BMC Client Management vs Forescout Platform comparison

BMC and Forescout are both solutions in the Endpoint Compliance category. BMC is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.5, while Forescout is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.6. BMC holds a 2.6% mindshare in EC, compared to Forescout’s 4.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of BMC users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Forescout users who would recommend it.

BMC Client Management

Read 7 BMC Client Management reviews

89 Views
61 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Forescout Platform

Read 76 Forescout Platform reviews

216 Views
136 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

BMC Client Management

Forescout Platform

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

Forescout Platform and BMC Client Management compete in the field of network management solutions. Forescout holds an advantage due to its superior network access control, while BMC excels in patch management and remote control capabilities.

Features: Forescout provides flexible deployments and integrates robustly with third-party products, delivering comprehensive endpoint visibility and control. BMC Client Management is noted for its efficient patch management, remote control, and detailed compliance features, all contributing to productivity in diverse operating environments.

Room for Improvement: Forescout could reduce false positives, enhance third-party integration, and simplify its licensing process, while addressing partner presence challenges. BMC should aim to expand its integration capabilities, introduce vulnerability assessment tools, and improve its mobile device management and agent-based discovery tool.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Forescout and BMC offer flexible deployment options. However, Forescout's customer service could benefit from improved response times and expert assistance. BMC generally provides better customer support with prompt and helpful guidance.

Pricing and ROI: Forescout's pricing is seen as high due to its feature-rich offerings, which may affect ROI for smaller enterprises with simpler needs. In contrast, BMC is cost-effective with node-based licensing, delivering strong performance and value for money in terms of investment.

To learn more, read our detailed BMC Client Management vs. Forescout Platform Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

BMC Client Management vs. Forescout Platform

March 2025

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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

BMC Client Management

Ranking in Endpoint Compliance

8th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Mobile Device Management (MDM) (9th)

Forescout Platform

Ranking in Endpoint Compliance

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Access Control (NAC) (4th), IoT Security (2nd), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (16th)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Endpoint Compliance category, the mindshare of BMC Client Management is 2.6%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forescout Platform is 4.4%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Compliance

Featured Reviews

Cristian Testa

Presales Manager Product Manager - Latin America Region at tdi

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.

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Odai Halawani

Sr. Security Engineer at Topvision

It's an easy and effective solution, especially for device profiling without agents

Forescout Platform's most valuable aspect is its excellent device profiling for devices without agents, which is crucial for our work due to challenges with agent-based devices. Its isolation and blocking actions are particularly effective for network security. The device compliance feature helps us ensure device compliance through immediate actions like updating antivirus software. We have already integrated Forescout with antivirus and vulnerability assessment tools, allowing it to monitor vulnerability scores and automatically isolate devices if critical vulnerabilities are detected.

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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

"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 inventory and patch management tools are very valuable."

"The most valuable features of the solution are patch management and software license management."

"It's a scalable solution. We have deployed it for customers using 3000 nodes to those using 300,000 nodes."

"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 support from BMC Client Management is very good."

"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."

"This solution can be used to organize guest portals, integrate switches, and create policies. Some of its standard use cases also include completing key process upgrades and anti-virus of Windows OS."

"Forescout Platform is stable, it is great."

"The best parts of Forescout Platform are its orchestration features, discovery capabilities, classification buckets, and flexibility in creating policies."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of deployment, which does not require the use of an agent."

"Within three or four days, we have complete visibility of your infrastructure on the network. Compared to other solutions, the deployment of the solution is easier and we can close the project quickly."

"The user management has been very easy for the most part."

"The most valuable feature of the Forescout Platform it's highly customizable and flexible."

"Vulnerability remediation is valuable. We can narrow down a system and its properties. We can go granular on the properties of each endpoint, such as which operating system you're using."

More Forescout Platform pros

Cons

"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."

"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."

"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."

"The solution does not offer the functionality of remote access to users."

"The licensing costs are quite high. With the amount of hardware we have, we need too many licenses to make the product effective and it's ultimately just too costly."

"It's scalable, but not without a big investment. It doesn't do so well at the branch. At the home office, it does okay and not so well at the branch."

"The solution should include integration with other firewalls."

"Forescout needs to upgrade its development in the future."

"In the next release of the solution, it could benefit from being more flexible to allow for more freedom."

"When adding what is in scope to a policy, it would be nice if you could select multiple policies instead of one policy at a time to add what is in the scope for network segmentation. I have found that during the install and configuration of the policies that if you want to modify multiple policies or enable multiple policies that you need to define what is in the scope (IP range or segments) one rule at a time. This caused some slow downs when implementing policies."

"Forescout Platform needs to improve how the device works in preventing rogue servers."

"They should improve features related to IT security. ForeScout should analyze behavior to see if the behavior is malicious behavior and block this device. They should develop the ability to analyze the behavior of the device in my environment."

More Forescout Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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 solution is low cost."

"To use BMC Client Management they charge annually per node."

"The product's pricing is reasonable."

"Forescout Platform is on the expensive side."

"It is expensive because you have to pay for their CSM, the customer's access manager, and their professional services on top of that, and they charge you roughly $400 per hour, which is overhead."

"We have a very clear licensing model for business. I don't have to have a Ph.D. to be able to understand the licensing model as you might need for other solutions. If I know exactly what we want, it can tell you which license you need. The solution is easy for purchasing, ordering, and ease of deployment as well."

"There are no additional costs that I am aware of."

"We paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for a three-year license with maintenance."

"The Forescout Platform's pricing is in the middle range, not too cheap or expensive."

"It might not be the cheapest solution, but you get what you pay for."

More Forescout Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

21%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

Retailer

Educational Organization

33%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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. ...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

Forescout is a very powerful NAC product that does not rely on port level configuration. It can detect and block unauthorized devices very quickly. But it has a lot of capabilities and really would...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

I would rate the Forescout Device and Visibility Control Platform at a six out of ten.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

I recommend doing a compression demo. If people use it, they will buy it. So they have to see the product in place. That's the main recommendation is to do a proof of concept. If they do, they will...

See all answers

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Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Mobile Device Management (MDM)

March 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform

March 2025

Download Forescout Platform product report

Also Known As

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

Forescout Platform, CounterACT for Endpoint Compliance, ForeScout CounterACT

Overview

Client Management automates endpoint management and helps organizations control costs, maintain compliance, and reduce risk. From device acquisition to disposal, Client Management provides an accurate view of hardware installations, ensures device adherence to organizational and industry policies, and supports systems and software currency.

BMC

Forescout Platform provides today’s busy enterprise organizations with policy and protocol management, workflow coordination, streamlining, and complete device and infrastructure visibility to improve overall network security. The solution also provides concise real-time intelligence of all devices and users on the network. Policy and protocols are delineated using gathered intelligence to facilitate the appropriate levels of remediation, compliance, network access, and all service operations. Forescout Platform is very flexible, integrates well with most of today’s leading network security products, and is a very cost-effective solution.

Forescout Platform Features

Real-time complete visibility: With Forescout eyeSight, each and every device is classified when any attempt to access your network has been made. This includes - but is not limited to - desktops, laptops, android devices, virtual machines, switches, VoIP phones, USB memory sticks, webcams, IoT devices, and more.
Policy-based and manual controls: In today’s busy robust environment, networks are continually changing; there are different types and amounts of devices connected, various software applications, network compliance requirements, and the constant potential for risk make managing an IT network a very daunting challenge. The Forescout Console is used to simplify the administration and management of important alerts, remediation, and access controls to keep the network secure.
Intuitive real-time dashboards: Forescout Dashboards, a component of Forescout WebClient, is a comprehensive web-based intelligence center that gives full visibility and real-time insight of the complete network using both out-of-the-box and user-created widgets. The dashboards are very intuitive and deliver robust, easy-to-understand information about device visibility, compliance, health monitoring, and more.
Advanced reporting capabilities: The Forescout Reports Plugin will generate numerous valuable reports indicating real-time and overall status information about endpoint compliance, device details, networks guests, protocols, and more. The reports help to ensure IT administrators, executives, security teams, and other important shareholders stay well-informed about all network activity at all times.
Comprehensive third-party overview: Forescout eyeExtend facilitates seamless information sharing with third-party vendors, networks, and IT management solutions supporting improved automated workflows, productivity, cost-effectiveness, and overall security.

Real User Reviews

An important main feature of Forescout is the visibility the solution offers.

One reviewer who is a Consultant at a tech services company, says, "Within three or four days, you can have complete visibility of your infrastructure on the network. Compared to other solutions, the deployment of the solution is easier and we can close the project quickly."

Users also appreciate that the user interface is clear and easy to understand.

An Instructor at a tech services company, shares, "The most valuable feature of the Forescout Platform is the large capacity it can handle. Additionally, the interface of the platform is good."

Forescout

Sample Customers

Charter Manufacturing

NHS Sussex, SAP, SEGA, Vistaprint, Miami Children's Hospital, Pioneer Investments, New York Law School, OmnicomGroup, Meritrust

Buyer's Guide

BMC Client Management vs. Forescout Platform

March 2025

Free Report: BMC Client Management vs. Forescout Platform

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