Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Microsoft Intune comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 6, 2024

We compared Microsoft Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune based on our user's reviews in several parameters.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is praised for its efficient system management and robust security controls, while Microsoft Intune is highly valued for its device management capabilities and integration with broader enterprise systems. Users appreciate the flexibility in managing policies with Intune, while Configuration Manager users highlight its customizable reporting and remote access. Both products received positive feedback on customer service and support, with Configuration Manager offering competitive pricing and Intune demonstrating cost-effectiveness. Areas for improvement include enhancing user interfaces and improving software performance for both products.

Features: Microsoft Configuration Manager offers efficient system management, seamless software deployment, comprehensive inventory tracking, customizable reporting, robust security controls, and convenient remote access capabilities. Microsoft Intune provides the ability to wipe data and reset devices, excellent visibility into connected devices, integration with broader enterprise systems, control over user access to websites, and easy-to-use interfaces. Both products have their own strengths and valuable features.

Pricing and ROI: According to user feedback, both Microsoft Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune offer reasonable pricing and flexible licensing options. Users find the setup process of Intune to be straightforward, while Configuration Manager is praised for its pricing structure and licensing terms., The ROI from Microsoft Configuration Manager was perceived as favorable based on user feedback. However, Microsoft Intune demonstrated positive ROI with effective cost management, increased productivity, secure device management, streamlined workflows, and seamless integration with existing systems. Users highlighted significant time savings, enhanced user experience, and improved security measures, making Microsoft Intune a valuable investment.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Configuration Manager could benefit from enhancing its user interface, navigation, and layout to streamline tasks. It should also improve reporting, alerting, integration with third-party apps, and device compatibility. On the other hand, users suggest that Microsoft Intune should focus on improving its user interface, speed, performance, customization options, and troubleshooting features.

Deployment and customer support: Based on user feedback, the duration required to establish a new tech solution with Microsoft Configuration Manager can vary widely. Some users spent three months on deployment, while others spent a week on setup. However, for Microsoft Intune, some users spent three months on deployment and an additional week on setup, while others spent a week in total for both phases., Microsoft Configuration Manager's customer service is highly praised for its helpfulness and responsiveness, while Microsoft Intune's support is commended for prompt assistance and knowledgeable staff. Both offer reliable and dependable support.

The summary above is based on 127 interviews we conducted recently with Microsoft Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune users. To access the review's full transcripts, download our report.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Microsoft Intune Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"Technical support is very helpful and very responsive.""There is a faster time to rollout. If we get a new PC, it can be ready for productivity right away.""The solution is highly scalable.""The ability to make collections and deploy to them has been great.""The cloud account management is a valuable feature.""It's helped us solve problems surrounding patching, installing, and reporting different patches, etc., on the virtual machines.""Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is valuable in keeping our systems updated. We are able to send updates to all the systems. Additionally, the Intune integration is helpful.""It is easy to install, and quick to deploy."

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"There are so many features, but Windows Autopilot is one of the features that are very valuable for most customers.""It is a very stable and scalable cloud-only solution.""The tool's most valuable feature is Autopilot.""The dashboards, the security, and the customization capabilities work very well for us.""It has a useful device management feature.""I would say the biggest benefit is the single-pane view. There's no jumping around multiple UI's to do your overall management.""The best feature is that we don't need to worry about downtime. We don't need to worry about the network connections of our office or the virtual private network. Everything is being done through the internet. Using Intune Autopilot, we can configure and deploy everything to the devices.""For Windows services, there are multiple options within Intune to modernize it to be more internet-facing and dynamic."

More Microsoft Intune Pros →

Cons
"With Microsoft Premier Support, you get what you pay for. There's Third Tier Support that you pay for. If you pay for that, you get excellent support, and if you don't pay for that, then you get the less experienced staff.""I would like to see more automation.""The App to upgrades to the server needs to be improved.""They should improve their anti-malware policies like the SCEP policies. For instance, you can't have different policies for different servers, there is only one policy in all the servers, and everything is covered under that. For example, say you want to scan one group of servers on Saturday, and then you want to scan another group of servers on Sunday, you can't do that. You have to scan all your servers, a regular scan or a full scan, on the same day and at the same time. That's definitely one thing they need to resolve. In the next release, it would actually be nice if they included Apple products. It will also help if you can use Intune again. Their compliance reporting feature could also be better. They can maybe work a bit on that for patching now. It would be better if SCCM came with the functions of Right Click Tools built-in. If SCCM would have all those functions already built-in, we won't have to go and spend $5,000, just as an add-in from another company to get those functions.""Cloud-based improvements need to be better managed.""The tool's deployment is complex and depends on the architecture you want to implement.""It is a bit of an old and outdated product.""The solution could improve the functionality for automating, license management. Additionally, more and better-looking reports are needed."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Cons →

"In the past, I raised some tickets for the enhancement feature, which was missing in Intune.""There's quite a lot of development that they can do within their Intune dashboard. I think there are too many lines hyperlinked to move you around. Others, in contrast, give you a simple dashboard and an intuitive administrative walkthrough.""We haven't really gone through all the features of Intune. We are just discovering them. Every day, we see a new feature that we want to apply, but what will be great for Intune is to be able to deploy apps in a simple fashion. We should be able to easily install various apps on the Windows platform, iOS, and Android. Currently, we have to write some scripts. It's not as straightforward as we would like it to be. It should be simplified so that we can do it just with three clicks—next, next, finish—without needing to write a script.""It would be great if Intune offered better data protection controls for BYOD Windows PCs.""When somebody has a customized application or their own company's application, we cannot deploy that application.""Intune lags all of its competitors in terms of report generation.""The solution could be improved by the opportunity to connect third-party application databases, such as Chocolatey or another setup store, to Intune.""China blocks Google and Google Play Store, which makes installation challenging. Microsoft Intune is a company software, which has to be installed to the app portal or Microsoft Software Center."

More Microsoft Intune Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Pricing and licensing are horrible. You have to not look at dollar value to use SCCM. It's super-duper expensive but it works. The acquisition cost is expensive, it's labor-intensive. But it works."
  • "Pricing and licensing are a downside of SCCM. It's expensive. I'd have to confirm this, but I think they changed the licensing to core-based instead of socket-based. It's not cheap, because you have to buy the software, you have to buy SQL. Another thing we learned from talking to Microsoft is that they provide you a license for SQL if you run it on the same box as the primary server. If you run it outside that box, you have to buy SQL. Microsoft does recommend you running it on the same box because of performance. But then, in order to run SQL, SCCM, and everything on the same box, you better have some resources. It's an expensive solution. There's no doubt about it."
  • "Overall, I think it's fine. It's pretty much in-line because there are ways to offset it with the Office 365 licensing."
  • "SCCM comes with its own version of SQL Server. If you use that SQL Server with SCCM and don't use it for another applications than you get an SQL Server for free."
  • "The licensing is good because they have various options, depending on what you are looking for."
  • "Pricing is negotiable with Microsoft, depending upon which of their packages you choose."
  • "When you compare this solution with other tools in the market you might actually find a lot of variation in the pricing and that's why people opt for the other tools rather than Microsoft tools."
  • "Its price is okay because it is part of our licensing."
  • More Microsoft Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Consider the Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite rather than choosing specific sub-components, e.g. only Microsoft Intune."
  • "There is a cost benefit of using Microsoft Intune because of the packaging with other Microsoft products."
  • "Microsoft Intune is a cost effective choice. It is less expensive than other products on the market."
  • "The purchase of the product was handled by someone else."
  • "I have no comment on pricing of the solution."
  • "The product is offered as part of a Microsoft standard bundle. The pricing can be competitive to Airwatch, and Maas360."
  • "For Microsoft 365 E5 clients, cost is not an issue as this product is one of the benefits."
  • "The price of Intune is included with the license for Office 365, so we don't have to pay anything extra for it."
  • More Microsoft Intune Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your… more »
    Top Answer:ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. What I like most about ManageEngine is that I can log on to every PC very easily and… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Configuration Manager gives different tools in one solution.
    Top Answer:Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it easy to control security and manage the usage of mobile apps when you have a… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of the things I like about it Pros: Protected productivity: Intune gives you the… more »
    Top Answer: Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also access to both Microsoft’s user community as well as around-the-clock customer… more »
    Ranking
    2nd
    Views
    12,611
    Comparisons
    9,740
    Reviews
    28
    Average Words per Review
    455
    Rating
    8.5
    3rd
    Views
    6,659
    Comparisons
    4,554
    Reviews
    65
    Average Words per Review
    720
    Rating
    8.4
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )
    Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
    Learn More
    Overview

    Microsoft Configuration Manager helps IT manage PCs and servers, keeping software up-to-date, setting configuration and security policies, and monitoring system status while giving employees access to corporate applications on the devices that they choose. When Configuration Manager is integrated with Microsoft Intune, you can manage corporate-connected PCs and Macs along with cloud-based mobile devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, all from a single management console.

    New features of Configuration Manager, such as the support of Windows 10 in-place upgrade, co-management with Microsoft Intune, Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise Servicing Dashboard, integration with Windows Update for Business, and more make deploying and managing Windows easier than ever before.

    Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive cloud-based service that allows you to remotely manage mobile devices and mobile applications without worrying about the security of your organization’s data. Device and app management can be used on company-owned devices as well as personal devices.

    In an increasingly mobile workforce, Microsoft Intune keeps your sensitive data safe while on the move. Microsoft Intune makes it possible for your team members to work anywhere using their mobile devices. Microsoft Intune provides both the flexibility and the control needed for securing all your data on the cloud, no matter where the device with the data is located.

    Microsoft Intune Device Management Key Features

    With Microsoft Intune Device Management you can:

    • Ensure devices and apps are compliant with your security requirements.
    • Rapidly deploy and authenticate apps on all company devices.
    • Remotely access devices to troubleshoot issues or to remove data from them.
    • Generate reports for all devices in the system.
    • Monitor the way users access and share information to protect company information.
    • Set rules and configure settings on personal and organization-owned devices to access data and networks.
    • Create user groups and device groups, allowing you to rapidly access many users and devices simultaneously.

    Mobile Application Management

    Mobile application management in Intune is designed to protect your organization’s data at the application level.

    With Microsoft Intune Application Management you can:

    • Configure apps to run with specific settings enabled.
    • Update existing apps that are already on the device.
    • See reports on which apps are used and monitor their usage.
    • Selectively wipe organization data from apps.
    • Add mobile apps to user groups and devices.

    As part of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) suite, Intune integrates with Microsoft Entra ID for access control and with Azure Information Protection for data protection. It also integrates with Microsoft 365 Applications.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Microsoft Intune stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to secure all devices under its management and the flexibility that the solution offers its users.

    A computing services manager notes, "Its security is most valuable. It gives us a way to secure devices, not only those that are steady. We do have a few tablets and other devices, and it is a way for us to secure these devices and manage them. We know they're out there and what's their status. We can manage their life cycle and verify that they're updated properly."

    The head of IT engineering at a financial services company writes, "The one feature we find most useful is the Mobile Application Manager. There are two types: we have the complete MDM and the Mobile Application Manager (MAM). We don't give our users phones, it is their own personal phone, and we need to allow them to have access to the company details on their phone. We need to create a balance between their own personal data and the company data. We deploy the Mobile Application Manager for them so that we won't be able to interfere with their own personal data."

    Sample Customers
    Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad
    Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Manufacturing Company13%
    Insurance Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm19%
    Computer Software Company18%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization23%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government7%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise69%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise67%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business36%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise49%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise47%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Microsoft Intune
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Microsoft Intune and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Configuration Manager is ranked 2nd in Configuration Management with 76 reviews while Microsoft Intune is ranked 3rd in Configuration Management with 156 reviews. Microsoft Configuration Manager is rated 8.2, while Microsoft Intune is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Microsoft Configuration Manager writes "Seamless system updates, useful integration, and reliable". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Intune writes "We can manage all aspects of our devices from a single console, easy to scale, and quick to deploy". Microsoft Configuration Manager is most compared with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, ManageEngine Endpoint Central, BigFix, Tanium and AWS Systems Manager, whereas Microsoft Intune is most compared with Jamf Pro, VMware Workspace ONE, ManageEngine Endpoint Central, SOTI MobiControl and AWS Systems Manager. See our Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Microsoft Intune report.

    See our list of best Configuration Management vendors.

    We monitor all Configuration Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.