Why Microsoft Intune should be a core MSP service in 2026

Most of your Business Premium, E3, and E5 clients already own Microsoft Intune. They're paying for it every month. And the majority of them aren't using it—or they're using it inconsistently, without baselines, and without the compliance enforcement that makes it actually valuable.

That's a problem. But for MSPs paying attention in 2026, it's also an opportunity.

Intune has crossed a threshold 

In the last two years, Microsoft has turned Intune into a full unified endpoint management (UEM) platform spanning Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, and deeply integrated with Entra ID, Defender for Endpoint, Purview, and Windows 365. 

The September 2025 launch of #IntuneForMSPs made Microsoft's intent explicit. Validated partners (including Nerdio) signal that Microsoft sees the MSP channel as central to Intune adoption. 

Then in December 2025 came the announcement that changed the economics entirely. Intune Suite features are being bundled into M365 E3 and E5 in 2026 at no additional cost: E3 picks up Remote Help, Advanced Analytics, and Intune Plan 2, while E5 adds Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise App Management, and Cloud PKI on top of that. Capabilities that previously cost an extra $10/user/month are now included. 

Why this matters for your MSP practice right now

Intune manages 200M+ devices globally. In the SMB segment where most MSPs operate, it's already the dominant platform because it's included in the licenses clients already buy. 

The competitive risk is legitimate: A client on Business Premium or E3 who isn't getting managed Intune services from you is a target for an MSP that's positioned around cloud-native, Zero Trust management. And because Intune configuration lives in the client's tenant—not in your remote monitoring and management (RMM)—the barrier for them to switch is lower than you'd like. 

Microsoft itself, in its March 2026 #IntuneForMSPs Tech Community post, stated plainly: "MSPs are actively moving away from traditional RMM-centric approaches toward models where Microsoft Intune serves as the control plane for device management, security, and compliance." 

Intune vs. RMM: the real answer in 2026 

Notice that Intune covers all 3—there’s no tradeoff anymore. 

Intune excels at identity-driven Conditional Access, compliance policy enforcement, zero-touch Autopilot provisioning, and deep integration across the M365/Defender/Entra stack. These aren't things your RMM does well... or at all. 

RMMs still own real-time monitoring and alerting, server and network coverage, robust third-party patching pipelines, and PSA/ticketing integration. None of that goes away. 

The 2026 nuance: as Intune absorbs more (EAM third-party patching, Autopatch, Security Copilot agents), the gap narrows. For MSPs managing dozens of tenants, Intune is increasingly the primary management layer while the operational gaps native Intune leaves open (policy drift detection, cross-tenant app deployment, PSA integration, compliance reporting) are exactly what a purpose-built multi-tenant platform closes. The RMM question becomes much less pressing when those gaps are filled. 

The practical case: what Intune actually saves 

The 2025 Microsoft Digital Defense Report found that 79% of ransomware incident response engagements involved at least one RMM tool, meaning attackers are actively targeting the tools MSPs use most. Intune security baselines, EPM, and Conditional Access give MSPs a systematic defense layer that enforces consistently across every device and every tenant, without relying on manual processes that are easy to miss. 

For provisioning, the numbers are stark. Microsoft's case study with One New Zealand found that devices that once took four to six hours to provision now take 30 minutes with Autopilot, with provisioning-related tickets down 80%. That's the kind of efficiency that makes a "managed Intune" service line truly profitable. 

The key to profitability is operating it at scale without the manual overhead that eats margin. At 30 clients, even a single policy update at 15–30 minutes per tenant is half a day of engineering time. 

Where Nerdio fits in 

Nerdio Manager for MSP is one of the original two validated #IntuneForMSPs partners. It enables true multi-tenant management from a single console, without logging into 30 separate portals. 

The capabilities that matter most for MSPs at scale include: 

• Build a compliant Intune configuration once (baselines, Conditional Access, app rules) and deploy it to any new client in a click. 
• Push app updates across all customers simultaneously, collapsing 8+ hours of manual portal work into a single action. 
• Automated policy drift detection: If a technician makes an unauthorized change, the system flags it (or auto-corrects it). 
• Nerdio Manager for MSP 7.0 (launched May 2026) added PSA integrations with Datto Autotask, ConnectWise PSA, and Halo PSA, plus a Prospect Tenant Assessment Wizard to surface security gaps and generate client-ready reports. 

The results MSPs report after consolidating on Nerdio are consistent. L7 Solutions cut tenant setup time by 90%, from 8–9 hours to near-instant after adopting Nerdio, and Sparta Services reported 70–80% efficiency gains across Intune and AVD administration. 

Go deeper with the Intune Unlocked webinar series 

We ran a four-part live training series with Microsoft MVP Adam Atwell and Nerdio Technical Trainer Rolando Jimenez covering everything MSPs need to operationalize Intune at scale: 

• Enrollment Done Right — Autopilot, Apple Business Manager, Android enrollment, and corporate vs. BYOD, with MSP context on where it breaks down. 
• App Deployment at Scale — Win32 packaging, required vs. available apps, MAM, and the multi-tenant problems that derail app management before it starts. 
• AI Governance and Copilot Readiness — DLP, Defender for Business AI tool policies, Purview, and the device preparation work that makes your clients AI-ready. 
• Why Your Policies Aren't Applying — Policy precedence, sync timing, compliance configuration, and Conditional Access for MSPs managing Intune across multiple tenants. 

Watch all sessions on demand

Bottom line 

Intune is table stakes in 2026. Your clients own the license. Microsoft is bundling in the premium features. And the competitive threat to MSPs who ignore it is real: Cloud-native endpoint management is the direction the market is moving, and the window to build the practice before it becomes standard is now. 

The MSPs who win will be the ones who build a productized Intune service line, operate it at scale with the right tooling, and use the July 1 pricing moment to have the conversations their clients need to hear. 

Ready to see Nerdio Manager for MSP in action? Book a demo and see how MSPs are delivering Intune at scale.