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Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Jamf Pro
Average Rating
9.6
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
106
Ranking in other categories
Mobile Device Management (MDM) (1st), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (2nd)
Microsoft Configuration Man...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
80
Ranking in other categories
Server Monitoring (3rd), Configuration Management (3rd), Patch Management (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Jamf Pro and Microsoft Configuration Manager aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Jamf Pro is designed for Mobile Device Management (MDM) and holds a mindshare of 29.8%, up 18.6% compared to last year.
Microsoft Configuration Manager, on the other hand, focuses on Server Monitoring, holds 9.7% mindshare, down 11.1% since last year.
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Server Monitoring
 

Featured Reviews

Pete C - PeerSpot reviewer
Customizable with a self-service portal and a good security posture
Policies enabled for self-service should have keywords attached, so that multiple search terms can direct to a single preferred result, without having to clutter the description field. The new remote support tool is still lacking features compared to other industry solutions. There is no built-in functionality for tracking changes over time for multiple devices. All patch reporting is only a current snapshot. The password management tools are fairly outdated. The web console (GUI) is slow with maddening UI/UX inconsistencies.
Abul Fazal - PeerSpot reviewer
Seamless system updates, useful integration, and reliable
The initial setup for Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is simple. However, the configuration and management are not simple. Most of my clients are using the on-premise configuration. Cloud deployment is cumbersome because It requires lots of system communication to open from the cloud, and every client has to communicate with the cloud. We follow the Microsoft best practices procedure and white papers for implementation. Which includes single and multiple server deployments. The time it takes for deployment depends on the client's environment, such as the configuration and customization needed. However, the process can typically take two to three weeks to complete.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The action and trigger is the main thing for us. We like the kind of repetitive script which we can use there."
"The fact that devices just need an internet connection [anywhere in the world] that allows them to check into the Jamf Software Server allows for identical management as if on campus or remote, has proven to be golden during the pandemic."
"I found that automated enrollment is very powerful because you can bring standardization to the environment."
"Thanks to Smart Groups and patch management, a lot of the work being done is via a hands-off approach."
"Jamf Pro allowed us to patch and manage endpoints while collecting log data to help improve operational efficiency."
"I am most excited about a feature that is called User-Initialed Enrollment."
"We like the pre-stage enrollments."
"It is a great tool. Its ease of use is fantastic. It is very simple, and you don't really have a high learning curve with this."
"The cloud account management is a valuable feature."
"We are happy with the collaboration of SCCM with Patch My PC, which allows us to do patch work."
"The most valuable features are Remote Connect, SUP, Cloud functionality, Report, Query, and third-party patching."
"Valuable features include configurations enforcement, compliance data gathering, and deployment of a standardized OS."
"It's helped us solve problems surrounding patching, installing, and reporting different patches, etc., on the virtual machines."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is it's incredibly simple to configure and execute changes in bulk, allowing for seamless deployment. With this solution, you can easily track the status of all modifications and send them with ease, making it a comprehensive and efficient solution for any necessary adjustments."
"Software deployment and WSUS are most valuable."
"It has the ability to perform mass distribution."
 

Cons

"We face issues when we do not have a script and have to write a script, we need to create extension attributes."
"I would like to have the ability to push scripts using MDM commands."
"Jamf could improve versioning as in outright blocking OS upgrades OR improving maintaining every application’s update feature. As of now, only some apps, like Flash, have managed updates."
"I'm not exactly sure where it could be improved off the top of my head, but there is room for improvement."
"I would like to see Jamf add more training tutorials and documentation."
"Jamf should give the option to download individual device policy logs, as this capability would really help to diagnose issues."
"I would like to see tighter integration with Jamf Protect in the future releases of Jamf Pro."
"It would be great if we get an email notification when the Mac users install any apps, so IT can be alerted."
"The availability of technical support could improve."
"They need to improve the support for the Mac operating system."
"Built in PowerShell cmdlets would be a nice feature because managing clients remotely can be a pain without knowing the WMI calls to run."
"It is not easy to get good technical support, especially at level one."
"I currently need to increase my compliance level in the patching processes which this solution could improve on."
"A lot of experience is needed in terms of troubleshooting, as this is one of the most difficult tasks in MECM. We were seven people in a group and I was the only one that had the patience to do the troubleshooting at times."
"Troubleshooting in general needs improvement. There's just a ton of logs to go through, and so finding the error log that corresponds with that you're doing can sometimes be difficult."
"The solution can be improved with the addition of a mobile device manager."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It seems fair. It could be a little bit less, but you have to pay for a product. You can't get something for free. You get what you pay for, so if you put in a little bit of money, you're going to get a good quality product."
"Setup and licensing prices are getting to be too high."
"Don’t go into a sales call without knowing all the details of your system because Jamf has a ton of tools outside of Jamf Pro to offer and knowing them ahead of time is a must."
"The cost of this solution is expensive but worth it."
"The only thing that is kicking us a bit is the rand to the dollar exchange rate. It is priced in dollars. Every time the rand goes worse, it just costs more. I would rate it a four out of five in terms of pricing because it is very unpredictable because of the rand to the dollar exchange rate."
"The price difference between Jamf Pro and VMware Workspace One is not very much, but when counting the cost of my time, Jamf Pro is clearly much better."
"Depending on how much support you require, it might make sense to add that to the licensing agreement."
"This product is surely worth the cost of implementation."
"The price is competitive and reasonable."
"Pricing and licensing are horrible. You have to not look at dollar value to use SCCM. It's super-duper expensive but it works. The acquisition cost is expensive, it's labor-intensive. But it works."
"There is not a license needed to use the solution."
"The price of SCCM depends on the size of the organization. The price is competitive."
"Its licensing is quite complicated because we are getting the license not only for SCCM but for the full Microsoft package. We don't need to pay for a separate license. We need to have one license that includes everything we need, such as Windows, Microsoft 365, SCCM, encryption, and so on. So, we don't have a specific price for it. Perhaps, it is good that it includes the full suite of licensing of Microsoft. It is expensive, but we are getting a lot of features."
"The license price could be reduced for Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager They should make the price more affordable for smaller companies, most companies would be able to use the solution if it was priced better. There are more people on this cloud because you don't have to have either a server room or an on-premise server. You can have one IT person handle this without any local infrastructure."
"We use the tool's free license. It is expensive."
"We have to pay for a license."
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions are best for your needs.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
42%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
University
5%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Jamf Pro?
The most valuable features of Jamf Pro for me are the device locator, which helps find missing iPads, and the ability to remotely manage and disable devices.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Jamf Pro?
Jamf Pro is considered a premium solution, and pricing can be a significant factor, especially in price-sensitive markets like India.
What needs improvement with Jamf Pro?
Jamf Pro should be standardized into one MDM product to make it more affordable and accessible. The App packaging process is time-consuming and could be improved. Additionally, the user interface i...
How does Ansible compare to Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM)?
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your org...
How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?
ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. What I like most about ManageEngine is that I can log on to every PC very easily a...
What do you like most about SCCM?
One of the standout features of SCCM is its application management capabilities. It allows us to create packages efficiently and deploy them to specific groups within our network. This streamlined ...
 

Also Known As

JAMF Software Casper Suite
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Xero, National Geographic, Oxford University, Via, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Fallon, Cabela's
Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad
Find out what your peers are saying about JAMF, Microsoft, Cisco and others in Mobile Device Management (MDM). Updated: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.