To pick a Knox Manage alternative, one question comes before any other: is your fleet 100% Samsung? If it is, especially in defense or a regulated sector, stay on Knox. If you also manage iPhones, Macs, Windows PCs or Android devices from other brands, a multi-platform console like Appaloosa saves you from stacking two tools. And the two combine: Appaloosa supports Knox Mobile Enrollment.
Knox, Knox Manage, KPE, KME: what's free and what's paid?
"Knox" covers several building blocks, and that's where the confusion starts. According to Samsung's documentation, Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE), the security layer built into Galaxy devices, runs on a free license. Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME), automatic enrollment, is free too: no license key. Knox Manage, Samsung's MDM console, is paid, sold on its own or inside a Knox Suite plan (Essentials and Enterprise).
On pricing, Samsung doesn't publish a price for Knox Manage alone on the pages we checked on October 27, 2026, so we write "not public". On its US store, Samsung lists Knox Suite Essentials at $30 per device for a one-year license, and Knox Suite Enterprise at $52.50. These are US store prices: they may differ by country and reseller.
Knox Manage vs Appaloosa: the short comparison
| Criteria | Samsung Knox (Knox Manage) | Appaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Core offer | Security anchored in Samsung hardware, Knox Manage console | Multi-platform MDM with a private app store |
| Managed systems | Android, iOS or Windows according to Samsung; offer "optimized for Samsung Galaxy" | iOS, iPadOS, Android, macOS and Windows in one console |
| Galaxy enrollment | Knox Mobile Enrollment, free | Knox Mobile Enrollment, Google zero-touch, QR code |
| Samsung-specific settings | Native | OEM settings (OEMConfig), depending on the plan |
| Silicon-level security | Yes: hardware root of trust, Knox Vault | No: Appaloosa builds on Android Enterprise |
| Hardware certifications | Common Criteria, FIPS 140-2, DISA, NCSC | None claimed in this area |
| Price | Knox Manage alone: not public. Knox Suite Essentials $30 and Enterprise $52.50 per device per year (Samsung US store, 10/27/2026) | Business 3.49 EUR excl. VAT per device per month from 50 devices, Enterprise 5.99 EUR excl. VAT; same price on every platform |
| Hosting | Samsung cloud, Korean company | France, hosting infrastructure ISO 27001-certified and SecNumCloud-qualified |
What Knox does better than Appaloosa
On an all-Samsung fleet, in defense or a regulated sector, Knox is the natural choice. Don't look for a trick.
Silicon-level security. Samsung etches a root of trust into its processors and checks every boot stage against it. Knox Vault stores keys, PINs and biometric data in isolated hardware (our Samsung Knox definition explains the mechanism). No software MDM reaches that level, Appaloosa included.
Hardware certifications. Samsung states that Knox has met Common Criteria and FIPS 140-2 requirements, and received several Security Technical Implementation Guides from the US Department of Defense (Samsung Business Insights). The UK's NCSC is also among the approvals. These certifications cover Samsung's platform and devices. Appaloosa claims none in this area: if your requirements list them, that's a deal-breaker for a standalone MDM.
Galaxy enrollment. Knox Mobile Enrollment is free and remains the most direct way to put Samsung devices into service. It also lets you add an already deployed device with the Knox Deployment app (see our Knox Mobile Enrollment definition).
Where Appaloosa makes the difference
A mixed fleet, one console. As soon as an iPhone, a Mac or a PC enters the picture, one tool beats two. Appaloosa manages iOS, iPadOS, Android, macOS and Windows at the same price per device, with the same app distribution everywhere. Samsung presents its offer as optimized for Galaxy, and its strongest features only exist on those devices.
Manufacturer neutrality. Today, 90% of your Android devices may be Samsung. In two years there will be Zebra scanners, Pixels, or a contractor's phone. An MDM independent of the manufacturer lets you change brands without changing consoles.
Hosting in France. Appaloosa is hosted in France on infrastructure that is ISO 27001-certified and SecNumCloud-qualified (these apply to the hosting, not to Appaloosa), and it's a French vendor: one less subprocessor to justify for NIS2. For a public-sector project that requires qualified hosting, ask every vendor where your data lives, from the tender stage.
The private app store. It's where Appaloosa started: distributing your internal apps through Managed Google Play, Apple Business Manager or private APKs, from a store of your own. Details on our mobile application management page.
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The two tools combine. Appaloosa manages Samsung devices through Android Enterprise, enrolls devices attached to Knox Mobile Enrollment or Google's zero-touch, and manages OEM settings (OEMConfig), including Samsung's, depending on the plan. In practice: you keep Samsung's free licenses (KPE, KME), you benefit from Knox security on Galaxy devices, and you run the rest of the fleet from the same console. One tip, taken from our definition: pick a single enrollment path, KME or zero-touch, and document it. Running both creates more confusion than benefit.
For the Android side (work profile, company-owned devices, kiosk), our Android device management guide covers it, and the Android MDM page describes the console.
Which one for your fleet?
- 100% Samsung fleet, defense or regulated sector: Knox, for hardware security and certifications.
- Mixed fleet (iOS, Android of any brand, Mac, Windows): Appaloosa, one console and one price per device.
- Mostly Samsung, but not only: Appaloosa with Knox's free building blocks (KPE, KME), without paying for Knox Manage.
Two questions settle it quickly: what share of your fleet isn't Samsung today, and in 24 months? And who handles support on the night of an incident, Samsung or your reseller? If you're still undecided, see our other comparisons, for example Appaloosa vs TinyMDM, and the mobile device management page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Knox Manage free?
No. According to Samsung's documentation, Knox Platform for Enterprise and Knox Mobile Enrollment are free, but Knox Manage is paid, on its own or through Knox Suite (Essentials or Enterprise). Samsung doesn't publish a price for Knox Manage alone on the pages we checked in October 2026.
What is the best alternative to Knox Manage for a mixed fleet?
A multi-platform console that manages iOS, iPadOS, Android, macOS and Windows, like Appaloosa (Business: 3.49 EUR excl. VAT per device per month from 50 devices). It supports Knox Mobile Enrollment, so your Galaxy devices enroll as before.
Does Appaloosa support Samsung Knox Mobile Enrollment?
Yes. Devices attached to KME enroll at first boot and receive their policies and apps. Samsung-specific settings go through OEM configuration (OEMConfig), depending on the plan.
Can you use Knox and Appaloosa together?
Yes. Knox stays the security layer of Galaxy devices, Appaloosa is the console that manages the whole fleet. Hardware certifications remain Samsung's: Appaloosa claims none.
Do you need a Samsung MDM for an all-Samsung fleet?
Not necessarily. Android Enterprise is enough to manage Galaxy devices, and Knox Platform for Enterprise licenses are free. Knox Manage becomes relevant if you want maximum hardware security, defense or a regulated sector, and the fleet won't change.
To try Appaloosa on a few devices, the 14-day free trial starts without a credit card, and a demo lets you put your Knox questions to the team.
Image: Jessica Lewis via Pexels.
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