Overview

FileWave is an endpoint management platform for IT teams overseeing a mix of desktop, mobile, and shared devices. It is best suited to organizations that need enrollment, software delivery, patching, and compliance reporting across operating systems, and want a choice between cloud hosting and their own servers. Its broad management scope is compelling, but the free edition’s device limits make it a constrained starting point for larger fleets.

Key features

Enrollment and software delivery

Automated enrollment includes zero-touch deployment and support for Windows Autopilot, Apple ADE/DEP, and Android and ChromeOS enterprise frameworks. That gives IT teams established routes for provisioning different device types rather than treating every rollout as a manual setup. Administrators can deliver apps, updates, scripts, and other content through standard installers or Filesets.

Filesets transmit file-level changes and allow admins to edit or remove files after deployment. That is useful when teams need to make targeted changes to deployed content. Scheduled patching covers operating systems and third-party applications; testing and rollback options for Fileset revisions add a measure of control over changes, though they do not make patching decisions automatic.

Administration, security, and reporting

FileWave supports application and policy management, as well as remote lock and wipe. The company says communications among clients, servers, and administrators are encrypted, and administrator accounts can use two-factor authentication. It operates under ISO/IEC 27001 information security management standards.

Audit-ready reports cover devices, configurations, patches, licenses, encryption, and compliance. Integrations include Grafana, TeamViewer, Apple management services, Microsoft Entra, Android Enterprise, Chrome Management API, ServiceNow, Slack, and Cloudflare. Customer support is available 24/5 by email, call, or video, but the free Community Edition has community support instead of an included support service.

Pricing

FileWave has a free edition, a 30-day trial, and paid per-device plans. The published paid rates do not state a billing period, so the quoted figures alone do not establish a recurring monthly or annual cost.

Plan	Price	What it includes
Community Edition	0.00 USD per free, billed Forever free	Up to 15 computers, 15 tablets, and 15 Chrome devices; community support; no included support service or TeamViewer licenses.
Professional	12.50 USD per contact; starting from $12.50 per device	iOS, macOS, tvOS, Windows, Android, and ChromeOS support; enhanced customer support; 2 TeamViewer licenses.
Community	15.00 USD per contact; starting from $15 per device	Up to 15 devices each for mobile, desktop, and Chrome.

Community Edition is a useful way to assess the platform or manage a small capped fleet, but its separate category limits and lack of included support and TeamViewer licenses are significant constraints. Professional is the clearer fit for organizations that need enhanced support and the stated operating-system coverage. The Community paid plan retains a 15-device cap in each category, so teams outgrowing the free edition should compare its scope carefully before choosing it. Larger deployments should confirm the applicable quote and billing terms.

Platforms

FileWave covers Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Android, and ChromeOS, and manages desktops, laptops, phones, tablets, Apple TV devices, and Chromebooks. It can run as a cloud-hosted service or be installed on an organization’s own servers. That deployment choice is useful for teams with hosting requirements, while the breadth of supported devices favors mixed fleets over environments centered on a single platform.

Who it's for

FileWave is aimed at K–12 and higher education, government, media and publishing, corporate, and finance organizations. It is a strong candidate when those teams need one system for cross-platform enrollment, deployment, patching, and compliance reporting. A very small organization may be served by the free edition, but teams with larger fleets or a need for direct support should evaluate paid pricing and terms before committing.

Pros and cons

Broad fleet coverage: Management spans major desktop and mobile operating systems, plus ChromeOS and tvOS.
Flexible deployment: Cloud hosting or installation on an organization’s own servers accommodates different infrastructure preferences.
Controlled software changes: Filesets support file-level delivery and post-deployment edits or removals, while revision testing and rollback options help manage changes.
Useful audit scope: Reports cover device, configuration, patch, license, encryption, and compliance information.
Free edition is tightly capped: Separate limits of 15 computers, 15 tablets, and 15 Chrome devices restrict its use for growing fleets.
Free support is limited: Community Edition provides community support, not an included support service.

Alternatives

Unified Endpoint Management Software, Mac Management Software, Application Deployment Software, and Mobile Device Management Software are relevant categories for comparing tools by management focus.

Miradore is worth considering for a larger free starting allowance: its Free plan supports up to 50 devices after a 14-day trial, while its Premium plan is 2.75 USD per month per device.
Relution offers a free plan for up to five devices, with shared cloud or on-premises deployment and unlimited duration; consider it for a smaller fleet or those deployment options.
Addigy is a paid alternative focused on Apple platforms, with an Apple MDM plan at 8.25 USD per month per Mac; iOS devices are a separate per-device add-on.
HCL BigFix is another paid endpoint-management option, with subscription pricing dependent on deployment and scope.
ManageEngine Endpoint Central has a Free Edition for 25 endpoints and a Professional on-premises annual plan at 795.00 USD per year for 50 endpoints and one technician.
SureAsset is a free option for asset lifecycle management, hardware and software license tracking, and API access and automation.
myMDM is another alternative.
OpenUEM is another free alternative.

Verdict

Choose FileWave if your organization needs one platform for a mixed-device fleet, with both cloud and self-hosted deployment and a detailed compliance reporting scope. Its strongest reason to buy is the combination of enrollment, granular software delivery, and patch management across major operating systems. Look elsewhere if a generous free tier or clearly stated recurring price is central to the decision: FileWave’s free edition is capped by device category, and its paid billing period needs confirmation.

	Chocolatey	FileWave
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	$1.50/mo	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Linux, macOS, Windows	Android, api, extension, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	No

Chocolatey vs FileWave

Chocolatey

FileWave