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Comparison · Collab
Hive vs KACE
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Hive and KACE — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Hive vs KACE: at a glance
| Feature | Hive | KACE |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Collab, PM | Collab |
| Velocity score | 6.3 | 5.0 |
| Sparks · 30d | 1 | 0 |
| Top themes | work-os, no-code-tables, automation, dashboards | endpoint-management, patch-cadence, windows-arm64, mdm |
| Last editorial update | 1d ago | 11h ago |
| Website | Visit → | — |
What is Hive?
Hive adds a flexible Tables app, pushing past tasks toward a broader work OS.
Hive is broadening from task-and-project management into a wider work platform: a new Tables app for flexible data, Mail on mobile, Buzz automations tied to QuickBooks, and steady dashboard and Workflows improvements. Its AI/automation layer (Buzz, Sidekick) is threaded through recent releases, and the cadence is consistent and product-real rather than blog filler.
What is KACE?
KACE ships ARM64 agents and HTTPS-only enforcement while the patch catalog carries the cadence.
KACE runs two tracks in one feed: the on-prem SMA appliance, which lands a substantive release every few months, and KACE Cloud, the MDM/UEM SaaS that drips small enrollment and configuration fixes between monthly feature drops. A third stream — the patch catalog — publishes on Microsoft's Patch Tuesday clock and accounts for much of the entry volume without changing the product. SMA 15.1 is the real news in this window: native Windows ARM64 agent support, Windows 11 24H2 UUP feature updates, mandatory HTTPS-only appliance access, and OAuth 2.0 for outbound Microsoft 365 mail.
Hive vs KACE: editorial side-by-side
Hive
6.3COLLABPM
Hive adds a flexible Tables app, pushing past tasks toward a broader work OS.
◆ Current state
Hive is broadening from task-and-project management into a wider work platform: a new Tables app for flexible data, Mail on mobile, Buzz automations tied to QuickBooks, and steady dashboard and Workflows improvements. Its AI/automation layer (Buzz, Sidekick) is threaded through recent releases, and the cadence is consistent and product-real rather than blog filler.
◆ Where it's heading
The direction is a consolidated workspace where tasks, data, email, dashboards, and automation live together, with Buzz automation increasingly the connective tissue. Tables signals ambition to hold structured data that previously lived in external tools like Airtable or spreadsheets.
◆ Prediction
Expect Tables to gain views, templates, and Buzz automation hooks, and for Sidekick AI to reach deeper into more of these surfaces as Hive positions itself as an all-in-one alternative to point tools.
KACE
5.0COLLAB
KACE ships ARM64 agents and HTTPS-only enforcement while the patch catalog carries the cadence.
◆ Current state
KACE runs two tracks in one feed: the on-prem SMA appliance, which lands a substantive release every few months, and KACE Cloud, the MDM/UEM SaaS that drips small enrollment and configuration fixes between monthly feature drops. A third stream — the patch catalog — publishes on Microsoft's Patch Tuesday clock and accounts for much of the entry volume without changing the product. SMA 15.1 is the real news in this window: native Windows ARM64 agent support, Windows 11 24H2 UUP feature updates, mandatory HTTPS-only appliance access, and OAuth 2.0 for outbound Microsoft 365 mail.
◆ Where it's heading
The direction is compatibility and hardening rather than new capability. Every headline item in 15.1 tracks a Microsoft platform move — ARM64 silicon, the UUP update delivery model, the basic-auth sunset — and HTTPS-only enforcement converts a configuration option into an upgrade prerequisite. On the Cloud side the work is skewing toward Windows parity (device verification, custom inventory reporting) after a long stretch of Apple and Android enrollment plumbing. Absent from the whole window: any agentic or AI-assisted layer over the endpoint estate.
◆ Prediction
Expect the next SMA point release to continue the Microsoft-tracking pattern — further UUP and ARM64 coverage plus more auth modernization — and KACE Cloud to keep closing Windows management gaps against its more mature Apple and Android support.
Alternatives to Hive and KACE
Other Collab products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Hive or KACE.
GitHub
GitHub is turning Copilot into an autonomous agent that lives everywhere developers work.
Asana
Asana bolts an agent platform and collaborative docs onto its work graph.
Paperless-ngx
Paperless-ngx ships its 3.0 breaking overhaul, then scrambles to fix a bad migration
Claap
Claap turns calls into promptable columns — and hands the whole table to your agent over MCP.
Skedda
Skedda adds a portfolio tier: one view of utilization across every venue an organization runs.
Recent activity from Hive and KACE
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 2d agoHiveNew App: Tables brings flexible databases to Hive ⚡
- 4d agoHiveImproved Find Buzz faster from Hive messages 🐝
- 6d agoKACEKACE Cloud: Fixed issues with Apple "Not Now" responses, DEP profiles, web app icons and Android AMAPI enrollments
- 8d agoKACEJuly 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday
- 9d agoHiveNew Option-click now selects or clears all checkboxes in List View
- 9d agoHiveNew Refreshed calendar meeting reminders
- 9d agoHiveNew Smarter dashboard sharing permissions
- 9d agoHiveNew Automate follow-up when timesheets are approved.*
- 9d agoKACEKACE Cloud: Fixed issue with MFA configuration on new tenants
- 11d agoKACEKACE SMA 15.1 Release
- 27d agoKACEKACE Cloud June 2026 Release
- 1mo agoKACEKACE Cloud Connect app for iOS updated to v2.2.48
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Hive and KACE?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Hive is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Hive better than KACE?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Hive is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Collab products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Hive?
Top Hive alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Hive alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/hive for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to KACE?
Top KACE alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "KACE alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/kace for the full list with editorial commentary on each.