Apple MDM comparison for schools

At DigiCAPE we focus on Apple in education, so this comparison looks at how each MDM platform handles iPad and Mac in a school environment. The goal is to give you a clear, practical view of your options without the jargon.

Most schools that visit our site are planning for Apple first, but many also run some Windows devices or Chromebooks. If you have a mixed environment, we can still help you plan the right approach.

Scores are based on DigiCAPE’s internal 2025 MDM comparison across five areas: education and classroom tools, integration, device control, ease of use and cost.

Apple first iPad and Mac focused K–12 ready

At a glance: scores by platform

Use this table to see how each platform performs for Apple in education. Scores are out of 10 in each category and combined into an overall score out of 100.

Note: These scores focus on Apple use in schools. Ratings may look different if your priority is Windows or Android.

Platform Education & classroom
/10		 Integration
/10		 Device control
/10		 Ease of use
/10		 Cost & licensing
/10		 Total score
/100
Jamf School 10 9 9 10 10 96.5
Mosyle (Edu Premium) 9 9 9 9 10 92.0
Iru (formerly Kandji) 8 9 10 10 8 88.5
Hexnode UEM 8 9 9 9 9 87.0
Microsoft Intune for Education 7 8 7 7 9 75.5
Google Workspace (MDM) 5 8 5 9 10 70.5

Learn more about each option

Open the details for each platform to see how it performs in the five categories and where it might fit best in an Apple-focused school.

Jamf School Top pick

Total score: 96.5 / 100

  • Best fit for schools that are primarily Apple with strong classroom needs.
  • Deep integration with Apple School Manager and education workflows.
  • Pricing designed specifically for education.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Jamf Teacher, Student and Parent apps, Shared iPad, rich classroom controls and workflows built for teaching.
  • Integration: Strong with Apple School Manager and Microsoft Entra ID. Google Workspace integration covers key identity needs.
  • Device control: Robust iPad and Mac management with real-time commands and additional Mac agent for scripts and automation.
  • Ease of use: Admin console is designed for schools and is quick to learn for IT and tech-savvy educators.
  • Cost & licensing: Education-focused per-device pricing that includes most features in the core licence.

Mosyle (Edu Premium)

Total score: 92.0 / 100

  • Strong Apple-first feature set with sharp pricing for schools.
  • Good classroom tools and device control for iPad and Mac.
  • Free tier available with limits that works for some smaller deployments.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Classroom management, Safe Test Mode, Parent app and Apple School Manager support for rosters.
  • Integration: Connects to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 or Entra ID for users and groups.
  • Device control: Full Apple MDM plus a strong Mac agent with patching and security automations.
  • Ease of use: Modern admin UI. Slightly busier than Jamf School but still clear and structured.
  • Cost & licensing: Very competitive per-device pricing for education, including optional free tier.

Iru (formerly Kandji)

Total score: 88.5 / 100

  • Enterprise-grade Apple management with strong compliance tooling.
  • Good choice where Apple is central but compliance is a major driver.
  • Higher price point than education-only tools.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Supports Apple School Manager and Classroom but has no dedicated teacher-facing app like Jamf School.
  • Integration: Strong ties to Entra ID, Google Workspace and identity providers such as Okta.
  • Device control: Continuous compliance agent, rich automation and app lifecycle management for Mac and iPad.
  • Ease of use: Highly polished admin experience with guided setup and clear policies.
  • Cost & licensing: Premium per-device pricing more suited to complex or enterprise-style environments.

Hexnode UEM

Total score: 87.0 / 100

  • Good all-rounder for schools with Apple plus other platforms.
  • Supports iPad, Mac, Windows and Android in one console.
  • Useful where cross-platform is a must but Apple remains important.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Works with Apple Classroom and Shared iPad plus web filtering and kiosk modes.
  • Integration: Integrates with Entra ID and Google Workspace for identity and group-based policies.
  • Device control: Solid Apple MDM plus cross-platform features like remote view for some platforms.
  • Ease of use: Clear, functional console that scales reasonably well as you add more device types.
  • Cost & licensing: Tiered plans with good value for mixed Apple plus Windows environments.

Microsoft Intune for Education

Total score: 75.5 / 100

  • Works well where Microsoft 365 is already central to the school.
  • Stronger on Windows, provides basic iPad management.
  • Often included in existing Microsoft licences.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Supports basic Apple Classroom scenarios but is not a dedicated Apple teaching tool.
  • Integration: Deep integration with Entra ID, Teams, School Data Sync and Microsoft 365.
  • Device control: Solid compliance and configuration for iPad, but less depth for Apple-specific classroom features.
  • Ease of use: Education portal helps, but it still feels more enterprise than K–12 focused.
  • Cost & licensing: Often bundled in A3 or A5 licences, so incremental cost can be low if you already own those.

Google Workspace (MDM)

Total score: 70.5 / 100

  • Basic iOS management built into Workspace, strongest on Chromebooks.
  • Useful if Google Workspace is already the core platform and you only need light Apple control.
  • Good starting point, often replaced later by a richer Apple MDM.
View details by category
  • Education & classroom: Focus stays on Google Classroom and Chromebooks. Apple support is limited compared to Jamf or Mosyle.
  • Integration: Tight integration with Google Workspace accounts and groups, but less focus on Apple-specific workflows.
  • Device control: Covers core iOS MDM settings but lacks deeper Apple controls and teaching tools.
  • Ease of use: Familiar for admins already working inside the Google Admin console.
  • Cost & licensing: Included in many paid Workspace editions which keeps direct MDM cost low.

Running more than just Apple devices?

While this comparison is Apple first, many schools run a mix of iPad, Mac, Windows devices and sometimes Chromebooks. The right choice might be a combination of tools or a phased plan.

  • Decide where an Apple-only MDM makes sense and where a cross-platform tool is better.
  • Align MDM with your identity system, whether that is Google Workspace or Microsoft Entra ID.
  • Plan a gradual shift toward a more Apple-focused environment if that fits your vision.

Talk to our education team