Articles

Jira Service Management Review IT Managers at Distributed Companies Need

If you're evaluating Jira Service Management in 2026, the short answer is yes, it's good. There's ticketing, incident response, change management, and SLA compliance. JSM handles ITSM workflows and covers everything on…

Spiceworks Alternatives That Solve Ticketing, Inventory, and Device Ops in 2026

Spiceworks built a community of a million IT pros on two free promises: a help desk and a network scanner. For years, that was plenty. But teams keep outgrowing it, and one IT Admin on Reddit summed up why,

Firstbase on AWS Marketplace: Take Logistics Off Your IT Team's Plate

Table of Contents Why IT Still Manages Hardware Like It's 2015 Your AWS Commitment Should Cover Physical IT One Platform, One Vendor, Every Country Free Your IT Team From Logistics Built to Fit the Tech Stack You…

Automated Asset Management Tools Compared for Distributed IT Teams

When you look for automated asset management software or tools, you'll get a dozen resources telling you to connect your HRIS, run discovery scans, and set up lifecycle workflows. Solid advice if your endpoints are in…

Best Automated Asset Inventory Discovery Tools for Distributed Device Management

Discovery tools and ITAM databases solve different problems, but most IT teams are forced to treat them as one. As an IT manager pointed out on Reddit, even all-in-one platforms like ServiceNow or Jira Asset Discovery…

Workwize vs GroWrk: Operational Gaps Neither Covers in 2026

You must have gone through dozens of Workwize vs GroWrk comparisons by now. They all read like feature checklists, don't they? They line up all the integrations, country counts, and pricing tiers. Then, they finally…

SHI vs CDW Compared Side by Side for IT Teams Managing Remote Hardware

SHI and CDW are two popular IT resellers in North America, and for good reason. Both are good at what they do: volume hardware discounts, software licensing, and enterprise contract negotiation. If you're buying 500…

Mosyle vs Jamf Compared for IT Teams Still Shipping Laptops Manually

If you're managing 200+ Macs across a distributed team, you've probably spent real time comparing Mosyle and Jamf for their feature lists, pricing tiers, and enrollment options. Both Mosyle and Jamf are Apple-only MDM…

Best Laptop Inventory Management Platforms for Teams That Ship Globally

Laptop inventory management has a branding problem. The name suggests it's about inventory, about knowing what you own and where it sits. And that's exactly where most tools stop. They give you a dashboard, a serial…

Best Iru (Kandji) Alternatives in 2026: MDM Comparison + the Layer They All Miss

Five Iru (Kandji) alternatives compared on features, pricing, and limitations — plus the hardware operations layer every MDM misses.

The Best Free MDM Solutions in 2026 (and the Gap They All Share)

Free MDM covers enrollment and policies — but none of them ship, retrieve, or redeploy hardware. Here's what fills the gap.

Best GLPI Alternatives for Remote-First IT Operations in 2026

Honest comparison of Snipe-IT, ManageEngine, Freshservice, and TOPdesk — plus the operational gap they all share.

The Lansweeper Alternatives Guide IT Teams Actually Need in 2026

Every Lansweeper alternative solves asset tracking. None of them solves the hardware operations gap that's actually eating your IT team's time.

Top MDM Services for Remote Work Teams

Compare MDM services for remote teams and see where device lifecycle logistics fits alongside endpoint management.

Endpoint management tools for remote IT ops teams: with Full Lifecycle Checklist

Compare endpoint management tools by software features — and close the physical lifecycle gap that none of them cover.

IT Inventory Management Software: 6 Best Platforms for Asset Control

Compare IT inventory management software by tracking and execution layers for distributed teams.

Top Asset Retrieval Services: Closing the Retrieval Gap

Where retrieval breaks down for distributed teams — and the platforms that fix it.

Asset Panda Alternatives for ITAM, Device Retrieval, and ITAD

Compare Asset Panda alternatives built for distributed IT teams managing devices across borders.

How to Choose IT Procurement Companies for Global Teams

Evaluate global IT procurement companies by lifecycle depth, country coverage, and operational fit for distributed teams.

Hello Retriever for Distributed Teams: A Reality Check.

A detailed review of Hello Retriever's pricing, features, limitations, and how it compares to full lifecycle management platforms.

IT Automation Solutions Guide for Remote IT Teams

A guide to IT automation tools across identity, endpoint, ITSM, orchestration, and hardware ops — and where the physical layer fits in.

How to ship laptops internationally - IT Leader's Guide

A practical guide to international laptop shipping, customs compliance, and device lifecycle logistics for distributed IT teams.

Looking for a Laptop Retrieval Service Here’s What to Check First

Compare top laptop retrieval services for distributed teams - from simple returns to full lifecycle management.

Top Snipe-IT Alternatives for IT Teams (2026 Edition)

Snipe-IT Isn't the Whole Stack: A 2026 Alternatives Guide

IT Process Automation Solution

IT Process Automation Solutions: What Executes vs What Doesn’t.

Software License Management Tools

Software License Management in 2026: From Policy to Practice

Best IT Service Management Software

Best IT Service Management Software: What Actually Works.

Top Managed Service Providers Argentina: Coverage and Services

Top Managed Service Providers in Argentina 2026 - Factors to Compare First

Everything You Need to Know About Managed Service Providers in the Philippines

Philippines Managed Service Providers: Features, Coverage, and Lifecycle.

Managed Service Providers Brazil: Coverage, Costs and Lifecycle Insights

Top Managed Service Providers in Brazil 2025

Meet the ITSM Experts Who Are Changing Service Management in 2026

EU MSPs in Focus: Capabilities, Scope, and Gaps

MSPs in Europe: Key Services, Coverage & Capabilities

Best Managed Service Providers in Canada 2026: Costs, Coverage & Hidden Gaps

Best Managed Service Providers in Canada: 5 Factors to Compare First

Managed Service Providers in Europe: Costs, Coverage, and the Lifecycle Gap

Best Managed Service Providers in Europe for 2026 & How to Evaluate Them

Best Equipment Inventory Software

Best Equipment Inventory Software for Global Logistics - 2026

From Provision to Retrieval: Best Hardware Inventory Platforms for Remote Teams in 2026

Best Hardware Inventory Platforms for Remote Teams in 2026

Your 2025 Guide to Choosing a Remote Equipment Management Tool

The Top Remote Equipment Management Tools Compared for Modern Work

The Complete Guide to IT Asset Discovery and Lifecycle Automation

The Best IT Asset Discovery Tools in 2026 & What They Miss

Why Value Added Reseller Companies Aren’t Enough for Remote-First Operations

Top Value Added Reseller Companies vs Lifecycle Platforms

Asset Panda Review

Asset Panda Review for 2025 Remote Operations

Allwhere Alternatives

6 Allwhere Alternatives For Global IT Logistics

What ‘Firstbase Alternatives’ Get Wrong About Remote IT

Looking for Firstbase alternatives? What You Should Know First

NinjaOne alternatives that offer more for less

Best NinjaOne Alternatives for 2025 That Go Beyond RMM

Workwize Alternatives

6 Best Workwize Alternatives for Global IT Teams

Growrk Alternatives

Best Growrk Alternatives 2025

Best IT Asset Management

Best IT Asset Management Tools in 2025

Best Mobile Device Management Software

Best Mobile Device Management Software

Best MDM For Apple

Best MDM for Apple Devices in 2025 with Full Lifecycle Control

Build Your Offshore Team in Europe

A step-by-step playbook to build your offshore team in Europe.

ServiceNow Review

A complete ServiceNow review of ITSM, ITAM, and ITOM.

Best Asset Tracking Software

Compare the best asset tracking software of 2025

Computer Inventory Software That Scales With Your Business

Best Computer Inventory Software in 2025: Why IT Teams Choose Firstbase

Top ITAD Companies

Compare the top ITAD providers for modern fleets

Why Ops Teams Are Replacing CDW: 5 Alternatives With True Lifecycle Control

Your Team Needs Full Lifecycle Control

Top 5 SHI Alternatives Compared

Compare SHI alternatives built for distributed teams.

Why Your Onboarding Experience Is the Secret to Beating Early Employee Turnover

Onboarding Is Broken. Here’s How to Fix It.

Streamline Your IT Equipment Logistics: How HRIS Integrations Transforms HR Operations

Ensuring new hires have the right equipment from day one is crucial for productivity and morale. However, many HR leaders face significant challenges when dealing with IT equipment logistics, particularly when things go…

Best Deel IT Alternatives

For Predictable Pricing in 2025

The 2025 May 20th IT Hardware Tariff Landscape Strategic Update

The May 20th update

The April 2025 IT Hardware Tariff Landscape Strategic Guide

The IT hardware sector is experiencing unprecedented disruption due to recent tariff implementations. Affecting major manufacturers like Apple, Dell, HP, Cisco, and other key players, these tariffs are creating…

ITAD Services - Secure IT Asset Disposition Matters

The commercial world has gone distributed, at least for over half the workforce that works at least partially from home. This makes managing the entire lifecycle of IT equipment more complex and more critical than ever.…

The Offshore Playbook for Equipping LATAM Teams

Whether you are looking for Spanish-speaking talent or want to scale business by building offshore, creating teams in Latin America can present an excellent opportunity for growth. Offshore operations are gaining…

The Future of Remote Work: Insights from Firstbase Founder & CEO Chris Herd

The CIO Influence

Meet AppDirect—The leading B2B subscription commerce platform

Who is AppDirect AppDirect is a recognized industry-leading B2B subscription commerce platform, designed to simplify how businesses sell, buy, and manage technology. Headquartered in San Francisco, AppDirect is trusted…

Managing the Apple M4 Launch for Businesses: What You Need to Know

With Apple’s announcement of the M4 MacBook Pro on October 30, 2024, companies are already evaluating the impact on their device procurement strategies. Apple's newest release brings exciting new features like enhanced…

Firstbase and MDMs: Elevated Global Equipment Management

Keeping any workforce productive is no small feat. But for distributed companies, with staff all over the country or world, it’s exponentially harder to equip people with secure, compliant devices. For IT departments,…

Devices and Employee Experience - A Guide for HR Leaders

Have you ever experienced the frustration of new hires waiting for their equipment, delaying their start and leaving a poor first impression? Or had to awkwardly chase down a terminated employee for their laptop? What…

Mastering IT Logistics: The 3 Rs

Welcome to the 'Mastering IT Logistics: The Three Rs' webinar e-book. This guide is designed to help IT leaders navigate the complexities of IT logistics by focusing on three critical areas: Retrieval, Reuse, and…

Planning Your Next Device Refresh

Navigating the Complexities of Device Refresh Planning In an era where technology evolves at breakneck speed, ensuring your team has the most efficient, up-to-date equipment isn't just a matter of staying current; it's…

CIO Top Priorities for 2024

At Firstbase, with our comprehensive IT logistics and asset management solution, are uniquely positioned to support these priorities and ensure teams can focus on strategic initiatives, improve security and automation,…

Does Your Team [Really] Need The M3 Processor

Apple’s newest processor boasts a large increase in compute power, yet the recent introduction of the M3 processor has many business leaders asking: do my employees need a device with this new technology? What’s the…

What’s In Your Digital Workforce Tech Stack?

Although the digital transformation was well underway before 2020, the pandemic spurred a rapid acceleration in the digital workforce that has become a pivotal aspect of modern business operations. As organizations…

Overcome Challenges With Remote Employees Returning Equipment

With the pandemic leading to an increase in remote work and the number of remote workers, more companies have had to adapt their policies and procedures for offboarding to cope with the challenges associated with remote…

What is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)?

We’ve taken a deep dive into the benefits and constraints of partnering with MSPs and VARs to outsource device lifecycle management in “ What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)? ” and “ What is a Value-Added Reseller…

Firstbase Is Now an Apple Authorized Reseller

We are proud to say that Firstbase has officially been designated as one of only 200 Apple Authorized Resellers in the US. As a provider of equipment management for remote and hybrid workers, having this direct…

What is a Value-Added Reseller (VAR)?

The remote and hybrid models of working initially imposed by the pandemic are here to stay. Gartner surveyed HR leaders and found that 66% indicated their organizations have a hybrid work model, and 30% are planning to…

Your Best Practice Onboarding Guide

The first days and early weeks of a new employee's journey with your company will set the stage for their entire experience. A well-structured and efficient onboarding experience is the foundation for successful,…

What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?

A managed service provider (MSP) is a third-party company that offers outsourced IT services. Those services can vary from MSP to MSP as each has their own unique set of expertise. Examples include things like IT…

How to Enable a Choose Your Own Device (CYOD) Strategy for Laptops & Smartphones

In the days of yore (aka pre-COVID), the thought of using a personal device for work was relatively unheard of. Even executives pulling 80+ hours a week were using a company-provided smartphone or laptop to answer phone…

Assessing Your Digital Workplace Solutions for Ultimate Efficiency

Since the onset of the pandemic, when in-person work became impossible, digital workforce transformation has become essential for businesses—with remote and hybrid work becoming the new norm, essentially the de facto…

How PC as a Service (PCaaS) Works for IT Teams

The remote work environment has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Managers must equip remote employees with up-to-date tech as part of this new landscape. PC as a Service (PCaaS) is a leasing model for hardware,…

Optimizing Remote Work Device Lifecycle Management

For IT managers coping with the transition of end-users to remote and hybrid work, device lifecycle management (DLM) has transformed from handing out laptops in the office to an operationally heavy workflow that…

The Remote Workspace Revolution

Not so long ago, the average working professional would commute to the same office space five days a week to collaborate with other employees in person. This standard workplace model has long remained the norm and not…

How to Set Up a Successful Remote Work Onboarding Process

Remote onboarding creates unique challenges for organizations. With a remote team, tech setup becomes more critical than ever. Remote work becomes the new on-site paradigm. Employers must provide employees with a fully…

Why You Need a Virtual IT Closet

Way back in the days of yore (2019) when I worked in an office, I would commute to downtown San Francisco from where I live in the East Bay. I’d wake up at about 5:30 a.m., walk to a bus station and take an express bus…

Firstbase Awarded RemoteTech Breakthrough’s Employee Onboarding Solution of the Year

We are humbled and thrilled to announce that Firstbase has won the 2023 RemoteTech Breakthrough Award for Employee Onboarding Solution of the Year . The RemoteTech Breakthrough Awards program honors best-in-class…

The State of IT Report: How Top-Performing Companies Rethink Efficiency

IT now has a seat at the strategy table. “Increasingly, CIOs are becoming less service-oriented and more product-oriented.” explains Saket Srivastava, CIO at Asana. “Now, it’s more about being a business leader than a…

How to Defeat Remote Work IT Shipping Costs

I recently spoke with a Gartner analyst who covers end-user computing. He noted that they’re getting a lot of calls these days from IT teams who are getting eaten alive by shipping costs as part of supporting remote…

How to Double Your Laptop Retrievals from Remote Workers

Retrieving laptops and other expensive equipment from remote workers isn’t easy. Most companies are losing a lot of money by not executing this aspect of remote worker operations effectively. The good news is that…

Understanding End-User Computing

End-user computing (EUC) is an IT discipline that refers to a set of technologies that enable workers to access remote applications and data safely and securely. EUC encompasses a range of different technologies and…

Delivering the Right Work From Home Equipment for Employee Success

According to industry estimates, up to 80 million (out of 255 million) desk jobs will be primarily remote by 2030. Since the pandemic, the massive rise in hybrid and full-time remote work means companies can no longer…

Implementing Remote Equipment Management for a Distributed Workforce

Remote work has undeniably changed the traditional structure of the workplace. With the significant rise of remote work during the pandemic, employees began to work flexible hours from any location, leading to higher…

Spring ‘23 Release Event Recap

On March 15th, 2023, we announced our Spring ‘23 Release, our biggest release yet. Thank you to those who were able to join us! There were a lot of new features and enhancements announced, so we've prepared a brief…

Announcing the Firstbase Integration Hub powered by Workato

We're excited to announce the Firstbase Integration Hub powered by Workato’s Intelligent Integration and Automation platform. The Firstbase Integration Hub will enable our customers to connect to 1,000+ SaaS apps,…

Is your IT Ops model a digital winner?

Enterprises are striving to become increasingly digital in their business model. But is your IT operating model strong enough to help achieve your organization's digital ambition? That's what we covered in our recent…

How to equip Fintech remote workers for success

Many Fintech companies have leaned into remote work. A recent search on builtin.com showed over five hundred Fintechs with remote work programs, and 185 that were fully remote. In this blog, we’ll look at the drivers…

Don't Fall for a Trojan HaaS

Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) is a powerful way to procure end-user computing equipment. It offers an effective way to conserve cash, keep IT equipment off your balance sheet, and keep your employees happy with the most…

The Four Steps to Equipping Home Workers

Many IT teams are just starting to design sustainable practices for remote work. In this blog post, we’ll cover four basic steps for properly equipping home and flexible location workers. These steps are drawn from the…

What IT Teams Should Put on and Take Off Their Plates in 2023

I am a foodie. I love cooking. I love eating, drinking good wine (and other stuff too). So as the holidays have come and gone my mind naturally goes back to all the eating (don’t get me started on how successful I was…

It’s Time to Modernize End User Computing for Flexible Work

In a recent webinar on this topic, I shared how I ran across an early pandemic era article by Intel that declared that “the status quo is officially dead” for end user computing (EUC), due to the need to adapt to remote…

The State of RTO: What Workers Want

Companies’ return to the office or “RTO” has become a hot-button issue that has gripped headlines for weeks. Fortune has called the tension between RTO and WFH (work from home) a “war.” Yet with hybrid work emerging as…

Fall 2022 Release Webinar Recap

In our first ever seasonal release webinar, Ian, our VP of Product & Design, discussed how for our Fall Release we're helping you manage the entire equipment lifecycle without the manual hassles by focusing on three…

Go Green! Reuse your equipment, reduce your carbon footprint, and save costs with Firstbase

IT administrators need flexibility and control to optimize deployment of used versus new devices. Firstbase makes this easy so you can reduce your carbon footprint, maximize your assets, and deliver the best possible…

Manage the entire equipment lifecycle by initiating returns, replacements, and upgrades at a click of a button

With on-platform returns, replacements, and upgrades, we’re equipping IT and HR administrators with the tools and infrastructure they need to maximize productivity for their employees across the entire employee journey.…

Creating the best employee onboarding experience with the power of Firstbase and Enboarder

With Firstbase and Enboarder , we’re combining personalized, digital onboarding with seamless equipment outfitting, creating the best onboarding experience for your employees. Make your employees feel welcomed and set…

Automate manual workflows such as onboarding and offboarding by connecting to the new Firstbase API

With the new Firstbase API, we’re helping IT and HR administrators save time by automating manual workflows such as onboarding and offboarding across their HRIS and IdP systems. Firstbase empowers you to orchestrate the…

How to Pull a Spotify and Reduce Employee Turnover by 15%

Fortune recently published an article on how Spotify reduced employee turnover by 15% between 2019 and 2022 by embracing work from anywhere. This result is impressive, so the question is “how did they get there?” Let’s…

Flexible work can drive productivity—but only when done right.

When companies contemplate adopting more flexible work like remote work and hybrid work, productivity is often top-of-mind. Before the pandemic, despite evidence on the contrary , many businesses avoided flexible work…

Announcing Firstbase’s $50M Series B

We are thrilled to announce $50M in Series B funding, led by Kleiner Perkins, and welcome Josh Coyne to our board. Today is an important day for Firstbase. We are announcing $50M in Series B funding led by Josh Coyne at…

Announcing Firstbase's $2M Seed Round and $13M Series A from A16Z and Alpaca Ventures

Today is an important day for Firstbase and all of us personally. We are announcing a $2M Series Seed led by David Goldberg at Alpaca and a $13M Series A led by David Ulevitch at A16Z. Joining A16Z and Alpaca, are Mike…

20 Lessons 100 Leading Remote Companies Taught us About Building a Great Remote Team

Over the last 3 years, we've spoken to 100+ of the leading remote-first companies on the planet These are the 20 lessons they taught us about how to build a great remote team 1. ✍️ Documentation: documentation is the…

Giving Your Remote Team a Stipend for Set up at Home is Incredibly Dangerous

Not so fast The danger here is that workers do not buy the right equipment. The outcome is incredibly simple: injuries, lower productivity, and a terrible experience. 🤕 Injuries Purchasing a substandard chair which…

Every Company Needs a Disaster Continuity Plan that Includes Remote Work Now

Companies who can't operate remotely are in trouble Covid-19 has highlighted the lack of capacity most companies have for remote work. This will be viewed as an existential threat to businesses and every board will push…

Companies That Go Back to the Office Full-Time Will Be Replaced by Every Company Who Doesn't

Companies who adopted technology 20 years ago replaced every company that didn’t. Companies that adopt remote working will replace every company that doesn’t. The reason is incredibly simple: talent and efficiency.…

65 Predictions About the Future of Life and Work

The 2020s are the Remote Work decade. Remote work has the potential to be the biggest quality of life upgrade in work history. A few predictions of what is likely to emerge 1. 🤖 Personal RPA : robotic process…

Designing a Great Place to Work for Everyone

Be the best workplace on the planet That is our most important value; our stake in the ground. Everything else falls beneath that banner. I don’t care about creating another company which is the best place in the world…

The Tools and Equipment Remote Workers Need to do Great Work at Home

Table stakes for doing great work are the right tools and equipment. Everybody know this, it's the reason everything is provided for you in an office. Without those things, you won't be as safe, comfortable, or…

Remote Work Let me See my Kids's First Steps

I'm so passionate about remote work because of everything it has given me. Time, opportunity, happiness and freedom. The chance to let my daughters know their father far better than they otherwise would have. Freedom to…

The Office is Dead  –  Long Live Remote Working

The office is dead. I realize that may not be immediately apparent but it's indisputable. The 2008 financial collapse killed the vanity office and marked the rise of co-working spaces. The why is as obvious as the when…

The Full-Stack Solution your Team Needs to Go Remote Easily

From the moment I picked up Jason Fried ’s book ReWork I was hooked. Much like reading Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper, I felt like I was peering into the future and immediately understood the possibilities of the…

The Remote Work Manifesto – How to Build a Culture & Dominate this Decade

Remote work is the biggest workplace revolution in history. It's the most important strategic decision companies will make this decade as it will allow them to become more efficient. The below are not a set of…

Back to the Future of Work: How to Dominate the Remote Work Revolution

I thought the future of work was a zero-sum game. It’s not. Most companies will downsize office footprint by 50% and let everyone work from home 3-4 days a week. This will help them become more capital efficient while…

How to Set your Remote Team up To Do Great Work at Home

The remote work genie is out of the bottle; it will be impossible to put it back in. Remote work has accelerated 10 years in 10 days and workers will now expect it. The future of work’s already here, companies must…

How the Biggest Companies in the World are Thinking about Remote Work

A work for home capability isn’t a nice to have It could be the difference between life or death Companies everywhere are waking up to this reality. The capacity for flexibility is one we hear from every company, big or…

The Tools Every Company Needs to Develop a Great Remote Work Strategy

Remote work is the most important workplace innovation in history. It will deliver the largest quality of life increase across the next decade and help companies become far more effective and efficient. Failing to adapt…