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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Jamf Pro

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Jamf Pro logo

Jamf Pro

Cybersecurity

Apple-only device management for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, licensed per device by a public US vendor.

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Depot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Jamf Pro it manages Apple hardware only, so any organisation with Windows or Android devices runs a second management platform and produces two sets of compliance evidence, and the two inventories disagree with each other more often than either vendor's documentation suggests.
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, Jamf Pro covers Automated Device Enrolment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Jamf Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Jamf Pro differ
AttributeDepotJamf Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in Jamf Pro

  • Automated Device Enrolment
  • Configuration profiles
  • Policies and scripts
  • Smart groups
  • Self Service
  • Patch management
  • Extension attributes
  • Same-day OS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot Jamf Pro
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot Jamf Pro
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot Jamf Pro
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot Jamf Pro

Jamf Pro

  • An Apple-heavy workforce where devices ship directly to users and must configure themselves on first boot with no IT touchnot Depot
  • Education deployments managing shared iPads across classes with per-user app assignmentnot Depot
  • Developer organisations where engineers have administrator rights on their own Macs and management has to be achieved by policy and script rather than lockdownnot Depot
  • Organisations needing compliance evidence for Apple devices that a general-purpose endpoint manager cannot produce at the required depthnot Depot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

Jamf Pro

  • It manages Apple hardware only, so any organisation with Windows or Android devices runs a second management platform and produces two sets of compliance evidence, and the two inventories disagree with each other more often than either vendor's documentation suggests.
  • Licensing is per device per year with different rates for computers and mobile devices, so spare and shared hardware sitting in a cupboard continues to consume licences until somebody actively removes it from inventory, which is nobody's job by default.
  • Apple's frameworks set the ceiling: if Apple does not expose a setting through MDM or declarative device management, Jamf cannot manage it either, so requests that are a single Group Policy object on Windows are answered with a scripted workaround or with nothing.
  • Zero-touch deployment depends on devices being registered in Apple Business Manager, which generally means buying through Apple or an authorised reseller, so machines bought retail or inherited through an acquisition cannot be supervised without wiping and re-enrolling them.
  • Getting value from it requires an Apple platform specialist who can write shell scripts, read configuration profiles and design smart group logic, and a generalist team without that skill uses a fraction of the product while paying the full per-device rate.

Pricing, plan by plan

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

Jamf Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Jamf Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Choose Jamf Pro if

  • You need automated device enrolment.
  • You also want configuration profiles.
Jamf Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Jamf Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Jamf Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Jamf Pro?
Depot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Depot and On request for Jamf Pro.
Does Depot or Jamf Pro run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. Jamf Pro runs on Web.
Can I use Depot for free?
Yes. Depot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Jamf Pro starts at On request.
What is Depot best used for?
Depot is most often used for accelerating docker builds for container-based development, replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure, distributing cache across monorepo builds, debugging failed ci builds interactively with ssh. Of those, accelerating docker builds for container-based development and replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure are not what Jamf Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Jamf Pro cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. Jamf Pro covers Automated Device Enrolment, Configuration profiles, Policies and scripts, Smart groups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
Jamf Pro: Does Jamf Pro include endpoint security?

No. Threat prevention, endpoint telemetry and compliance monitoring are Jamf Protect, a separate product and a separate licence. Jamf Connect for identity and password sync is also separate.

Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
Jamf Pro: Can it manage Windows or Android?

No. Jamf manages Apple platforms only. A mixed estate needs a second management platform, and that is a deliberate product decision rather than a gap they intend to close.

Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
Jamf Pro: Do I need Apple Business Manager?

For zero-touch enrolment and volume app licensing, yes. You can enrol devices manually through a user-initiated flow without it, but you lose supervision, automatic enrolment and the ability to prevent a user removing management.

Jamf Pro: Can I host it myself?

Yes, Jamf Pro can be self-hosted, though Jamf Cloud is the default and receives new capabilities first. Self-hosting means you own the upgrade cadence, which matters because Apple's September releases set the timetable.

Jamf Pro: How does it compare to Microsoft Intune?

Intune manages Apple devices adequately and is often already paid for in an existing Microsoft agreement, which is the argument against Jamf. Jamf is deeper, supports new Apple releases faster, and has the local agent for scripting. Organisations with a few hundred Macs and a strong Apple culture generally choose Jamf; those with a handful of Macs in a Windows estate generally do not.

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