Microsoft Intune Review: What IT teams really think of it

If you’re in the process of deciding whether Intune is worth it for your organization, our Microsoft Intune review can come in handy.

While Intune can be great for the Windows environment, the capabilities aren’t as robust for Mac and Linux environments. Plus, users say the add-ons can skyrocket the cost, and the base pricing plans lack key IT management features.

In this article, we’ve reviewed Microsoft Intune, its key features, Agentic AI technology, interface, pricing, and pros and cons. We’ll also compare it to other Microsoft Intune alternatives, so you can better choose the right option for your organization.

What is Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is an MDM solution that organizations can use to manage their devices and applications across Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. It offers features for deploying app updates, creating policies for apps and device configuration, remotely accessing devices for troubleshooting, and more.

#1: Key features of Microsoft Intune

Let’s start with a brief review of Microsoft Intune’s key features, which are:

User and device management

Intune supports managing desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones across Android, iOS/iPadOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. For each device, you can create compliance rules, create security baselines, and push configuration profiles.

App management

Intune includes a built-in app management system, which makes it easy to deploy, update, and retire applications on your devices. You can:

• Enable Microsoft 365 apps, including Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive
• Create and push app protection policies to protect corporate data
• Distribute apps directly from your private or public app stores
• Deploy Win32 and custom LOB applications
• Control access to apps

Policy deployment

You can create policies for apps, device configuration, compliance, and security to make sure all devices in your environment meet organizational standards.

For example, you can:

• Set password and encryption requirements
• Configure wifi, VPN, and email settings
• Restrict access to data on specific devices

Endpoint management and security

Intune also has “more standard” RMM features, such as remote help, endpoint privilege management, analytics, and patch management.

Unfortunately, many of these features are only available on the most expensive plans. 

For example, remote access, advanced analytics, and firmware updates require you to update to the Intune Suite.

At Atera, we understand that these are standard IT management features, and they’re included in all of our standard pricing plans.

All of our pricing plans include access to our RMM software, remote access, patch management, ticketing, automation, and various third-party integrations. We also have the added benefit of our two innovative AI agents, which tackle manual and repetitive tasks autonomously, just like technicians would. We’ll discuss this more next.

#2: Agentic AI technology

Microsoft has made advancements with its AI tool within Intune, but it’s mainly limited to device troubleshooting and policy management. 

For example, you can use it to generate device configuration policies or get guided steps for resolving common troubleshooting issues.

In comparison, Agentic AI technology is woven into the core of Atera’s platform, and it assists with all parts of IT management.

Atera’s Robin is our first autonomous IT agent. It takes care of your first-tier support by interacting with users on the channels they already live in (e.g., Slack, email, Teams, and your Customer Portal).

It doesn’t just respond to queries; it solves actual issues, installs pre-approved software, and taps into your knowledge base for step-by-step instructions.

For enterprises with dozens of devices, Atera’s AI Copilot comes in handy. It learns about your IT environment in real-time, and you can ask it account-specific questions, such as “Which devices are out of compliance?” or “Show me all laptops that missed the latest patch update.”

Copilot’s filtering capabilities mean that you don’t need to manually scour long lists.

Atera AI Copilot chat feature

Together, Atera’s AI agents enable higher-end user satisfaction and unprecedented organizational efficiency. Due to the impact our AI agents already have on organizations, G2 selected Atera as the #1 best AIOps tool for 2025.

#3: Interface and usability

Intune’s admin dashboards have mostly received positive feedback, although some users say there’s a learning curve initially.

Here’s a look at Intune’s admin dashboard:

Microsoft Intune admin dashboard (via Microsoft)

Since platform usability is directly connected to ease of use, we also looked at Intune’s ease of use score on G2. Not only that, we compared it to some of its main competitors:

As you can see, Atera is leading the pack by a good margin. We’ve worked hard to create dashboards that are easy to navigate and require minimal training. Onboarding new technicians is quick and easy, regardless of how big your team is.

Atera’s admin dashboard

#4: Security and compliance

Intune is well-known for its focus on security and compliance within the Microsoft ecosystem. Intune’s dashboard lets you see device compliance at a high level and drill down to specific devices if they don’t meet compliance policies.

You can create policies for apps, security, device configuration, and compliance, and deploy these policies to your user and device groups.

For additional security, Intune integrates with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and other third-party tools.

We similarly hold cybersecurity and network protection in high regard at Atera. Our goal is proactive IT, not reactive IT, so we give you the tools you need to maintain a secure IT ecosystem.

Atera’s Robin monitors your devices around the clock and flags issues early, so potential threats are identified and resolved before they disrupt your business. Autopilot also installs, configures, and updates pre-approved tools, removing one of the most commonly exploited vulnerabilities: outdated software.

#5: Pricing and plans

Intune has three different standard pricing plans:

• Microsoft Intune Plan 1 ($8/user/month)
• Microsoft Intune Plan 2 ($4/user/month)
• Microsoft Intune Suite ($10/user/month)

Microsoft Intune Plan 1 is the base package. If you need access to advanced endpoint management features (e.g., remote access, analytics, and firmware updates), you’ll need to buy the Plan 2 or Intune Suite as an add-on.

While the prices may seem affordable (and clear) at first glance, each user can only enroll up to 15 devices. This often forces organizations to buy multiple licenses just to cover their full IT environment. On top of that, stacking add-ons quickly inflates costs.

Intune’s device limitations and the add-on costs have been a frequent pain point for customers.

By contrast, we keep pricing simple at Atera. All of our pricing plans let you manage unlimited devices/endpoints at no extra cost.

You only pay for the number of technicians using the platform, whether you’re managing five or 5,000+ endpoints.

#6: User feedback and reviews

Let’s move on to the user feedback and reviews of Intune. We scoured Reddit, G2, Capterra, and Gartner and found the main pros and cons users report on Microsoft Intune.

Microsoft Intune pros: What real users like

Let’s start with the pros of Microsoft Intune.

Works well within the Microsoft 365 environment:

If you’re already operating in the Microsoft environment and your devices are solely Windows-based, Intune can be a suitable addition to your tech stack.

One G2 user said, “Given the native compatibility, investing in Intune is a no-brainer.”

At Atera, we not only support Windows-based devices, but also Mac and Linux. You can easily monitor and secure your devices and automate software updates across all OS, ensuring your systems are protected from vulnerabilities.

Setting up an IT automation profile with Atera

Device management features:

Users appreciate Microsoft Intune’s MDM capabilities, which allow them to manage and secure devices, applications, and data.

One Capterra user said, “Microsoft Intune simplifies user and device management so much, particularly with cloud-based deployment.”

Microsoft Intune cons: What real users find limiting

Let’s now move on to the cons of Microsoft Intune:

Less compatibility with non-Windows devices:

While Intune offers good support for Windows devices, users say the compatibility for Apple and Linux devices isn’t as good.

For example, Intune’s patch management and remote access tools are add-ons designed exclusively for Windows devices, which is a drawback for multi-OS users.

This is what Intune users said about this topic on Reddit:

Another G2 user said, “Complete features of Intune are not available for Android devices, and it cannot be fully controlled using Intune.”

Atera users don’t have this problem as we support all OS and offer cross-platform customer support for Windows, Mac, and Linux devices.

Extra cost for add-ons:

Microsoft Intune’s base pricing plans may seem cheap at first, but the add-on costs can quickly skyrocket.

In a Reddit thread, a user asked about Intune’s adoption roadblock, and many agreed that the add-on costs are excessive:

Users also say many of the core features, such as remediation, are upsells. One user said, “Remediation capabilities being tied to enterprise licensing creates a real barrier for many organizations that need those features.”

Intune’s licensing structure can also be complex. A Capterra user said, “The licensing structure (per device vs. per user) is sometimes a bit complex to follow.”

At Atera, pricing transparency is one of our main principles. All of our standard pricing plans are publicly listed on our website. This ensures that you can easily calculate your actual monthly cost without getting stuck on complex add-on bundles or hidden fees.

Plus, instead of having a complex pricing structure, we offer a simple pay-per-technician pricing model, where you simply pay for the number of technicians using the platform.

Lack of key IT management features:

Microsoft Intune is an MDM solution, and the fact is, RMM can often replace MDM, but not the other way around.

Users discuss on Reddit that, for RMM software purposes, Intune is not an ideal solution. 

The user continued, “Anyone who has used both (RMM and MDM) before understands the major functionality differences; they don’t even need to be explained.”

For example, Atera’s RMM has clear benefits over Intune, such as an automated patch management system, detailed reporting, and autonomous IT agents that resolve IT issues around the clock.

Support quality has declined:

One Capterra user said, “Intune’s documentation isn’t kept up to date. The support experience is excruciating and not responsive at all.”

In fact, many users agree that Intune’s customer support quality has declined in recent years, and the documentation doesn’t keep up with developments.

To prevent the same, Atera offers all customers 24/7 live chat and email support, and we constantly update our knowledge base.

Plus, with Robin handling first-tier support, your end-users are more satisfied as they have access to 24/7 hands-on help at all times.

The only Microsoft Intune alternative with autonomous IT agents

Comparing Atera vs Intune, Atera has one clear advantage: its autonomous IT agents. Atera’s AI agents tackle manual and repetitive tasks fully autonomously, capable of eliminating up to 40% of your IT workload instantly.

While Intune has introduced an AI assistant, it’s limited to device troubleshooting and policy management. Our AI agents expand to all areas of IT management, whether it’s managing end-user support requests, resolving technical issues, deploying software, or running health checks on your devices.

With Atera, our AI agents don’t just assist; they tackle real-world issues fully autonomously, completely transforming how IT operations are managed.
Interested in learning more? Try our AI agents yourself by signing up for Atera’s 30-day free trial today; no credit card required!