Which tool is best for acquiring and managing remote hardware in LATAM?
When a remote company looks for a partner to delegate hardware management, the list of options is more confusing than it should be.
In the same conversation, names appear that in theory solve the same problem. In practice, they do different things.
Unduit: asset lifecycle platform with a focus on the United States. ZenAdmin: software that unifies hardware, SaaS, and access, but delegates logistics to resellers by country. ManageEngine: endpoint management software for devices the company already has - it does not purchase, deliver, or retrieve hardware.
Choosing without analyzing actual needs leads to ending up with a platform that promises global coverage but, when the new employee is in Bogotá or Montevideo, relies on a third party that no one knows.
This article compares First Plug with the three on three specific axes: what problem each one solves, who has actual operations in LATAM, and which pricing model is best depending on how the headcount grows.
Remote hardware management: The set of processes covering procurement, setup, delivery, support, inventory, and retrieval of devices for distributed teams. Not all tools on this list cover the entire process - and that difference is what impacts times, costs, and troubleshooting the most. |
Who is who
First Plug
A company specialized in hardware management for remote teams, with its own operations throughout LATAM. It manages procurement, setup, delivery, support, and offboarding for more than 100 companies in +170 countries. It is an official Apple Reseller in Argentina, works with direct purchasing, and does not depend on intermediaries in any country in the region.
Unduit
A US-based IT Asset Lifecycle Management platform. It combines asset management with lifecycle services: procurement, deployment, retrieval, repair, and resale. It has an operational focus in North America and reaches 100+ countries through a partner network. Its value proposition is for large companies with headcounts concentrated in the US and integrations with Workday and BambooHR.
ZenAdmin
An all-in-one IT platform: hardware, SaaS, access (IAM), MDM, and support in a single dashboard. It covers procurement and delivery in 150+ countries through authorized local resellers. Its differentiator is unifying in one system what in other tools is separated: hardware, licenses, and access control.
ManageEngine (Endpoint Central)
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) software. It patches, monitors, secures, and audits devices that the company already owns. It does not buy hardware, does not deliver it, and does not retrieve it. It resolves the security layer, not the logistics.
The first filter: what problem does each tool solve?
Before comparing prices or coverage, there is a basic question: do you need to buy and deliver hardware, or manage what you already have?
ManageEngine answers the second question. It is installed on devices the company already owns. It manages patches, security rules, software inventory, and compliance. It is solid for the security layer, but it does not solve anything that happens before the equipment reaches the employee.
If the problem is "I need the laptop to be in São Paulo before they start," ManageEngine is not the answer. It competes in a different category.
Unduit, ZenAdmin, and First Plug answer the first question. There, the comparison is direct. And that is where the second filter appears: who has real operations in the region where your team is located.
The three pillars that determine which one is right for you
1. Does your provider operate in LATAM or rely on partners to get there?
This is the pillar that generates the most uncertainty when something goes wrong.
Unduit has an operational focus in the United States. Its integrations with Workday and BambooHR are designed for companies with a headcount in North America. Outside of that region, coverage relies on a network of partners. In practice, this means less predictable times and a layer of intermediation to resolve unforeseen issues in LATAM.
ZenAdmin claims coverage in 150+ countries. However, delivery is handled via authorized resellers in each market. ZenAdmin coordinates, the local reseller executes.
First Plug operates directly in each country. No intermediaries. It knows the customs, actual times, and local suppliers of each country in LATAM.
The key question: Does your provider resolve issues directly in the country where your people are located, or do they coordinate with someone else who does it for them? |
2. Which pricing model is best depending on how headcount grows?
Unduit and ZenAdmin have models designed for stable operations. Pay-per-use, per-transaction, or fees based on asset volume. It works when the headcount is predictable.
The problem arises with variable headcount. Startups and scaleups that are constantly hiring and offboarding people in different countries.
When pricing is tied to active devices or user subscriptions, every onboarding and offboarding impacts the bill. Even in months when no new equipment was purchased.
First Plug does not charge a monthly cost per seat. The company owns the hardware from day one. The complete cycle — setups, delivery, support, inventory, and offboarding — without a fee that scales with every onboarding or offboarding.
The key question: Does your cost with your provider increase every time you hire or offboard someone, or do you only pay for what you actually buy? |
3. Do you need Apple equipment with warranty and official prices in the region?
Neither Unduit nor ZenAdmin is an official Apple Reseller in LATAM. They buy and distribute Apple equipment, but without that status. In practice, this can mean less transparent channels and less predictable stock times.
Warranties depend on how each provider manages its relationship with Apple in each country. This varies.
First Plug is an official Apple Reseller in LATAM. Guaranteed access to stock, direct prices without intermediaries, and official warranty on all equipment.
In a region where technology distribution channels are not always transparent, this backing makes all the difference.
The key question: If your team works with MacBooks, does your provider have official Apple backing in the region, or do they buy through channels you cannot fully verify? |
Comparative table
Unduit | ZenAdmin | ManageEngine | First Plug | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purchase and physical delivery of hardware | ✓ US focus, rest via partners | ✓ Via local resellers | ✘ Does not do procurement | ✓ Own operation in LATAM |
Own operation (not delegated) in LATAM | ✘ US focus, rest partners | ✘ Via local resellers | - Not applicable | ✓ Entire region |
Official Apple Reseller in LATAM | ✘ | ✘ | - Not applicable | ✓ |
No monthly seat fee | According to plan | According to plan | License per endpoint | ✓ |
Variable headcount (frequent onboarding/offboarding) | Cost impact | Cost impact | Not applicable | ✓ No minimums |
Endpoint management (MDM/patching/security) | Partial | ✓ Included | ✓ Specialized | Via independent MDM |
HRIS Integrations (Workday, BambooHR) | ✓ Strong point | ✓ | Limited | ✓ |
Declared coverage | 100+ countries | 150+ countries | Global (software) | +170 countries, own LATAM operation |
When does each one make the most sense?
Choose First Plug if…
Your team is in LATAM and you need actual operations in the region, not outsourced logistics
Your headcount fluctuates or grows quickly and you do not want the monthly cost to scale with every onboarding or offboarding
You are equipping with MacBooks and need an official warranty and Apple Reseller prices
You prefer to own the hardware from day one, without a recurring fee per device
You need a single partner for purchase, setup, delivery, support, and offboarding, without adding another vendor to your stack
Choose Unduit if…
Your headcount is concentrated in the United States and you integrate with Workday or BambooHR
Your operation in LATAM is marginal or non-existent
Choose ZenAdmin if…
You are looking for a single dashboard for hardware, SaaS, and access control, and you accept that logistics are handled via resellers
Your priority is to reduce tools, not to have direct operations in each country
Choose ManageEngine if…
Your problem is not buying or delivering hardware, but managing the devices you already have
You need enterprise-level patching, DLP, and license management
You already have purchase and delivery logistics sorted out, and you are looking for the security layer separately
Conclusion
The four tools do not solve the same problems. ManageEngine is in the security and endpoint management layer. Unduit has its strength in operations concentrated in the United States. ZenAdmin unifies hardware, SaaS, and access in a single dashboard, supported by resellers for logistics.
If what you need is to acquire and manage hardware for your remote team in LATAM, First Plug is the only one of the four with its own physical operations throughout the region.
It is also the only one with an official Apple Reseller in LATAM and a model with no monthly cost per seat. Designed for teams with a headcount that does not grow linearly.
The question worth asking before choosing is not which platform has more features. It is which one solves exactly what you need, where you need it.
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