You are here because you are within the Apple ecosystem and are looking to manage and control your entire Apple device lifecycle with all the necessary access, security, and protection. With
device management tools, you can scale efficiency and security across different devices, but Apple devices live within a closed ecosystem, and that brings a different scenario.
Considering the scale, usage, and capabilities, kandji and Jamf are top choices that make management and security on Apple devices from the iPhone to the popular MacBook possible.
Both are top IT asset management software for Apple devices that are great for teams, small businesses, or even large enterprises.
Starting in 2002, Jamf is a global company that provides mobile device management and software development services to its customer from the US.
Its product, Jamf, was developed to help customers use Apple devices within corporate environments where continuous management, security, and access were important.
And over the years, it has provided identity and authentication management similar to Duo and Auth0, an education-specific MDM, and endpoint security built for Mac using user behaviour analytics.
Kandji powers device management for Apple devices from macOS to tvOS. Unlike Jamf, which has 20 years of experience in the market, Kandji started in 2018 in the US and helps IT teams via its one-click security and compliance templates and more than 150 pre-built automation, apps, and workflows for the Apple ecosystem.
With Kandji, your company can provide a one-stop-shop for all your employees’ IT needs via a custom-made self-service platform on their Mac.
Using the self-service, your employees can easily install apps and tools provided by your IT department.
In addition, Kandji provides great onboarding and personalization with all the security settings present without an on-site IT team presence.
Kandji
Kandji is targeted toward businesses that are on the medium to large-scale end and provides tons of features that guide that goal.
From compliance tracking to configuration management, its web-based and application-based software brings a new-generation means to mobile device management that’s easy to use and understand, and feels a lot less cumbersome.
Using Kandji, you can bring frictionless and even remote onboarding with its Liftoff feature, and for advanced security via single sign-on, its Passport doesn’t fall short. From different reviewers, there is an Apple feel to the way Kandji presents its features and application, and that’s a good thing.
Also, applications on your mobile devices need to be updated for consistent security and new features, and with Auto Apps, Kandji tests each update and automatically patches them for you. The tons of automation makes it a choice MDM application for the Apple ecosystem.
Across different use cases, Kandji delivers a ton of top-class features. Such use cases include securing, deploying, configuration, management, and integration.
Features such as Managed OS and Reach Compliance make it easy for the IT team to reduce focus on maintaining the version across the enterprise Apple ecosystem.
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Jamf
With a ton of experience across different partnerships and integrations, Jamf is that software MDM provider that delivers tons of services from onboarding to advanced protection.
On the Jamf platform, your company has access to zero-touch deployment, identity-based access, self-service, application lifecycle management, device management, inventory management, security management, threat prevention and remediation, and visibility and compliance.
In addition, it provides all its services across 9 products which include Jamf Pro, Now, School, Connect, Private Access, Data Policy, Protect, Threat Defense, and Safe Internet.
To support all the features it provides natively, you can increase all that you get via its Marketplace across integration, configuration, and deployment solutions from platforms such as Okta and Cisco.
Jamf allows all your Apple and corporate resources to stay secure and provides all the tools for the IT team to stay ahead.
The Jamf Pro platform collects all the necessary information such as hardware specifications, services running, primary user information, security status, and available software updates to maintain reliability, increase time efficiency within behind-the-scenes processes, and flexibility.
Jamf and Kandji are top-class MDM software that let enterprises and teams manage all their Apple ecosystem with a little bit more flair and flexibility, and functionality for end-users.
Comparison
Ease of use and setup
Kandji is incredibly easy to set up from first-time use to continuous usage. With its program, your employees can have an easy onboarding without the need of any IT professional by their side, and be assured of consistent security and automated updates for every type of end-users.
Similarly, Jamf provides a relatively easy onboarding and is fairly easy to use. Jamf comes with a consistent user interface across authentication and application management.
However, Kandji is way better in terms of usability, ease of use, and setup. Even the aesthetic is way better.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, Kandji takes another one, as their pricing model is easy to understand and fairly priced. For up to 200 devices with customer onboarding and support, solutions architect, migration agent, SSO, self-service, and Liftoff, you pay $799 per month.
Where for API and Passport features, you will have to pay $150 and $375 per month, respectively.
However, as your fleet of devices increases, say 750 devices, API is added to the payment. Also, it is important to state that Kandji’s plans are billed annually.
You can also request access to their platform for a ‘Free Trail’ period with every feature showcased and a ‘Complementary automated migration.’
However, with Jamf, the pricing model is differentiated across different plans across Fundamentals, Business, and Enterprise.
All plans cover the main Apple devices (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS) with the Fundamental starting at $4 per device, the Business starting at $12.60 per user with a 25-user minimum, and the Enterprise with its custom pricing and a 25 user or 50 devices minimum.
In addition to all of these, there are three device management solutions which all come at varying degrees per device.
Jamf Now comes starts at $2 per device, Jamf Pro comes at $7.17 per macOS (and $3.33 per other devices), and Jamf Data Policy comes at $5.00 per device, including Android and Windows.
Also, there are identity and access solutions, security solutions, and industry-specific mobility workflows. Overall, Kandji is better in pricing, but Jamf brings some specific solution-based feature pricing which is great for such industries.
Features
Here, Jamf takes the price, with its expansive list of features across the business, education, and healthcare.
In its industry-specific mobility workflows, its Healthcare listener enhances patient bedside experience and the Single Login Pilot helps business and frontline workers stay authenticated throughout the day’s work.
In addition, Virtual Visits and BYOD allow for effective telehealth and end-user privacy across iPadOS and iOS.
Jamf School among 5 support platforms helps schools provide a digital classroom experience on the Apple ecosystem using all the integrations from Microsoft and maintaining security, automation, and access.
All of these are part of its device and app management, identity access, and security and privacy features. In addition, it provides inventory management, zero-touch deployment, and threat prevention and remediation.
Kandji brings a modern feel to the whole process but is not as expansive as Jamf, but its API, Identity Access, and Migration are top features that keep its customers satisfied. Aside from that, in comparison to Jamf, its level of integration is lower.
Overall, Kandji brings an ‘Apple’ approach across its onboarding, deployment, security, software patching, device management, and integration.
In addition, IT experts can increase the capabilities of Kandji via custom profiles, custom scripts, and custom apps. Its Passport feature is a top feature that streamlines the login process for end-users via SSO.
Integrations
Jamf takes this because of two features, Integration and Marketplace. Though Kandji supports integration, it does not do it at the scale Jamf does it. Kandji supports Apple Business Manager, Slack, G Suite, Microsoft 365, CIS compliance, Okta, Drata, Vanta, PacketFence, and Cloudflare.
However, Jamf boasts of Apple, Google, and Microsoft core integrations, and continuous integration via lots of other providers via its Marketplace from Cisco to Okta across integration, configuration, and deployment pathways.
In addition, many providers can develop their solutions including yours on the Jamf Enterprise Platform via their Developer Portal via the API.
Security
Both Kandji and Jamf provide tons of good security features on their respective platforms. With Jamf, you get VPN profiles, FileVault 2 disk encryption, automated policies, and remediation. Also, control and enforcement are automated across different security features and policies.
In addition, you can easily streamline and secure all Apple devices via account provisioning, synchronization, ID management, and passwordless authentication.
Furthermore, you get a full antivirus solution to deal with ads, trojans, ransomware, and scalable monitoring with behavioural analytics.
On the other end of things at Kandji, autonomous enforcement is available via the local Kandji agent. In addition, you can have an uninterrupted workflow that’s intuitive and doesn’t distract.
Also, Kandji provides Click-and-go compliance via pre-built templates with settings that map to NIST, CIS, and STIG frameworks.
With all these features, you can create user accounts, passcode profiles, escrow FileVault Recovery, log out inactive users, set security auditing flags, and keep software current among other things.
Customer Support
The best software has issues from Apple down to Microsoft. So, all the mediums to alleviate the issues and frustration are important. Jamf comes with email help, FAQs, a knowledge base, phone support, 24/7 live representative, and chat.
However, Kandji has all of these except for a 24/7 live representative. In terms of training, Kandji is the better option with online training, webinars, documentation, and videos.
Jamf has only in-class, online, and training policies. Although, Jamf provides some recurring events, e-books, case studies, and white papers.
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Pros
Kandji has a great user interface that just feels right at home in the Apple ecosystem. The interface looks all like what Apple would create, and that gives it this non-intrusive nature.
Jamf’s user interface is good but doesn’t have the same effect that Kandji does. Also, compared to Jamf, the pricing is fairly moderate and is easy to gauge and understand, eliminating ridiculously unknown fees.
Jamf is extremely reliable and has provided device management for a lot of companies for over 20 years, and comes with industry-specific features that are just fantastic. According to reviews, their training is great and easy to understand.
Cons
Everything has its cons. Everything. Jamf interface can be overwhelming to a novice user. Things can quickly become confusing and overlapping services can make troubleshooting the problem complicated. Also, the pricing is extremely expensive compared to Kandji.
Some reviews show that Kandji is lacking in features compared to Jamf. Also, applying the setting to only one computer can be cumbersome and the configuration of the blueprints on Kandji can be a little confusing.
Conclusion
For lots of integration, large enterprises, and all the support you can get, Jamf is the better Apple MDM partner you can employ. Still, for new-generation approaches, medium and large enterprises, Kandji is a great option.
Tons of features are available for device security, management, and onboarding. For schools, hospitals, and government institutions, Jamf is the better option, especially with its specific features designed for such organizations.
For startups, Kandji is better and more cost-effective. Regardless, Kandji and Jamf are top-notch Apple MDM providers that do the job well.
