# Meraki Systems Manager vs Asset Essentials

The clearest difference is monetization model: Meraki Systems Manager at free against Asset Essentials's freemium. Meraki Systems Manager also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Asset Essentials's advantage is rating (2.8 vs 2.4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Asset Essentials holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 96 and 238 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of Meraki Systems Manager's written reviews are positive against 15% of Asset Essentials's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Meraki Systems Manager ships an update every 2 months, Asset Essentials monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meraki Systems Manager | Asset Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meraki-systems-manager/id472572194/reviews) | **[2.8 (238 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asset-essentials/id1256263292/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 96 | **238** |
| Positive reviews | **18.4% of reviews** | 15.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 43 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meraki](https://appshunter.io/developer/344029133) | [Brightly Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/620092532) |

## What reviewers say

### Meraki Systems Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meraki-systems-manager/id472572194)

Manage all your iOS devices from a central web dashboard. This app enhances mobile device management with features like a managed app store, content delivery, and GPS location reporting.

**Highlights:** Centralized web dashboard management, Managed app store, Content delivery with backpack, GPS location reporting, Enhanced MDM and MAM functionality

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for managing student iPads
- 🚀 New app updates look nice
- 💡 Good for schools and enterprises

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Causes issues with AirPrint and global proxy
- 🔒 Authorizes schools to control devices too much
- 🔋 High battery usage
- 🔒 Tracks location and user activity
- 🐛 Causes devices to crash or break

**Reported bugs**

- Enrollment certificates become invalid
- Backpack functionality broken on iOS 9+
- Location services always running, draining battery

**Requested features**

- Improve enrollment process
- Add option to configure notification frequency
- Improve app stability and performance


### Asset Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asset-essentials/id1256263292)

Manage maintenance tasks and assets from anywhere with this mobile solution. Access work orders, track time, scan QR codes, and capture images on the go. Improve team efficiency by eliminating office trips for task updates.

**Highlights:** Offline access to work orders and assets, Work timer and editing functionality, Search and filter capabilities, QR code scanning for assets and parts, Camera integration for image capture, Geolocation for asset and work order tagging

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate and use
- 📋 Effective work order management
- 📸 Photo and file attachment capabilities
- ⏱️ Labor cost tracking with timer feature
- 🔄 Continuous updates and new features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🔐 Constant forced logout and re-login requirements
- ⏳ Slow loading and buffering issues
- 📱 Poor mobile app design and interface
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity and offline behavior

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard won't appear for Custom Fields entry
- Login save dialog disappears too quickly
- Photo upload fails under iOS Limited Photos permission
- App crashes when issuing parts
- Work order status dropdown shows blank with no options

**Requested features**

- Persistent login option for personal devices
- Auto-fill for commonly used fields
- Prioritize frequently used options at top of dropdown lists
- Push notifications for new work order assignments
- Improved filtering system for work orders


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meraki Systems Manager free?

Meraki Systems Manager is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Asset Essentials free?

Asset Essentials is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meraki Systems Manager or Asset Essentials?

Asset Essentials is rated higher. Meraki Systems Manager averages 2.4 out of 5 from 96 ratings, while Asset Essentials averages 2.8 from 238 ratings.

### Do Meraki Systems Manager or Asset Essentials have ads?

Neither Meraki Systems Manager nor Asset Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meraki Systems Manager or Asset Essentials?

Meraki Systems Manager ships an update every 2 months, and Asset Essentials monthly. Most recently, Meraki Systems Manager was updated on November 1, 2026 and Asset Essentials on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*