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BMC Helix Client Management vs Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 1, 2025

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

BMC Helix Client Management
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Compliance (6th)
Cisco Meraki Systems Manage...
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Mobile Device Management (MDM) category, the mindshare of BMC Helix Client Management is 4.6%, up from 3.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is 5.6%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)5.6%
BMC Helix Client Management4.6%
Other89.8%
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
 

Featured Reviews

Cristian Testa - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable solution that allows you to manage IT clients from receipt to retirement
The initial setup is straightforward and easy to use, but you need to understand the different functionalities and modules. The console version and the Hub application are different, and you need some knowledge to make the process easier. Deployment typically takes about two months. You start with the initial setup and then continue with operations. The deployment process is straightforward. The master installation takes about thirty minutes. After that, you deploy different relays to discover the endpoints and create the credentials and sources to install the agents. Once the agent is installed on an endpoint, you can manage it as needed. The first step is always the installation. BMC Client Management can be deployed both on cloud and on-premises. After the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increased need for remote solutions, so we have customers using both models. In BMC Client Management, I'd rate the initial setup as an eight out of ten.
Sulesh PK - PeerSpot reviewer
Has simplified hardware issue identification but needs integrated communication options
We have monitoring capabilities and we are monitoring some network tools from Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) and troubleshooting as well. I am currently working with version MR 32.1.4. Policy involves connecting mostly through emails, as we don't have any special kind of policy features. If any alert comes, we connect via mail. We don't utilize the geolocation tracking feature. The unified dashboard helps me simplify device management for my team based on the location, as we have configured devices from many different countries. We give the device's name based on the location, allowing us to identify easily in the dashboard. Regarding operational cost savings, it is cost-saving because in other companies, they use different tools for different networks, such as one for Windows, another for Linux, and a different one for VMware. We use all the systems including Windows, Linux, and networking under Cisco, Centreon, and Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), which is very cost-efficient. Regarding pricing and licensing of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), I don't have information about that, as we are from the technical department. Details about subscription and quotation come from another department. I rate this solution 8 out of 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's a scalable solution. We have deployed it for customers using 3000 nodes to those using 300,000 nodes."
"BMC Client Management is a stable solution and one of the best in the market. It allows me to manage all recipe endpoints, including iOS, Android, Linux, Unix, and Windows, all within the same solution."
"The support from BMC Client Management is very good."
"The most valuable features of the solution are its patching capabilities and the help it offers when it comes to use cases, like prompting for the reboot after a certain period of time."
"The inventory and patch management tools are very valuable."
"The most valuable features of the solution are patch management and software license management."
"One feature I like, that was especially valuable during the pandemic, is remote control. Remote control grants administrators and support personnel access to the laptops and PCs of employees (who might be working from home) in order to fix any issues that come up as and when they come up, even without having to wait for a support request."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) are its ability to do geofencing for devices, manage thousands of devices with only a push of a button, and quick application deployment in seconds. It's amazing. For example, in an education scenario, you can deploy an application update for thousands of iPads in two clicks."
"The solution is simple."
"The web portal provides status reporting and ease of configuration."
"They can provide detailed information about your devices, including their validity, license status, etc."
"The stability of the solution is very good. It's reliable. We don't have crashes or experience freezing. There aren't bugs or glitches."
"We use this solution for MDM."
"The most valuable features include remote inventory analysis, security features like geofencing, and software distribution."
"The solution is straightforward to set up."
 

Cons

"The solution does not offer the functionality of remote access to users."
"It would be good if BMC Client Management can perform vulnerability assessment scanning at the endpoint on its own and mitigate that. Then, we wouldn't have to rely on a third party VA tool. I would like to see this application move to being a web-based one."
"BMC Client Management supports only iOS devices. It would be good if they would support Android as well."
"In BMC Client Management, I would like to see more features for executing commands remotely. For example, with SAP, there isn't the capability to execute all the commands available in the console. The latest version includes more endpoints, but they do not cover everything the operations team needs. Additionally, I think improving the hierarchy for managing endpoints is crucial. Extending the endpoint capabilities would be highly beneficial."
"The solution needs to add whitelisting because many customers request it."
"BMC Client Management could improve in the area of integration."
"The on-premises version of BMC Client Management has powerful remote control functionality and decent compliance features, but these features both rely on the discovery tool in order to gain a complete set of insights about the endpoint's environment. Now, BMC's discovery solution depends on having an agent installed in each endpoint and sometimes the agent doesn't work properly, making it difficult to get an accurate understanding of the environment (including special topologies) even with BMC's discovery tool."
"The solution can be expensive."
"There is room for improvement in terms of pricing."
"Meraki Systems Manager lacks scripting capability compared to Workspace. I've seen the product focused mainly on mobile solutions. They might need more development in endpoints like Windows desktops."
"We've really only experimented with their iOS client. This is due to the fact that their Windows client has a lot to be desired. We first tried experimenting with the Windows one but very quickly determined that it wasn't going to cut it for most Windows cases. The Windows portion of this product needs improvement. I'd say that it's not really viable."
"One area for improvement in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is the ability for more advanced users to make detailed and non-standard changes."
"There are problems with the connection on the client side, and the app that was deployed could be better."
"I've participated in numerous product launches primarily focused on HP and Dell. Consequently, there should be a vested interest in local gatherings to showcase product advantages and performance. Particularly in Singapore, it only has so limited integrators to engage in IP product sales. There's room for improvement through dedicated workshops and training. The European and Western markets differ significantly from the context here. The physical location holds more importance. Thus, they should have a survey to evaluate demand, supply, and sales points, tailoring strategies accordingly."
"They need to allocate more energy in terms of their offering to devices that are not Apple devices."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"To use BMC Client Management they charge annually per node."
"BMC Client Management is a high-priced solution, but given its performance and capabilities, I think it offers great value. I don't have the exact number for the yearly licensing costs. I believe there is an additional cost of around two hundred dollars."
"The solution is low cost."
"BMC Client Management is a very affordable solution. There is one main server license which I believe is around $1,000 per year, and then there is the license for the actual solution. With the solution license, you can opt for a suite license where you get access to all the features and benefits, or alternatively you can buy any of the five main components of the suite license individually."
"The storage is affordable and the system has some price-related issues. Therefore, keeping the price in mind, I would rate it seven out of ten."
"Meraki MDM is the cheapest solution we have used."
"The cost of installing this solution can be more expensive depending on who is doing the installation. Cisco is very expensive."
"Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is an expensive solution."
"The price is high for the market."
"My clients find it a bit expensive compared to other systems."
"My customers at times have issues with the price of the solution. It is expensive, but overall it is worth it. The licensing model cost is based on how many devices you require."
"It's extremely competitive and very good for a product in this sphere."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
23%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Government
13%
Retailer
10%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Construction Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise14
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about BMC Client Management?
The most valuable features of the solution are its patching capabilities and the help it offers when it comes to use cases, like prompting for the reboot after a certain period of time.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BMC Client Management?
BMC Client Management is a high-priced solution, but given its performance and capabilities, I think it offers great value. I don't have the exact number for the yearly licensing costs. I believe t...
What needs improvement with BMC Client Management?
In BMC Client Management, I would like to see more features for executing commands remotely. For example, with SAP, there isn't the capability to execute all the commands available in the console. ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
The pricing sits at a mid-level range, around five or six. There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
While the graphical user interface is user-friendly and easy to configure, I see room for improvement in integration with third-party tools. We haven't had any integration issues, but potential lim...
 

Also Known As

BMC Helix Client Management, Helix Client Management, BMC Fromdistance Mobile Device Management
Meraki MDM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Charter Manufacturing
Hafen Hamburg & Empire Riverside Hotel, Eastview Church, Tourism Holdings, Colegio Sagrada Familia Hijas de Jesús, Tommy Bahama's, Canadian School Mexico, Rosebank College
Find out what your peers are saying about BMC Helix Client Management vs. Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
870,697 professionals have used our research since 2012.