Comparison Guide

Intune Plan 1 vs Intune Plan 2

Heads up (May 2026): Microsoft has signaled licensing-bundle changes to Microsoft 365 E3 effective July 1, 2026 that may absorb Intune Plan 2 capabilities (Remote Help, advanced analytics) into the E3 base SKU at a higher per-seat price. Verify the current bundle and pricing with your Microsoft licensing partner before any net-new Plan 2 add-on purchase. The decision logic below still applies — but the dollar math may shift in 8 weeks. Microsoft Intune Plan 1 / Plan 2 and Entra ID P1 / P2 are the four licenses that buyers most often confuse when comparing Microsoft 365 endpoint and identity management. They aren't competitors — they're stacked. Intune covers device and app management; Entra ID covers identity, sign-in, and conditional access policies. Most SMBs end up with Intune Plan 1 + Entra ID P1 (both included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3). Larger and more regulated environments add Plan 2 and Entra ID P2 for firmware management, identity protection, and risk-based conditional access.

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Quick Answer

Intune Plan 2 wins for most buyers.

Plan 1 suits most SMBs; Plan 2 + Entra ID P2 add advanced features for complex environments.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Intune Plan 1 Intune Plan 2
Included In Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3, E5 Separate add-on license
Companion Identity License Pairs with Entra ID P1 (included with Business Premium / E3) Often paired with Entra ID P2 (included with E5 or separate add-on)
Device Management Full MDM for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS Everything in Plan 1
App Management App deployment, protection policies, MAM Everything in Plan 1
Conditional Access Static policies (via Entra ID P1) Risk-based + identity protection (via Entra ID P2)
Endpoint Analytics Basic Advanced analytics and anomaly detection
Firmware Management Not included Windows Autopatch, BIOS/UEFI management
Specialty Devices Standard endpoints AR/VR, large smart screens, conference rooms
Remote Help Not included Included (remote assist for IT teams)
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) Not included (Entra ID P2 feature) Available when paired with Entra ID P2

Our Verdict

Most SMBs are well-served by Intune Plan 1 + Entra ID P1, both included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3. Upgrade to Intune Plan 2 if you need firmware management, advanced endpoint analytics, or specialty device support (AR/VR, large smart screens). Upgrade to Entra ID P2 if you need risk-based conditional access, Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Identity Protection, or access reviews — typical for regulated industries and any organization with a security team that wants identity-driven response.

Unio Digital recommends: Plan 1 suits most SMBs; Plan 2 + Entra ID P2 add advanced features for complex environments

Quick Picks

Which one should you pick?

Three buyer profiles, three answers. Pick the row that fits.

Already on M365 Business Premium or E3/E5

Pick: Intune Plan 1

Plan 1 is included with your existing license. For most SMBs this covers MDM, app deployment, compliance, and conditional access without paying for a single additional seat.

Configure my Intune tenant

Frontline workers, specialty devices, or advanced analytics

Pick: Intune Plan 2 add-on

Add Plan 2 if you need Windows Autopatch, BIOS/UEFI management, AR/VR or large-screen device support, or advanced endpoint analytics across the fleet.

Talk to a strategist

Just need licensing + setup

Pick: Intune (we deploy, you operate)

Procurement-only path: we license, configure the tenant, deploy enrollment profiles, then hand over the keys. Your team self-manages from day one.

Request a procurement quote

For enterprises & in-house security teams

Just need Intune licensing and a clean tenant build? We do that.

Some IT teams already know they want Intune and just need a partner to handle licensing, tenant configuration, and rollout — without a full managed-service contract. We'll license Plan 1 or Plan 2 (mixed where it makes sense), build the configuration, deploy enrollment, and hand the console to your team to self-operate.

  • Microsoft partner pricing on Plan 1, Plan 2, and bundled licenses (M365 BP, E3, E5)
  • Tenant build: enrollment profiles, conditional access, compliance baselines, app deployment policies, RBAC
  • Phased agent enrollment across the fleet with rollback plan and pilot validation
  • Knowledge transfer session + runbook handoff so your team can self-operate from day one
  • Optional tier-3 escalation retainer if you want senior backup without the full managed model
Request a procurement quote

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Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your renewal date. (a) If your Microsoft 365 renewal is before July 1, 2026 and you need Plan 2 capabilities right now, buy the Plan 2 add-on now and revisit at renewal. (b) If your renewal is after July 1, 2026 and you're already on E3, do nothing — Microsoft has signaled E3 will absorb the Plan 2 capabilities into the base SKU. (c) If you're below E3 (Business Standard, Business Basic), the math depends on your seat count and which features you need; reach out for a quick licensing math check. Verify the current Microsoft pricing before any commitment — bundle decisions in 2026 are changing on quarterly cadence.

Yes, Intune Plan 1 is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3, and E5 licenses. Most businesses already have access through their existing Microsoft 365 subscription.

Upgrade to Plan 2 if you need advanced endpoint analytics, firmware-level management (BIOS/UEFI), remote help capabilities, or support for specialty devices like AR/VR headsets and conference room systems.

Microsoft Entra ID P1 (formerly Azure AD Premium P1) is the identity and access management license that pairs with Intune Plan 1. P1 includes core conditional access (location, device compliance, app), self-service password reset, group-based licensing, dynamic groups, and on-premises Active Directory hybrid sync. P1 is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3.

Microsoft Entra ID P2 (formerly Azure AD Premium P2) adds risk-based conditional access, Identity Protection (sign-in risk and user risk policies), Privileged Identity Management (just-in-time admin access), access reviews, and entitlement management on top of P1. P2 is included with Microsoft 365 E5, or sold as an add-on to lower tiers.

P1 is static identity and access management — conditional access policies, MFA, password protection, and basic group management. P2 adds adaptive identity security: machine-learning-driven risk detection on sign-ins and accounts, time-bound privileged access (PIM), and recurring access reviews to satisfy compliance frameworks (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI). The buyer for P2 is typically a security team that wants identity to be the security perimeter.

Not necessarily. Intune Plan 2 and Entra ID P2 solve different problems — Plan 2 is endpoint depth (firmware, analytics, specialty devices), P2 is identity depth (risk, PIM, reviews). Many environments that warrant Plan 2 also warrant P2, but they're sold separately. Buy each based on the gap it closes; the most common upgrade pattern is Plan 1 + P1 → Plan 1 + P2 (identity-driven security) → Plan 2 + P2 (full coverage).

Yes. We can license Intune Plan 1 or Plan 2 (or both, mixed across user groups) plus Entra ID P1 or P2, build out the tenant configuration including enrollment profiles, conditional access, identity protection policies, and compliance baselines, then hand the console to your IT team. We stay available for tier-3 escalations only if you want backup.

For a standard SMB rollout under 250 endpoints we plan a 3-week deployment: week 1 is licensing + tenant prep + policy design (Intune compliance baselines, Entra conditional access policies), week 2 is phased enrollment with pilot validation on 10-20 devices, and week 3 is full rollout plus knowledge transfer. Larger or more complex deployments (multi-OS, hybrid AD, BYOD with MAM, Entra ID P2 with PIM and identity protection rollout) are scoped individually.

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Sources & Methodology  

Specifications, pricing, and product capabilities cited on this page are sourced from public vendor documentation as of the dates shown below. Vendor product lines change quickly; verify current specs and pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing.

  1. Intune Plan 1 is included at no additional cost with Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($22/user/mo), E3, and E5 base plans. Plan 2 is sold as a per-user add-on at approximately $4-5/user/mo on top of any qualifying base plan. [source] · verified 2026-05-08
  2. Microsoft has signaled licensing-bundle changes effective July 1, 2026 that may absorb Intune Plan 2 capabilities (Remote Help, advanced analytics) into M365 E3 at a higher per-seat price. [source] · verified 2026-05-08
  3. Entra ID P1 (formerly Azure AD Premium P1) is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3. Entra ID P2 is included with E5 only or sold as a per-user add-on at approximately $9/user/mo. [source] · verified 2026-05-08
  4. Intune Plan 2 unlocks Remote Help, advanced endpoint analytics, Windows Autopatch with BIOS/UEFI management, and management of specialty devices (AR/VR, large smart screens, conference rooms). Plan 1 does not include any of these. [source] · verified 2026-05-08
  5. Entra ID P2 unlocks risk-based conditional access, Identity Protection (sign-in and user risk policies), Privileged Identity Management (just-in-time admin access), and access reviews. P1 does not include any of these. [source] · verified 2026-05-08