Intune Pricing Complexity: What IT Teams Need to Know

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management platform that helps IT teams secure mobile devices used by employees to access work email, files, and apps.

The platform offers a tiered pricing structure, with Intune Plan 1 costing $8 per user per month for baseline device management and app protection, and Intune Plan 2 adding $4 per user per month on top of Plan 1 for specialty device management and firmware updates.

However, the published pricing tiers don't tell the full story. IT teams need to consider additional factors that can increase costs. For example, if a team already pays for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, they may not need to pay extra for Intune Plan 1 or 2 features.

Teams also need to consider BYOD (bring your own device) and unmanaged devices, which require licenses behind them even when using App Protection Policies. Advanced features like Microsoft Tunnel for MAM and Remote Help can also drive costs up, requiring teams to match the smallest license that covers their needs.

Conditional access is another factor to consider, as it's a proactive security measure that requires Entra ID P1 or P2 licensing. Additionally, threat detection requires a Defender license, which may not be included in current plans.