5 Best Desktop Management Software Options in 2024

In an era characterized by unceasing technological evolution, current technology becomes obsolete in the blink of an eye. As modern desktops are also powerful computing devices, developers worldwide are in a constant race to come up with new features and updates to stay ahead and, more importantly, relevant in the market. This poses a huge challenge for IT managers in charge of a large fleet of desktops and other IT asset management requirements. Software deployment or OS patching on a few PCs is a time-consuming yet doable task, but doing the same for 100s of desktops requires colossal manual effort.

To alleviate this burden, market players are developing versatile desktop management software. Desktop management software acts as a comprehensive management tool for a large fleet of desktops and computer systems. It provides an intuitive platform for IT managers to upgrade and track the activity of all desktops. This allows the systems to be up-to-date on all productivity and security fronts.

This article lists the most popular desktop management solutions available in 2024.

Top Desktop Management Software in 2024

1. Scalefusion

Scalefusion provides a one-stop UEM solution for SMBs and large enterprises to manage and secure their device fleet. It offers robust desktop management software with remote access and remote management, which works efficiently for laptops as well. Whether you want to push updates to 15 desktops or 500, Scalefusion can do it from a single platform and in a few steps. Its proactive remote desktop software allows you to automate periodic maintenance tasks and gives a bird’s eye view of all desktops. It provides multiple layers of security and addresses desktop vulnerabilities with precision and speed.

Key Features:

• Automated patch management
• Scalefusion Deployer
• BitLocker and FileVault encryption
• ITSM integrations like JIRA & FreshService
• AirDrop restrictions
• Peripheral control
• PowerShell and macOS shell scripting integration
• Access restrictions
• Selective user-data retention

Pros:

• Compatible with Windows and macOS
• Enables Mac and Windows device-sharing between employees by automatically configuring devices based on logged-in users
• Multiple enrollment methods, including Zero-touch
• Simplifies certificate management for all devices
• Cost-effective software

Cons:

• Doesn’t support ChromeOS
• Desktop management comes as a bundled feature

Pricing:

• Plans start at $2 per device per month (billed annually)
• 14-day free trial is available

2. ManageEngine Desktop Central

Desktop Central, also called Endpoint Central, is a flexible solution developed by ManageEngine, the IT management division of Zoho Corp. It enables companies to control their IT assets and ensure security compliance remotely. It protects organizational data, applications, and desktops from spam, viruses, and other malware threats. Desktop Central is specially designed for administrators to gain complete visibility of their IT infrastructure, provide access to remote desktops, and enhance operational productivity.

Key Features:

• Automated patching
• Threat detection and remediation
• Browser security
• Role-based application access
• Data encryption using BitLocker and FileVault
• Asset monitoring
• License and warranty maintenance

Pros:

• Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Effective third-party patching
• Periodic vulnerability analysis improves security
• Centralized application deployment and uninstallation reduce repetitive manual work

Cons:

• Documentation can be confusing
• Can’t create custom groups of devices
• Patch management sometimes identifies unneeded patches for desktops

Pricing:

• Customized quotes are available on request on the website
• 30-day free trial is available

3. Microsoft Intune

One of the most widely used solutions for desktop management is Microsoft’s cloud-based Intune Suite. The Intune Suite hosts multiple products that ease the work of IT managers, reduce risks related to desktop security, and increase efficiency. It offers AI-enabled analytics to track the usage and condition of desktops. Additionally, it provides cost-effective licensing, which helps organizations improve desktop performance. The Intune software enables admins to keep device defenses up-to-date using built-in security policies.

Key Features:

• Enterprise application management
• Access management
• Built-in endpoint security
• Cloud-based helpdesk
• Desktop analytics
• Software update automation

Pros:

• Data protection
• No need for an on-premises server as it is cloud-based
• Good integration with native Windows features

Cons:

• Update delays in the subsystems
• Doesn’t support server-side applications
• Frequent changes in the console menu spark confusion
• Clunky re-enrollment process

Pricing:

• Intune comes bundled with other Microsoft features
• Add-ons of a few premium features to the basic plan are available
• 30-day free trial with 100 user licenses

4. Hexnode UEM

Hexnode is an enterprise-level unified endpoint management solution by Mitsogo Inc. Organizations in over 100 countries use Hexnode to automate the management and monitoring of their endpoints. The UEM solution has wide-ranging features and capabilities that make it suitable for companies with large and diverse device fleets. Under its UEM solution, Hexnode offers flexible and effective desktop management software.

Key Features:

• Zero-touch enrollment
• Device encryption
• Desktop customization
• User-account auditing
• Access management
• Kiosk mode
• Multi-factor authentication

Pros:

• Good setup for remote troubleshooting
• Cost-effective
• Responsive sales and support team

Cons:

• Occasional bugs in the Windows solution
• No automated enrollment option for Windows
• Groups cannot be nested
• Steep pricing for enterprise-level features

Pricing:

• The basic plan starts from $1.08 per device per month.
• 14-day free trial is available

5. Jamf

Jamf is an Apple device and endpoint management provider. It has been empowering organizations to succeed with their Apple devices for over 20 years. The Jamf team creates customized features that improve the management and productivity of macOS systems. IT professionals can easily monitor hardware, software, security, and the overall health of macOS devices through Jamf’s intuitive interface.

Key features:

• Identity and access management
• Threat prevention and remediation
• App access control
• Content filtering and safe internet
• Streamlined Apple OS upgrades and updates
• Inventory tracking and management

Pros:

• Context-aware access policies
• Clean and user-friendly interface
• Specially designed features for macOS management

Cons:

• Currently only supports iOS and macOS
• Software updates could use some improvement
• No prebuilt workflows or scripts

Pricing:

• The basic Business plan starts from $4 per device per month
• The basic Education-specific plan starts from $9 per device per month
• Free trial is available

Advantages of Desktop Management Software for Your Business Endpoints

Improves desktop security — Desktop management software enables IT managers to control access to apps, websites, and functions on on-premise and remote desktop computers. This increases protection by minimizing user exposure to unauthorized internet assets, malware, and exploit kits. Moreover, desktop management software automates patch management, a process of applying software or firmware updates to eliminate security vulnerabilities in the desktop and boost performance. It also provides data encryption and security features to protect sensitive data.

Maintains and Optimizes IT assets — It allows admins to track and store all hardware, software, and usage-related information of desktops on one platform. If desktops are running slow, they can troubleshoot remotely or deploy necessary software or OS updates from a single interface. Desktop management software ensures that desktops within an organization operate at maximum efficiency by keeping them up-to-date.

Reduces costs and saves time — Desktop management solutions automate key maintenance tasks and help organizations save time and cost. Desktop management eliminates the need for IT admins to go to each desktop to deploy updates and allows them to focus on other important tasks. By minimizing manual effort, organizations save on labor costs. Automating repetitive tasks also reduces the scope for errors and minimizes the time and resources required for corrections.

Choose the Right Desktop Management Software

As organizations scale, the number of IT assets and their usage grows as well. After a point, manually managing both becomes next to impossible. This underscores the need for an extensive software solution to monitor and control the IT infrastructure from a unified platform. The case is similar when it comes to desktops and their hardware and software. An exhaustive desktop management software helps IT managers manage, secure, and update desktops faster. It is a critical investment for an organization, which allows them to save on two invaluable business resources — time and money.

There are several holistic desktop management options in the market. We would urge you to carefully assess the requirements of your organization and select the most suitable, cost-effective, and feature-rich solution. You can opt for software that is user-friendly and allows a thorough free trial to understand its capabilities and compatibility with your business environment.