Microsoft Intune vs SimpleMDM
Side-by-side: features, pricing, deployment, and the short version of which wins for which buyer.
Verdict
// In this 2026 ranking, Microsoft Intune places higher than the other.
Microsoft Intune — Intune is bundled with Microsoft 365 E3/E5 and is the path of least resistance for Windows-first orgs with some Apple devices.
SimpleMDM — SimpleMDM is a lightweight Apple-only MDM ideal for fleets under approximately 100 devices.
Side-by-side specifications
Microsoft Intune
- Best for
- Microsoft 365 shops with mixed-OS fleets
- Pricing model
- Bundled with M365 E3/E5 or per-user standalone
- Deployment
- Cloud-native (SaaS)
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- API
- Microsoft Graph API
SimpleMDM
- Best for
- Startups and small teams under 100 devices
- Pricing model
- Per-device, monthly; flat tiers
- Deployment
- Cloud-native (SaaS)
- Platforms
- macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS
- Founded
- 2015, Minneapolis, MN
- API
- Public REST API
Feature comparison
| Feature | Microsoft Intune | SimpleMDM |
|---|---|---|
| Apple-only specialist | ✗ | ✓ |
| Real-time live agent | ✗ | ✗ |
| Multi-tenant / MSP | ✗ | ~ |
| Declarative Device Management (DDM) | ~ | ✓ |
| Zero-touch deployment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple Business Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple School Manager | ✓ | ~ |
| Custom scripting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Patch management | ✓ | ~ |
| Software deployment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto-remediation | ~ | ~ |
| Compliance reporting | ✓ | ~ |
| Public REST API | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS / iOS / iPadOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| tvOS | ✗ | ✓ |
| visionOS | ✗ | ~ |
| Windows / Android | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pricing model | bundled / per-user | per-device |
Microsoft Intune — strengths and watch-outs
- Bundled with Microsoft 365 plans
- Single pane for mixed-OS fleets
- Tight Entra ID integration
- Mac feature parity lags Apple-first MDMs
- No real-time agent
- Partial DDM support
- No tvOS support
SimpleMDM — strengths and watch-outs
- Easy to learn
- Predictable pricing
- Sensible defaults
- Limited advanced automation
- Reporting thins at scale
- No real-time agent