Before you spend a dollar on a third-party MDM platform, check what you already have. Three of the most widely used business platforms include device management features that most customers never activate. You might be sitting on a free MDM right now.

Apple Business Manager — Completely free. Every business that owns Apple devices should be signed up for Apple Business Manager (ABM). It’s free, no strings attached. ABM gives you: Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) — devices auto-enroll in your MDM when powered on. Volume purchasing for apps — buy apps in bulk and distribute without Apple IDs. Managed Apple IDs — work accounts separate from personal Apple IDs. Device inventory by serial number. ABM isn’t an MDM itself — it’s the foundation that makes every Apple MDM work better. Sign up at business.apple.com.

Google Endpoint Management — Included with Google Workspace. If your company uses Google Workspace (Business Starter at $7/user/month and above), you already have Google Endpoint Management. Go to your Google Admin console → Devices → Mobile & endpoints. You can: enforce screen lock requirements, require device encryption, remotely wipe devices, block compromised or rooted devices, approve or block specific apps, and set up Android Work Profiles for BYOD separation. For Android-heavy teams using Google Workspace, this eliminates the need for a separate MDM entirely. Most businesses using Workspace don’t even know this feature exists.

Microsoft Intune — Included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($22/user/month) includes full Intune MDM capabilities. If you’re already paying for M365 Business Premium for Exchange, SharePoint, and Teams, you have Intune. You can: enroll and manage Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. Enforce compliance policies (encryption, passcode, OS version). Set up conditional access — blocking non-compliant devices from accessing company email and apps. Deploy applications. Remote lock and wipe. Intune is arguably the most powerful MDM on this list, and it’s buried inside a subscription most businesses buy for email and Office apps.

What the free tools can’t do: These built-in tools cover the fundamentals — enrollment, basic policy enforcement, remote wipe, and device inventory. What they lack compared to dedicated MDMs like Jamf, Kandji, or Hexnode includes: advanced automation and scripting, detailed compliance reporting and dashboards, patch management for third-party applications, endpoint detection and response (EDR), kiosk mode and advanced app management, and granular conditional access rules. For most small businesses under 50 devices, the free tools are more than enough to get from DMMM Level 1 to Level 3.

The action plan: Step 1 — Check what business subscriptions you already have (Google Workspace? Microsoft 365?). Step 2 — Log into the admin console and find the device management section. Step 3 — Enable basic policies: require screen lock, require encryption, enable remote wipe. Step 4 — Enroll your devices. Step 5 — You just went from DMMM Level 1 to Level 2 or 3 without spending a cent on new software. When you outgrow these tools — when you need automated compliance, third-party patching, or advanced BYOD containerization — that’s when a dedicated MDM makes sense. But start with what you have.