Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Cisco Duo vs Microsoft Intune

Cisco Duo logo

Cisco Duo

Cybersecurity

Trusted access for all users, all devices

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 Cisco Duo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cisco Duo free tier limited to 10 users maximum; 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 Cisco Duo and Microsoft Intune actually diverge.

Attributes where Cisco Duo and Microsoft Intune differ
AttributeCisco DuoMicrosoft Intune
Starting priceFree$8/month
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What people use each for

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

Cisco Duo

  • Eliminating phishing with passwordless authnot Microsoft Intune
  • Implementing zero trust with device trustnot Microsoft Intune
  • Protecting sessions from hijacking and theftnot Microsoft Intune
  • Managing compliance for regulated industriesnot Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cisco Duo

  • Free tier limited to 10 users maximum
  • Licenses must be purchased in 10-user increments (under 100 users) or 25-user increments (100+ users)
  • Pricing is per-user per-month with minimum purchase increments

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

Cisco Duo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
    • Seamless integrations
    • Authenticator app
  • Essentials$3/month
    • All Free features
    • Duo Directory
    • Phishing-resistant MFA
  • Advantage$6/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Identity intelligence
    • Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR)
  • Premier$9/month
    • All Advantage features
    • Complete device trust
    • VPN-less remote access

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 Cisco Duo if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cisco Duo review

Choose Microsoft Intune if

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

Microsoft Intune review

Questions people ask

Is Cisco Duo or Microsoft Intune better?
Neither clearly leads. Cisco Duo 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, Cisco Duo or Microsoft Intune?
Cisco Duo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cisco Duo and $8/month for Microsoft Intune.
Does Cisco Duo or Microsoft Intune run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Cisco Duo for free?
Yes. Cisco Duo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Intune starts at $8/month.
What is Cisco Duo best used for?
Cisco Duo is most often used for eliminating phishing with passwordless auth, implementing zero trust with device trust, protecting sessions from hijacking and theft, managing compliance for regulated industries. Of those, eliminating phishing with passwordless auth and implementing zero trust with device trust are not what Microsoft Intune is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cisco Duo: How much does Cisco Duo cost?

Cisco Duo Free is $0/user/month (up to 10 users). Paid plans start at $3/user/month (Essentials), $6/user/month (Advantage), and $9/user/month (Premier). Billing is per-user per-month.

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
Cisco Duo: Is Cisco Duo free to try?

Yes, Duo Free offers multi-factor authentication and seamless integrations at $0/user/month for up to 10 users.

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
Cisco Duo: What is the minimum purchase for Cisco Duo?

Organizations must buy licenses in 10-user increments for under 100 users, or 25-user increments for 100 or more users. Plans are modifiable at any time.

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
Cisco Duo: What does the Advantage plan add over Essentials?

Advantage ($6/user/month) adds identity intelligence, Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR), Duo Passport, session theft protection, Active Directory Defense, and risk-based authentication.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Cisco Duo

More on Microsoft Intune

Keep looking

Other head to heads