Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

Ivanti and Quest Software are both solutions in the Patch Management category. Ivanti is ranked #17 with an average rating of 7.0, while Quest Software is ranked #10 with an average rating of 10.0. Ivanti holds a 1.6% mindshare in PM, compared to Quest Software’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Ivanti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

Ivanti Neurons Patch for In...

Read 11 Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune reviews

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685 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

KACE Systems Management App...

Read 39 KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reviews

2,568 Views
1,464 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Ivanti Neurons Patch for In...

KACE Systems Management App...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 19, 2025

KACE Systems Management Appliance and Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune compete in the field of IT management solutions, offering device management and patching functionalities. KACE seems to have the upper hand in remote management convenience and deployment flexibility, whereas Ivanti excels in comprehensive patch management and peer-to-peer distribution.

Features: KACE Systems Management Appliance offers robust integration with Bomgar, efficient remote imaging, and comprehensive device management with impressive reporting capabilities. Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune is valued for its peer-to-peer patching, wide third-party application support, and effective package distribution.

Room for Improvement: KACE faces scaling limitations when managing over 10,000 devices and could improve user-friendliness in software deployment and scripting. Ivanti needs better integration with cloud solutions, enhanced stability during patching, and improved reporting features for compliance visibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: KACE offers deployment flexibility across on-premises and cloud environments and is praised for responsive customer support. Ivanti supports on-premises and hybrid environments, also receiving positive customer service feedback. KACE, however, offers broader deployment flexibility.

Pricing and ROI: KACE offers a cost-effective model with notable ROI, though scaling can reveal higher costs. Ivanti’s pricing is affordable but may seem high compared to alternatives. KACE generally provides faster ROI, with Ivanti’s pricing scalability presenting challenges as node counts increase.

To learn more, read our detailed Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

September 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

Ivanti Neurons Patch for In...

Ranking in Patch Management

17th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

KACE Systems Management App...

Ranking in Patch Management

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Client Desktop Management (3rd), Endpoint Compliance (8th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (11th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (9th)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune is 1.6%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 3.9%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)	3.9%
Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune	1.6%
Other	94.5%

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

DddGgggg

Information Technology System Engineer at DRÄXLMAIER Group

Allows us to set maintenance windows and deliver patches

We can set a maintenance window and push the patch. I prefer writing scripts, doing software deployment, pushing it, and distributing applications in servers for the corner of the whole location. We download patches from Ivanti, and it collaborates with more than 700 products. For third-party applications, we download the patches, set a role in our environment, and push it using the maintenance window time and activation date. For software deployment, we receive the service request to install and prepare scripts and then push it in many locations according and relevant to the service request for each location. The group or collection devices are affected by the policy.

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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

"We use the solution for security patching of Windows devices."

"I have found the interface and ease of use valuable features. Additionally, it is very easy to patch VMs and other systems, such a Linux. We are able to do patches even without the internet manually."

"Both in terms of features and operations, this is a good solution."

"I like the product's Peer to Peer patching feature."

"The most valuable features are device management and support for upgrading applications."

"We can set a maintenance window and push the patch."

"The technical support from Ivanti is good."

"Ivanti Patch's most valuable features are the patch module and the package distribution."

More Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune pros

"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 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."

"It is excellent in terms of updating and configuring everything the way we need. For anything more complex, we do professional service engagements, and they're exceptional. For anything less complex, we just need to ask questions. Their support division is extremely good too."

"We have our KACE agent deployed on all of our workstations and servers, and it provides us with reports on the hardware and software inventory for those."

"There is one place for a lot of different things. If somebody has a problem with their computer, they will put in a ticket. From there, we will know who it is and the assets assigned to them, because there is one place to go look for what we are talking about and with whom we are talking. Just having one place for everything is really convenient. For example, we are able to deploy software to hundreds of computers. We don't need to go to each individual device."

"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."

"Pretty much all of the features are valuable. The inventory is very helpful to be able to keep track of our devices. The deployments make it easy to deploy new software packages or upgrade packages. The help desk is also a great tool for tracking problems and problem tickets."

"Asset management is most valuable. It is essential for all customers. The other features are also useful, but asset management is most important."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"The reports have to show the compliance level of the patching, which Ivanti does not provide."

"Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune needs to improve stability. We had issues with patching."

"I would like to have better support for the application."

"Customers sometimes ask about non-existent features, and we pass these requests on to Ivanti."

"I tried to be a partner of Ivanti and, from this vantage point, the quotes are, perhaps, a bit high."

"In terms of improvement, I would recommend better documentation. During the time I used it, there were issues with up-to-date patching, and the documentation around those specific errors was quite confusing."

"Ivanti Patch could be improved with better integration with other cloud solutions."

"There are times when there is an update that causes some issues. These issues should be sorted out before the release."

More Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune cons

"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 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."

"We had issues with the tool's support. We are a Dutch firm and everything has to be in Dutch. We were not able to do the alerts. You were required to tweak them a lot to get them in the language that you preferred. The solution's support depended on the person that you got online. Sometimes, the response was fast and other times you needed to wait a long time. The support also depended on the levels of support that you had requested."

"I have complaints about smart label adaptation and because of this, I recommend a 24 to 48 hour bake-in period."

"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."

"It took a little bit of time to figure out how to use the KACE Service Desk. I like the way that I'm able to customize it. But when it comes to how our techs are able to use it, it's not as functional as our current solution, which is BMC FootPrints Service Desk."

"The only pain point I have is with their salespeople. They call too often. They're too aggressive in trying to upsell. We know what we need, and we know if we want to expand. I don't mind quarterly calls from them, but sometimes, it is weekly. They need to get their sales team under control. The main goal of their support people and professional services is to make sure they deliver the service, and they deliver it well, whereas their salespeople are so interested in making a sale that they're wasting my time."

"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 KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For the one that works with SCCM, it is relatively inexpensive at $8 USD per node, yearly. The standalone product has two versions; the one that patches servers is about $45 USD annually and the version that patches workstations is about half that price at $22 USD."

"The solution is expensive compared to other products."

"The solution is affordable."

"The license can get expensive if you have a lot of nodes."

"While the price is a bit high, it may be equitable with the features one gets with the product, such as that involving the interface."

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

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

"The pricing and licensing are good. It's worth it."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"The product is reasonably priced."

"We pay annually for technical support."

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Government

10%

Non Profit

Manufacturing Company

University

12%

Government

10%

Non Profit

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	15

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Ivanti Patch for Windows?

We use the solution for security patching of Windows devices.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Ivanti Patch for Windows?

In terms of improvement, I would recommend better documentation. During the time I used it, there were issues with up-to-date patching, and the documentation around those specific errors was quite ...

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What advice do you have for others considering Ivanti Patch for Windows?

The only downside I found regarding technical support was the time zone difference. Since we are two hours behind, we occasionally had to wait until the next morning for assistance. I would rate th...

See all answers

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

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is that, hands down, it beat all of the others in simplicity and pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Quest KACE Systems Management?

I wish Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) would have a top-down approach since we use orgs; currently, we have to go into each org to deploy applications when we need them all across the...

See all answers

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

My main use case for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is to deploy applications and maintain security, and we use it day-to-day to handle those tasks. With Quest KACE Systems Managemen...

See all answers

Comparisons

Ivanti Security Controls vs Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune

Compared 28% of the time

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune

Compared 23% of the time

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune

Compared 17% of the time

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune

Compared 16% of the time

Automox vs Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune

Compared 16% of the time

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Microsoft Configuration Manager vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 29% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 21% of the time

BigFix vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 7% of the time

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

Compared 7% of the time

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 6% of the time

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Patch Management

September 2025

Download Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune product report

Buyer's Guide

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

October 2025

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

Download KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report

Also Known As

Ivanti Patch for Windows, Patch for Windows, Shavlik Patch for Windows

Dell KACE Systems Management

Overview

Better protect against threats that stem from vulnerabilities in third-party applications.

Improve protection against threats that stem from vulnerabilities in third-party applications by extending Intune with risk-based third-party patch publishing – without any additional infrastructure.

Ivanti

KACE Systems Management Appliance offers integration capabilities, efficient image deployment, and comprehensive asset management. It supports centralized management across diverse devices and locations, simplifying IT processes and enhancing security.

KACE Systems Management Appliance provides single-pane visibility for endpoint management, mass software deployment, automated patch management, robust scripting, and detailed inventory tracking. It streamlines IT management and improves cyber-security compliance through remote software updates and centralized IT request handling. Despite struggles with scalability and the need for interface improvements, it enables efficient device imaging, script automation, and network management through detailed reporting. Organizations find it effective for software deployment, asset management, and endpoint monitoring, serving thousands of IoT devices and desktops.

What are the key features of KACE Systems Management Appliance?

Integration capabilities: Seamlessly connects with existing IT systems.
Efficient image deployment: Facilitates quick and effective distribution of system images.
Comprehensive asset management: Provides detailed tracking and management of IT assets.
User-friendly helpdesk: Simplifies handling IT requests and issues.
Automated patch management: Ensures devices are up-to-date with security patches.
Robust scripting: Allows for automation of complex IT tasks.
Detailed inventory tracking: Maintains accurate records of all IT assets.

What benefits should users expect from KACE Systems Management Appliance?

Simplified IT processes: Centralized management enhances operational efficiency.
Improved security: Streamlines cyber-security compliance through automated updates.
Flexibility in customizations: Adapts to specific IT environment needs.
Increased productivity: Efficient ticketing and reporting ease organizational operations.
Remote software updates: Ensures all devices are current, reducing security risks.

In healthcare, KACE Systems Management Appliance is used for maintaining device compliance and security standards. Educational institutions benefit from its capabilities to manage large numbers of endpoints across campuses. In finance, it aids in strict compliance requirements through automated patch management and detailed reporting. Retail sectors leverage its asset management features to streamline operations across numerous locations.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Presbyterian Church

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

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

September 2025

Free Report: Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

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