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Independent decision guide

Microsoft Intune vs Jamf Pro for managing Macs

Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro compared for managing Macs, iPhones and iPads at work: licensing and price, Apple platform coverage, Automated Device Enrollment, declarative device management, Platform SSO, scripting and inventory, app deployment and patching, compliance and Conditional Access, new macOS releases and hosting, with a clear verdict.

Checked against vendor documentation on 8 November 202623 vendor sources listedNo paid placement

KBY decision summary

The short answer

Choose Intune if you are already on Microsoft 365 E3, E5 or Business Premium, Macs are a minority of your fleet and your Mac needs are standard: enrollment, settings, compliance for Conditional Access and a handful of apps. You probably already own it. Choose Jamf Pro if Macs are a large or complex part of the estate, or you need Jamf's same-day support for new Apple releases, its catalogue of about 700 patched third-party Mac apps, extension attributes and Smart Groups, or Apple Watch management. Jamf Pro can feed device compliance to Microsoft Entra, so choosing Jamf does not mean giving up Conditional Access.

At a glance

Intune vs Jamf: side by side

FeatureMicrosoft IntuneJamf Pro
Licensing and list priceIntune Plan 1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3 ($39 per user per month), E5 ($60), EMS E3 and E5 and Business Premium, or $8 per user per month on its own. Plan 2 $4 and Intune Suite $10 per user per month as add-ons.Jamf for Mac (Jamf Pro, Jamf Connect and Jamf Protect) $12.50 per Mac per month; Jamf for Mobile $5.75 per device per month. Billed annually, 25-device minimum. No list price for Jamf Pro alone.
Free trialOffered on Microsoft's pricing page; length not stated there14 days
Apple platformsmacOS, iOS and iPadOS, plus Apple TV and Vision Pro through userless Automated Device Enrollment (Apple TV takes custom profiles only). watchOS is not on its supported list. Full support for macOS 15 and later; macOS 13 and later can enroll.macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS and watchOS
Automated Device EnrollmentYes, through enrollment policies; users then sign in to Company Portal to register the Mac with Entra IDYes, through computer and mobile device PreStage enrollments
Declarative device managementDDM settings in the settings catalog, including software update enforcement; legacy MDM update policies are being removedBlueprints built on DDM (Jamf Cloud only), plus DDM software update components
Platform SSOMicrosoft Entra ID, configured in the settings catalog; can run during Setup Assistant on new MacsMicrosoft Entra ID and Okta; Jamf Connect for other login needs
Scripting and inventoryShell scripts through the Intune management agent (1 MB limit, 60-minute timeout). Custom attributes from scripts, returning text, numbers or dates, every 8 hours.Policies, scripts, Smart Groups and extension attributes (text, pop-up menu, script or directory attribute)
Mac apps and patchingUpload DMG and PKG apps yourself. The Enterprise App Catalog add-on holds Windows (Win32) apps only.Jamf App Installers: about 700 third-party Mac titles, repackaged and signed by Jamf, usually updated within one business day; included with Jamf Pro Cloud
Compliance and Conditional AccessNative: macOS compliance policies (OS version, build, System Integrity Protection, password and more) feed Entra Conditional AccessDevice Compliance integration with Microsoft Entra for macOS and iOS; Compliance Benchmarks for CIS, NIST and STIG baselines
New macOS releasesAdds new Apple settings in its service releases, including OS beta settings ahead of release; no same-day pledge foundSame-day support for Apple's releases for 14 consecutive years (vendor claim)
HostingCloud service onlyJamf Cloud or on-premises on Windows or Linux; Blueprints, Compliance Benchmarks and the bundles are cloud-only

From each vendor's own pages on 8 November 2026. Prices and plans change; confirm them with the vendor before you buy.

Verdict

Which should you choose?

Choose Microsoft Intune if:

  • You already pay for Microsoft 365 E3, E5 or Business Premium, so Intune Plan 1 is included.
  • Macs are a minority of a mostly Windows fleet and you want one console.
  • Your Mac needs are standard: enrollment, settings, compliance and a short list of apps.
  • You want native Conditional Access and Platform SSO with Entra ID without another vendor.

Choose Jamf Pro if:

  • Macs are a large or complex part of the estate, or Apple is your main platform.
  • You want third-party Mac apps patched for you from a catalogue rather than repackaged by hand.
  • You rely on scripts, extension attributes and Smart Groups, or need on-premises hosting.
  • You manage Apple Watch, want more than userless management for Apple TV and Vision Pro, or need same-day support for new Apple releases.

Selection framework

What to test before choosing

01

Licensing

Check which Microsoft 365 plans you already own and whether Intune Plan 1 is included before pricing Jamf.

02

Fleet shape

Count Macs, iPhones and iPads, and any Apple TV, Vision Pro or Apple Watch devices, and decide how central Apple is to the estate.

03

Enrollment and identity

Test Automated Device Enrollment and Platform SSO with Entra ID on a new Mac end to end, including the first sign-in.

04

Scripts and inventory

List the scripts and inventory data you rely on and confirm each works as an Intune custom attribute or Jamf extension attribute.

05

App patching

Check how your top Mac apps are packaged and updated, and who does the repackaging work.

06

Compliance

Confirm that the compliance signal each tool produces satisfies your Conditional Access policies.

Shortlist

Products and trade-offs

Best fit

Microsoft Intune

Microsoft 365 organisations where Macs are a minority and needs are standard.

Intune Plan 1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3, E5 and Business Premium, or $8 per user per month on its own. It manages Macs, iPhones and iPads alongside Windows and Android, with ADE, DDM software updates, Platform SSO with Entra ID, shell scripts and compliance for Conditional Access. It is cloud-only.

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Reasons to shortlist

  • Often already licensed through Microsoft 365
  • Native Entra ID Conditional Access and Platform SSO
  • One console for Windows, Android, Linux and Apple

What to verify

  • No Mac third-party app catalogue; you package DMG and PKG apps
  • No watchOS; Apple TV and Vision Pro only through userless enrollment
  • Simpler Mac scripting and inventory model than Jamf's

Best fit

Jamf Pro

Large or complex Apple fleets, or teams that need deep Mac customisation.

Jamf Pro manages every Apple platform with policies, scripts, Smart Groups, extension attributes, DDM Blueprints and App Installers. Jamf for Mac bundles it with Jamf Connect and Jamf Protect at $12.50 per Mac per month. It integrates with Entra ID for device compliance and Platform SSO, and can run in Jamf Cloud or on-premises.

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Reasons to shortlist

  • Deepest Mac scripting and inventory model
  • About 700 patched third-party Mac apps in App Installers
  • Same-day support for new Apple releases (vendor claim)

What to verify

  • Extra cost on top of Microsoft 365
  • A second console for Windows-heavy teams
  • Blueprints and Compliance Benchmarks need Jamf Cloud

Proof of concept

Run these checks before rollout

  1. 01Confirm which Microsoft 365 licences you own and whether they include Intune Plan 1.
  2. 02Enroll five test Macs through Automated Device Enrollment in each product.
  3. 03Deploy Platform SSO with Entra ID and test first sign-in, password change and FileVault.
  4. 04Rebuild your three most important scripts and inventory checks in both products.
  5. 05Package and update your ten most-deployed Mac apps and time the work.
  6. 06Check that compliance reaches Conditional Access and blocks a non-compliant test Mac.
  7. 07Get written quotes for your user and device counts and compare the three-year total.

Frequently asked questions

Is Intune free with Microsoft 365?

Intune Plan 1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3, E5, EMS E3 and E5 and Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It is not in every Microsoft 365 plan; on its own it lists at $8 per user per month on annual billing. From July 2026 Microsoft is also adding Remote Help, Advanced Analytics and Intune Plan 2 features to E3, and Endpoint Privilege Management, Cloud PKI and Enterprise App Management to E5.

Can Intune fully replace Jamf for Macs?

For many fleets, yes: Intune covers Automated Device Enrollment, declarative software updates, Platform SSO with Entra ID, shell scripts, custom attributes and compliance. The gaps are in depth. Intune has no Mac app catalogue, so you package DMG and PKG updates yourself; Apple TV and Vision Pro are limited to userless enrollment and watchOS is not on its supported list; and it has no on-premises option.

Can I use Jamf Pro and still use Conditional Access?

Yes. Jamf's Device Compliance integration with Microsoft Entra (previously called Conditional Access) sends compliance for macOS and iOS devices to Entra, so Conditional Access can require a compliant device. Jamf Pro also supports Platform SSO with Entra ID.

Which is cheaper for 100 Macs?

If you already own Microsoft 365 E3, E5 or Business Premium, Intune Plan 1 costs nothing extra. Bought on its own it is $8 per user per month, about $9,600 a year for 100 users. Jamf for Mac, which adds Jamf Connect and Jamf Protect to Jamf Pro, is $12.50 per Mac per month, about $15,000 a year for 100 Macs. Get written quotes before you compare: Jamf does not list Jamf Pro on its own.

Does Intune support new macOS releases on day one?

Microsoft does not make a same-day pledge for macOS on its Intune pages. Its release notes add new Apple settings in service releases, including settings to test on Apple's OS betas before general availability. Jamf states it has offered same-day support for Apple releases for 14 consecutive years. Test each new macOS release in a pilot group either way.

Sources reviewed

The guide was checked against these vendor pages on 8 November 2026. Product behaviour and availability can change.

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