Overview

Organizations can run FileWave in the cloud or install it on their own servers, a useful choice for teams with different hosting requirements. Automated enrollment spans Windows Autopilot, Apple ADE/DEP, and Android and ChromeOS enterprise frameworks, while management covers Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Android, and ChromeOS. That breadth makes it a plausible single system for varied device estates rather than a focused tool for one platform.

FileWave was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Wil, Switzerland. Its stated use cases range from K–12 and higher education to government, media and publishing, corporate, and finance organizations.

Key features

Enrollment and software delivery

Zero-touch enrollment and platform-specific frameworks can make provisioning part of an organization's device rollout rather than a separate manual setup step. Administrators can distribute apps, updates, scripts, and content using standard installers or Filesets. Filesets transmit file-level changes and allow files to be edited or removed after deployment, which gives teams a way to make targeted changes without relying only on full package replacement.

Patching and control

Scheduled operating-system and third-party application patching helps IT teams manage upkeep across a mixed fleet. Testing and rollback options for Fileset revisions provide a route to check and reverse changes, though these options are described for Filesets rather than as a general rollback guarantee for every patch.

Policy management, remote lock and wipe, and administrator two-factor authentication support common device-control needs. FileWave says communications among clients, servers, and administrators are encrypted, and its security page states that it operates under ISO/IEC 27001 information security management standards.

Reporting and integrations

Audit-ready reports cover device, configuration, patch, license, encryption, and compliance information, making the platform relevant to organizations that need a consolidated view of endpoint status. Integrations include Grafana, TeamViewer, Apple management services, Microsoft Entra, Android Enterprise, Chrome Management API, ServiceNow, Slack, and Cloudflare. Customer support is offered 24/5 by email, call, or video.

Pricing

The Community Edition is free forever and supports up to 15 computers, 15 tablets, and 15 Chrome devices. It includes community support, but no included support service or TeamViewer licenses. Those caps make it a useful small-scale starting point, not a free tier for a growing or broadly deployed fleet.

Professional starts at $12.50 per device. It supports iOS, macOS, tvOS, Windows, Android, and ChromeOS, adds enhanced customer support, and includes two TeamViewer licenses.

Community starts at $15 per device and covers up to 15 devices each for mobile, desktop, and Chrome. Its stated allowance is narrower than Professional's platform coverage, and the plan details do not describe additional support or TeamViewer licenses. Organizations needing more devices or a different service arrangement should seek custom pricing. A 30-day trial is offered.

Platforms

FileWave supports Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Android, and ChromeOS. It manages desktops, laptops, mobile devices, tablets, Apple TV, and Chromebooks. Cloud hosting and installation on an organization's own servers offer deployment flexibility; the Professional plan's stated coverage names iOS, macOS, tvOS, Windows, Android, and ChromeOS.

Who it's for

FileWave is a stronger fit for organizations that need to enroll and manage several device types, distribute software, schedule patches, and report on compliance through one platform. Education, government, media, corporate, and finance teams are among its intended users. A small organization looking only for a generous free allowance may be better served elsewhere: the Community Edition's limits are strict, and paid pricing is per device.

Pros and cons

Pro: Enrollment, software delivery, patching, policy management, and compliance reporting cover a broad set of endpoint administration needs in one product.
Pro: Cloud and self-hosted deployment let organizations choose how to run the platform.
Pro: Fileset file-level changes, revision testing, and rollback options give administrators control over deployment changes.
Con: The free edition's separate device caps and lack of included support or TeamViewer licenses limit its usefulness beyond small fleets.
Con: Professional and Community pricing is quoted per device without a stated billing period, making cost planning less straightforward from the starting price alone.

Alternatives

For a larger free device allowance, consider ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus: its free edition is described as a fully featured Professional edition for up to 25 devices, compared with FileWave's separate 15-device caps. Fleet is an alternative if public source code and a free version that its maker says will always remain free are priorities.

Relution offers a free plan for up to five devices, so it may suit a very small deployment. AppTec360 Enterprise Mobility Management is another freemium option. LogMeIn Resolve IT Asset Management is an alternative for readers comparing freemium products.

SureAsset is a free option that includes hardware and software license tracking and API access and automation. Zentral offers a €3 per device per month SaaS plan with support, Zentral Core, Santa, and Exception Portal. Mosyle Manager offers a free plan with no device-count limit, configured for either iOS/iPadOS or macOS.

Readers comparing categories can also browse Mac Management Software, Unified Endpoint Management Software, Mobile Device Management Software, and Application Deployment Software.

Verdict

Choose FileWave if your organization needs cross-platform enrollment, deployment, patching, and compliance reporting with a cloud or self-hosted option. Its breadth and Fileset controls are the central case for it. Look elsewhere if a substantial free allowance or predictable cost from a clearly stated billing term matters more: its free edition is capped, and paid plans start at a per-device price without a billing period stated.

	FileWave	Ninite Pro
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, extension, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows	Web, Windows
Free plan	No	No
Paid from	—	1 /mo
Third-party app patching	—	Yes
Device limit	—	20 devices

FileWave vs Ninite Pro

FileWave

Ninite Pro