Appaloosa vs MicroMDM

Appaloosa is a mobile device management platform for controlling iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices from one console. It addresses company-owned fleets, bring-your-own-device programs, frontline teams, and shared devices. Zero-touch enrollment works through Apple Automated Device Enrollment, Android zero-touch, Knox, and Windows enrollment. Administrators can distribute private and public applications, including silent installation on managed devices. Security settings include passcode policies, disk encryption, certificates, VPN configuration, security posture, and compliance controls. On macOS, Appaloosa can enforce FileVault and store its recovery key encrypted in the console for authorized profiles. Customer data is hosted in France on SecNumCloud-qualified infrastructure. Integrations include Apple Business Manager, Android Enterprise, Microsoft Entra, Office 365, Google Workspace, Okta, SAML v2, TeamViewer, development tools, Slack, and a REST API. Business costs €3.49 per device per month from 50 devices; Enterprise costs €5.49 per device per month from 100, with custom pricing above 500. A 14-day trial requires no credit card.

MicroMDM is a free, open-source Mobile Device Management server for Apple devices, intended for enterprise and education. Its APIs schedule commands, read device information, and administer the server. There is no built-in administrator web interface; operators use the mdmctl command-line utility, which communicates through the API. Setup involves running the server binary with a server URL, API key, and TLS certificate and key. The API key protects and authenticates API requests. When MicroMDM terminates device connections, TLS certificates and a key are required, although TLS can terminate at a load balancer instead. Setup also documents Apple Push Notification service integration with an Apple-issued MDM push certificate. Apple Business Manager Device Enrollment Program integration is supported but optional. The system supports automated enrollment, app deployment, FileVault management, and remote commands. Version 1 is in maintenance mode, with no planned feature work and security and bug fixes on an available-effort basis through the end of 2025.