Google Mobile Device Management Review: How It Compares to Microsoft Intune

Introduction

Google’s Mobile Device Management (MDM), built into Google Workspace, offers a convenient way to manage mobile and endpoint devices across your organization. For businesses already using Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs, it’s a logical place to start. But as your IT requirements grow in complexity, is Google MDM truly scalable? And how does it compare with enterprise-ready tools like Microsoft Intune?

In this post, we review the features, strengths, and limitations of Google MDM — and explain why Circuit Minds recommends Microsoft Intune for serious mobile device management.

What is Google Mobile Device Management?

Google MDM is a cloud-based device management solution built into Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). It allows admins to enforce policies, wipe lost devices, and monitor usage across smartphones, tablets, and laptops — especially Android and Chrome OS devices.

Key features of Google MDM include:

• Basic and advanced mobile device management modes

• Remote wipe and screen lock capabilities

• Enforced screen lock and password policies

• App management for Android devices via managed Google Play

• Device reports and activity logging

Strengths of Google MDM

✅ Native integration with Google Workspace

✅ No additional licensing cost for Workspace users

✅ Simple and intuitive admin console

✅ Good support for Android and ChromeOS environments

Limitations of Google MDM

❌ Limited iOS and Windows device management

❌ No granular compliance enforcement or conditional access

❌ Weak integration with non-Google cloud services

❌ Basic app deployment tools compared to full MDM solutions

❌ Lacks zero-trust capabilities for enterprise-grade security

Microsoft Intune: The Scalable Alternative

Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive MDM and MAM (Mobile Application Management) solution that supports advanced policies, app protection, compliance rules, and secure identity integration across all major platforms — not just Android.

With Intune, you can:

• Manage iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices

• Enforce security compliance with conditional access

• Deploy apps silently across entire fleets

• Integrate directly with Microsoft 365 and Azure AD

• Gain full visibility into your device landscape

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Google MDM	Microsoft Intune
Cross-platform support	Android, ChromeOS (basic iOS/Windows)	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
App deployment & protection	Basic Android support only	Advanced across all OSs
Compliance enforcement	Basic policies	Conditional Access, Zero Trust
Integrations	Google Workspace only	Microsoft 365, Azure AD, third-party
Best for	Small teams, light policies	Growing teams, enterprise-level control

Why Circuit Minds Recommends Microsoft Intune

Google MDM is a good starting point, but it simply doesn’t scale for businesses that need visibility, control, and security across platforms. At Circuit Minds, we help businesses implement Microsoft Intune to unlock powerful capabilities — with professional setup, compliance alignment, and long-term support.

Explore our MDM packages and let’s future-proof your device management strategy.

Conclusion

Google MDM is ideal for lightweight Android-centric teams. But if you're growing, securing sensitive data, or juggling mixed device environments — Microsoft Intune is the better fit.

👉 Book a free consultation to learn how Circuit Minds can help you migrate and scale with Intune.