BMC Client Management vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

BMC and Quest Software are both solutions in the Endpoint Compliance category. BMC is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.5, while Quest Software is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.0. BMC holds a 2.6% mindshare in EC, compared to Quest Software’s 3.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of BMC users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

BMC Client Management

Read 7 BMC Client Management reviews

89 Views
61 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Read 38 Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reviews

153 Views
93 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

BMC Client Management

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance and BMC Client Management compete in endpoint management solutions. Quest KACE appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive functionality and strong support package.

Features: Quest KACE is valued for remote image and software deployment, service desk ticketing, and asset management, providing efficient endpoint management through a single interface. BMC Client Management is known for its remote control feature, addressing compliance and security policy enforcement, while offering support for multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Unix.

Room for Improvement: Quest KACE could enhance its scalability, intuitive interfaces for technical tasks, and patch management. BMC Client Management needs to improve third-party integration, particularly with mobile device management, and reduce dependency on discovery tools for insights.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Quest KACE supports on-premises, public, and hybrid cloud deployments with a generally praised support team. BMC primarily offers on-premises and public cloud options, providing good technical support. Quest KACE users highlight the benefit of a dedicated technical account manager.

Pricing and ROI: Quest KACE is considered slightly more costly but justified by its robust functionality and substantial ROI through time savings. Its flexible per-device pricing suits large organizations. BMC offers affordability with good value, though ROI may vary based on usage and licensing allows feature-specific purchases.

To learn more, read our detailed BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

April 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 849,190 peers since 2012

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)

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Ranking in Endpoint Compliance

7th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Client Desktop Management (6th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (15th), Patch Management (10th)

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 Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 3.7%, up from 2.5% 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.

Read full review

Scott Tweed

Windows Engineer at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."

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

"The support from BMC Client Management is very good."

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

"The inventory and patch management tools are very valuable."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to monitor updates—the software versions—on machines so that we can keep everything compliant."

"KACE’s knowledge-based articles are very good."

"The scripting is a very valuable feature, as it saves us time on pushing certain things out to the users, such as software and patches."

"When vulnerabilities are exploited so much, it is nice to be able to quickly detect or deploy what is needed within our off-work hours or during work hours without a reboot."

"The software asset management has been a big help, even when it comes to license true-ups. I can use it to find out how many Tivoli we have, and boom, there's the number... And you can actually click on the information about the software and it shows, for example, that these five servers are where it's being reported. If you really want, you can log in to them and validate."

"The ability to build scripts right on the deployment center itself, as well as building groups that take those scripts/task chains has been absolutely invaluable and one of the most important parts of my whole environment."

"It also does patch management. At the moment, I'm rolling out a new feature update, 20.8.2, and it's a great challenge because we have to deploy it to 1,200 computers in the home office. We want to do it without interrupting production, but KACE is reliable and it's easy to adapt it to my needs for how and when to deploy the feature update."

"This solution makes it easy to control assets and upgrade all types of software."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"BMC Client Management supports only iOS devices. It would be good if they would support Android as well."

"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 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."

"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."

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

"There may be a good reason why some things are not easily able to be done, yet it needs work to compete with some of the other ticketing systems out there now."

"Its dashboard needs improvement. Currently, there is no way to modify the dashboard. There should be more flexibility so that we can create views according to our use case."

"There is always room for improvement. However, the system does most of what we need at this moment."

"The problem is that it's harder to directly emulate a lot of the stuff that the group policies do, using the KACE solution. With regular group policies, you just specify the various settings you want to change on the workstations, and then you specify the workstations and—while it's kind of an ugly mess—it does it. Whereas on KACE, you really have to know what you're doing with scripting to effectively script those exact same changes."

"KACE implemented the possibility of reducing the network speed of the KACE agent. You can set it so that it takes whatever network speed you want or you can set it to 5 Mb, to save network speed. You set it for all the computers, but it would be preferable to separate between VPN connections in our home office and the local area. It would be great to be able to set separate speeds for different VLANs."

"We'd love to see support for larger dependencies in the scripting feature."

"Sometimes the information is not as real time as it's supposed to be."

"I think it should have the ability to have the applications automatically update. It would be really helpful if this would override what the user might choose to do."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 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."

"We pay annually for technical support."

"Licensing is very straightforward. They don't overcomplicate it. This is not a Cisco product where you have to have 30 different licenses just to open the box. It's pretty much set-and-forget. You pay an annual license... The cost is in the mid to upper range, but the ROI exceeds the outside cost, especially once you've had the system for a while."

"The cost of KACE has been relatively low compared to other systems. Even if those systems have the same cost, they do not do as much of the third-party patching that KACE natively does."

"Their pricing is per end-point device. There is an initial cost for the license for the server, which is pretty low, and then there is a per end-point device license, which is also fairly low. So, the pricing is still reasonable."

"The pricing and licensing are absolutely fair."

"We need it, so we have to pay the price. It is what it is. If you need a gallon of milk, then you have to pay the price for it. You don't want to buy the cheap stuff. You want to buy the stuff that is organic and good for your body, which doesn't have all this other junk in it. You want it clean for your body. Quest has done that for our deployment and management systems."

"We are also saving on the licensing fee, compared to other endpoint management solutions."

"We are a university. So, we have a very good price for the system. I think the price for the system is worth it because of the security patch management. The security patch management is very important for us. The price is very good for KACE SMA, the functionality you get, and the patch management."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Compliance solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

Retailer

Computer Software Company

12%

Government

10%

University

10%

Financial Services Firm

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 do you like most about Quest KACE Systems Management?

My company had bought some new machines. We used the tool to do some basic settings to ship every machine the same way and undertake the Windows deployment. We did the scripted installation. The to...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Quest KACE Systems Management?

The pricing is in the middle range of the market, not too expensive but not the cheapest either.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Quest KACE Systems Management?

The user interface needs improvement as customers have mentioned they do not like the interface since it is not an SMA-based interface and lacks a manual configuration option.

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs BMC Client Management

Compared 39% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs BMC Client Management

Compared 34% of the time

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs BMC Client Management

Compared 12% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs BMC Client Management

Compared 9% of the time

Ivanti Endpoint Security for Endpoint Manager vs BMC Client Management

Compared 6% of the time

More BMC Client Management Competitors

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 34% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 27% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 10% of the time

BigFix vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 5% of the time

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Mobile Device Management (MDM)

March 2025

Download BMC Client Management product report

Buyer's Guide

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

April 2025

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

Download Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report

Also Known As

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

Dell KACE Systems Management

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

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is a comprehensive tool for managing IT endpoints. It facilitates asset management, software distribution, and endpoint tracking while offering remote access capabilities and a centralized help desk.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is designed for organizations that need efficient endpoint management. It offers a range of features like inventory tracking, automated patch management, and ticketing. By integrating with remote access tools such as Bomgar, Quest KACE helps reduce manual tasks involved in managing software updates and system deployments. Although it faces challenges in scalability and requires improvements in integration and reporting, it remains a versatile choice for asset tracking and endpoint administration.

What are Quest KACE SMA's key features?

Asset Management: Streamline the organization and tracking of physical and virtual assets.
Remote Access: Integrates with Bomgar for secure, remote troubleshooting and management.
Software Distribution: Deploy applications across devices efficiently without physical intervention.
Centralized Endpoint Management: Manage endpoints from a centralized console to ensure compliance and optimization.
Automated Patch Management: Schedule and deploy patches to maintain system security and performance.
Help Desk: Integrated ticketing system for tracking and resolving user issues.
Scripting and Reporting: Enhance administrative tasks through automated scripts and detailed reports.

What benefits should users consider?

Improved Productivity: Reduces manual interference with automated deployments and updates.
Labor Savings: Minimizes labor requirements with efficient remote management tools.
Integrated Reporting: Provides actionable insights through comprehensive reports to optimize IT operation.
User-Friendly Interface: Boosts effectiveness due to its intuitive, easy-to-navigate design.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is implemented across industries for managing IT assets and endpoints, particularly where remote management and compliance are critical. It's employed in healthcare, education, and government sectors for efficient patch management, inventory control, and software deployment, aiding organizations in managing security accreditations and centralizing help desk operations.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Charter Manufacturing

Waypoint, Mattos Filho, Meetic, Gems Education, Green Clinic HealthSystem, Service King

Buyer's Guide

BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

April 2025

Free Report: BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Find out what your peers are saying about BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our BMC Client Management vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report.

See our list of best Endpoint Compliance vendors.

We monitor all Endpoint Compliance reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.