An open-source MDM is mobile device management software whose source code is public and which you may run yourself. It enrols Android devices, distributes apps, enforces policies and locks or wipes lost devices.
For Android, the current options are Headwind MDM, Fleet and Entgra. MDM is also available as part of a device-as-a-service offering, for example from Everphone.
If you manage company phones, you have to decide: do you want to run your own server, or use MDM as a service? This article explains what makes an open-source MDM, what it can do, where its limits are and which solutions exist for Android.
What is an open-source MDM?
With an open-source MDM, the source code is public. You may use, inspect and adapt it under a licence. The software usually runs on your own server; some projects also offer a cloud service from the vendor.
Open source and free of charge are two different things. Free software is not automatically open source, and open-source software can have paid add-ons, as is the case with Headwind and Fleet.
What can an MDM do for Android?
An MDM connects every device to a central management console. Most solutions offer similar functions:
- Enrol devices, individually or in bulk via QR code (enrolment)
- Distribute apps to all or selected devices and keep them up to date
- Enforce policies, for example password rules or locked settings
- Locate, lock or remotely wipe lost devices
- Restrict devices to one or more apps (kiosk mode)
For company devices that employees may also use privately (COPE) and for personal devices (BYOD), a work profile separates business and private data. Our article on Android Enterprise explains how this works. You can find an overview of the functions under MDM features.
Advantages and limits of open source
The main advantage is control. Your data stays on your server, you can inspect the code, and you are not tied to a vendor's prices or product policy. This matters most when data must not leave your own data centre or when you work in a closed network.
The limit is operations. You install updates, back up the data and are responsible for keeping the server available. Vendor support is usually available only for an extra fee, or not at all. For a system that runs on every company phone, that is a real task, not a side issue.
Which open-source MDMs exist for Android?
Three projects are under active development for Android. They differ mainly in whether they manage only Android and how strongly they depend on Google services.
Headwind MDM
Headwind MDM is considered one of the most capable open-source MDM platforms for Android. It allows simple bulk enrolment, automatic app deployment and effective restriction of user rights. Headwind itself calls the solution a "Corporate Shell", a protective shell around a company's Android devices.
Four features set Headwind apart:
- Self-hosted. The server runs on your own hardware or in your private cloud. Headwind also offers a cloud service. Closed networks with no internet access at all are supported by the Enterprise edition. This requires some manual setup, for example your own certificates and manually installed agents.
- No Google account, no Android Enterprise registration. Devices are enrolled via QR code (from Android 7) without a Google account and without registering your company with Android Enterprise. Headwind uses its own network layer instead of Google services such as Firebase. On most devices, Android's setup wizard still needs an internet connection on first start. According to the vendor, Headwind can also be integrated into AOSP firmware and works with AOSP builds and custom ROMs without Google Mobile Services.
- Kiosk mode. Single-app and multi-app lockdown as well as a web kiosk are used on TV boxes, digital signage, barcode scanners and rugged handhelds. Kiosk mode is part of the Cloud, Premium and Enterprise editions, not the free Community Edition.
- Free Community Edition. Apache-licensed and available on GitHub, with QR code enrolment, app management, group policies and APIs. Headwind positions it mainly for technicians, developers and smaller setups.
Fleet
Fleet comes from the management of laptops and servers and today also manages iOS and Android. The free version is under the MIT licence; premium features are under a commercial licence. The current version is 4.93 from October 2026.
Fleet manages Android through Android Enterprise. You need an Android Enterprise connection with Google, and devices must be Play Protect certified. Fleet is therefore not suitable for devices without Google services.
According to Fleet's pricing page, work profiles for personal Android devices are included in the free version, while full management of company-owned devices is available only in Premium. Premium costs 7 US dollars per device per month, so 700 US dollars a month for 100 devices.
Entgra
Entgra develops a platform for managing endpoints on Android, iOS and Windows. The core is under Apache 2.0 on GitHub and was updated in October 2026.
The scope can be divided into these core areas:
- Device and OS management: Support for Android (via Android Enterprise for BYOD, COPE and COBO), iOS/macOS (Apple Business Manager/DEP), Windows 10/11 and Linux/IoT devices.
- App management (MAM): Central distribution, updating and uninstallation of applications through its own enterprise store, plus integration with Google Play and the Apple App Store.
- Security and compliance: Enforcing passwords, encryption, remote wipe, geolocation and detection of jailbreaks or rooting.
- Kiosk mode and digital signage: Locking devices to one or a few selected apps for single-purpose scenarios (for example point-of-sale systems or information terminals).
- IoT and edge management: A particular strength in managing IoT devices and smart edge systems, including over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates.
For Entgra to distribute apps and send commands to Google services, you must connect the Entgra server to Google once in the backend. You need a dedicated Google account that serves as the admin account for registering your company with Android Enterprise. Entgra recommends creating a new, free Google account used exclusively for this management.
Entgra suits teams that manage several operating systems in one system and are prepared to run more infrastructure than with Headwind. Test the Community Edition before you commit.
The three compared
| Headwind MDM | Fleet | Entgra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android | Laptops, servers, iOS, Android | Android, iOS, Windows |
| Licence | Apache 2.0 | MIT (free version), commercial (Premium) | Apache 2.0 (core) |
| Google dependency | Own network layer, no Android Enterprise account needed | Android Enterprise required | Android Enterprise required |
| Operation | Self-hosted or cloud | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Suited for | Pure Android fleets, kiosk, devices without Google services | Mixed fleets with Google connection | Mixed fleets with own IT operations |
What does an open-source MDM cost?
The licence of the Community Editions costs nothing. Servers, backups, updates and administration cost money and working time. Take a company with 80 employees and an IT team of two: every security update and every enrolment error lands with those two people.
A paid cloud solution costs money on an ongoing basis and takes this work off your hands. Either can pay off, but only if you count the working time.
Who benefits from an open-source MDM
It is worthwhile if you have an IT team that runs servers and at least one of these reasons: you manage special-purpose devices such as kiosk tablets or scanners, you must keep data in your own data centre, or you work in a closed network. In these cases Headwind is usually the first choice.
It tends to be less worthwhile if you manage standard smartphones for office employees and nobody has time to run a server. An MDM based on Android Enterprise is then usually set up faster. How large and small solutions differ is shown in the article MDM market: how large and small MDM solutions differ.
Everphone integrates an existing MDM into its own service. If you get rental devices from us, we also take over planning and distribution of the software (staging) on the devices. You decide which MDM you use, and we are also happy to help with licensing through our partners.
Frequently asked questions
Which open-source MDM is the best for Android?
For a pure Android fleet, Headwind MDM is the obvious choice, especially for kiosk devices or devices without Google services. For mixed fleets with iOS, Windows and Android, Fleet or Entgra fit better. What matters is your devices and your IT operations, not the feature list.
Is an open-source MDM free?
The software of the Community Editions carries no licence fee. Servers, maintenance and administration still cost money and working time. With Fleet, full management of company-owned Android devices is also included only in the paid Premium version.
Can I manage Android devices without a Google account?
With Headwind MDM, yes: enrolment runs via QR code without a Google account. Android's setup wizard usually still needs internet on first start, and Google Play Protect can block customised launcher builds. Fleet, by contrast, manages Android only through Android Enterprise.
Which open-source MDMs are no longer maintained?
Flyve MDM and OneMDM. The Flyve MDM repositories have been archived since 2021, and OneMDM has received no new code since 2017. Nobody fixes security vulnerabilities in an MDM agent there any more, so you should not deploy either of them anew.
What is the difference between MDM and Android Enterprise?
Android Enterprise is Google's framework for managing Android devices in companies, for example with work profiles and Managed Google Play. An MDM is the software that controls this framework. Headwind can also work without Android Enterprise; Fleet requires it.