JumpCloud vs Microsoft Entra ID and Intune for Platform-Agnostic SMBs

Your business runs Mac, Windows, and Linux. Your developers use MacBook Pros. Your office staff use Windows. Your servers run Linux. You need a way to manage user identities, enforce security policies, and control device access across all three platforms.

Microsoft tells you to use Entra ID for identity and Intune for device management. Then you discover Intune barely supports Mac and doesn't support Linux at all. So you start adding third-party tools. Jamf for Mac. Something else for Linux. Multiple admin consoles. Multiple licenses. Multiple points of failure.

JumpCloud offers a different approach: one platform, one license per user, all three operating systems. Here's what that actually means for New Zealand SMBs running mixed environments.

The Microsoft Sprawl Problem

Microsoft's identity and device management stack is designed for Windows-first businesses. If you're running Mac or Linux, you're bolting on solutions that were never meant to work together.

What Microsoft Offers

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) handles user authentication and single sign-on. Works fine for cloud apps and Windows devices. Limited for Mac. Doesn't manage Linux.

Microsoft Intune manages Windows devices well. Basic Mac support exists but lacks the control IT teams need (no script deployment, limited configuration profiles, weak application management). Linux support? None.

The gaps you'll need to fill:

• Mac device management: Add Jamf Pro (typically NZD $40-50 per device monthly for SMB pricing) or Kandji (similar)
• Linux device management: Add third-party MDM or script-based tools (Ansible, Puppet, custom scripts)
• RADIUS server for WiFi: Deploy and manage a separate RADIUS server (FreeRADIUS, Windows NPS, or hosted service)
• LDAP directory for network equipment: Set up separate LDAP infrastructure or pay for hosted LDAP
• Cross-platform password management: Add another tool if you want LAPS-equivalent for Mac/Linux
• Unified reporting: Build your own dashboards pulling from multiple sources

The Real Cost

For a 30-person NZ SMB with 15 Macs, 10 Windows PCs, 5 Linux machines:

Microsoft stack:

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium (includes Entra ID + Intune): NZD $38/user/month × 30 = $1,140/month
• Jamf Pro for Macs: NZD $40-50/device/month × 15 = $600-750/month
• Linux management tooling: $80-150/month (Ansible, config management, monitoring)
• RADIUS server for WiFi authentication: $50-100/month (hosted or self-managed)
• Total: ~NZD $1,870-2,140/month ($22,440-25,680/year)

That means four or five separate admin consoles, multiple support channels, and hoping everything stays in sync. Your IT coordinator logs into the Microsoft admin center for Windows devices, switches to Jamf for Macs, SSHs into Linux servers for user management, and opens a separate portal for RADIUS configuration. Each platform has its own update schedule, its own support contract, its own way of doing things.

When something breaks, troubleshooting becomes archaeology. Is the problem in Entra ID? Jamf? The RADIUS server? Network configuration? You're switching between consoles, comparing settings, and trying to figure out where the sync failed.

More platforms mean more training. Your IT person needs to understand Microsoft's terminology, Jamf's workflows, Linux command-line tools, and RADIUS configuration syntax. When they're on leave or leave the company, finding someone with that exact combination of skills is difficult and expensive.

The JumpCloud Approach

JumpCloud was built from the ground up for platform-agnostic environments. One directory. One console. One license model.

What You Get

• Unified directory: Manage users, groups, and devices across Mac, Windows, and Linux from a single interface. No synchronisation headaches. No wondering which system has the current user state.
• Device management: Deploy software, enforce security policies, run remote commands on all three platforms. The same capabilities whether it's a MacBook, Windows laptop, or Linux server.
• Identity and access: Single sign-on to cloud apps via SAML and OIDC. Password management. Multi-factor authentication. All included.
• Network authentication: Built-in RADIUS server for WiFi authentication (802.1X). LDAP directory services for legacy applications and network equipment. SSH key management for Linux servers. No additional infrastructure required.
• Cross-platform policies: Full disk encryption enforcement, screen lock policies, software installation, patch management. Define once, apply everywhere.

The Real Cost

For the same 30-person NZ SMB:

JumpCloud stack:

• JumpCloud Core Directory: USD $13/user/month (NZD ~$21/user/month) × 30 = $630/month
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard (email, Office apps, OneDrive): NZD $22/user/month × 30 = $660/month
• Total: ~NZD $1,290/month ($15,480/year)

One admin console. One support contract. One source of truth for user and device state. RADIUS and LDAP included at no extra cost.

Annual savings: $6,960-10,200 compared to the Microsoft + Jamf + RADIUS approach.

Note: JumpCloud Platform ($19/user/month) and Platform Prime ($24/user/month) tiers offer additional features like advanced SAML, conditional policies, and premium support. Most SMBs find Core Directory sufficient for device management, RADIUS, and LDAP needs.

Single Console vs Platform Sprawl

The cost difference matters. The operational difference matters more.

Managing multiple platforms means multiple admin consoles, multiple workflows, and multiple points where things can go wrong. When your IT coordinator needs to check patch compliance across 30 devices, they're logging into three different systems, exporting three different reports, and manually reconciling the data. When a user leaves, you're disabling accounts in three places and hoping you didn't miss one.

This isn't just inconvenient. It's a security risk. Every additional system is another place where configuration can drift, policies can be inconsistent, or access can be accidentally left enabled after someone leaves.

JumpCloud consolidates this into a single directory. One place to create users, assign devices, enforce policies, and generate reports. The time savings are significant. The reduction in security gaps is more important.

When Microsoft Makes Sense Anyway

JumpCloud isn't always the answer. For all the cost savings and simplicity JumpCloud offers, Microsoft Entra ID and Intune make clear sense in specific scenarios. Being honest about this matters more than platform advocacy.

The goal isn't to force every business onto JumpCloud. It's to match the platform to actual business requirements. Sometimes that's JumpCloud. Sometimes it's Microsoft. The wrong choice costs more than money—it costs productivity and creates frustration.

Microsoft makes sense when you're:

• Running Windows-dominant environments: Running 95% Windows with a couple of Macs for the marketing team? Microsoft Intune makes sense. The platform is built for Windows. The integration with Windows features (Autopilot, Windows Update for Business, Conditional Access) is hard to beat.
• Using advanced Microsoft 365 features: Using advanced Microsoft 365 features like Conditional Access policies tied to device compliance, Information Protection, or Purview? The integration with Entra ID and Intune provides value that's hard to replicate.
• Committed to Microsoft Enterprise Agreements: Already committed to Microsoft Enterprise Agreements with deep discounting? The incremental cost of Intune may be lower than switching to JumpCloud. Enterprise agreements change the TCO calculation.

When JumpCloud Makes Sense

JumpCloud can be the more practical choice when you're:

• Managing mixed Mac/Windows/Linux environments: More than a handful of non-Windows devices? JumpCloud eliminates the need for platform-specific tools. Common in creative agencies, software development firms, and tech-forward professional services.
• Running small IT teams: Small IT teams (or no dedicated IT team) benefit from a single admin console. Less complexity. Less time managing systems. More time supporting users.
• Managing Linux servers: Running Linux servers (file servers, web servers, development environments)? JumpCloud handles user provisioning, SSH key management, and sudo access natively. Microsoft has no equivalent.
• Operating on tight budgets: For businesses where every dollar matters, $7,000-10,000 annual savings is real money that could fund other business improvements.

Getting Started

Start with your actual environment. Count your Mac, Windows, and Linux devices. List what you need (user management, device policies, software deployment, reporting).

Calculate total cost including all the third-party tools you'd need to fill gaps in the Microsoft stack. Factor in the time your IT team (or external IT provider) spends managing multiple consoles.

Test both approaches. JumpCloud offers a free tier for up to 10 users. Microsoft offers trials. Deploy both in a small pilot and see which works for your team.

Platform-Agnostic Identity for NZ SMBs

For New Zealand SMBs running mixed Mac, Windows, and Linux environments, JumpCloud offers lower total cost, simpler operations, and a single console that covers all three platforms.

At magnumit, we deploy and manage JumpCloud for platform-agnostic NZ businesses. Consolidating identity and device management into a single platform reduces complexity, lowers costs, and improves security.

We're honest about when Microsoft makes sense (Windows-dominant environments, deep Microsoft 365 integration, enterprise licensing). But for most SMBs running mixed environments, JumpCloud can be the more practical choice.

If you're evaluating identity and device management platforms or struggling with managing multiple systems, let's talk.