JumpCloud vs Microsoft Entra ID
Your teams work on Windows, Mac and Linux, but most identity platforms are built for only one of them. Entra ID secures sign-in and relies on Intune to manage the device. JumpCloud brings identity, access and device management into one console. Here is how the two compare on fit, features and cost per user.
How to Choose Between JumpCloud and Microsoft Entra ID
Both platforms handle sign-in well. The decision usually comes down to four questions about your devices, your licences and your team.
Start with your device mix, not your directory
What your people work on predicts the answer better than anything else.
- Mostly Windows with Microsoft 365: Entra ID with Intune is the natural fit.
- A real share of Macs and Linux machines: JumpCloud manages all three from one agent and one console.
- Linux coverage: Intune's is limited to Ubuntu LTS and RHEL desktops, mainly for compliance checks.
Check what you already pay for
Most of this decision is settled by entitlements you already own, or do not.
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3 include Entra ID P1 and Intune Plan 1.
- On Google Workspace, or lower Microsoft 365 tiers: Entra P1 plus Intune is an added cost.
- Compare the whole bill: total cost for identity and devices together, not the identity licence alone.
Decide how deep your governance needs to go
Included and sufficient are two different tests. Check each against the control you are audited on.
- Entra ID P2 and ID Governance go further on privileged identity management, access reviews and entitlement management.
- JumpCloud covers access requests, lifecycle automation and conditional access, with certifications still maturing.
- Regulated enterprises with formal audit cycles should weigh this carefully.
Be honest about who will run it day to day
Licences are the cheap part. Configuration, tuning and response are where the real cost sits.
- Entra ID and Intune are two admin centres with tiered licensing, and suit teams with Microsoft specialists.
- JumpCloud is one console that lean IT teams can run without a dedicated engineer.
- Where NetNXT fits: we deploy and run JumpCloud as a managed service, so daily operations do not depend on your team's bandwidth.
Feature Comparison: What You Get in Each Platform
This table compares the JumpCloud platform, deployed and managed by NetNXT, with Microsoft Entra ID P1 as most businesses buy it. Where Entra needs another Microsoft licence to match a capability, we say which one, so you can see the full picture.
| Capability | Unified platform JumpCloudManaged by NetNXT | Identity only Microsoft Entra IDP1 tier |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud directory | Standalone cloud directoryWorks with or replaces Active Directory, and syncs with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. | Cloud directoryNative hybrid join and sync for on-premises Active Directory. |
| Single sign-on | SAML, OIDC and password-based SSO800+ prebuilt connectors. | SAML and OIDC SSOThrough the Entra app gallery. Strongest with Microsoft apps. |
| MFA and passwordless | Push, TOTP and biometricsDevice-bound passwordless sign-in with JumpCloud Go. | Authenticator, passkeys and FIDO2Authenticator push, passkeys, FIDO2 keys and Windows Hello. |
| Conditional access | Included in platform packagesDevice, location and network based policies. | Needs P1Risk-based policies need P2. |
| Windows device management | Same console as identityPolicies, patching, BitLocker and remote commands. | Needs Intune Plan 1Deepest Windows control once licensed. |
| macOS device management | Apple MDM and zero-touch enrolmentFileVault enforcement and patching included. | Through IntunePlatform SSO needs macOS 13 or later. |
| Linux device management | Across popular distrosPolicies, patching, commands and disk encryption checks. | Ubuntu LTS and RHEL desktopsIntune covers these mainly for compliance checks and custom scripts.JumpCloud vs Microsoft Intune |
| Cloud RADIUS for Wi-Fi and VPN | Cloud RADIUS with MFANo server to host. | Not includedNeeds Windows NPS or a third-party RADIUS service. |
| Cloud LDAP for legacy apps | Hosted LDAP endpointNo directory server to run or maintain. | Needs Entra Domain ServicesPriced separately. |
| User lifecycle and HR-driven provisioning | HRIS-triggered onboarding and offboardingAcross apps and devices. | Provisioning in P1Lifecycle workflows need ID Governance. |
| Identity governance and privileged access | Access requests and approvals built inAccess certifications still maturing. | PIM in P2 or ID GovernancePIM, access reviews and entitlement management. The deeper option. |
| Day-to-day management | One console, run by NetNXTDeployment, policies, patching and support handled for you. | Two admin centresEntra and Intune. Run by your team or a Microsoft partner. |
Plan contents reflect what each vendor publishes at the time of writing. Vendors revise packaging often, so confirm current inclusions with NetNXT before you finalise a decision.
How Much Does Each Platform Cost Per User?
Identity is only half the bill. This model prices identity and device management together, because a mixed-OS business needs both from day one.
| Component | JumpCloud Managed by NetNXT | Microsoft Entra ID Identity only |
|---|---|---|
| Identity: directory, SSO, MFA | $11.00 SSO package | $7.00 Entra ID P1 |
| Device management: Windows, macOS, Linux | $9.00 Device Management | $8.00 Intune Plan 1 |
| Cloud RADIUS and LDAP Optional, priced the same on either billing term | From $3.00 each, optional | Third-party RADIUS or Domain Services, priced separately |
| Advanced identity governance Optional, priced the same on either billing term | $5.00 Access requests, optional | $7.00 ID Governance, optional |
| Core total per user, per month Identity and device management together | $20.00 | $15.00 |
| Core total per user, per year The same two components over twelve months | $240.00 | $180.00 |
| 100 users, per year Core components only, before taxes and services | $24,000 | $18,000 |
- Already on Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E3? Entra ID P1 and Intune Plan 1 are included, so your added cost is close to zero.
- On Google Workspace or a mixed stack? Both are new spend, and JumpCloud adds Linux, RADIUS and LDAP in the same console.
- JumpCloud Platform packages bundle identity, devices and access at a single per-user rate. NetNXT quotes these on request.
Treat this as a starting model, not a quote. Figures are public USD list prices and exclude taxes, implementation and NetNXT managed service fees. India pricing, volume discounts and bundle entitlements change the final number. Share your user count and device mix and we will send an exact comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your fleet is mostly Windows and you are on Business Premium or E3, you probably should not. Entra ID P1 and Intune are already in your licence. JumpCloud earns its place when a meaningful share of your devices are Macs or Linux machines, when you need cloud RADIUS or LDAP without hosting servers, or when a small IT team is spending too much time across separate admin centres.
For many cloud-first businesses, yes. JumpCloud provides the directory, SSO, MFA, device management, RADIUS and LDAP that a domain controller and Entra ID would otherwise cover. If you use Microsoft 365, an Entra tenant still exists behind it, and JumpCloud federates with it so users keep one identity. Companies with heavy on-premises Windows server dependencies usually run a hybrid model first.
Yes. JumpCloud integrates with both, provisioning and deprovisioning users and acting as the sign-in authority for either suite. This is the most common setup NetNXT deploys: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for productivity, JumpCloud for identity and device control across every operating system.
Entra ID itself registers devices and reads compliance status. Management comes from Intune. On macOS, Intune is capable and supports Platform SSO on macOS 13 and later. On Linux, Intune supports Ubuntu LTS and Red Hat Enterprise Linux desktops, focused on compliance policies and custom scripts, with Conditional Access enforced through Microsoft Edge. Teams with engineering Linux fleets usually find this too narrow.
At list price, Entra ID P1 with Intune Plan 1 is about $15 per user per month, and JumpCloud's identity and device packages are about $20. If Microsoft 365 already includes both, Entra is cheaper. The gap narrows or reverses when you add ID Governance, a RADIUS service, Domain Services for LDAP, and the admin hours of running multiple consoles.
Three areas. Deep integration with Microsoft 365, Azure, Defender and Sentinel. Hybrid environments with on-premises Active Directory. And advanced governance, where Privileged Identity Management, access reviews and entitlement management are more mature than JumpCloud's. Large, regulated, Microsoft-standardised enterprises generally fit Entra better, and we will tell you so in an assessment.
Less than most teams expect. Users and groups are imported from Active Directory, Entra ID or Google Workspace, and the JumpCloud agent takes over existing local accounts so employees keep their files and settings. NetNXT runs migrations in phases: a pilot group first, then department by department, with SSO applications cut over in batches so nobody loses access mid-week.
Both support the access control, MFA, device encryption and audit logging that these frameworks expect. Neither makes you compliant alone. JumpCloud's advantage is one audit trail for identity and devices across all operating systems. Entra's advantage is formal access reviews for larger organisations. NetNXT maps the chosen platform's controls to your framework during deployment.
Not Sure Which Identity Platform Fits Your Business?
Tell us how many users you have, which operating systems they work on and what you already license. A NetNXT identity specialist will map your requirements against JumpCloud and Microsoft Entra ID, model the real per-user cost, and recommend the platform that fits, even when that is the one you already own.
No commitment required. Response within 2 business hours.