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AWS Directory Service vs Workspace ONE UEM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 2, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

AWS Directory Service
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
16th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Workspace ONE UEM
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
101
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (5th), Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (7th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (2nd), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of AWS Directory Service is 1.5%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 1.3%, down from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

MassimilianoCollavo - PeerSpot reviewer
Integrates well with other tools, particularly through single sign-on
I've been working with AWS Directory Service as part of a broader solution for moving our infrastructure to a hybrid cloud model. Initially, the goal was to replicate our on-premises server to the cloud and then eventually shut down the on-premises server entirely. My work with AWS Directory Service is focused on migrating to the cloud and finding a suitable document management system that allows for online editing, document sharing, and workflow management. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Emthias Abdul Salam - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers a valuable single sign-on feature and a user-friendly interface with outstanding scaling capabilities
The single sign-on feature, which integrates with the Identity Manager is one of the most vital features. The VMware Workspace ONE Tunnel is another crucial aspect of the solution. Authentication processes become seamless with the single sign-on feature of VMware Workspace ONE. Whether the application resides within the premises or outside, the users don't need to reenter the credentials, VMware Workspace ONE auto authenticates using scripts. The solution can also integrate the app catalog with the Intelligent Hub, which acts as the agent. Applications catalogs and similar aspects can be accessed through one single interface, whether it's from an Android, iOS, or Windows device. It's a very user-friendly tool in terms of accessibility.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"AWS has eliminated the downtime we waste when our on-premises resources go down."
"Two-step authentication is very useful and important."
"Provides good performance and availability."
"AWS handles everything on the backend requiring minimal legwork from our team. We only require a dedicated database administrator while depending on Amazon for RDS."
"The most valuable feature is ease of use."
"AWS Directory Service is secure."
"The support is very good. I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten."
"I like the manageability. Activate Connect makes it easier to assign information and to manage the resources in the network."
"The most valuable feature depends on the use case of the clients. However, one feature I like is the Kiosk Mode. In the Kiosk Mode in most cases, the clients only can make available one application developed by the solution and permit the employee or the final client to use only this one application for interaction. This provides a security control layer limiting only one application functionally."
"From a remote management perspective, I like the management and the inventory."
"The contained browser is a good feature."
"Workspace ONE has something like an orchestrator model that allows me to configure a set of steps to onboard new PCs, laptops, or tablets. So, it makes my work easy."
"We've found the solution to be easy to use."
"I found the initial setup to be easy."
"App delivery and management platform that's user-friendly, with a good interface. Easy to scale, easy to set up, with good stability."
"The single sign-on feature, which integrates with the Identity Manager is one of the most vital features."
 

Cons

"I would like to see better integration with other business solutions."
"I've encountered challenges, particularly with Amazon WorkDocs, which is being deprecated. This has made it necessary to find an alternative document management solution that can handle editing, sharing, and workflow management for documents like Word files and PDFs."
"Some of the security protocols are difficult to understand."
"AWS Directory Service needs to improve processing."
"AWS could improve the number of regions. Azure has passed them. The ned more consistency, as far as the Northeast is concerned."
"Our only complaint is that you cannot integrate your Exchange server. Or, if you are planning to install an Exchange server on your Amazon EC2 instance, then you need to configure Active Directory on EC2 instance. We would like for this limitation to be lifted."
"We had a problem with the schema uploading and setting up the directory when we are migrating our users from on-premises to cloud infrastructure."
"The AWS Directory Service should be easier to integrate."
"VMware Workspace ONE platform offers support for Mac Books and we see that there is some room for improvement in that area versus all the products out there."
"The initial setup is a bit complex."
"I'd like to see more integration capabilities in future releases."
"Patching, fixing, and training for VMware Workspace ONE are areas that need to be improved."
"The SaaS environment is not very responsive at times, so the performance can be improved in that regard."
"I would like to see improvements made to both the support, and the pricing."
"VMware Workspace ONE for the new users or the new clients that they try to procure and learn it, there can have difficulties. It does not have user-friendly portals. The portal seems to be more user-friendly in Microsoft solutions."
"We'd like to see a better connection to Microsoft Azure and a better connection with Check Point."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing depends because with AWS there are two types of directory objects: 30,000 and 500,000. It varies. AWS provides the pricing calculators so we can get an estimate from there as per the company requirement of how many users and objects that we need to create. So we can go to that portal, put in the data, and get the quotation. There are no extra licensing fees. It's all included."
"We pay an annual subscription fee."
"AWS' pricing is fair, and costs can be cut if you look carefully at when you're using it."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"It's a highly affordable solution"
"I have no opinion about the pricing of the product."
"There is a licensing fee for the users, and we pay a low amount for our support costs."
"We pay approximately $6.50 per user for the standard version. If you are paying for an enterprise license that includes VDI then it will cost approximately $25 per user on a monthly basis."
"VMware Workspace ONE is expensive."
"The pricing and licensing are affordable. They are not too high."
"VMware Workspace ONE is not cheap; it's quite expensive. However, in the end, they gave us a reasonable price."
"For the moment, we have a multi-year contract, meaning that we cannot go with a different solution at this time even if the price should prove more favorable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
18%
Healthcare Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AWS Directory Service?
The most valuable feature of AWS Directory Service is cost-cutting features.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Directory Service?
The pricing is very good because it is low and there is no management cost. You do not need to hire any system administrator to manage your Active Directory.
What needs improvement with AWS Directory Service?
Accessing the data needs improvement. Additionally, integration and compatibility with other AWS ( /products/amazon-aws-reviews ) services, network open LDAP, support for on-premise and cloud envir...
How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it easy to control security and manage the usage of mobile apps when you have a ...
How does VMware Workspace One compare with VMware Horizon 7?
VMware Workspace One has a powerful set of helpful features. The solution offers very good documentation, the initial setup is easy, and the product is very stable and reliable. I think the fact th...
What do you like most about VMware Workspace ONE?
The platform provides a stable environment for operations and quickly creates new environments. Additionally, it offers efficient flexibility.
 

Also Known As

AWS Managed Microsoft AD
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Expedia, Intuit, Royal Dutch Shell, Brooks Brothers
Australian Sports Commission, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Lomond School, Merck, United Bank, Medical College of Wisconsin, Latymer Upper School, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, Dowling Aaron Inc., Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Harrogate Grammar School, Duke University Football, Delta Air Lines, Adventist Health System, Giochi Preziosi, Cramlington Learning Village, Intermountain Healthcare, Safexpress, TAG Aviation
Find out what your peers are saying about AWS Directory Service vs. Workspace ONE UEM and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
857,585 professionals have used our research since 2012.