The core finding: two different kinds of "alternative"
AIMultiple splits the field into two camps:
- UEM and RMM platforms focus on device administration, patching and IT operations. They are NinjaOne, Intune, Ivanti, Automox, ManageEngine and Atera.
- EDR/XDR and vulnerability-first platforms focus on detection, response and risk. They are CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne, Defender for Endpoint and Qualys VMDR.
Tanium straddles both camps. Replacing it with a security-only product leaves the endpoint-operations half uncovered, and the reverse is also true. The first step is to decide which Tanium workflows you actually use.
How the feature table scores the products
The table rates six capabilities: native iOS/Android MDM, GUI remote desktop, third-party patching, on-premises deployment, a vendor-built AV/EDR engine and agentless vulnerability scanning. The definitions matter, because a check mark can mean a paid add-on. Here is how the products score.
| Product | Checked capabilities (per AIMultiple) |
|---|---|
| NinjaOne | MDM, remote desktop, patching, vulnerability scanning |
| Atera | Remote desktop, patching, vulnerability scanning |
| Automox | Remote desktop, patching |
| CrowdStrike Falcon | Patching, proprietary AV/EDR |
| Ivanti Neurons for UEM | MDM, remote desktop, patching |
| ManageEngine Endpoint Central | MDM, remote desktop, patching, on-premises, AV/EDR |
| Defender for Endpoint | Proprietary AV/EDR only |
| Intune | Proprietary AV/EDR only |
| Qualys VMDR | Patching, on-premises, vulnerability scanning |
| SentinelOne | On-premises, proprietary AV/EDR |
These are the publisher's classifications, not benchmark results. Some of the scoring invites questions. Intune is marked as having only a proprietary AV/EDR engine, and it is shown without native MDM or third-party patching. That sits oddly beside the same article's description of Intune as a cloud device-management service with an Enterprise App Management catalog. Treat the table as a screening aid and check each cell against vendor documentation.
Pricing: use it as a rough guide
The page lists monthly prices on annual terms, and several vendors show "N/A". The units differ too: per technician, per endpoint or per user. The figures AIMultiple gives:
- Atera: $149 per technician
- Automox: $1 per endpoint
- CrowdStrike Falcon: $5 per endpoint
- ManageEngine Endpoint Central: $1.33 per endpoint
- Intune: $3 per user
- SentinelOne: $15 per endpoint
Comparing those numbers directly would be misleading. The units differ, the tiers differ, and add-ons change the totals. ManageEngine's EDR and anti-ransomware are separate paid add-ons, and it includes only one technician account by default. Qualys's patching is a separate module. Get a quote for your own fleet and feature set.
The Microsoft angle
Intune: check your existing licenses first
Microsoft's Learn documentation says Intune is licensed through three plans. Plan 1 is the base cloud UEM service. Plan 2 adds capabilities such as Remote Help and Advanced Analytics. The Intune Suite builds on Plan 1 and includes Plan 2. Most organizations get Intune through a Microsoft 365 bundle such as E3, E5 or E7 rather than buying plans directly. That is a point the standalone $3 price hides. For an E3 or E5 shop, the cost of using Intune may be close to zero. Microsoft also says an Intune license is required for any user or device that benefits from the service.
One licensing detail matters for kiosks and shared devices. Microsoft says device-only licenses don't support Intune app protection policies, Conditional Access or user-based features such as email and calendaring.
Intune's Linux support is narrow
Microsoft's enrollment guide shows how far "cross-platform" stretches. It supports Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 and 26.04 LTS on x86/64, plus Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 or 10. Ubuntu Server isn't supported, and bulk enrollment isn't supported. Each device must be enrolled with the Microsoft Intune app, and the user has to sign in with an organization account. Kiosk-style, user-less devices don't qualify.
The guide has one more operational note. Microsoft Identity Broker versions 2.0.2 and later re-register and re-enroll Linux devices, creating new Intune and Entra device IDs. Microsoft recommends reviewing assignments, filters and group memberships that depend on device IDs.
Defender for Endpoint: a security tool, not a management suite
AIMultiple frames Defender for Endpoint as an EDR/XDR platform, not a full IT-operations suite. It also flags Plan 1 limits: EDR, automated investigation and remediation, and threat and vulnerability management require Plan 2. Server onboarding needs a separate license, such as Defender for Servers. The legacy Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 support goes through the Defender deployment tool, and that is a narrow statement. It doesn't mean every feature works the same way on those systems.
The test most buyers will skip: live-query behavior
AIMultiple closes with its most useful warning. Tanium's Interact answers questions from live endpoints. Tanium's own material says the Tanium Data Service can cache data so that online and offline endpoints stay visible for up to about 30 days, depending on configuration. Tanium community answers add detail. Saved-question "recent" results are held for a shorter period. On-premises admins can change TDS retention, but Tanium Cloud customers cannot.
That live-query-plus-cache model is hard to replicate. Falcon for IT does offer live queries from its existing sensor. Other products rely on scheduled inventory or policy-based collection. A proof of concept should measure:
- How fast a query returns across your fleet.
- How fresh the data is for laptops that are offline or roaming.
- Whether patch coverage matches your third-party app list.
- Whether response actions, such as isolation and quarantine, work without manual steps.
- Whether the deployment model fits, since only ManageEngine, Qualys and SentinelOne are marked for on-premises.
Caveats about the source
This is a vendor-neutral listicle, not lab testing. AIMultiple discloses that subscribers to its endpoint-management benchmarking include NinjaOne and ManageEngine. That doesn't invalidate the findings, but it is context. The page also carries an unrelated AI-agent promotion that has no bearing on the comparison. Several of the product claims come from vendor documentation, and prices change.
Bottom line
- Decide whether you need to replace Tanium's operations function, its security function, or both.
- If you're on Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, price Intune and Defender against what you already own before shopping elsewhere.
- Check platform limits, especially Linux and macOS gaps, against your real fleet.
- Run a proof of concept on query speed and data freshness before signing anything.
The comparison is a sensible shortlist. It isn't a verdict.