-based remote desktop tool with file transfer and multi-monitor support, included in every edition. Chat, voice and video calls, and session recording start at the Enterprise edition and on-premises.
- Software deployment and inventory: Template-based software deployment, hardware and software inventory, license management, and software metering are in every plan.
Limitations
- Add-ons: ManageEngine pricing gets harder to estimate once security capabilities are needed. Vulnerability detection, device control, BitLocker management, and application control are add-ons outside the Security edition. Ransomware protection, malware protection, and EDR are add-ons in every paid edition, with no published prices. EDR is available in the cloud version only.
- Edition gaps: The Professional edition lacks patch testing and approval, the software self-service portal and app catalog, and remote session recording. Mobile device management for Windows laptops and macOS devices requires the UEM or Security edition.
- Linux: Patch management and software deployment are available for select Linux distributions only.
Top ManageEngine Endpoint Central alternatives
NinjaOne
NinjaOne is a cloud-based endpoint management platform for IT teams and managed service providers. We benchmark NinjaOne’s remote control in the Remote Control Software article. In our benchmark, sessions required installing a desktop client. Background access with MFA worked without disrupting the active user. File transfer speeds changed across regions, and screen sharing on macOS worked after we manually adjusted system permissions.
Pricing: $1.50 per endpoint per month at 10,000 endpoints, rising to $3.75 at 50 or fewer. NinjaOne states that it charges no implementation fees or other hidden fees and that support is free and unlimited. Customers without a promotional commitment can cancel with 60 days’ notice.3
Key capabilities
- Patching: Policies scan for and apply operating system patches on Windows, with separate scan and update schedules. Linux endpoints have their own patching policies.4
- Remote access: NinjaOne Remote is built into the platform for remote support sessions.5
- Mobile devices: Mobile device management enrolls Android and Apple devices.6
- Ticketing: A ticketing module is built into the same platform.7
Limitations
- Linux backup: Backup on Linux covers files and folders only.8
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune is a cloud based endpoint management service with deep integration into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Identity runs on Microsoft Entra ID, and device compliance state feeds Conditional Access decisions.
Pricing: Plan 1 costs $8.00 per user per month standalone and is included in Microsoft 365 E3 and E5. Remote Help ($3.50), Endpoint Privilege Management ($3.00), and Advanced Analytics ($5.00) are add-ons for standalone Plan 1. Starting July 2026, Microsoft has been rolling Remote Help, Advanced Analytics, and Plan 2 capabilities into Microsoft 365 E3. E5 also receives Endpoint Privilege Management, Cloud PKI, and Enterprise App Management.9
Key capabilities
- Linux: Intune supports Ubuntu LTS 24.04 and 26.04 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 and 10. Its Linux guide covers enrollment, compliance policies, and custom scripts, but no patching.10
- Servers: Windows Server is not on Intune’s supported platform list.11 Microsoft positions Configuration Manager as the on-premises peer for Windows clients and servers.
- Per-user licensing: One user license covers that user’s devices, and Intune lets a user enroll up to 15.
Limitations
- Servers: Windows Server is not on Intune’s supported platform list.11 Microsoft positions Configuration Manager as the on-premises peer for Windows clients and servers.
- Linux patching: Microsoft Intune does not have a native Linux patch management feature built into its platform.
- Remote control: Organizations on standalone Plan 1 pay extra for Remote Help. Endpoint Central includes remote control in every edition.
Omnissa Workspace ONE UEM
Omnissa Workspace ONE UEM is a cloud-native platform that manages Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and ChromeOS from a single console.
Pricing: Employee Essentials costs $1.67, Mobile Essentials $3.00, Desktop Essentials $4.00,UEM Essentials $5.25, and Enterprise Edition $10.00 per device per month, based on 12 months prepaid. Per-user licenses cover up to five devices per user.12
Key capabilities
- Automation: Freestyle Orchestrator builds low-code workflows on a drag-and-drop canvas.
- Windows Server: Windows Server management became available in May 2026.13
- Linux updates: A device update profile handles repository-based updates on Red Hat (dnf) and Ubuntu (apt).14
Limitations
- On-premises: Omnissa will end support for on-premises Workspace ONE UEM on April 30, 2027.15 Linux management is not available on-premises.
- Remote support: Workspace ONE Assist is an add-on in every edition except Platinum.
- Analytics: The full Omnissa Intelligence add-on is not available on the Essentials editions.
Ivanti Neurons for UEM
Ivanti offers a unified platform for endpoint management that consolidates Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS. Ivanti’s website now lists the product as Unified Endpoint Management within its Autonomous Endpoint Management line.
Pricing: Ivanti uses a quote-based pricing model and publishes no prices.
Key capabilities
- Risk-based patching: Ivanti Patch Management is sold on its own or in a package with UEM. It prioritizes vulnerabilities with its Vulnerability Risk Rating instead of CVSS alone, covers more than 800 software titles, and reports exposure time for each update.16
Limitations
- Remote control scope: Remote control supports Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS endpoints only.17
- On-premises: Ivanti’s on-premises option is a separate product, Endpoint Manager.
Hexnode UEM
Hexnode UEM supports multi-OS management across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, tvOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. It has an on-premises edition. Hexnode delivers it as a virtual appliance.
Pricing: Pro costs $2.20, Enterprise $3.20, and Ultimate $4.70 per device per month billed annually, or $2.40, $3.60, and $5.20 billed monthly. The cloud version has a 15-device minimum. Ultra is quote-only.18
Key capabilities
- Linux patching: Linux patch management arrived in autumn 2026 for Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, and Fedora. Hexnode does not publish which tier includes it.19
- Scripting assistant: Genie AI generates PowerShell, Bash, Shell, and Python scripts. It is available in the Ultra tier.
Limitations
- Patching tier: Patch management for Windows and macOS, BitLocker management, and Okta Device Trust are in the Ultra tier, which has no published price. Endpoint Central includes patching in every edition.
- Remote control tier: The Pro tier has no remote features. Remote view for mobile starts at Enterprise, and remote control of Windows, macOS, and Linux desktops requires Ultra.
- Scripting and Autopilot: Custom scripting and Windows Autopilot start at the Ultimate tier.
Common features
Endpoint Central and the five alternatives share these capabilities:
- Patch management: The platform detects missing operating system and application updates and deploys them by policy or schedule. Automated patching keeps software current and closes known vulnerabilities.
- Software deployment: Administrators install, update, or remove applications on remote devices from a central console.
- Software inventory: Agents or MDM enrollment report installed software and hardware details, which supports IT asset management and license tracking.
- Mobile device management: iOS and Android devices enroll under the same policies as desktops, with remote lock and wipe.
- Configuration management: Settings such as encryption, passwords, and restrictions reach devices as policies applied to groups.
Remote control exists in all six products, but its licensing differs, as the feature table shows.
How to choose the right alternative
If the software must be self-hosted
Hexnode UEM ships as a virtual appliance and is priced on a per-quote basis. Omnissa’s on-premises version loses support on April 30, 2027 and cannot manage Linux devices.
If the fleet has fewer than 50 devices
Endpoint Central’s free edition stops at 25 endpoints and its paid editions start at 50, so an organization with 26 to 49 devices pays for 50: $1,045 per year for Professional in the cloud. Hexnode UEM sells from 15 devices. NinjaOne charges its highest rate, $3.75 per endpoint, at 50 or fewer.
If employees use several devices each
Per-user licenses cover up to 15 devices in Intune and up to 5 in Omnissa. Within Omnissa, the per-user price of UEM Essentials ($9.45) is lower than two per-device licenses ($5.25 each). Across vendors the result differs: Intune at $8.00 per user costs more than two Endpoint Central cloud endpoints at $1.09 each. Per-user licensing pays off mainly when Intune is included in a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 subscription.
If remote control must be in the base price
NinjaOne includes it. Standalone Intune Plan 1 with Remote Help costs $11.50 per user per month. Omnissa includes Workspace ONE Assist in Platinum Edition ($15.63 per device), and Hexnode UEM limits desktop remote control to its quote-only Ultra tier. Ivanti’s remote control does not cover Linux.
If the fleet includes Linux or Windows Server
Intune manages neither Windows Server nor Linux updates. Omnissa added Windows Server management in May 2026, and its Linux profile schedules repository updates but offers no per-patch approval. NinjaOne patches every distribution its agent supports. Hexnode UEM covers Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, and Fedora.
Add as preferred sourceFurther reading
- Endpoint Management Software with Prices
- Patch Management Software
- Mobile Device Management Software
- NinjaOne Review
- ManageEngine MDM Alternatives Compared
FAQs
Unified endpoint management (UEM) centralizes management of desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices in one platform. Mobile device management (MDM) is the subset of UEM that covers phones and tablets. Remote monitoring and management (RMM) lets IT teams and service providers monitor endpoints and act on them remotely, and it is the term most often used by managed service providers.
On-premises. At 500 endpoints with annual billing, Professional costs $0.84 per endpoint per month on-premises and $1.09 in the cloud. The on-premises price excludes the server the customer runs it on.
Cite this research
Pick the format that matches where you're publishing. Pasting the link version into your CMS preserves the backlink.
@misc{dilmegani2026,
author = {Dilmegani, Cem},
title = {{ManageEngine Endpoint Central Alternatives: Top 5 Vendors Compared}},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
howpublished = {\url{https://aimultiple.com/manageengine-endpoint-central-alternatives}},
note = {AIMultiple. Retrieved November 11, 2026}
}Results and timestamps of 12 data points. Download the summary data shown in this article's charts and tables as a ZIP file containing 2 CSV files.
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Reference Links
Cem's work at AIMultiple has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Morning Brew, and Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte and HPE, NGOs like World Economic Forum, and supranational organizations like European Commission. [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.
He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.
Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.
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