Head to head · Reviewed August 2026
Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Intune
List pricing, per-device cost once the units are levelled, operational load and the capabilities where the two are scored differently. Every figure carries its source.
The short answer
Microsoft Intune lists at $8.00 per user per month against Jamf Pro's $7.89 per device. The units differ: at this model's 1.2 devices per user, Microsoft Intune normalises to $6.67 per device. That makes Intune roughly 16% cheaper on the licence line alone - and the licence line alone is where most of these comparisons go wrong. Intune licenses Conditional Access (Entra ID P1), endpoint protection (Defender), Remote Help and Endpoint Privilege Management separately, and this model adds 15% more IT time to run an Apple fleet on it, which is an Amaris field estimate with a 0-35% range rather than a measured figure. On Apple integration, the scored matrix puts Jamf Pro at 16 of 16 against Microsoft Intune's 6. Choose Intune when the fleet is majority Windows and already standardised on Microsoft 365; choose Jamf Pro when Mac and iOS are first-class platforms and you need Apple features on the day Apple ships them.
What each one costs
Jamf
Jamf Pro
$7.89/device/mo
Priced per device, so no normalisation is applied.
- Minimum devices
- 25
- Platforms
- macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Android
Source: Tekpon Verified, 2026-03
Microsoft
Microsoft Intune
$8.00/user/mo
Normalised to $6.67 per device at 1.2 devices per user.
- Minimum devices
- None
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
Source: Microsoft.com, 2026-03
Cost and operational load
| Measure | Jamf Pro | Microsoft Intune |
|---|---|---|
| With security bundle | $12.50 | $18.00 |
| Typical implementation | 6-10 wk | 8-12 mo |
| IT staff per 1,000 devices | 0.2-0.3 | 0.5-1.0 |
| Policy delivery latency | Seconds | 8-24 hrs |
Three-year licence cost by fleet size
| Fleet size | Jamf Pro | Microsoft Intune | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 devices | $28,404 | $24,000 | $4,404 less on Microsoft Intune |
| 500 devices | $142,020 | $120,000 | $22,020 less on Microsoft Intune |
| 2,000 devices | $568,080 | $480,000 | $88,080 less on Microsoft Intune |
| 5,000 devices | $1,420,200 | $1,200,000 | $220,200 less on Microsoft Intune |
Capability scores by category
Scored against the Amaris MDM Practices reference, where each criterion is full, partial or absent. Criteria the reference does not assess for one of the two are excluded from both totals rather than counted as a zero.
Jamf Pro
Microsoft Intune
Where they actually differ
| Capability | Jamf Pro | Microsoft Intune |
|---|---|---|
| Beta program for new featuresApple integration · Pre-release testing of new MDM capabilities | Full | None |
| Apple GitHub device management integrationApple integration · Blueprints integrated with Apple's device management repo | Full | None |
| Return to ServiceApple integration · Remote wipe and re-enrollment without physical accessIntune: to be implemented | Full | None |
| Day-0 macOS supportApple integration · Same-day support for new Apple OS releases | Full | None |
| Zero Trust (BeyondCorp)Security · Google BeyondCorp integration for Zero Trust access | Full | None |
| Security benchmark dashboardsSecurity · Visual compliance status and security posture reportingIntune: security benchmark dashboards not available for Apple | Full | None |
| Monthly feature & settings updatesApple integration · Frequency of new MDM feature releases and Apple setting supportIntune: quarterly plan, not all Apple settings implemented | Full | Partial |
| Managed Apple Accounts supportApple integration · Support for Apple services including Managed Apple Accounts | Full | Partial |
| Platform SSO readinessIdentity · Support for Apple Platform SSO during and after enrollmentIntune: not available during Setup Assistant. Jamf: Okta supported during setup | Full | Partial |
| API & automationAdvanced features · Programmatic access to MDM features for automationIntune: API partially implemented for Apple features. Jamf: two API implementations | Full | Partial |
| Web / content filteringAdvanced features · Built-in or integrated content filtering capabilitiesJamf: Jamf Trust. Intune: via Defender & config profiles | Full | Partial |
| Apple-tailored security softwareAdvanced features · Security tools specifically designed for Apple deployments | Full | Partial |
| Infrastructure as CodeAdvanced features · Manage MDM configurations through code and version controlJamf: possible with third-party tools. Intune: no IaC implementation | Partial | None |
| Granular role-based accessAdvanced features · Fine-grained administrator permissions and access controlIntune/WS1: strong granular RBAC. Jamf: limited and complex | Partial | Full |
Showing the 14 widest of 26 scored differences. The criteria where the two tie are on the MDM Encyclopedia, alongside every other platform.
Which to choose
Choose Jamf Pro if
Organisations where Mac and iOS are first-class platforms and Apple feature parity on release day matters.
Strengths
- Support for new Apple OS features on release day rather than a quarter later
- 300+ integrations and a documented full API
- Terraform infrastructure-as-code and GitOps workflows
- CIS benchmarks natively, generally available
- The largest consultant, community and hiring pool of any platform here
Trade-offs
- 25-device minimum
- Endpoint protection (Jamf Protect) and identity (Jamf Connect) are separate SKUs
- Quote-only since 2025 - the $7.89 figure is a reseller-reported list price, not a Jamf-published one
Choose Microsoft Intune if
Majority-Windows fleets already standardised on Microsoft 365 and Entra, where Apple is the minority platform.
Strengths
- One console for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux
- Conditional Access and compliance policies native to Entra
- Windows Autopilot for zero-touch PC provisioning
- Frequently already paid for inside an existing Microsoft 365 bundle
Trade-offs
- Apple feature support trails Apple releases - the matrix scores it lowest of the six on Apple integration
- Policy delivery measured in hours where the Apple-first platforms deliver in seconds
- Conditional Access (Entra ID P1), Defender, Remote Help and Endpoint Privilege Management are each licensed separately
Questions people ask about Jamf Pro and Microsoft Intune
- Is Jamf Pro cheaper than Microsoft Intune?
- Microsoft Intune is the cheaper of the two on list price, at $8.00 per user per month against $7.89 per device per month. Normalised to a per-device figure at 1.2 devices per user, that is $6.67 against $7.89 per device per month, a gap of about 16%. These are vendor list prices current to 2026, not quotes: licence cost is only one line of total cost of ownership, and implementation, add-on SKUs and IT labour routinely move the ranking.
- Can you move from Jamf Pro to Microsoft Intune without wiping the devices?
- Yes, on Apple platforms from the iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 generation onward. Apple shipped a no-wipe MDM-to-MDM migration path, and the on-device experience is a restart on mobile or a full-screen prompt on Mac, with no factory reset. Three conditions bound it: the devices must be organisation-owned and enrolled through Automated Device Enrolment on version 26 or later; it is vendor-to-vendor only, so it does not work into or out of Apple Business's own built-in management; and configurations and policies do not carry across automatically - only enrolment moves, and optionally apps. Devices older than the 26 generation still have to be re-enrolled.
- Jamf Pro or Microsoft Intune - which should we choose?
- Jamf Pro fits best where organisations where Mac and iOS are first-class platforms and Apple feature parity on release day matters. Microsoft Intune fits best where majority-Windows fleets already standardised on Microsoft 365 and Entra, where Apple is the minority platform. This model does not name a single winner, because the answer depends on which evaluation pillars matter to you and on what you already pay for elsewhere.
Related comparisons
These are modelled estimates, not quotes
Prices are vendor list rates current to 2026 and dated on the methodology page. Real cost moves with fleet size, sector, negotiated discount and which add-on SKUs you need. Amaris Consulting, Part of Mantu, runs Apple and MDM migrations for a living - if you want these numbers checked against your estate, ask.