Faronics Deep Freeze vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

Faronics and Quest Software are both solutions in the Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) category. Faronics is ranked #20, while Quest Software is ranked #10 with an average rating of 10.0. Faronics holds a 1.5% mindshare in UEM, compared to Quest Software’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Faronics users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 1, 2026

Faronics Deep Freeze and KACE Systems Management Appliance compete in systems management. KACE SMA appears to have the upper hand due to its enhanced feature set and overall value.

Features: Faronics Deep Freeze focuses on preserving computer configurations, ensuring system integrity, and reducing IT support incidents. KACE SMA offers inventory management, patching, and asset tracking, providing comprehensive systems management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Faronics Deep Freeze has a straightforward installation process, minimizing downtime. KACE SMA provides a cloud-based deployment option for scalability and simplified management. Both offer dependable customer support, yet KACE SMA is perceived better due to its broader functionality.

Pricing and ROI: Faronics Deep Freeze offers a lower initial investment with quick ROI through reduced support costs and downtime. KACE SMA involves a higher setup cost but is considered a worthy investment due to its long-term efficiency and value through comprehensive management capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

March 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 26.0%, down from 33.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Faronics Deep Freeze is 1.5%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 2.2%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Intune	26.0%
KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)	2.2%
Faronics Deep Freeze	1.5%
Other	70.3%

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

Featured Reviews

AkashKamble

Sr MacOS specialist engineer at Cyber24

Enables management of multiple operating systems with a single license

The best feature is that it's a Microsoft product, so if anything goes wrong, we get quick support for anything required. Remote system functionality allows us to sit anywhere and take control of any device via remote management. We can enhance security for clients' laptops with built-in Microsoft Defender, which is available with the Microsoft Intune license. We use it for reporting purposes through endpoint analytics. When pushing scripting, there are two types available: remediation script and reservation script. Through endpoint analytics, you can push defender policies to clients. It helps with reporting, inventory updates, and monitoring tenant status health.

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Salahuddin Dalhatu

IT Operations Officer (SCOPE) at United Nations World Food Programme

Allows us to revert to an optimal system state. I would like to see a faster Google Drive Sync.

* Deep Freeze: Ensures that I can maintain a baseline of an optimal system state where performance and system security are guaranteed. No matter how long a computer is in use, it will always revert to that same condition. * Data Igloo: Has been an important feature for me because on a frozen computer, the user's files and folders would have been redirected to the ThawSpace, thereby avoiding data loss upon a system restart. Users no longer have to worry when saving their files naturally to the Documents, Pictures, Music, Video, or Downloads folders or when manually saving their files to other locations. Data Igloo has been configured to handle all that.

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AdityaJain

Security Administrator at EbixCash

Centralized software deployment has simplified endpoint control but needs stronger security alerts

What I like best about KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is that it allows pushing custom-made applications to all computers that have KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) endpoint installed. This makes it easier for the organization to push patches and updates. If I need to push EDR updates, I can use KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA), as it automatically updates the EDR on that endpoint, and that is a great feature. Overall, KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) helps streamline my processes by allowing me to check the uptime and downtime of machines, whether they are connected to the internet or not, and how long a machine has been switched off. I can also gather hardware details and software inventory from it. I can show a live demonstration if a video conference can be arranged. Incident resolution capabilities with KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) have improved operational efficiency for system administrators, as it makes it easier to track machines with KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA), gather their IP addresses, and push several updates, patches, or software deployments at once. I can design compliances as per my requirements, such as ensuring passwords are reset after 45 days.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature for us is the security, including risk analysis and patch management."

"Microsoft Intune brings all our endpoint and security management tools into one place, acting as a comprehensive solution where we can manage numerous devices and configuration profiles, and block specific URLs, among many other capabilities."

"Microsoft Intune is a must and should be needed for this time, for this hybrid model period, and I highly recommend this product for employees, education institutions, or device management."

"Intune device restriction policies enable me to enforce limitations on the device, like blocking the mobile camera or restricting the employees from using and inserting USB devices, including thumb drives and flash drives."

"The mobile application management, MAM, is the most useful aspect of the solution."

"Intune has automated the deployment of patches and applications, which is more efficient and easier. It allows us to deploy applications, packages, Windows updates, and security updates like BitLocker encryption more efficiently and easily."

"The solution is easy to use and it has good performance."

"Intune's feature that I have found most valuable is its auto-pilot feature."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"The technical support is excellent, as they are persistent and thorough with their investigations, extremely polite and patient, and they keep me regularly updated on progress and tentative resolution schedules."

"It has also increased the team's productivity, we've been able to create standards where we know that no matter what type of laptop it is, we can image it the same way, it has the same setup for every user, we know we can guarantee that everybody across the state is running the same version of Microsoft Office or products like that, and it has made it to where we are efficient across the board from high-level VP level down to standard user level."

"Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten."

"I like how when you click on the device, it shows you everything that has changed as well as the software versioning. I am really enjoying the inventory aspect of it."

"The KACE SMA has helped make our endpoint team work more agilely, efficiently, and productively."

"It is excellent in terms of updating and configuring everything the way we need. For anything more complex, we do professional service engagements, and they're exceptional. For anything less complex, we just need to ask questions. Their support division is extremely good too."

"For what I use it for, the solution provides a single pane of glass with everything I need for endpoint management of all devices."

"This product made the job easy to do without having to go put hands on the machines."

"There is ease of use, and its pricing was a driving factor."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"The reporting could be improved, as it's pretty poor compared to other products of this type."

"It should be easier to define policies and comply with those policies."

"An issue we have run into with Microsoft Endpoint Manager is that we cannot patch third-party products like Adobe and Chrome with it."

"We only have major classifications for iOS and Android, but there are different brands that have different cycles of updates. If they can fine-tune it to make it more brand-specific, that would be even better."

"My whole team is saying that they would rate technical support a three or four out of ten."

"For additional functionality, I suggest that Microsoft could expand on asset management. Since the platform is there, they could develop it into a full-fledged asset management system."

"Onboarding of endpoint devices is not straightforward. The onboarding process was a little heavier than I thought it would be. That's the key improvement area. Obviously, the more control you have over the devices, the better it is."

"Microsoft Intune lags market leaders, such as Apperian, in its MAM capabilities."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"There were infinite reboot loops on some computers, especially during maintenance updates."

"What could be improved is the possibility to use replicas in a secure way outside our network in order to maintain the machines that never connect to our corporate network."

"It took a little bit of time to figure out how to use the KACE Service Desk. I like the way that I'm able to customize it. But when it comes to how our techs are able to use it, it's not as functional as our current solution, which is BMC FootPrints Service Desk."

"There should be a mini toolbox, like the competitors of KACE have, with the small features for KACE administrators."

"I think it should have the ability to have the applications automatically update. It would be really helpful if this would override what the user might choose to do."

"My biggest complaint is that almost every time they send out a new version, it fixes something and breaks another."

"The solution needs to have the ability to push out managed feature updates from Microsoft in a more seamless way."

"The only pain point I have is with their salespeople. They call too often."

"We had issues with the tool's support. We are a Dutch firm and everything has to be in Dutch. We were not able to do the alerts. You were required to tweak them a lot to get them in the language that you preferred. The solution's support depended on the person that you got online. Sometimes, the response was fast and other times you needed to wait a long time. The support also depended on the levels of support that you had requested."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We don't get Intune as a separate module. Most of the time, we use it within an enterprise agreement like E3 or E5. Those licenses are at a good price, but what is annoying is that every single year they go higher."

"The E5 license is expensive."

"The licensing is on a yearly basis."

"Microsoft Intune is available for individual purchase at a low per-device cost."

"Our enterprise agreement includes Microsoft Intune at no additional cost."

"All security solutions worldwide are expensive. Microsoft has allowed a small scale of features within Microsoft Intune for cost-efficient solutions. If you want the full suite, you need to invest more to gain better security features."

"It's a bit expensive from a licensing perspective, especially as we look to have organizations with tenants across the globe."

"With our standard E5 agreement with Microsoft, there have been no pricing concerns. Introductory professional services, like a fast-track service, were included with our E5 membership, and there have been no additional costs."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"We are a university. So, we have a very good price for the system. I think the price for the system is worth it because of the security patch management. The security patch management is very important for us. The price is very good for KACE SMA, the functionality you get, and the patch management."

"The cost of KACE has been relatively low compared to other systems. Even if those systems have the same cost, they do not do as much of the third-party patching that KACE natively does."

"We pay annually for technical support."

"Its pricing model is good for what it offers. Nobody here gives me a hard time about renewing the contract every year. It might be a little cost prohibitive for a smaller company who has to stand up a virtual environment as well as have virtual environment licensing and the hardware. If you have a smaller environment, it might be cost prohibitive. If you only have a couple of hundred computers, you might be more willing to do those manually. In our environment, the cost savings of having KACE far outweigh the licensing costs. We are okay with its pricing model."

"It may be more expensive, but you get what you pay for."

"Licensing is very straightforward. They don't overcomplicate it. This is not a Cisco product where you have to have 30 different licenses just to open the box. It's pretty much set-and-forget. You pay an annual license... The cost is in the mid to upper range, but the ROI exceeds the outside cost, especially once you've had the system for a while."

"We need it, so we have to pay the price. It is what it is. If you need a gallon of milk, then you have to pay the price for it. You don't want to buy the cheap stuff. You want to buy the stuff that is organic and good for your body, which doesn't have all this other junk in it. You want it clean for your body. Quest has done that for our deployment and management systems."

"It was a very attractive price. This is a huge feature of this product. If you would "credit score" this product versus others out there on the market, this one has a very attractive price."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

University

19%

Government

14%

Computer Software Company

12%

Educational Organization

10%

University

11%

Non Profit

Government

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	124
Midsize Enterprise	54
Large Enterprise	167

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	16

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Quest KACE Systems Management?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is that, hand...

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What needs improvement with Quest KACE Systems Management?

I wish Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) would have a top-down approach since we use orgs; currently, we ...

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My main use case for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is to deploy applications and maintain security, a...

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Intune

March 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

March 2026

Download Faronics Deep Freeze product report

Buyer's Guide

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

March 2026

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

Download KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

No data available

Dell KACE Systems Management

Overview

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service designed for device management, security, and compliance. It supports automation and facilitates endpoint management for Windows, iOS, and Android devices, ensuring data protection and efficient policy enforcement.

Microsoft Intune offers seamless integration with tools like Windows Autopilot to automate device setup and deployment. Integrated with Azure Active Directory, it enhances policy management while providing robust reporting and analytics tools for compliance tracking. Despite its intuitive interface aimed at simplifying navigation and device security management, there are challenges such as compatibility issues with Linux and Mac, limited policy support for Android, and demands for better third-party integration. It's widely used for both corporate-owned devices and BYOD scenarios in dynamic IT environments.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Windows Autopilot: Automates device setup for rapid deployment.
Azure Active Directory Integration: Enhances user policy management.
Reporting and Analytics: Improves compliance visibility.
Mobile Application Management: Ensures app security without compromising personal data.
Cloud-Based Management: Allows management from any location.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Time Efficiency: Automation reduces time in policy enforcement and configuration updates.
Enhanced Security: Ensures data protection across corporate-owned and BYOD devices.
Improved Compliance: Advanced reporting tools enhance compliance visibility.
Flexible Management: Cloud-based nature supports management from any location.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure data protection and compliance with regulatory standards. Manufacturing sectors utilize Intune for managing a distributed workforce across global locations, while educational institutions employ it to secure and manage devices in learning environments supporting both students and faculty.

Microsoft

Deep Freeze boosts user productivity by offering 100% workstation availability.

Install Deep Freeze and let users solve their own problems with the simple push of the restore button. It’s that easy!

Whether you need to protect thousands of workstations across your enterprise or just that one PC at home, Deep Freeze is right for the job. Are you running Windows and Mac computers? No problem, we’ve got both covered. And Deep Freeze is also ready to protect your servers giving you 100% availability

Faronics

KACE Systems Management Appliance offers integration capabilities, efficient image deployment, and comprehensive asset management. It supports centralized management across diverse devices and locations, simplifying IT processes and enhancing security.

KACE Systems Management Appliance provides single-pane visibility for endpoint management, mass software deployment, automated patch management, robust scripting, and detailed inventory tracking. It streamlines IT management and improves cyber-security compliance through remote software updates and centralized IT request handling. Despite struggles with scalability and the need for interface improvements, it enables efficient device imaging, script automation, and network management through detailed reporting. Organizations find it effective for software deployment, asset management, and endpoint monitoring, serving thousands of IoT devices and desktops.

What are the key features of KACE Systems Management Appliance?

Integration capabilities: Seamlessly connects with existing IT systems.
Efficient image deployment: Facilitates quick and effective distribution of system images.
Comprehensive asset management: Provides detailed tracking and management of IT assets.
User-friendly helpdesk: Simplifies handling IT requests and issues.
Automated patch management: Ensures devices are up-to-date with security patches.
Robust scripting: Allows for automation of complex IT tasks.
Detailed inventory tracking: Maintains accurate records of all IT assets.

What benefits should users expect from KACE Systems Management Appliance?

Simplified IT processes: Centralized management enhances operational efficiency.
Improved security: Streamlines cyber-security compliance through automated updates.
Flexibility in customizations: Adapts to specific IT environment needs.
Increased productivity: Efficient ticketing and reporting ease organizational operations.
Remote software updates: Ensures all devices are current, reducing security risks.

In healthcare, KACE Systems Management Appliance is used for maintaining device compliance and security standards. Educational institutions benefit from its capabilities to manage large numbers of endpoints across campuses. In finance, it aids in strict compliance requirements through automated patch management and detailed reporting. Retail sectors leverage its asset management features to streamline operations across numerous locations.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Bath Academy, Uk, Coleraine Primary School 2118, Australia

Waypoint, Mattos Filho, Meetic, Gems Education, Green Clinic HealthSystem, Service King

Buyer's Guide

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

March 2026

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