How much does Apple MDM cost? Licences, set-up and operations

The three cost blocks

• Licences: monthly per device, usually billed annually with minimums.
• Set-up: one-off. Apple Business, identity provider, profiles, apps, security policies and a pilot phase.
• Operations: ongoing. Approving updates, packaging new apps, onboarding and offboarding, reports and support.

List prices of common solutions

The prices below come from the vendors’ websites or, where none are published, from third-party sources. They are in US dollars excluding VAT, as of October 2026. Always request a current quote before deciding.

Costs that are often forgotten

• Minimums: with a 30-licence minimum, a team with 15 devices still pays for 30.
• Endpoint protection: if your bundle has no antivirus or EDR, a second licence comes on top.
• Your own people’s time: when someone does IT on the side, that working time is rarely counted.
• Switching cost: changing MDM later takes project time. Since macOS, iOS and iPadOS 26 it works without wiping, but not without planning.
• Audits: ISO 27001 or TISAX® need reports. If your MDM lacks them, you do the work manually.

Example: 20 Macs and 20 iPhones

A team with 20 Macs and 20 iPhones, calculated with the list prices above:

Set-up and operations come on top. Set-up is a one-off project whose scope depends on existing accounts, apps and security requirements; operations are ongoing. Ask for a quote with a clearly described scope rather than comparing licence prices only.

Which option pays off when

• Up to about 10 devices, no evidence requirements: the built-in management in Apple Business can be enough.
• Growing teams with security requirements: a dedicated MDM with reporting pays off, often through the time it saves alone.
• Audits and regulated industries: bundles with security, patch management and evidence save effort for ISO 27001, TISAX® and NIS2.

For a detailed feature comparison, see our Mosyle vs. Jamf vs. Iru comparison.