GFI LanGuard vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

GFI and Quest Software are both solutions in the Patch Management category. GFI is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.0, while Quest Software is ranked #11. GFI holds a 3.0% mindshare in PM, compared to Quest Software’s 5.3% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of GFI users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

GFI LanGuard

Read 10 GFI LanGuard reviews

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578 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Read 38 Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reviews

1,664 Views
1,052 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

GFI LanGuard

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance and GFI LanGuard are prominent competitors in the IT management and security solutions arena. Quest KACE tends to have an edge due to its comprehensive endpoint management features that simplify large-scale management processes, despite GFI LanGuard's robust vulnerability assessment and pricing model.

Features: Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is known for its comprehensive asset management, patch management, and deployment capabilities. Users benefit from its integration with Bomgar and its ability to manage large device numbers efficiently. It also offers powerful scripting and reporting tools. On the other hand, GFI LanGuard excels in vulnerability assessment and patch management. It offers deep insights into potential security risks across network components and is recognized for endpoint control that prevents unauthorized device additions.

Room for Improvement: Quest KACE users mention issues with scalability, complex software deployment, and a need for more intuitive interfaces and improved custom reporting. There are also concerns about the difficulty in using advanced features without better training. GFI LanGuard needs better multi-user access, enhanced cloud functionality, and easier software removal processes. Users report limitations in its rollback features and asset tracking capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Quest KACE offers flexibility with on-premises, cloud, and hybrid deployment options, appealing to diverse IT environments. Its customer support is praised, especially from dedicated technical managers. GFI LanGuard primarily focuses on on-premises deployment but is noted for reliable and responsive customer service, although it lacks the extensive customization services that Quest KACE offers.

Pricing and ROI: Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is viewed as a valuable investment with competitive pricing and quick ROI due to enhanced productivity and reduced manual labor. It offers flexible licensing, which is seen as cost-effective. GFI LanGuard, while fair in pricing, is praised for its bundled pricing structure that offers good value and accessibility. While both products are priced competitively, Quest KACE is seen to justify its investment with broader capabilities.

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

Buyer's Guide

GFI LanGuard vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

April 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

GFI LanGuard

Ranking in Patch Management

12th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Ranking in Patch Management

11th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Client Desktop Management (12th), Endpoint Compliance (8th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (17th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of GFI LanGuard is 3.0%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 5.3%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Ted Mbugua

Security Manager at CRAG

Improves network visibility and keeps our products up to date with the latest patches

This is a solution that I recommend. In fact, those without it are at a disadvantage when it comes to managing their network. The biggest lesson that I have learned is in terms of visibility. GFI LanGuard has given me a wakeup call in terms of what is happening on endpoint machines. However, it is more than just having visibility. It is about having control in terms of what you want to block and what you're able to block. It keeps our network stable in that there are no running applications that you don't even know you have. I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

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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.

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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 most valuable feature is that I am able to patch third-party solutions."

"The most valuable feature of GFI LanGuard is its email spam feature."

"The most useful features of GFI LanGuard are vulnerability assessment and patching solutions."

"The most valuable features of GFI LanGuard are the vulnerability assessment, it provides us with substantial insight into what applications are running on the endpoint systems and what vulnerabilities are there in the running applications. The second would be the assets tracking. I'm able to see in the network whether my endpoint server is operating and if all the other IT equipment is running in the environment. Additionally, GFI LanGuard is not heavy on system resources. It gives a competitive advantage over others."

"The solution is easy to use and integrates well with other operating systems."

"The most valuable features in GFI LanGuard are patch management and vulnerability assessment."

"It is helpful to patch and scan vulnerabilities."

"The initial setup was easy."

More GFI LanGuard pros

"KACE has made our life much easier since we got off the Microsoft solution. The Microsoft solution was a lot harder to image over different ports and stuff. They would only have this one place where we could do all the imaging. Now, we have a whole building where we can image from. This means that we can image from our storage area, where we have a place to do our imaging. We can also image right at our desks, which is a lot easier."

"The scripting part increases IT productivity because of the specialized software in our environments for students' courses. You need to use software which is not programmed by developers. A lot of software for building houses or other things is developed by normal guys, who do not have much skill in programming. When you need to install this type of software, it is very difficult. You have to install registry keys, etc. For that, it is very good to use the scripting part of this solution. So, you can automate this part as well."

"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."

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

"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 initial setup is relatively easy."

"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."

"The single pane of glass for managing devices is helpful because it allows me to perform updates and control things without having to disturb the doctors or nurses."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"GFI LanGuard has some technical limitations with machines."

"This solution is limited to the local area network only and cannot manage remote devices."

"The only drawback with GFI LanGuard is that you cannot directly integrate it from the Outlook email; instead, you have to first log in to the site to make changes."

"If GFI LanGuard had a cloud version it would be better for people that are working from home."

"GFI LanGuard could improve the rollback feature. If we have installed the wrong we have had some issues with the rollback function. Additionally, more input from GFI LanGuard for the custom software push install."

"The version we are using only allows one person to use it at a time and does not allow multi-users."

"The documentation on how to use this solution in a Linux environment is not clear, which is something that should be improved because it is complicated."

"When you want to uninstall software from an endpoint, sometimes it becomes very problematic."

More GFI LanGuard cons

"Paying for the product should come with full and extended training anytime it is needed."

"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."

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

"One of the complications is that they don't have 24/7 support, and they're also not in our time zone... Sometimes, no matter how critical my application is, if my production server is down I won't be able to connect with anybody till 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time."

"It is a little bit difficult to use the license compliances because you need to decide when you are using the software catalog if you are using it with their license compliance or the normal software part. Under the inventory, you can use software as a menu link or software catalog. Most of my specialist software is not in the software catalog. When I try to import them, in my license compliances overview, there are cryptic names for this software that I have to import. That is not very good for the reports that I use. When I take them to my bosses, they see cryptic names of software that they don't understand. It would be much better for me if I could use software and the software catalog as well for the license compliances."

"The K1000 doesn't communicate well with some clients without SMB. There are some issues with getting things to image correctly because they rely on SMB, and SMB is a protocol that is being removed due to security reasons. Organizations are trying to rely less and less on SMB. I know Quest is aware of it. They've talked about having a new version that wouldn't rely on SMB for connection to the clients, but they haven't gotten there yet."

"The labeling process should be more streamlined. It should be easier to do. It gets confusing at times."

"The software asset management functionality is an area that needs to be improved. It could be more automated because when connections need to be made, such as when I connected Adobe and my malware removed, the process was pretty much manual."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are a gold partner and we receive favorable discounts. The price of GFI LanGuard is competitive. When you evaluate other solutions, such as ManageEngine."

"GFI LanGuard cost approximately $1,000 annually to use the solution."

"I rate the pricing of GFI LanGuard a four out of five."

"On a scale of one to five, with one being expensive and five being competitive, I would rate the price as a four."

"GFI LanGuard has very fair pricing compared to other similar solutions out there."

"GFI LanGuard isn't expensive."

"The pricing is fair."

"The pricing is great. It's billed annually and it's very reasonable."

"We buy consulting fees from Software Factory, then we pay extra for it."

"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."

"It may be more expensive, but you get what you pay for."

"Its pricing model is good for what it offers. Nobody here gives me a hard time about renewing the contract every year. It might be a little cost prohibitive for a smaller company who has to stand up a virtual environment as well as have virtual environment licensing and the hardware. If you have a smaller environment, it might be cost prohibitive. If you only have a couple of hundred computers, you might be more willing to do those manually. In our environment, the cost savings of having KACE far outweigh the licensing costs. We are okay with its pricing model."

"We pay annually for technical support."

"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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

18%

Photography Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

11%

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 GFI LanGuard?

The most valuable feature of GFI LanGuard is its email spam feature.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GFI LanGuard?

The only drawback with GFI LanGuard is that you cannot directly integrate it from the Outlook email; instead, you have to first log in to the site to make changes. Instead of directly white listing...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for GFI LanGuard?

Internally, as a user, I use GFI LanGuard for email and web monitoring.

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

What is your primary use case for Quest KACE Systems Management?

The main use cases for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance are touch management, software and hardware inventory, and software delivery.

See all answers

Comparisons

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 34% of the time

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 24% of the time

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 16% of the time

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 15% of the time

NinjaOne vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 10% of the time

More GFI LanGuard Competitors

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

Compared 35% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 26% 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 7% of the time

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

Compared 6% of the time

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GFI LanGuard

May 2025

Download GFI LanGuard product report

Buyer's Guide

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

May 2025

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

Download Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report

Also Known As

LanGuard

Dell KACE Systems Management

Overview

GFI LanGuard enables complete patch management of security and non-security patches to Microsoft operating systems, Mac OS X, major Linux distributions and third-party applications. It can also automate patching for all major web browsers too.

GFI

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

BayView Medical Clinic, FrugalBrothers Software, Zaw, National Theatre, American Red Cross

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

Buyer's Guide

GFI LanGuard vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

April 2025

Free Report: GFI LanGuard vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

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