Why the question comes up
Most businesses already pay for Microsoft 365, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune. When a company that runs Windows starts buying Macs, the natural question is whether Intune can manage those too, or whether a dedicated Apple tool like Jamf is worth paying for.
The honest answer depends on how many Macs you have and how much your team relies on them.
Where Intune is the better fit
If your fleet is mostly Windows with a few Macs, Intune keeps everything in one console and one license. It covers the essentials on macOS: enrollment through Apple Business Manager, encryption, settings, app deployment and compliance checks. For many Windows-first offices that is enough.
Where Jamf is the better fit
Jamf is built only for Apple devices, and it shows in the details: deeper control over macOS settings and software, faster support for new Apple releases, a polished self-service app catalog, and tools designed around how Macs actually work.
Design studios, creative teams, schools and Mac-first companies usually find that depth worth the subscription, especially when Macs are what people use all day.
Using Jamf and Intune together
You don’t have to choose one platform for everything. A common setup uses Jamf to manage Macs, iPhones and iPads, and Intune to manage Windows PCs. Jamf reports each Apple device’s compliance to Microsoft Entra ID, so Conditional Access applies the same rule everywhere: only managed, compliant devices can open company email, files and apps.
As a Jamf partner that also manages Microsoft 365, we set up both sides and make sure they agree.