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

ManageEngine and Quest Software are both solutions in the Patch Management category. ManageEngine is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.8, while Quest Software is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.3. ManageEngine holds a 10.1% mindshare in PM, compared to Quest Software’s 7.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of ManageEngine users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.
ManageEngine Patch Manager ...
Read 14 ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus reviews
  • 1,948 Views
  • 1,647 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
Quest KACE Systems Manageme...
Read 39 Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reviews
  • 2,002 Views
  • 1,285 Comparison Views
95% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 27, 2024

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) and ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus compete in the endpoint management category. Quest KACE seems to have the upper hand with its advanced device management tools, particularly beneficial for organizations with IT needs beyond patching.

Features: Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) offers extensive endpoint management capabilities, including integration with Bomgar for remote hardware management, comprehensive asset management, and efficient service desk and scripting capabilities, which enhance IT operations. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus focuses on robust patch management, supporting a wide array of third-party applications and automating patch deployment to effectively prevent vulnerabilities and maintain compliance.

Room for Improvement: Quest KACE SMA users note issues with scalability and interface complexities during large deployments, with calls for more intuitive software updates and better integration with other tech. For ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus, users highlight a need for interface simplification, improved speed, and enhanced out-of-network patching capabilities, especially for remote workers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Quest KACE SMA provides flexible deployment options, including on-premises, public, and hybrid clouds, allowing tailor-made solutions to fit different IT infrastructures. It receives praise for comprehensive support and responsive assistance, though some users mention delays in resolving complex issues. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus mainly offers on-premises deployment with limited public cloud options. While generally positive, its customer support could improve response times and streamline support processes.

Pricing and ROI: Quest KACE SMA is recognized for its higher price, justified by its broad functionality and significant return on investment through enhanced IT productivity and reduced maintenance times. Users commend its transparent licensing and scalability. ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is seen as more cost-effective, offering competitive pricing ideal for firms focusing on strong patch management without high additional costs. Tailored packages cater to varied budgets, but Quest KACE’s feature set can lead to faster ROI via notable operational efficiencies.

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To learn more, read our detailed ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Report (Updated: January 2025).
Buyer's Guide
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
January 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

ManageEngine Patch Manager ...
Ranking in Patch Management
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Quest KACE Systems Manageme...
Ranking in Patch Management
10th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (14th), Endpoint Compliance (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is 10.1%, up from 7.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 7.5%, up from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Patch Management
 

Featured Reviews

AdeolaEkunola - PeerSpot reviewer
A quite straightforward solution that works easily with different operating systems
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten. When the use of the solution for customers grows, there is a need for more endpoints, and it may grow up to 500 endpoints, and the solution's use may even be scaled up further. It is possible to do what is needed to scale up the solution for the IT environments of any of our company's customers. Before scaling up, one needs to buy the license and consider the IT architecture to see if there are any modifications required in the solution. Around three of my company's customers who manage enterprise-sized businesses with a minimum requirement of 700 endpoints at least use the solution.
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Scott Tweed - PeerSpot reviewer
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

"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"The automated patch deployment feature is really helpful. I can schedule it anytime, even on weekends, without needing to restart systems. The centralized management and unified console are great. It shows me which PCs are out of date or which users are breaching our policies. I can test patches before deploying them."
"The ability to deploy patches seamlessly is the solution's most valuable aspect. It allows us to not only deploy patches but to monitor the deployment of those patches."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is centralized management."
"It is a highly stable solution."
"ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus covers almost all my end devices, and I can easily look over my device's hardware status."
"The solution's technical support is top-notch. Whenever I have a question, they get back to me immediately, which is probably one of the best features of the solution's technical support."
"It does not restart unexpectedly, allowing automation anytime, even during weekends."
More ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus pros
"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."
"The solution provides us a single pane of glass with everything that we need for endpoint management of all devices. It definitely has made our endpoint management process much easier."
"The most valuable feature of KACE is the mass package deployment. There are a lot of endpoint management solutions in the market. The way KACE responds is with the installation management feature, which is done in a very intelligent way, as well as scripting. It's wow. It's really wow. On top of that, there is a mass undeployment feature as well."
"You don't have to be an advanced user. Rather, in terms of ease of use, this product is right where it needs to be."
"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."
"KACE’s knowledge-based articles are very good."
"Patching is definitely the most valuable feature. It gives us good, centralized software, which comes in very handy since we are doing 400 servers at a time. It enables us to manage all the servers, and to deal with the application team regarding reboots and scheduling."
"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."
More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros
 

Cons

"The agent can be a bit more intelligent."
"If a report shows that testing did not work for one version but succeeds for another, a comparison would be beneficial."
"The solution's UI is an area that requires improvement."
"I experienced issues with server 2012, which required an upgrade to 2016 for better functionality before moving to Azure."
"I think ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus could improve its testing capabilities. If they could test different SQL versions and server versions in their sandbox, it would be better. For example, it didn't work well with Server 2012, but it works fine with 2016 and up."
"The tool's support needs improvement."
"ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus needs to improve speed."
"The only area for improvement in ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus, which I noticed, is the reporting."
More ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus cons
"I would like for there to be improvement when it comes to Microsoft and Windows updates. It has the ability to do it but the control of it is not there like I have in the Windows Server Update Services. The way KACE does it is still very granular. You don't really see the process like it is in the Windows Server Update Services. I think that would be one of the biggest things that I would like to see KACE really put some work into and really make that a big enhancement."
"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."
"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."
"Paying for the product should come with full and extended training anytime it is needed."
"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."
"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."
"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."
More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its price needs improvement."
"I rate the product price a three on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."
"The pricing for ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is on the moderate side."
"ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is a little bit cheaper."
"Our licensing fees are on a yearly basis, and the charge for support is extra."
"The price of this product is reasonable."
"The solution cost is around $5,000 per year."
"Patch Manager is cost-effective."
More ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus pricing and cost advice
"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 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."
"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."
"We buy consulting fees from Software Factory, then we pay extra for it."
"It may be more expensive, but you get what you pay for."
"The pricing and licensing are absolutely fair."
"The pricing is fair."
"It was a very attractive price. This is a huge feature of this product. If you would "credit score" this product versus others out there on the market, this one has a very attractive price."
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%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
11%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
The fetch repository is a good feature.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
Patch Manager is cost-effective.
See all answers
What needs improvement with ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
The solution needs to improve its testing environment and reporting. For example, if a patch doesn't work for SQL 9 but works for SQL 10, a comparison report would be helpful. I think ManageEngine ...
See all answers
What do you like most about Quest KACE Systems Management?
KACE automatically tracks this information and saves it for me, allowing me to call it up on the dashboard. For example, if I need to find Juliano's computer in the system, I don't need to search t...
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 ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Logo
Microsoft Configuration Manager vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Compared 21% of the time
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Logo
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Compared 18% of the time
BigFix vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Logo
BigFix vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Compared 17% of the time
ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Logo
ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Compared 14% of the time
JetPatch vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Logo
JetPatch vs ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
Compared 2% of the time
More ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus Competitors
Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Logo
Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
Compared 30% of the time
Microsoft Intune vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Logo
Microsoft Intune vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
Compared 28% of the time
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Logo
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) Logo
BigFix vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
Compared 9% of the time
NinjaOne vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Logo
NinjaOne vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
Compared 3% of the time
More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus
January 2025
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus reportDownload ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus product report
Buyer's Guide
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
January 2025
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reportDownload Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
Dell KACE Systems Management
 

Learn More

ManageEngine
Quest Software
 

Overview

Patch Manager Plus is a simple patch management tool that makes it easy to keep your network patched and secure. It is an endpoint patch management software that provides enterprises a single interface for automating all patch management tasks - from detecting missing patches to deploying patches - for Windows, Mac, Linux and 250+ third-party applications. Whether you have one computer or hundred, they can all be patched at the same time from a single point of console.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is a comprehensive endpoint and service desk management platform. It supports IT operations with functionalities such as ticketing, patch management, software deployment, and asset management.

KACE provides robust automation for managing software distribution and patch tasks. Organizations depend on it for security updates, system compliance, and centralized control over diverse devices. Integration with tools like Bomgar and ServiceNow enhances its remote support capabilities, while its intuitive interface streamlines IT processes, increasing productivity. Managing thousands of endpoints, it supports accreditation compliance and reports on system status and security.

What are the key features of Quest KACE SMA?
  • Automation: Streamlines software deployment and patch management.
  • Asset Management: Offers comprehensive inventory controls.
  • Integration: Compatible with Bomgar and ServiceNow for enhanced remote support.
  • System Deployment: SDA simplifies deployment across multiple machines.
  • Intuitive Interface: Facilitates IT task management from a single pane.
What benefits and ROI should users look for?
  • Increased Productivity: Simplifies IT tasks, optimizing resources.
  • Centralized Control: Manages a wide range of devices from one interface.
  • Security Compliance: Ensures systems are updated and compliant.
  • Enhanced Support: Improved remote support through integrations.
  • Reporting Capabilities: Provides insights into IT operations and status.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is implemented across industries needing robust IT management solutions such as healthcare for compliance and security, education for asset tracking, and corporate enterprises for efficient IT operations. Its multifunctional nature caters to diverse industry requirements, enhancing communication and data management.

 

Sample Customers

IKEA Honda UNICEF The University of Georgia Evander
Waypoint, Mattos Filho, Meetic, Gems Education, Green Clinic HealthSystem, Service King
Buyer's Guide
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
January 2025
Free Report: ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)
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