In short: Sophos Mobile combines mobile device management and mobile threat defence, managed in the Sophos console. It comes as Mobile Device Management, Mobile Threat Defense or Sophos Mobile with both. It is licensed per user, and each user can have any number of devices, so one licence covers a phone, tablet and laptop. Billing is monthly or on term.
What Sophos Mobile is
Sophos Mobile is Sophos's unified endpoint management and mobile security product. It does two jobs:
- Mobile device management (MDM): enrol, configure and monitor devices, push apps and settings, and automatically act when a device falls out of compliance. It supports corporate-owned and personal (BYOD) devices, keeping business data separate from personal data.
- Mobile threat defence (MTD): protects against phishing, malicious and unwanted apps, unsafe websites and risky networks, using the Intercept X for Mobile app and Sophos Chrome Security on Chromebooks.
Mobile telemetry also flows into Sophos XDR and MDR, so mobile threats are investigated with everything else.
Editions compared
| Edition | Former name | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Device Management | Central Mobile Standard | MDM for Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows computers |
| Mobile Threat Defense | Intercept X for Mobile | Threat protection on Android, iPhone and iPad, and Sophos Chrome Security on ChromeOS |
| Sophos Mobile | Central Mobile Advanced | Everything in Mobile Device Management and Mobile Threat Defense |
Most organisations choose Sophos Mobile for both. Mobile Threat Defense on its own suits those who already manage devices with another tool and only want Sophos threat protection on them.
How Sophos Mobile is licensed
Sophos Mobile is licensed per user:
- Each user assigned to a managed device uses one licence, however many devices they have.
- A device with no assigned user, such as a shared tablet, uses one licence.
- Only devices that have synced in the last 30 days count.
Android has its own limit of ten Android Enterprise devices per user at once. Through Forever Systems, Sophos Mobile can be billed monthly on your user count or bought on a fixed term. Ask us for a quote.
Requirements and deployment
For iPhone and iPad you need an Apple Push Notification service certificate, and for company-owned Apple devices we recommend Apple Business Manager for zero-touch enrolment. Android devices use Android Enterprise, with work profiles for personal devices or fully managed mode for company devices. We set up enrolment, compliance rules, app catalogues and the Intercept X for Mobile app, and connect it to your existing Sophos account.
Buying Sophos Mobile through Forever Systems
- Count: we count users rather than devices, plus any shared devices without a named user.
- Choose the edition: Mobile Device Management, Mobile Threat Defense or Sophos Mobile with both.
- Quote: ask us for a quote, monthly or on term, on the same account as your other Sophos licences.
- Enrol: we connect Apple Business Manager and Android Enterprise, build compliance policies and enrol devices in stages so nobody loses email access.
- Manage: we handle new starters, lost devices and licence changes as part of the service.
Who it suits and how we help
Sophos Mobile suits organisations that want mobile management in the same console as their endpoint protection, with per-user licensing that does not penalise staff with several devices. If your devices are on EE Business, O2 Business or Vodafone Business contracts, we can coordinate enrolment with Forever Group's mobile team. For product depth see Sophos Mobile, and compare tools on our mobile security and device management page.
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems Ltd supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one monthly invoice and a UK team who know the products.
- The right edition first time: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from engineers who run these products every day, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders so nothing lapses unexpectedly
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Need a licence quote or a second opinion on your renewal?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Is Sophos Mobile licensed per user or per device?
Per user. Each user uses one licence however many devices they have. A device with no assigned user uses one licence.
What replaced Intercept X for Mobile?
Its licence is now called Mobile Threat Defense. Sophos Mobile includes both Mobile Threat Defense and Mobile Device Management.
Can I buy Sophos Mobile Threat Defense without the MDM?
Yes. Mobile Threat Defense is a licence in its own right, so it can protect devices you manage with another tool. We check compatibility with your current MDM when we quote.