The no-MDM alternative to KioskAI
Both keep a Mac kiosk locked and running. Only one needs an MDM.
KioskAI (kioskai.app) is a newer entrant pitched as macOS-first kiosk lockdown. It pins any Mac or iPad app into single-app mode, runs an on-device watchdog that relaunches crashed or hung apps, and gives you a fleet dashboard with health monitoring and fleet-wide updates. It is built to sit on top of the MDM you already run (Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, SimpleMDM, Intune), is priced per device per month, and at the time of writing is in early access by request. If you manage a fleet through an MDM and want recovery and monitoring across all of it, that is a genuinely strong fit, and we are happy to say so.
Canned Web solves a narrower problem without any of that machinery: it locks one Mac to one website. Enter a URL, hold ⌘⇧S, and the Mac is sealed to that site. Spotlight, Cmd-Tab, Cmd-Q and screenshots are blocked, navigation is locked to your domain or path, a watchdog relaunches it if it ever crashes, and it starts back into the site after a reboot. No MDM, no account, no server. One-time €49 per machine with updates included, and a 14-day free trial you can download today.
| Canned Web | KioskAI | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Shipping now: notarized direct download, 14-day free trial | Early access by request (free 5-seat, 30-day trial when onboarded) |
| Platform | macOS 14+ (Apple Silicon or Intel) | macOS 13+ and iPadOS / iOS 16+ |
| Price | One-time €49 per machine, updates included | Per device, per month: Mac $5/mo billed annually ($6 monthly), iPad $2/mo ($3 monthly), Business custom |
| Needs an MDM | No. Standalone: no account, no server, no profiles | Yes, it runs on top of your existing MDM (Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, SimpleMDM, Intune and others) |
| What it locks | One website, in a sealed fullscreen browser | Any Mac or iPad app in single-app mode, plus web kiosks pinned to allowlisted URLs |
| URL rules | Domain and subdomains, a single path, an allowlist of extra trusted domains | Allowlisted domains and sub-paths |
| Crash recovery | On-device watchdog relaunches and re-seals; auto-start at login recovers after a restart | On-device watchdog relaunches apps, ends stuck processes, restores the lock; restart and reboot on demand |
| Fleet management | None by design: each Mac is set up locally, one key unlocks the seats you buy | Fleet dashboard with health and touch-screen monitoring, fleet-wide app updates through your MDM |
| Between visitors | Idle reset to the home page, scroll-only mode, optional on-screen controls | Not described on their site |
Short version: if you run an MDM and want fleet-wide health and recovery across Macs and iPads, look at KioskAI. If you need one Mac, or a few, sealed to a website today, with no MDM and a one-time price, that is Canned Web.
Canned Web vs KioskAI, FAQ
- What is the difference between Canned Web and KioskAI?
- KioskAI is a kiosk and recovery layer that runs on top of the MDM you already use, across Macs and iPads, sold per device per month and currently in early access. Canned Web is a standalone native Mac app that locks one Mac to one website, with no MDM, no account and no subscription: one-time €49 per machine, downloadable today with a 14-day trial.
- Does KioskAI require an MDM?
- Yes. Its site describes it as complementing your existing MDM rather than replacing it, with the lock and restrictions applied through the MDM and a device-side agent on top. Canned Web needs no MDM at all.
- Does Canned Web have a watchdog like KioskAI?
- Yes. Canned Web runs an on-device watchdog that relaunches the kiosk if it crashes, and with auto-start at login it recovers after a restart or power cut. KioskAI adds fleet-level health monitoring and remote restart or reboot across many devices, which Canned Web does not do.
- Is KioskAI a subscription?
- Yes, per device per month (Mac from $5 a month billed annually at the time of writing). Canned Web is a one-time €49 per machine with future updates included.
- Can I try either one before paying?
- Canned Web has a 14-day free trial you can download right now. KioskAI offers a free 5-seat, 30-day trial once you are onboarded through its early-access list.
Weighing the two? Tell us your setup and we will be straight with you.
Email [email protected]