NanoMDM vs Zentral
A minimalist Apple MDM server and Go library. A control plane for managing and monitoring Apple devices. Compare the capabilities you need, then check hosting, licensing and maintenance.
| Attribute | NanoMDM | Zentral |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A minimalist Apple MDM server and Go library. | A control plane for managing and monitoring Apple devices. |
| Documented capabilities | Apple MDM check-in and command handling, Raw Plist command API, filekv, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and in-memory storage, Usable as a library | Apple MDM with declarative device management, FileVault key escrow, Munki, osquery, and Santa integration, Blueprints scoped to devices by tag |
| Best-fit workflow | Teams that build and run their own Apple MDM stack. | Security teams that manage Apple fleets with osquery, Munki, or Santa. |
| Check before choosing | SCEP, TLS, enrollment profiles, DEP API access, and VPP are not included. Plan those parts before you enroll a device. | Files in the ee directory are under the Zentral Pro Evaluation License and need a commercial agreement for production use. |
| Deployment options | Prebuilt binaries, Docker container | Docker Compose, Terraform provider |
| GitHub stars | 681 | 886 |
| License | MIT | Custom |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Docker noted | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud / hosted | Not recorded | Yes |
| Primary language | Go | Python |
| Last commit | 2026-10-05 | 2026-10-09 |
| Difficulty | Advanced | Advanced |
| Content source | Editorial catalog entry | Editorial catalog entry |
| Metadata checked | Check the current repository | Check the current repository |
| Forks | 107 | 91 |
| Star growth | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Alternative to | Not recorded | Not recorded |
This comparison uses recorded capabilities, not hands-on performance tests. A capability missing from one record does not mean that product lacks it. Confirm edition, version and current pricing in the official documentation.
When to consider NanoMDM
Teams that build and run their own Apple MDM stack.
SCEP, TLS, enrollment profiles, DEP API access, and VPP are not included. Plan those parts before you enroll a device.
NanoMDM documentation and sourceWhen to consider Zentral
Security teams that manage Apple fleets with osquery, Munki, or Santa.
Files in the ee directory are under the Zentral Pro Evaluation License and need a commercial agreement for production use.
Zentral documentation and sourceNanoMDM vs Zentral questions
- What is NanoMDM?
- A minimalist Apple MDM server and Go library.
- What is Zentral?
- A control plane for managing and monitoring Apple devices.
- Can you self-host NanoMDM and Zentral?
- Both can be self-hosted.
- What licenses do NanoMDM and Zentral use?
- NanoMDM uses the MIT license. Zentral uses a custom license.
- Which has more GitHub stars, NanoMDM or Zentral?
- Zentral has 886 stars and NanoMDM has 681. Stars show attention; check recent commits and releases for maintenance.
- What languages are NanoMDM and Zentral written in?
- NanoMDM is mainly written in Go. Zentral is mainly written in Python.