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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Microsoft Intune

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Intune logo

Microsoft Intune

Cybersecurity

Manage and protect cloud-connected endpoints across device platforms, apps and operating systems

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chainguard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people; Microsoft Intune individual add-ons at $2-5/user/month can become expensive when deploying multiple modules
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Microsoft Intune actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Microsoft Intune differ
AttributeChainguardMicrosoft Intune
Starting priceFree$8/month
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Chainguard

  • Hardened container images
  • CVE remediation SLA
  • SLSA L2/L3 builds
  • Sigstore signatures
  • SBOM generation
  • Language libraries
  • VM images
  • Artifact scanning

Only in Microsoft Intune

Nothing recorded that Chainguard does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Chainguard

  • Deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surfacenot Microsoft Intune
  • Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot Microsoft Intune
  • Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot Microsoft Intune
  • Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot Microsoft Intune
  • Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune

  • Mobile device and endpoint managementnot Chainguard
  • Enterprise device compliancenot Chainguard
  • Privilege access managementnot Chainguard
  • Remote device supportnot Chainguard

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Chainguard

  • Containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • Per-image pricing for containers requires custom quotes with no transparency
  • Free tier limited to 5 container images for testing
  • Libraries pricing by ecosystem and developer count lacks transparent per-developer cost
  • VM image catalog pricing opacity makes cost estimation difficult

Microsoft Intune

  • Individual add-ons at $2-5/user/month can become expensive when deploying multiple modules
  • Full Intune Suite at $10/user/month becomes better value when deploying two or more modules

Pricing, plan by plan

Chainguard

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Five container images to test and deploy
  • Containers Per-Image$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by quantity and type
    • Base images, application images, AI/ML images, FIPS variants
    • Custom pricing per image
  • Containers Catalog$19000/year
    • For 10-person engineering teams
    • 2,000+ container images
    • Contractual CVE remediation SLAs
  • Libraries Licensing$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by ecosystem (Python, Java, JavaScript)
    • Licensed by developer count
    • Unlimited pulls with no metering

Microsoft Intune

$8/month
  • Microsoft Intune Plan 1$8/month
    • Device management
    • Mobile device management
    • Basic compliance policies
  • Intune Suite (Full)$10/month
    • Endpoint Privilege Management
    • Enterprise Application Management
    • Advanced Analytics
  • Intune Suite Add-on: Remote Help$2/month
    • Remote device support
  • Intune Suite Add-on: Endpoint Privilege Management$2/month
    • Privilege access control

Which should you pick?

Choose Chainguard if

  • You need hardened container images.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Container, VM.
  • You also want cve remediation sla.
Chainguard review

Choose Microsoft Intune if

Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Intune from Chainguard on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Microsoft Intune review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Microsoft Intune better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Microsoft Intune at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Microsoft Intune?
Chainguard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chainguard and $8/month for Microsoft Intune.
Does Chainguard or Microsoft Intune run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Microsoft Intune runs on Web.
Can I use Chainguard for free?
Yes. Chainguard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Intune starts at $8/month.
What is Chainguard best used for?
Chainguard is most often used for deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surface, meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industries, reducing cve exposure with contractual remediation guarantees, building secure language packages with automatic backports. Of those, deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surface and meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industries are not what Microsoft Intune is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Microsoft Intune cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chainguard: How much is the Chainguard Containers Catalog?

The Containers Catalog is 19,000 USD per year for 10-person engineering teams, providing access to 2,000+ hardened container images.

Source
Microsoft Intune: How much does Microsoft Intune cost?

Microsoft Intune Plan 1 costs $8/user/month for basic device management. The full Intune Suite costs $10/user/month including endpoint privilege management, enterprise application management, advanced analytics, remote help, Intune Plan 2, and Microsoft Cloud PKI.

Source
Chainguard: What SLAs does Chainguard offer?

Chainguard provides contractual CVE remediation SLAs: 7 days for critical vulnerabilities, 14 days for high/medium/low severity, all with priority support.

Source
Microsoft Intune: What add-ons are available for Microsoft Intune?

Individual Intune Suite add-ons range from $2-5/user/month and include Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise Application Management, Advanced Analytics, Remote Help, Intune Plan 2, and Microsoft Cloud PKI. Microsoft recommends the full Intune Suite at $10/user/month when deploying two or more modules for better value.

Source
Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.

Source
Microsoft Intune: Is Intune included in Microsoft 365 E5?

Starting in CY26 Q3, Intune Suite capabilities are included with Microsoft 365 E5 and E7 subscriptions, with select capabilities also in Microsoft 365 E3. These bundled versions do not have separate additional pricing.

Source
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