Smplify vs. Traditional MDM
The Core Difference
Traditional MDM Tools
- Console-first, built for IT admins
- Predefined workflows and reports
- Great for internal device management
- Not designed for embedding
- Customers see their UI, not yours
- Requires their agent on endpoints
Smplify MDM Infrastructure
- API-first, built for developers
- Agentless — no conflicts with your stack
- Multi-tenant with enterprise RBAC
- Designed to embed in your product
- Your UI, your workflows, your brand
- Usage-based pricing that scales with you
The Real Comparison
| Smplify (MDM Platform) | Build MDM In-House | Open-Source MDM | Traditional MDM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Who it's for | Platforms embedding MDM | Devs building MDM | Devs extending open-source | IT teams |
What you ship | Your UI, powered by Smplify | Your UI on your engine | Your UI on their engine | Their UI and workflows |
Time to market | Weeks | 12 to 24 months | Months to years | Fast for end users only |
Maintenance | We handle infra & all MDM changes | You maintain everything | You own infra + project updates | Provider defines roadmap |
Scale | Multi-tenant by design | Depends on your team | Depends on extensions | Per customer, not embeddable |
Customer control | You own the experience | You own the experience | You own the experience | Provider owns the experience |
Total cost | Predictable usage pricing | Very high | Medium to high | Limits your pricing options |
Biggest risk | Not offering MDM early | Underestimating scope | Hitting scale limits | Losing roadmap control |
Your Alternatives Without Smplify
If you want MDM capabilities in your platform, you have three options:
1. Build MDM In-House: 12-24 months to MVP. Ongoing maintenance burden. Apple/Microsoft spec changes require constant updates.
2. Use Open-Source MDM: Good for prototypes. Missing enterprise features, multi-tenancy, and scale. Smplify replaces all three.
3. Bolt on a Traditional MDM: Your customers see two UIs. You lose account control. Their roadmap, not yours.
When Traditional MDM Makes Sense
Buy a standalone MDM tool if you're:
- An internal IT team managing your own company's devices
- Looking for a console, not an API
- Not building a platform product
- Not offering MDM to customers
Smplify is for platform builders who want to offer MDM, not teams who want to use MDM.
Traditional MDM helps IT teams manage devices. Smplify helps platforms offer device management.
Ready to Embed MDM?
Smplify is API-first MDM infrastructure for platform builders.
Apple MDM today. Windows, Android/ChromeOS, Linux coming soon. Agentless. Multi-tenant. Enterprise RBAC. SOC 2 Type II in progress.