ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security comparison

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs. Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 22.7%, down from 33.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ManageEngine Endpoint Central is 5.5%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is 1.8%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Intune	22.7%
ManageEngine Endpoint Central	5.5%
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security	1.8%
Other	70.0%

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

Featured Reviews

OluwashileAdeniyi

Senior Infrastructure Security Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees

Centralized endpoint security has improved and supports hybrid work and BYOD policies

Regarding what I dislike about Microsoft Intune and its downsides, I would say that more Mac controls are needed because we have limited Mac and Linux control. When comparing controls and policies between Windows, Mac, and Linux, Windows has almost everything you can think of, while Mac and Linux have limited types of control. You cannot implement certain things on Mac and Linux that you can on Windows. The limited controls are a major issue. Additionally, if Microsoft could find a way to embed servers into Microsoft Intune, that would be beneficial. Microsoft Intune is not really designed for servers or Windows servers. It is more tailored towards Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating systems. Windows servers are not fully supported. Enterprise organizations usually have both servers and endpoints, which are users' workstations. For servers, most people look for other solutions such as SCCM, which is Configuration Manager. However, SCCM is what Microsoft Intune is trying to replace. Both SCCM and Microsoft Intune belong to Microsoft. Microsoft is trying to transition organizations into Microsoft Intune, the native cloud solution. However, because this update is still in process, servers are not fully compatible with Microsoft Intune and cannot be managed by it. The current policy that has emerged from issues with clients is what they call co-management, which is relatively new, and I do not know if adoption is significant. Many legacy or older customers who have been using these products for decades still have SCCM. When it is time for them to manage their Windows devices, they use what is called cloud attach. Cloud attach is a term whereby your SCCM is connected to your Microsoft Intune. Most people do not know about it, but I have deployed it for several organizations. Cloud attach and co-management work together so that your device is in SCCM, but some policies are pushed from Microsoft Intune. It is like two different solutions working hand in hand. That is what they call co-management. Microsoft Intune does not bring all of your endpoint and security management tools into one place, which is the goal and how it should be. However, as I mentioned, servers are not included. If we talk about end users, Microsoft Intune does bring all your devices together. In a typical enterprise environment, you have end users with workstations, laptops, company-issued phones, and bring your own devices. You can create policies for all of these. However, for the backend, your servers do not have much coverage. Servers are not really covered by Microsoft Intune in that way.

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Mohammed-Samir

Solutions Consultant at Team Computers

Experience improves with intuitive setup and comprehensive features but needs enhancements for Apple integration

From a ManageEngine perspective, there is room for improvement regarding the Platform SSO technology introduced by Apple, which allows you to integrate your hardware with your identity providers. It used to be only a few selected ones via OIDC protocols or some other protocols, which are not necessary anymore. If a customer is already using Microsoft 365, they can integrate with any MDM for Platform SSO, which essentially hardens their device identity with the person logging in for the first time. It also helps automate enrollment and provide a zero-touch experience. Currently, while some MDM tools InTune and Jamf support this feature, ManageEngine still does not fully support Platform SSO via Microsoft or Google. I have customers using ManageEngine who are looking forward to this solution, and if ManageEngine can provide it, it would enhance the overall product value. For enterprise users, the solution needs improvement. For SMB, it is straightforward; if it is a small company of 100 to 500 users, anything below 1,000, they do not have much of a compliance or security requirement—they just want to manage their devices and push applications. Simple tasks are easier to accomplish. However, when it comes to enterprise-grade deployment, many complex configurations need to be considered, such as Wi-Fi configurations, network configurations, VPN configurations, and advanced certification deployment, such as ACME certification deployment practice introduced by Apple. These are a few things that can be improved on that side, but from a basic user perspective, if someone is in the SMB market or a company just starting off pre-IPO, without going into compliance, they typically find Zoho and ManageEngine to fit their needs. For enterprise-grade deployments, it is more than enough for Windows, but for Apple, it is still in development and not up to the mark.

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Abhijit-Deshpande

Manager IT at Konverge.AI

User experience improves efficiency while awaiting improved application performance

The solution is meeting my requirements. I don't have any direct inputs here, except that stability of the application can be improved. Sometimes it gets hung or restarts multiple times in the background, which consumes battery life. If stability can be improved, it will generally help everyone. These solutions are usually a little expensive. If costs can come down, that will generally help the masses. A reduction of around 30-35% would make it more prompting for people to take that extra jump. Due to budget constraints, I have seen people not going for Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security because even if the commercials get discounted for the first year, subsequent years see significant price increases.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup is easy."

"When comparing these two products, I prefer Intune."

"I can reach devices or computers over the internet. I don't need to worry about the network connectivity between the offices. I can manage any device. That is the most important part."

"Microsoft Intune has a pretty positive impact overall, especially in terms of device management efficiency and supporting remote work."

"Intune reduces the load on our on-prem Active Directory by having everything go to one Intune panel, so we can configure group policies, deploy applications, and manage devices, and it has really improved our operations."

"Microsoft Intune has been a time saver and reduces the time and effort IT admins have to invest."

"I would advise others this solution is easy to implement in the organization."

"Microsoft Intune is a very effective solution from my understanding, and I definitely would recommend it."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"What is great about the patch management solution, is that it patches OS, applications, browsers, plug-ins, and firmware updates."

"The ability to run event viewer, task manager, services, command, file browser, certificate all remotely without interrupting users is the most valuable aspect. Software deployment and prohibiting, allowing us to standardize on the software that has been deployed through the environment and then prohibiting illegal software such as torrent applications has been valuable."

"The initial setup process is good."

"Page management and ADA integrations are the most valuable features of ManageEngine Endpoint Central."

"Desktop Central is very good software."

"From a sys admin point of view, it now requires less effort and time to perform these administrative tasks."

"With Desktop Central, we have been able to maintain patch compliance across our entire estate, manage software licensing and deployment, enforce minimum security compliance, and work towards a zero-touch environment with automated deployment and custom scripting."

"I've found the solution to be user-friendly for us in the IT department and for our employees."

More ManageEngine Endpoint Central pros

"The technical support is quite good, and as of now I have not faced anything that was neglected or unsolvable, and I always get a prompt response as well."

"Microsoft Mobility and EMS include Intune for Mobility, which provides mobile device management and mobile application management. With mobile device management, you can control the entire device in an organization."

"You can scale the solution up or down by department."

"A good feature that is present is MAM or Mobile Application Management. We can deploy this feature on the device, which is not managed by the organization. If I apply some security configuration on a personal device, the user would be really disappointed. What we do instead is that we give all access to the applications related to corporate and ask the users to use the application. We secure the application by putting the security features on the applications and not on the users' devices. This way, the users are happy, and we also meet our company's compliance standards. Then, everyone is happy."

"I am very happy with it currently."

"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."

"The most valuable feature is it's a collaboration tool that we can dump all things in at the same time, and we don't have to go to different locations to search for documents that we want to share among 40 people."

"The solution is scalable."

More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security pros

Cons

"The interface is not as modern as some competitors in terms of single pane of glass visibility across the entire landscape. It has a very Azure vibe and may not be as graphically appealing as other products."

"We have spoken to the technical support on a few occasions. They have only ever provided us with minimal information."

"Intune lags all of its competitors in terms of report generation."

"I consider Microsoft Intune's customer support decent but not always fast or consistent, especially compared to expectations in an enterprise environment."

"There are a few security features that are not available in Microsoft Intune, when compared to other products."

"The interface is easy, but it is not user-friendly when evaluating the overall user experience of Microsoft Intune."

"A detailed device diagnostic feature is missing. Also, operating system deployment and imaging are missing."

"Its configuration is fairly complicated. You have to do quite a bit of discovery to be able to deploy it for a customer. You have to ask them a lot of questions. So, its initial deployment is the biggest challenge. They should make it easier to deploy with the use of Wizards or something else. During the deployment stage, there could be profiles for the customers who are particularly wanting to use certain feature sets of Intune."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"Sometimes computers fail to receive patches, and we need to investigate why."

"The way patches are pushed out and applied can use a little work as it appears the patches are pushed out and just force applied as a group, as opposed to a specific registry pattern."

"Many features in Desktop Central are licensed separately. It would be more convenient if they could organize these tools into a single package."

"There are occasional glitches but they deal with it very quickly and efficiently."

"The patch management module could be simplified as it is currently a bit complicated."

"The product tends to have some glitches in terms of connection when you have two connections to the same machine."

"The reporting analytics could improve in ManageEngine Desktop Central. However, there are some third-party add-ins or modules you can purchase to do reporting analytics."

"I would like to see more click to complete actions such as - USB lockdown for Mac, the ability to check AV compliance on servers, bit locker controls, printer tracking or print page tracking, self-help for self-healing like "BMC my IT" and more options in the self-service menu other than just software - maybe add integration in ADSelfService at the self-service menu."

More ManageEngine Endpoint Central cons

"The licensing is quite expensive."

"The MDM part of the engine could be better."

"We did the deployment with the help of Microsoft's consultants. But sometimes, we found it difficult to educate the application developers to integrate."

"Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is expensive."

"Its performance needs enhancement."

"Microsoft's feature management is based on licenses. Microsoft follows ethical licensing and hence do not restrict the use of it."

"The technical support from Microsoft could be better."

"The licensing can be messy at times."

More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft Intune is moderately priced. There is a monthly license required to use the solution and it is approximately eight dollars per month."

"Its price is in the medium range. It is acceptable because you're paying for the features. I am not aware of any additional costs."

"As a partner, we always look for how we can generate more revenue from a consulting point of view, but I do not see any complaints from the customer side regarding pricing, so they are satisfied with it."

"For organizations that are a Microsoft shop, the pricing is compelling."

"Pricing can be improved."

"While I don't have access to high-level financial information, I believe we have achieved lower costs with this implementation."

"Any bundle package, such as Security E3, covers multiple things, such as AAP, BitLocker, etc. If you go for them individually, they would be more expensive. Bundling makes the price more attractive and competitive."

"The pricing for Microsoft Intune is reasonable. Our clients are satisfied."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

"The product is not expensive."

"There are multiple flavors of the app. They have a distributed version for enterprises. It depends on your size. They price it on a per machine basis. 250 or 500 is probably their least amount."

"The solution is very affordable."

"The pricing is very low, compared to other products. Compared to Intune or SCCM, it's much less. I can say it's a good product for less of a price."

"The price could be cheaper."

"The initial purchase was around $6,000 or $7,000. We most probably are not on an annual subscription. We bought it, and then we pay for the maintenance. I'm not 100% sure how that's working out."

"Could provide more services on the standard license"

"We had perpetual licenses. The cost was around 36,000, and then you'd have the yearly maintenance fee of 2,000 or 3,000."

More ManageEngine Endpoint Central pricing and cost advice

"The solution is cost-effective."

"The increase in the prices of the product might not be the actual problem, but things become complex with some new plans that were introduced by Microsoft recently."

"We have to pay 10 dollars per user. I would rate the tool's pricing a six out of ten."

"I would rate pricing at eight out of ten. It is a bit higher because of the security features that Microsoft provides."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Government

Pharma/Biotech Company

14%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	192
Midsize Enterprise	62
Large Enterprise	185

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	35

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?

Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...

What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...

How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...

How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?

ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. Wh...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ManageEngine Endpoint Central?

I would rate the pricing as seven; it is quite expensive from my point of view for ManageEngine Endpoint Central.

What needs improvement with ManageEngine Endpoint Central?

It would be great to see some additional options within ManageEngine Endpoint Central. A better monitoring tool to an...

What needs improvement with Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

The technical support from Microsoft could be better. Because there are many changes in Microsoft, and most support c...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

I have been selling Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security for more than 10 years.

What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is a basic part of all of our projects because it's a very important basis f...

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Product Reports

Microsoft Intune

Download Microsoft Intune product report

ManageEngine Endpoint Central

Download ManageEngine Endpoint Central product report

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

Download Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security product report

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

ManageEngine Desktop Central, Desktop Central, ManageEngine Desktop Management MSP

Enterprise Mobility + Security E3, Enterprise Mobility + Security E5, MS Enterprise Mobility + Security

Overview

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service designed for device management, security, and compliance. It supports automation and facilitates endpoint management for Windows, iOS, and Android devices, ensuring data protection and efficient policy enforcement.

Microsoft Intune offers seamless integration with tools like Windows Autopilot to automate device setup and deployment. Integrated with Azure Active Directory, it enhances policy management while providing robust reporting and analytics tools for compliance tracking. Despite its intuitive interface aimed at simplifying navigation and device security management, there are challenges such as compatibility issues with Linux and Mac, limited policy support for Android, and demands for better third-party integration. It's widely used for both corporate-owned devices and BYOD scenarios in dynamic IT environments.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Windows Autopilot: Automates device setup for rapid deployment.
Azure Active Directory Integration: Enhances user policy management.
Reporting and Analytics: Improves compliance visibility.
Mobile Application Management: Ensures app security without compromising personal data.
Cloud-Based Management: Allows management from any location.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Time Efficiency: Automation reduces time in policy enforcement and configuration updates.
Enhanced Security: Ensures data protection across corporate-owned and BYOD devices.
Improved Compliance: Advanced reporting tools enhance compliance visibility.
Flexible Management: Cloud-based nature supports management from any location.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure data protection and compliance with regulatory standards. Manufacturing sectors utilize Intune for managing a distributed workforce across global locations, while educational institutions employ it to secure and manage devices in learning environments supporting both students and faculty.

Microsoft

ManageEngine Endpoint Central focuses on patch management, remote control, and asset management. It offers centralized management to facilitate software deployment and mobile device administration across various operating systems, consolidating functionalities for improved usability and streamlined processes.

ManageEngine Endpoint Central integrates multiple capabilities like remote troubleshooting and cross-platform updates, supporting Windows, Linux, and macOS. Its seamless integration with ManageEngine tools enhances usability while users appreciate its remote access, configuration management, and reporting instruments. The intuitive interface promotes easy training and adaptation in different environments. Though welcomed for its capabilities, users suggest improvements in software QA, interface intuitiveness, and customizable reporting. Desires also include better Linux patch management, quicker deployment times, enhanced security, and simpler support channels. Managing macOS effectively and comparing its management with Windows shows some disparity.

What are the most essential features?

Patch Management: Efficient patching for OS and applications, ensuring system security.
Remote Control: Easy access and support for troubleshooting and maintenance.
Asset Management: Comprehensive tracking and management of IT assets.
Software Deployment: Streamlined deployment across diverse platforms.
Cross-platform Updates: Simplifies updates across Windows, Linux, and macOS.

What should be considered for ROI and benefits?

Improved Efficiency: Speeds up troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.
Cost-effectiveness: Reduces labor costs with centralized management.
Scalability: Adapts as organizational needs grow and change.
Security Enhancement: Ensures robust protection against threats.
Integration: Works seamlessly with existing ManageEngine tools.

ManageEngine Endpoint Central finds application across diverse sectors, particularly for IT operations that require managing patches, software deployment, and asset oversight. It supports IT teams in maintaining compliance and security policies. By easing software deployment and enabling effective remote troubleshooting, it enhances IT support workflows without impacting productivity.

ManageEngine

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security empowers organizations by offering seamless integration and robust data protection, supporting centralized identity management and collaboration.

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security integrates tools like Windows Defender and Advanced Threat Protection for high security, supporting multi-factor authentication and centralized identity management. Its scalability and unification of Microsoft products boost operational efficiency. Offering mobile application management, it ensures protection and user compliance satisfaction. Challenges include complex licensing and the need for better network-level protection and technical support. Users experience memory consumption issues and stability concerns. Improved remote features and user-friendly license management are necessary.

What are the key features of Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with Microsoft products, enhancing efficiency.
Robust Data Protection: Utilizes Windows Defender and Advanced Threat Protection for security.
Multi-factor Authentication: Ensures secure access to systems.
Centralized Identity Management: Simplifies user management across platforms.
Mobile Application Management: Protects mobile apps while ensuring compliance.

What benefits and ROI should organizations look for in Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

Operational Efficiency: Enhanced via integration with Microsoft tools.
Data Security: Strong protective measures secure sensitive information.
User Compliance: Ensures satisfaction with safeguard measures.
Scalability: Grows with business needs, handling an increasing number of devices and data.

Organizations in sectors like finance and healthcare implement Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security for mobile device management, file protection, and endpoint security. By integrating services such as Intune and Azure, they manage devices and communications securely, ensuring compliance with regulations. EMS is essential in managing mail, Office apps, and facilitating effective collaboration.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Strathallan School, BMI Healthcare, Comercial Kywi, First Priority Federal Credit Union, Gerab National Enterprises

Mars, Whole Foods, Land O'Lakes, Dow

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs. Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security