Strong Contender #3 Overall

Microsoft Intune

The Microsoft ecosystem's native MDM, deeply integrated with Entra ID and Microsoft 365.

$8–$12/user/month
Microsoft-centric enterprises with Windows-heavy fleets
iOS Android Windows macOS
3.9 Overall Score
Microsoft Intune screenshot 1Microsoft Intune screenshot 2Microsoft Intune screenshot 3

Key Takeaways

Who It's For

Microsoft Intune is designed for microsoft-centric enterprises with windows-heavy fleets. The Microsoft ecosystem's native MDM, deeply integrated with Entra ID and Microsoft 365. The platform offers a 30-day free trial, limited sandbox, so you can evaluate it before committing.

Native Entra ID conditional access delivers best-in-class zero-trust policy enforcement
Windows Autopilot provides the smoothest zero-touch deployment for Windows devices
Linux management limited to Ubuntu custom compliance scripts only

At a Glance

Best For
Microsoft-centric enterprises with Windows-heavy fleets
Setup Complexity
Moderate
Pricing Range
$8–$12/user/month
Licensing Model
Per-user licensing included in M365 E3/E5; Plan 2 add-on
Top Strength
Native Entra ID conditional access delivers best-in-class zero-trust policy enforcement
Trial
30-day free trial, limited sandbox

Buyers Guide

Download the full 2026 comparison spreadsheet with scores, pricing, and feature data for all 10 platforms.

Excel format

Score Breakdown

Scored across 10 categories based on 50 features evaluated per platform.

Avg 3.9 / 5.0
App Management 4.4
Reporting & Visibility 4.3
Device Configuration 4.1
Identity & Directory 4.5
Compliance & Security 4.0
Integration & Extensibility 4.0
Enrollment & Provisioning 3.8
OS Update & Lifecycle 3.5
Targeting & Policy Logic 3.5
Remote Actions & Support 3.0

Pros & Cons

Based on our hands-on evaluation of Microsoft Intune.

Strengths

4
  • Native Entra ID conditional access delivers best-in-class zero-trust policy enforcement
  • Windows Autopilot provides the smoothest zero-touch deployment for Windows devices
  • Strong MAM/APP capabilities enable data protection on unmanaged BYOD devices
  • Comprehensive Graph API and Power Automate integration for custom workflows

Limitations

3
  • Linux management limited to Ubuntu custom compliance scripts only
  • No native ChromeOS MDM capabilities (Entra ID device sync only)
  • Polling-based compliance checks (8-hour default) lag behind real-time competitors

Feature Breakdown

Individual feature scores across all 10 categories for Microsoft Intune.

Compare features across platforms

Device Configuration

5 features
4.0 Wi-Fi & VPN Profiles

Wi-Fi and VPN profiles for all managed platforms; supports per-app VPN and split tunnelling via Microsoft Tunnel.

5.0 Email & Exchange Configuration

Native Exchange Online and Exchange ActiveSync integration; Outlook app configuration with S/MIME and conditional access.

4.0 Restrictions & Policies

Comprehensive device restriction profiles with platform-specific templates for Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS.

4.0 Custom Configuration Payloads

Custom OMA-URI policies for Windows, custom configuration profiles for iOS/macOS, and Settings Catalog with 2000+ settings.

4.0 Kiosk & Lockdown Mode

Windows kiosk mode (single and multi-app), Android dedicated device mode, and iOS Guided Access configuration.

Enrollment & Provisioning

5 features
4.0 Apple ADE (Automated Device Enrollment)

Solid ADE support for iOS and macOS via Apple Business Manager; enrollment profiles support skip-screen and await configuration.

4.0 Android Zero-Touch / Samsung KME

Android Zero-Touch and Samsung KME supported; integrates with Android Enterprise for fully managed and dedicated devices.

5.0 Windows Autopilot

Native Windows Autopilot with pre-provisioning, self-deploying mode, and white glove deployment — the definitive Autopilot experience.

3.0 Bulk Enrollment & Staging

Bulk enrollment via provisioning packages (PPKG), enrollment tokens, and device identifiers CSV import.

5.0 BYOD / User-Initiated Enrollment

Best-in-class BYOD with MAM without enrollment (APP), Android Work Profile, and iOS User Enrollment — data protection without full MDM.

App Management

5 features
5.0 App Store / Play Store Distribution

Deploy from Apple App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, and winget with assignment targeting and required/available modes.

5.0 Enterprise / In-House App Deployment

LOB app deployment for all formats (MSI, MSIX, IPA, APK) with Win32 app management and dependency chaining.

4.0 VPP/ABM App Licensing

VPP token sync with Apple Business Manager; device and user-based licensing with license tracking.

4.0 Managed App Configuration

App configuration policies for managed apps and managed devices with JSON-based settings deployment.

4.0 Self-Service App Catalog

Company Portal app serves as the self-service catalog across iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.

Compliance & Security

5 features
4.0 Compliance Policies & Rules

Comprehensive compliance policies with custom compliance scripts, grace periods, and non-compliance notifications.

5.0 Conditional Access / Zero Trust

Native Entra ID Conditional Access — the gold standard for zero-trust policy enforcement with compliance-driven access.

4.0 Encryption Management

BitLocker management with key escrow to Entra ID; FileVault management and encryption compliance reporting.

4.0 Certificate Deployment

SCEP, PKCS, and imported PKCS certificate profiles with NDES connector for on-premises certificate authorities.

3.0 Threat Detection & Response

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration for threat detection; third-party MTD connector support.

OS Update & Lifecycle

5 features
4.0 OS Update Management

Windows Update for Business, iOS/macOS software update policies, and Update Compliance reporting via Azure Monitor.

4.0 Patch Management

Windows patch management via Windows Update for Business; third-party patching through Win32 app updates.

4.0 Update Deferral Policies

Windows Update rings with deferral periods, quality/feature update policies, and phased deployment support.

3.0 Device Wipe & Retirement

Full wipe, selective wipe, and Fresh Start for Windows; device retire action removes corporate data.

3.0 Lifecycle & Warranty Reporting

Device inventory with hardware details; warranty tracking through Intune Suite add-on.

Reporting & Visibility

5 features
4.0 Dashboards & Analytics

Intune dashboard with compliance overview, device status, and integration with Azure Monitor workbooks.

5.0 Custom Reports & Queries

Intune Data Warehouse, KQL queries via Azure Monitor, and Power BI integration for custom reporting.

4.0 Hardware & Software Inventory

Device inventory with hardware details, discovered apps, and configuration profiles status.

4.0 Audit Logging & Activity Trails

Audit logs for all admin operations with Azure AD integration for identity correlation.

4.0 Real-Time Device Status

Device status with last sync time, compliance state, and hardware metrics; 8-hour default check-in interval.

Remote Actions & Support

5 features
4.0 Remote Lock & Wipe

Remote lock, wipe, retire, restart, and Fresh Start for Windows; custom lock screen message for Android.

2.0 Remote Screen Sharing

Remote help (Intune Suite add-on) for Windows and Android; no native iOS/macOS remote view.

3.0 Remote Shell / Terminal Access

Remediation scripts and PowerShell script deployment for Windows; shell scripts for macOS.

3.0 Self-Service Portal

Company Portal app provides device status, app install, and compliance information for end users.

3.0 Remote File Management

Log collection for Windows and Android; file deployment via Win32 app packaging or scripts.

Targeting & Policy Logic

5 features
4.0 Smart Groups & Dynamic Targeting

Azure AD dynamic groups with device and user properties; filters for policy assignment scoping.

3.0 Tag-Based Policy Assignment

Scope tags for RBAC and assignment filters; Azure AD group-based policy targeting.

3.0 Geofencing & Location Rules

Basic location compliance rules; geo-fencing for Android and iOS compliance policies.

4.0 Time-Based & Scheduled Policies

Delivery optimisation with maintenance windows and Windows Update scheduling.

4.0 Multi-Policy Layering & Conflict Resolution

Profile conflict detection and reporting; Settings Catalog with merged vs override behaviour for policy layers.

Identity & Directory

5 features
5.0 Microsoft Entra ID Integration

Native Entra ID integration — the definitive experience with seamless conditional access, device compliance, and user sync.

4.0 Okta / Google Workspace Integration

Third-party IDP support via Entra ID federation; Google Workspace sync via connectors.

4.0 On-Premises AD / LDAP

Entra ID Connect syncs on-premises AD to cloud; AD connector for hybrid join scenarios.

5.0 Certificate-Based Authentication

SCEP and PKCS certificate profiles with NDES connector for certificate-based network authentication.

4.0 User-Device Affinity Mapping

Primary user mapping with device-to-user affinity; user-based policy and app targeting.

Integration & Extensibility

5 features
5.0 REST API Availability

Microsoft Graph API provides programmatic access to all Intune functionality with excellent documentation.

4.0 Webhooks & Event Automation

Azure Logic Apps and Power Automate integration for event-driven workflows; audit log streaming.

4.0 SIEM & Security Integration

Azure Sentinel integration with audit log streaming via Diagnostic Settings for Intune events.

4.0 ITSM / ServiceNow Connectors

ServiceNow integration via Microsoft connector; Power Platform for custom ITSM workflows.

3.0 Custom Scripting & Extensibility

PowerShell script deployment for Windows; shell script support for macOS; Remediations for proactive fixes.

Video Resources

Watch Microsoft Intune demos, tutorials, and reviews.

Microsoft Intune Suite - Beyond Endpoint Management in 2024

Overview 8:15

What is Microsoft Intune?

Overview 2:37

Microsoft Intune From Zero to Hero

Tutorial 39:05

Alternatives to Consider

Other platforms to evaluate alongside Microsoft Intune.

Omnissa Workspace ONE

Enterprise Leader
4.6

The broadest cross-platform UEM with enterprise-grade automation and real-time compliance.

iOSAndroidWindowsmacOS +2
Read Review

Hexnode UEM

Strong Contender
3.7

The broadest OS support at the best value, with excellent kiosk capabilities.

iOSAndroidWindowsmacOS +4
Read Review

ManageEngine MDM Plus

Strong Contender
3.8

Affordable multi-platform MDM with strong Active Directory integration and a generous free tier.

iOSAndroidWindowsmacOS +1
Read Review

Ready to decide?

Compare Microsoft Intune Head-to-Head

See how Microsoft Intune stacks up against Workspace ONE, Hexnode, ManageEngine in a detailed side-by-side comparison.