Best Mobile Device Management for Remote Teams in 2026

These days, less than 10% of employees in remote roles prefer on-site arrangements. Workers understandably prefer remote/hybrid work for less commute and greater flexibility.

However, with this type of work come organizational risks, such as data breaches, productivity issues, and compliance gaps. As hybrid and remote arrangements are here to stay, companies need scalable, cloud-based mobile device management (MDM) solutions to address the associated risks.

This guide compares leading MDM solutions, explains their core features, and explores integrated hardware that makes the lives of hybrid teams better.

Key takeaways

• The bare minimum for an MDM includes remote wipe, zero-touch enrollment, and policy control, coupled with support for all major operating systems.
• Good mobile device management requires both digital software (MDM) and physical hardware.
• The investment in MDM is justified by automating IT tasks, preventing costly security breaches, and saving both time and money.

Importance of mobile device management for remote and hybrid teams

When laptops and tablets are used on home Wi-Fi or in coffee shops, organizations face numerous issues. The first issue is an increased risk of a data breach. Using devices in places other than the office heightens the risk of them being lost, stolen, and compromised. 

A physical theft or mobile device security issue translates into an average of $4 million in data breach costs, as per IBM’s recent data breach report. Such security issues can quickly compound, especially with a lot of devices in circulation. A study from Adaptiva and the Ponemon Institute found that an average enterprise was running 135,000 devices.

That brings another challenge — reliably supporting a growing number of laptops, tablets, and smartphones across the organization. Accomplishing this goal requires a secure, scalable, and visible mobile device management (MDM) system. 

How to choose a mobile device management solution

Your best mobile device management platform should integrate seamlessly into your existing IT environment and workflows, ultimately making life easier for your administrators and users. So look for the following features:

Core features

These features form the basic toolkit for maintaining order and security:

• Remote access and data wipe. Administrators should be able to remotely view device status, push configuration updates, or provide troubleshooting support. Just as importantly, they need the ability to send critical commands — such as lock or wipe — to remove sensitive data from lost or stolen devices. Having both capabilities ensures IT can act immediately to protect data and keep users productive.
• Zero-touch enrollment. With zero-touch enrollment, devices are pre-assigned to your organization in the vendor’s portal (such as Apple Business Manager or Android Enterprise). When an employee unboxes a new device and connects to Wi-Fi, it automatically configures itself with your company’s apps and policies. This eliminates manual imaging, reduces IT overhead, and ensures every device starts from a known-good, compliant state.
• Policy control. Within the MDM dashboard, administrators can create and enforce security rules — such as requiring a 6-digit password, enabling encryption, or mandating device lock after inactivity. Policies can also include Wi-Fi/VPN settings, app restrictions, and compliance checks. These rules are continuously enforced by the MDM agent running on the device, which also reports back compliance status for auditing and oversight.

Integration with operating systems

Your MDM should provide deep, native support for every operating system your team relies on—not just surface-level device controls. True OS integration unlocks security and productivity benefits unique to each platform:

• Apple (iOS/macOS): Managed App Config and Apple Business Manager for streamlined app deployment and lifecycle management.
• Android: Android Enterprise with dedicated Work Profiles that separate corporate and personal data on the same device.
• Windows & ChromeOS: Enforcement of system-level policies such as BitLocker encryption, update management, and kiosk or shared-device modes.

By choosing a solution with platform-specific depth, you ensure consistent compliance and a smoother experience for both administrators and end users.

Ease of use and support

Evaluate the vendor’s support structure. Look for comprehensive documentation, an active user community, and responsive technical support. A solution that is easy to use reduces training time and minimizes the risk of misconfiguration, which is often the weakest link in security.

Reporting and analytics capabilities

A good MDM should provide visibility into what’s happening across your device fleet in real time. Robust reporting tools should track:

• Compliance status and policy violations
• Installed software and app versions
• Detected security threats or unusual activity
• Hardware health and lifecycle status

Advanced platforms also highlight non-compliant devices and integrate with security tools like SIEM systems (e.g., Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel), so security teams can act faster. These insights not only prevent breaches but also make it easier to demonstrate compliance during audits.

Multi-device and multi-user support

Over  75% of organizations worldwide now allow bring-your-own-device (BYOD). The  best mobile device management tools should support a wide mix of devices and use cases:

• Corporate-owned devices for full control
• Personal BYOD devices with privacy safeguards (e.g., wiping only corporate data while leaving personal photos untouched)
• Shared or loaner pools with kiosk modes or multi-user support on a single device

Strong multi-device management ensures security without intruding on personal privacy—striking the balance that makes BYOD viable at scale.

Regulatory compliance

Your chosen solution must have the specific capabilities to help you meet standards like HIPAA (for protecting health information), GDPR (for data privacy in the European Union), or FERPA (in education). This typically includes (but isn’t limited to) the following: 

• AES 256-bit data encryption
• Detailed audit logging and reporting
• Fine-grained user access permissions
• Control of data movement and storage on devices and backups
• Data residency options for organizations with geographic restrictions

It’s important to remember: the MDM provides the tools, but proper configuration is what ensures compliance. Choose a vendor that understands these regulations and can provide documentation on how their platform facilitates compliance.

Top 10 mobile device management solutions in 2026

With a crowded market of MDM providers, each offering different strengths, choosing the right platform depends on your organization’s size, device mix, and security needs. Some businesses benefit from all-in-one HR/IT integration for a small business, others need a specialized Apple-focused solution, while large enterprises may require robust compliance and remote control capabilities.

Below, we compare the 10 best mobile device management (MDM) software options in 2026, highlighting what makes each one stand out.

Best mobile device management software compared

Curious what this looks like for your team? Use our ROI calculator to explore real-world savings and discover additional findings that matter to your business.

LocknCharge: The physical side of mobile device management

While MDM software provides powerful digital control, the physical logistics of getting devices to distributed teams remain a challenge. These days, hybrid knowledge workers lose an average of 2.83 hours each week to malfunctioning or slow tech and poor design.

It’s the time that erodes digital gains when the right device isn’t physically in hand. Many organizations with distributed teams address those inefficiencies with smart lockers.

A smart locker is a secure storage unit where employees store, charge, and pick up their devices. It provides employees with instant, self-service access to the technology they need to stay productive while eliminating logistical headaches for IT teams.

LocknCharge FUYL Smart Lockers support the physical part of device management that even the best MDM solutions can’t handle alone:

• Automate device handoffs on the IT side with 24/7 self-service kiosks for workers
• Provide contactless pickups and drop-offs for hybrid workers
• Integrate seamlessly with the industry’s top MDM services for remote work teams and IT ticketing systems
• Accommodate laptops, tablets, smartphones, and handhelds such as radios and scanners
• Reduce time spent managing forgotten, uncharged, and missing devices by 80%

Extra reading: How do smart lockers work? See how they deliver a seamless and secure experience for hybrid teams.

How to get buy-in for mobile device management solutions

Following best practices for choosing a mobile device management (MDM) solution is the first step — but securing approval and adoption is just as critical. To win over decision-makers, build a compelling case around tangible cost savings, demonstrable security improvements, and a clear plan that addresses both digital and physical device management.

Presenting cost-saving arguments

Focus on the tangible ROI. As mentioned before, employees waste 2.83 hours each week on digital issues — delays caused by login issues, device swaps, and manual IT processes. You can convert that lost time directly into payroll dollars.

Example calculation for a 20-person hybrid team:

For larger teams, the ROI scales quickly. A 100-person hybrid workforce could see $61,000+ in monthly savings simply by reducing wasted time with MDM and smart lockers.

Emphasizing security and compliance

Frame security in terms of dollars and reputational risk. According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million — and many start with something as simple as a lost, unprotected device.

An MDM solution allows IT to:

• Remotely wipe sensitive data before a lost tablet becomes tomorrow’s headline
• Enforce encryption and password policies across all devices
• Generate audit trails needed to pass compliance checks
• Mitigate fines tied to regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, or FERPA

By positioning MDM as both risk reduction and compliance enablement, you appeal to both the security team and the C-suite and build a strong argument about the importance of a good  mobile device management security strategy.

Addressing objections

Common objections include:

• “We don’t need MDM.” → Counter with evidence of lost time, inconsistent policies, and unmanaged device loss.
  
  
• “It’s too complex.” → Highlight that modern MDM platforms use zero-touch enrollment and pre-built policy templates that are far simpler than manual checklists or spreadsheets.

Propose a 30-day, single-unit pilot. Test features like zero-touch setup, pre-configured policies, and integration with a smart locker remote management system. Measure outcomes such as:

• Faster device swap times
  
  
• Shorter ticket resolution cycles
  
  
• Higher compliance rates

Publish results internally, expand gradually, and phase out manual processes as metrics improve.

Emphasize the use of hybrid tools

Pairing software controls with physical access solutions closes the last-mile gap in device management.

• MDM governs apps, policies, and compliance
  
  
• Smart lockers provide 24/7 self-service pickup, charging, swaps, and returns — with auditable custody

For example, linking locker bays to help desk tickets can trigger zero-touch provisioning at pickup.

The result: faster onboarding, reduced downtime, fewer escalations, and a fully auditable device inventory.

Bottom line

• Investing in mobile device management means improving your team’s uptime and hedging your organization against multi-million-dollar data breaches.
• Talk about cost savings, stronger security posture, and improved worker experience to get buy-in for mobile device management.
• A successful, focused pilot program delivers tangible results that disprove objections and build consensus for a full MDM rollout.
• MDM software should be combined with physical device management to ensure a frictionless work process for remote and hybrid teams.

Ready to transform?

Explore how LocknCharge smart locker solutions can empower your hybrid workforce with 24/7 self-service access to devices.