Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

Ivanti and Quest Software are both solutions in the Patch Management category. Ivanti is ranked #15 with an average rating of 7.5, while Quest Software is ranked #10 with an average rating of 10.0. Ivanti holds a 2.2% mindshare in PM, compared to Quest Software’s 4.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Ivanti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint M...

Read 4 Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager reviews

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439 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

KACE Systems Management App...

Read 39 KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) reviews

2,684 Views
1,530 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint M...

KACE Systems Management App...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 19, 2025

KACE Systems Management Appliance SMA and Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager are competing in IT management tools. Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager has the upper hand due to its robust features, although customers prefer KACE SMA pricing.

Features: KACE SMA offers comprehensive asset management, automated patching, and deployment capabilities for efficient IT management. Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager is known for its focused patch management, integration with broader Ivanti solutions, and advanced patching options, prioritizing security and efficiency.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: KACE SMA is recognized for its straightforward deployment process and responsive support, facilitating diverse environment implementation. Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager offers complex integrations with possible deployment challenges but compensates with specialized assistance and support quality. The simplicity in KACE SMA’s deployment gives it an advantage, though Ivanti's service is commendable.

Pricing and ROI: KACE SMA is distinguished by competitive pricing and high ROI, attracting budget-conscious organizations. Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager may have a higher setup cost, which is justified by its extensive feature set. KACE SMA provides a cost-effective solution, while Ivanti offers a premium experience with significant returns due to comprehensive capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

July 2025

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Helped 865,384 peers since 2012

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

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint M...

Ranking in Patch Management

15th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

KACE Systems Management App...

Ranking in Patch Management

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Client Desktop Management (3rd), Endpoint Compliance (8th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (12th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager is 2.2%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 4.3%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

PraveenRajan

Director of Infrastructure at Elevate Services

Smoothly handles software patching and scheduling, enabling monthly patch distribution across multiple projects

We face some challenges, particularly with non-domain-joined macOS devices. Patching, updating, and syncing with the server can be tricky for them. So, the major challenges are macOS updates, patching, and backups. And for drawbacks, I wish Patch management was cloud-based instead of hosted on our own server. If Ivanti Patch had a cloud-based option instead of requiring an on-premises server and software. Hosting it in the cloud would simplify management, eliminating dependence on VPNs or other connectivity issues. Similar to Microsoft's EMS licensing, offering a cloud-based solution like Azure Active Directory or Endpoint Management Suite (EMS) would be ideal. EMS allows us to manage policies, batching, and software distribution entirely through the cloud, minimizing server downloads. If Ivanti considered a cloud-based approach, it would be hugely beneficial in today's hybrid work environment, where employees use desktops, laptops, and various locations. It's not just about patching office PCs anymore; mobile workers and backups need seamless access as well. Cloud-based patching would be much easier in a hybrid environment. Imagine updates coming directly from the cloud instead of relying on individual VPN connections. It would streamline the entire process.

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Scott Tweed

Windows Engineer at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Low maintenance, reliable, and easy to create packages

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 deployment process for both deploying and creating a package is straightforward. I believe the inventory in KACE is superior to SCCM's. I know with SCCM I could do things like remote console into machines via the agent's remote console, but that is not a feature that is provided in KACE. I know that at least in the Systems Management Appliance, I can't get to it. I'm not sure how distribution works, with distribution points. I'm not sure if KACE has that feature. You could use an SCCM to set up distribution points at remote sites so that they don't have to download patches or software from across the country. If you have a DP or something similar, they could pull it down.

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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

"It's been doing a lot for us, especially with third-party software patching and scheduling. We create multiple projects for monthly patch distribution and manage it all well."

"Clear visibility regarding the status of the endpoint."

"When it comes to Ivanti Patch for endpoints, I find peer-to-peer patching valuable. Having a peer-to-peer patching capability is highly beneficial for us."

"The product is easy to use, easy to implement, and easy to manage."

"The most valuable feature is the imaging of computers through the SDA... Being able to do that so quickly with the SDA, and to then use the SMA for reinstalling software, has been huge for our productivity."

"We have our KACE agent deployed on all of our workstations and servers, and it provides us with reports on the hardware and software inventory for those."

"When vulnerabilities are exploited so much, it is nice to be able to quickly detect or deploy what is needed within our off-work hours or during work hours without a reboot."

"The information available via KACE is up to date, critical to our normal operations, and has become the go-to tool of our IT teams for extended support."

"Patching is definitely the most valuable feature. It gives us good, centralized software, which comes in very handy since we are doing 400 servers at a time. It enables us to manage all the servers, and to deal with the application team regarding reboots and scheduling."

"The scripting is a very valuable feature, as it saves us time on pushing certain things out to the users, such as software and patches."

"We use the Systems Deployment appliance. It's our bread and butter. It is every machine that gets imaged here in this building and out through the whole state goes through the SDA. We rely on it completely. There is no manual process of getting a laptop out of a box, plugging it up, turning it on, and waiting for Windows to start. If you were to go to Best Buy and buy a brand new laptop, you spend the next two to three hours just setting it up. We don't do that. We get a laptop, plug it into the network, connect it to the SDA, and within about three clicks, we're done."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to monitor updates—the software versions—on machines so that we can keep everything compliant."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"It would be great to have an easier way to patch Linux machines within the product."

"Inability to configure a rule-based management."

"The UI must be more user-friendly."

"The major challenges are macOS updates, patching, and backups. And for drawbacks, I wish Patch management was cloud-based instead of hosted on our own server."

"The labeling process should be more streamlined. It should be easier to do. It gets confusing at times."

"Its dashboard needs improvement. Currently, there is no way to modify the dashboard. There should be more flexibility so that we can create views according to our use case."

"The problem is that it's harder to directly emulate a lot of the stuff that the group policies do, using the KACE solution. With regular group policies, you just specify the various settings you want to change on the workstations, and then you specify the workstations and—while it's kind of an ugly mess—it does it. Whereas on KACE, you really have to know what you're doing with scripting to effectively script those exact same changes."

"There should be a mini toolbox, like the competitors of KACE have, with the small features for KACE administrators. That would make their lives easier. If you are troubleshooting a specific endpoint, remote control is available as is Wake-on-LAN. But if you want to execute some commands, you have to use a third-party tool, the PS tool. If they would integrate those small things, it would make KACE more powerful."

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

"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."

"I would like for there to be improvement when it comes to Microsoft and Windows updates. It has the ability to do it but the control of it is not there like I have in the Windows Server Update Services. The way KACE does it is still very granular. You don't really see the process like it is in the Windows Server Update Services. I think that would be one of the biggest things that I would like to see KACE really put some work into and really make that a big enhancement."

"I would like them to implement VBScript language in KACE Systems Management. Currently, we can only use PowerShell."

More KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In terms of pricing, it is on the expensive side."

"The pricing is fair."

"There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

"The product is reasonably priced."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Based on other solutions that we had implemented, its pricing seems to be quite competitive. It is not inexpensive, but it is also not more expensive than any other solution. They have the standard licensing fees and support fees."

"We buy consulting fees from Software Factory, then we pay extra for it."

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

University

12%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Ivanti Patch for Endpoints?

It's been doing a lot for us, especially with third-party software patching and scheduling. We create multiple projects for monthly patch distribution and manage it all well.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Ivanti Patch for Endpoints?

The UI must be more user-friendly.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Ivanti Patch for Endpoints?

We use the solution to patch Windows and Linux machines. We download the patches and implement them. We get vulnerability reports after patching.

See all answers

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, hands down, it beat all of the others in simplicity and pricing.

See all answers

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 have to go into each org to deploy applications when we need them all across the...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Quest KACE Systems Management?

My main use case for Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is to deploy applications and maintain security, and we use it day-to-day to handle those tasks. With Quest KACE Systems Managemen...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 28% of the time

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GFI LanGuard vs Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager

Compared 13% of the time

Vicarius vRx vs Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager

Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 32% of the time

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Compared 24% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 9% of the time

BigFix vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 8% of the time

NinjaOne vs KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager

August 2025

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager report

Download Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager product report

Buyer's Guide

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

August 2025

KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

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Also Known As

Ivanti Patch for Endpoints, Patch for Endpoints, Shavlik Patch for Endpoints

Dell KACE Systems Management

Overview

Patch for Endpoint Manager can swiftly detect vulnerabilities in Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and hundreds of third-party apps (Acrobat Flash/Reader, Java, Web browsers, and more) and deploy expertly pre-tested patches everywhere you need them.

Ivanti

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

InfoPro Digital, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District

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

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

July 2025

Free Report: Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs. KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

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