A control plane for managing and monitoring Apple devices. It is listed under Device management on PickOpenSource.

Is Zentral open source?

Its source code is public on GitHub. The license is listed as custom, so read it before commercial use.

Can you self-host Zentral?

Yes. Listed deployment options: Docker Compose, Terraform provider. A hosted version is also available.

Pricing is not recorded in this catalog. Check the official website for hosted plans and edition limits, and the repository license for usage conditions. Self-hosting also requires infrastructure and maintenance.

What are alternatives to Zentral?

Similar device management projects include Fleet, NanoMDM, and Headwind MDM.

Is Zentral actively maintained?

The latest commit on GitHub was October 9, 2026, and the repository has 886 stars.

Zentral — Open-Source MDM

Repository counts and activity are catalog snapshots. Check GitHub for current values; a metadata review date is not recorded.

Overview

Zentral manages Apple devices through the MDM protocol, with declarative device management, FileVault key escrow, and enforced software updates. It coordinates the open-source agents Munki, osquery, and Santa. The code is Apache-2.0, except files in the ee directory and other files that reference the Zentral Pro Evaluation License (ZPEL-1.0), which need a commercial agreement for production use.

What it does

Apple MDM with declarative device management
FileVault key escrow
Munki, osquery, and Santa integration
Blueprints scoped to devices by tag

Capability source: Project documentation

Who Zentral fits

Security teams that manage Apple fleets with osquery, Munki, or Santa.

How you run it

Zentral has hosted and self-hosted options.

Documented deployment options: Docker Compose, Terraform provider.

Python projects · Custom projects · Device management

Before you choose it

Files in the ee directory are under the Zentral Pro Evaluation License and need a commercial agreement for production use.

Self-hosting and deployment

Self-hostable: Yes
Cloud / hosted offering: Yes
Docker noted in deployment tags: Yes
Deployment tags: Docker Compose, Terraform provider
Difficulty: Advanced

Zentral questions

What is Zentral?: A control plane for managing and monitoring Apple devices. It is listed under Device management on PickOpenSource.
Is Zentral open source?: Its source code is public on GitHub. The license is listed as custom, so read it before commercial use.
Can you self-host Zentral?: Yes. Listed deployment options: Docker Compose, Terraform provider. A hosted version is also available.
Is Zentral free?: Pricing is not recorded in this catalog. Check the official website for hosted plans and edition limits, and the repository license for usage conditions. Self-hosting also requires infrastructure and maintenance.
What are alternatives to Zentral?: Similar device management projects include Fleet, NanoMDM, and Headwind MDM.
Is Zentral actively maintained?: The latest commit on GitHub was October 9, 2026, and the repository has 886 stars.

Related projects

Other approved projects in Device management: Fleet, NanoMDM, Headwind MDM.

Fleet

Device management for Linux, macOS, Windows, Chromebooks, iOS, and Android from one server.

Stars: 6,984
Updated: 1d ago
License: Custom
Hosting: Both
Category: Device Management

Fleet

Fleet manages Linux, macOS, Windows, Chromebooks, iOS, and Android devices from one server. It covers MDM, software deployment and patching, and device queries with osquery, and its settings can be kept in Git. The code is MIT licensed except the docs directory (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the ee directory, whose code needs a Fleet Enterprise Edition subscription for production use.Website GitHub

Compare Zentral with Fleet

NanoMDM

A minimalist Apple MDM server and Go library.

Stars: 681
Updated: 8d ago
License: MIT
Hosting: Self-hosted
Category: Device Management

NanoMDM

NanoMDM is a small Apple MDM server and library, inspired by MicroMDM. It handles device check-ins and queues raw Plist commands, with storage in files, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or memory. You provide SCEP, TLS termination, and enrollment profiles yourself.Website GitHub

Compare Zentral with NanoMDM

Headwind MDM

Android device management with a web control panel you can run on your own network.

Stars: 556
Updated: 22d ago
License: Apache-2.0
Hosting: Both
Category: Device Management

Headwind MDM

Headwind MDM enrolls Android 7 and later devices by QR code, deploys apps, and controls device features such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth from a web control panel. It does not rely on cloud services and can run on premises without internet access. Kiosk mode and user restrictions are in the paid Enterprise edition.Website GitHub

Compare Zentral with Headwind MDM

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