Managing mobile endpoints is a critical aspect of governance and security for many organizations. Effective mobile device management reduces risk and helps ensure compliance with corporate policies and regulatory requirements.
Enterprise IT teams managing iPhone, iPad and Mac deployments face several operational challenges. Manual device configuration across a large organization is not an easy task, as it would take multiple hours of IT time per device. Without some form of enrollment and enforcement, users can easily bypass IT security policies. If a device is lost or stolen, there is a potential for data breach, unless IT has some form of remote wipe capabilities over the device. Going a step further, regulatory compliance frameworks such as SOC 2 and HIPAA mandate security controls that manual IT processes can't consistently enforce at scale.
Apple Business Manager (ABM) helps to address some of the challenges IT organizations face by automating device enrollment and procurement tracking. MDM platforms typically provide a broader set of governance and control capabilities.
Some IT teams might question whether they need both ABM and MDM, or whether ABM's standalone capabilities are enough for their specific environment. Understanding what each platform provides and when integration becomes necessary can help organizations make informed endpoint management decisions and minimize risk.
IT departments that manage iPadOS, iOS or other Apple mobile devices should learn exactly how Apple Business Manager can help and consider adding it to their device management toolkit. But can this service truly replace MDM, or is it best served as an additional management option?
What is Apple Business Manager?
Apple Business Manager is Apple's enterprise platform for automating device procurement, enrollment and account management. ABM serves as a central hub where IT teams track device purchases, create Managed Apple Accounts for users and configure automated enrollment, which pushes security policies to devices without manual intervention.
Organizations access ABM through the ABM web portal after completing domain verification. For MDM integration, IT uploads the MDM server's public key certificate to ABM and downloads a server token that expires annually. Once configured, IT can assign purchased devices to specific MDM servers.
When organizations purchase iPhones, iPads or Mac computers through Apple Business channels or authorized resellers, those devices appear in ABM within 24 to 48 hours. IT assigns them to their chosen MDM platform, ensuring automatic enrollment when users first activate their devices. This is what Apple calls Automated Device Enrollment (ADE), previously known as the Device Enrollment Program. ADE enables zero-touch deployment and supervision on corporate-owned devices, providing IT with non-removable device profiles and access to advanced management restrictions.
For identity management, ABM integrates with Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace and custom identity providers through OpenID Connect. This federation enables organizations to create Managed Apple Accounts (previously called Managed Apple IDs) that sync automatically with existing directory services. As of October 2024, ABM's domain capture feature prevents employees from creating personal Apple Accounts using verified company email addresses, ensuring all accounts remain under organizational control.
Apple Business Essentials
Since March 2022, Apple has offered Apple Business Essentials, a bundled service available in the U.S. for organizations with up to 500 employees. Starting at $2.99 per device per month, Apple Business Essentials combines ABM capabilities with built-in MDM, iCloud storage and AppleCare+ support.
Apple Business Essentials provides a simplified service for small businesses that need basic device management. It includes password enforcement, remote lock and wipe, as well as FileVault encryption for Mac. However, organizations with compliance requirements or more complex needs should evaluate full MDM platforms such as Microsoft Intune or Jamf Pro.
Does Apple Business Manager require MDM?
While standalone MDM provides plenty of iOS management capabilities, preloading the MDM platform through ABM eliminates the need for IT to sign in to the Apple App Store and manually download the MDM app.
Apple Business Manager as a standalone has some basic device management functionality, though most organizations require MDM integration for security and compliance. Apple didn't design ABM for standalone use in enterprise deployments or as a full-featured MDM. Organizations that do opt for the standalone ABM approach have access to the following features:
- Visibility of all enrolled devices within Apple Business Manager.
- The model, serial number and type of all devices.
- Purchasing apps through the App Store.
- Application assignments.
- Bulk purchases of applications and books, including internally developed apps.
- Distributing apps and content to devices.
- Managing billing payments from a central console.
- Managing Apple Accounts for corporate users.
In June 2025, Apple introduced a REST API for ABM, enabling programmatic access to device inventory and enrollment data for automation workflows. However, even with API access, ABM can't remotely lock or wipe devices, enforce passcode complexity requirements, deploy configuration profiles for Wi-Fi or VPN, manage software update schedules or monitor compliance posture. These capabilities require MDM platform integration.
IT administrators should not view ABM as a replacement for MDM. ABM provides procurement automation, enrollment orchestration and Managed Apple Account lifecycle management that only Apple's platform can deliver. However, ABM lacks the security policy enforcement, remote management capabilities and compliance monitoring that modern organizations require. The most effective Apple device management strategy treats ABM and MDM as complementary systems, with ABM handling procurement logistics and zero-touch enrollment while MDM platforms provide the security controls and operational management necessary for IT teams.
The table below shows how capabilities in ABM compare to those in full MDM platforms like Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro. Note that Apple Business Essentials provides capabilities from both columns, but with limitations compared to full MDM platforms.
How ABM and MDM work together in Apple device management
As ABM works best in tandem with other MDM tools, it's important to know what this combination looks like in practice. Exact management varies from platform to platform, but IT can consider the examples of Intune and Jamf Pro to understand how ABM works with these tools.
ABM automates device purchasing by linking Apple Customer and Reseller IDs to organizational accounts. Devices purchased through authorized channels automatically appear in the ABM portal within 24 to 48 hours. ABM also handles volume app and book purchasing. This enables IT to buy licenses in bulk and assign them to users or devices from a central console with unified billing.
For enrollment, ABM enables ADE, so assigned devices automatically enroll in MDM when users first power them on. Intune integrates with Entra ID for automatic Managed Apple Account creation and conditional access policies. Jamf Pro provides automated patch management, self-service app deployment and zero-touch provisioning across distributed Apple fleets.
MDM policy control operates through configuration profiles and restriction payloads that enforce organizational security requirements. Intune uses compliance policies to assess device posture against defined standards. Through conditional access integration, the platform blocks noncompliant devices from accessing corporate resources. Jamf uses automated remediation workflows that can detect policy violations and either alert IT or automatically reconfigure devices to meet requirements. Both platforms provide granular controls for passcode complexity, encryption enforcement, app allowlisting or blocklisting, network access restrictions and software update schedules with enforcement deadlines.
A strong, modern Apple device strategy depends on using Apple Business Manager and a full MDM platform together, not choosing one over the other. ABM provides a useful foundation with procurement automation, identity integration and zero‑touch enrollment. MDM platforms then build on that foundation with the security controls, compliance enforcement and operational governance needed for regulated, distributed and fast‑growing environments.
Editor's note: This article was originally written by Reda Chouffani in July 2021. Sean Michael Kerner updated this article in April 2026.
Sean Michael Kerner is an IT consultant, technology enthusiast and tinkerer. He has pulled Token Ring, configured NetWare and been known to compile his own Linux kernel. He consults with industry and media organizations on technology issues.
Reda Chouffani runs a consulting practice he co-founded, Biz Technology Solutions Inc., and is CTO at New Charter Technologies. He is a technology consultant with a focus on healthcare and manufacturing, cloud expert and business intelligence architect who helps enterprises make the best use of technology.