Choose Intune if you want cloud-only device management with no on-premises servers, covering Windows, macOS, iOS and iPadOS, Android and Linux, plus app protection for staff using personal phones. Choose SCCM, now called Configuration Manager, if you manage large fleets of on-premises Windows servers, desktops and laptops and need deep control over software updates and operating system deployment. You don't have to pick only one: Microsoft's co-management lets the same Windows device be managed by both, moving workloads to Intune one at a time.
Microsoft has renamed and regrouped these products more than once, so I went straight to Microsoft Learn: the what is Intune page, the Configuration Manager introduction and the co-management overview, plus the Intune product page.
Intune and Configuration Manager compared
| Microsoft Intune | Configuration Manager (SCCM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Entirely in the cloud | On your own site systems |
| Devices | Android, iOS and iPadOS, Linux, macOS, tvOS, visionOS and Windows | Servers, desktops and laptops |
| Infrastructure | None on premises | SQL Server, IIS, WSUS and Active Directory |
| Personal phones | App protection without enrolling the device | Not its focus |
| Identity | Microsoft Entra ID | Active Directory Domain Services and Microsoft Entra ID |
| Strength | Zero Trust access with Conditional Access | Deploying apps, updates and operating systems at scale |
| Free option (as of October 2026) | Not mentioned on the pages I read | Not mentioned on the pages I read |
SCCM now lives inside the Intune family
Here's the change many older guides miss. Microsoft Learn says Configuration Manager is part of the Microsoft Intune family of products, alongside Intune, Endpoint analytics and Windows Autopilot, and that Microsoft brings Configuration Manager and Intune together without a complex migration and with simplified licensing. So the question isn't old product versus new product; it's which parts of your fleet you manage from the cloud and which from your own servers.
What Intune covers from the cloud
Microsoft describes Intune as a cloud-based endpoint management service that runs entirely in the cloud, with no on-premises infrastructure required. You use it to enrol, configure, secure and update devices, deploy and protect apps and control which users and devices can reach company resources. It supports two modes: full mobile device management, where you can wipe a lost device, and mobile application management, which protects only work apps and their data on personal phones and lets you selectively wipe company data when someone leaves. Intune relies on Microsoft Entra ID for sign-in, groups and Conditional Access, and every admin centre action is backed by a Microsoft Graph API call, so you can automate it.
What Configuration Manager still does best
Configuration Manager is built for secure, scalable deployment of applications, software updates and operating systems, real-time actions on managed devices and comprehensive management of servers, desktops and laptops. It runs on your own site systems and uses Microsoft SQL Server as its database, IIS web services and WSUS for updates, and it integrates with Active Directory, Group Policy and Windows Deployment Services. Microsoft's own advice is to plan and test it thoroughly, because it can affect every computer in your organisation.
Co-management, the middle path
Co-management lets you manage Windows devices with Configuration Manager and Intune at the same time. You choose which workloads switch to Intune, pilot them on a separate group of devices first, and Configuration Manager keeps everything else. Microsoft says enrolling existing clients gives you immediate benefits such as Conditional Access with device compliance, Intune remote actions like restart or factory reset, and Windows Autopilot provisioning.
Which setup suits your organisation
- Small business with laptops and phones and no server room? Intune on its own.
- Staff using personal phones for email? Intune's app protection keeps work data separate.
- Large Windows estate with servers and imaging needs? Configuration Manager.
- Already running Configuration Manager? Turn on co-management and move workloads gradually.
- Need Macs, iPhones and Linux in the same console? Intune covers them all.
Device management is one layer of protection, so pair it with my guide on how to secure a remote working business and these tips to build a strong cybersecurity culture.
My advice on Intune or SCCM
For most small and mid-sized businesses today I'd choose Intune: there's nothing to install, it covers every common device and it handles personal phones without taking them over. Keep Configuration Manager if you already run it for a large Windows estate, especially servers and operating system deployment, and use co-management to shift workloads to Intune at a pace you control. Don't start a new SCCM rollout unless you've a clear on-premises need.
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Frequently asked questions
Is SCCM the same as Configuration Manager?
Yes. System Center Configuration Manager is now called Configuration Manager, and Microsoft Learn says it's part of the Microsoft Intune family of products.
Does Intune need on-premises servers?
No. Microsoft says Intune runs entirely in the cloud, with no on-premises infrastructure required.
Can I use Intune and Configuration Manager together?
Yes. Co-management lets you manage Windows devices with both at once and switch workloads to Intune one at a time.
Which devices can Intune manage?
Microsoft lists Android, iOS and iPadOS, Linux, macOS, tvOS, visionOS and Windows.
Can Intune protect work data on personal phones?
Yes. Intune's mobile application management protects work apps and their data without managing the whole device, and can selectively wipe company data.
