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ConnectWise RMM vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 19, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.6
Microsoft Intune boosts cost savings and efficiency by streamlining device management, reducing infrastructure costs, and enhancing security measures.
Sentiment score
7.3
ConnectWise RMM enhances efficiency and IT management by automating tasks, reducing downtime, and enabling easy software deployment and remote access.
Sentiment score
7.3
KACE SMA increases efficiency and productivity, offering rapid ROI by streamlining operations and reducing time, costs, and staffing needs.
Everything we've gained from it makes my job easier day after day, and I see value in it as an engineer.
Microsoft Intune not only saves costs by reducing the number of personnel needed but also offers a comprehensive solution for managing laptops, applications, security, individual access, and enrollment.
Importantly, when someone leaves the company, it helps protect document access on their devices.
It saves probably more than 50% of the time that would have been required, likely around 75%.
The return on investment is seen in the quick access to information, good inventory management, and efficient systems management.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Intune support feedback is mixed, with faster resolutions at premium levels but slow response at basic tiers.
Sentiment score
8.3
ConnectWise RMM's support is praised for its 24/7 availability and expertise, though some experience remote communication issues.
Sentiment score
6.6
KACE SMA support is praised for its expertise and 24/7 availability, with occasional room for flexibility improvement.
When a support ticket is submitted, it directly reaches someone with Intune support expertise.
When I contacted Microsoft, they had the same expertise, if not more, which is phenomenal because I felt heard and my problem was solved.
Sometimes, the support provided is excellent, and the representative is knowledgeable, while other times, the service needs improvement.
I rate their support and customer service with ConnectWise as good, as their support team is quick to answer chat requests.
I would rate the customer support for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) as a 10.
The customer service is very good, providing quick customer support in Spanish.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Microsoft Intune excels in scalability, efficiently managing thousands of users and devices across diverse environments, supporting seamless expansion.
Sentiment score
8.2
ConnectWise RMM offers scalable SaaS solutions, efficiently managing diverse environments and thousands of endpoints for flexible client requirements.
Sentiment score
7.2
KACE Systems Management Appliance efficiently supports various organization sizes, excelling in integration, scalability, and comprehensive network management.
The scalability of Microsoft Intune is ten out of ten.
Ideally, we want to automatically segregate devices based on user properties like primary use, but currently, dynamic groups seem limited to device properties.
It supports organizations with 200 endpoints and those with more than 15,000 endpoints.
The product is very scalable as it supports 10,000 thousand endpoints with just one appliance.
We have outgrown the size of one KACE appliance and are now running two.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.5
Microsoft Intune is stable and reliable, with users rating its performance highly despite occasional update or sync issues.
Sentiment score
9.1
ConnectWise RMM is highly praised for stability, with reliable agents and minimal maintenance, often rated ten out of ten.
Sentiment score
8.1
KACE Systems Management Appliance is praised for its stability, reliability, and efficient performance, with swift recovery during incidents.
We have not experienced downtime, bugs, or glitches.
It appears Microsoft Intune undergoes changes without informing customers.
Microsoft Intune has been very stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Intune needs better application deployment, reporting, macOS/Linux support, platform integration, user-friendliness, remote desktop, and competitive pricing.
ConnectWise RMM needs better automation, customizable dashboards, and improved query flexibility, with reasonable pricing but room for enhancement.
KACE Systems Management Appliance struggles with scalability, usability, customization, integration, image deployment, and technical support responsiveness.
Features like unlocking devices sometimes fail, and the support offered for other operating systems is insufficient.
There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now.
Many third-party companies offer single-pane-of-glass reporting that shows you what your update environment looks like, how your patch is doing, application status, etc., but Intune's reporting is not intuitive.
The pricing for ConnectWise RMM is reasonable.
Currently, we have to go into each org to deploy applications when we need them all across the university.
The user interface needs improvement as customers have mentioned they do not like the interface since it is not an SMA-based interface.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Intune offers cost-effective prices with Microsoft 365 bundles, flexible licensing, and discounts for large volumes or specific sectors.
ConnectWise RMM provides flexible pricing, with costs starting at $2.50 per endpoint, including valuable NOC and help desk services.
KACE Systems Management Appliance offers cost-effective enterprise solutions, although potentially expensive for small businesses, with no additional feature costs.
Introductory professional services, like a fast-track service, were included with our E5 membership, and there have been no additional costs.
The Intune suite and add-ons, such as batch management and remote help, are costly.
It costs approximately forty euros per user per month.
The pricing is in the middle range of the market, not too expensive but not the cheapest either.
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is that, hands down, it beat all of the others in simplicity and pricing.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Intune offers seamless integration, robust management, and security features, enhancing remote device management and compliance with a user-friendly interface.
ConnectWise RMM enhances efficiency with robust patch management, remote access, automation, and intuitive integration for comprehensive network visibility.
KACE SMA offers integrated, centralized IT management for efficient software deployment, asset management, and security with customizable inventories.
Intune excels in configuration and compliance management for Windows 10, ensuring devices receive timely updates and adhere to organizational standards.
Dynamic groups allow us to set conditions for automatic membership, eliminating the need for user intervention or manual review and ensuring a seamless workflow.
Windows Autopatch is the most valuable because it removes the burden of patch management.
The ability to do deployments through ConnectWise RMM's scripting features allows us to deploy new software or monitor the status of antivirus or system protection software, presenting another measurable benefit for us regarding ROI.
Scripting has saved us hundreds of hours over the years when patching these vulnerabilities compared to how we did it before.
The most valuable features include simplicity, which makes systems management easier and faster, especially for device management.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune
Sponsored
Ranking in Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
302
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (2nd), Remote Access (1st), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (1st)
ConnectWise RMM
Ranking in Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.2
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (66th), Server Monitoring (21st), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (49th), Cloud Monitoring Software (36th), IT Alerting and Incident Management (15th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (7th), Patch Management (25th)
KACE Systems Management App...
Ranking in Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)
9th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Client Desktop Management (3rd), Endpoint Compliance (8th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (11th), Patch Management (10th)
 

Featured Reviews

AkashKamble - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables management of multiple operating systems with a single license
The best feature is that it's a Microsoft product, so if anything goes wrong, we get quick support for anything required. Remote system functionality allows us to sit anywhere and take control of any device via remote management. We can enhance security for clients' laptops with built-in Microsoft Defender, which is available with the Microsoft Intune license. We use it for reporting purposes through endpoint analytics. When pushing scripting, there are two types available: remediation script and reservation script. Through endpoint analytics, you can push defender policies to clients. It helps with reporting, inventory updates, and monitoring tenant status health.
JonMcWilliams - PeerSpot reviewer
An agent-based solution that monitors and manages various networks but lacks support
Once you've established the client in the RMM tool, you create the site. Setting up the site can be a bit onerous because of the recent changes, which we need to learn. However, once it's set up, deploying the agent is extremely simple and straightforward. It's as easy as using a URL that people can visit, which will automatically determine the environment and download the necessary components. The initial setup can be somewhat challenging. If it's a new site, it'll probably take me about an hour to set it up. It's a matter of getting familiar with the process. As far as deploying the agents to the individual endpoints is concerned, that's literally minutes. Customers can do that themselves. A few of us can do set up the initial site. Anyone can handle the agents deployment. In our case, it's quite doable even by sending the URL to the customer.
Scott Tweed - PeerSpot reviewer
Low maintenance, reliable, and easy to create packages
I like how when you click on the device, it shows you everything that has changed as well as the software versioning. I am really enjoying the inventory aspect of it. The deployment process for both deploying and creating a package is straightforward. I believe the inventory in KACE is superior to SCCM's. I know with SCCM I could do things like remote console into machines via the agent's remote console, but that is not a feature that is provided in KACE. I know that at least in the Systems Management Appliance, I can't get to it. I'm not sure how distribution works, with distribution points. I'm not sure if KACE has that feature. You could use an SCCM to set up distribution points at remote sites so that they don't have to download patches or software from across the country. If you have a DP or something similar, they could pull it down.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Performing Arts
13%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Educational Organization
9%
University
12%
Government
10%
Non Profit
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business116
Midsize Enterprise46
Large Enterprise152
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Continuum Command?
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What needs improvement with Continuum Command?
The pricing for ConnectWise RMM is reasonable, and I feel that we're getting good value for the dollars that we're sp...
What is your primary use case for Continuum Command?
As an MSP, we utilize ConnectWise RMM for the management of our client environment.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Quest KACE Systems Management?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is that, hand...
What needs improvement with Quest KACE Systems Management?
I wish Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) would have a top-down approach since we use orgs; currently, we ...
What is your primary use case for Quest KACE Systems Management?
My main use case for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is to deploy applications and maintain security, a...
 

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
Continuum Command, Continuum RMM
Dell KACE Systems Management
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
Frontier Business Products, Itek Systems Management, ZLan, Karpel, MySherpa, Arvig, CCSI, Leap Managed IT, eProsper, Pensar, Gordon Flesch, LeadingEdge, NSI, Server Sentry, Computer Consultants, Keystone IT Consulting, Ekaru, Epic Technologies, Rouse Consulting, Empower Information Systems, Computer Solutions Group, The Critical Update, Voice Smart Networks, CMIT Solutions, Preferred Communication Systems, G2 Tech Group, Pulse Business Solutions, Greystone Technology Group, Clare Computer Solutions, Evolve IT Australia
Waypoint, Mattos Filho, Meetic, Gems Education, Green Clinic HealthSystem, Service King
Find out what your peers are saying about ConnectWise RMM vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.