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Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) vs Microsoft 365 Business comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 13, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager enhances remote management, reduces downtime, and offers centralized support, improving customer service efficiency.
Sentiment score
6.6
Organizations benefit from Microsoft 365 Business through cost savings, improved scalability, security, flexibility, and enhanced collaboration, especially with remote work.
It also provides good security and the ability for normal users to create simple applications without needing developers.
Project Manager at Protonmail
I have seen a return on investment, especially in reducing security incidents and improved team collaboration.
Manager at Cyvogenix
The pricing of Microsoft 365 Business is good; the amount we pay yields a good return on investment.
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.7
Customer service is highly rated but costly, with excellent support lacking local assistance and needing improvement in complex issues.
Sentiment score
4.4
Microsoft 365 Business support receives mixed reviews due to varying response times and effectiveness across regions and licensing.
I am definitely satisfied with Cisco support.
Technical Manager at AiGENZ Communication and Services WLL
My experience with the technical support of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) involves configuring firewalls and troubleshooting switches and IPs, which is our primary focus.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
It would be beneficial if Microsoft had more expert customer support staff.
Project Manager at Protonmail
We have had good support from Microsoft, with responsive and well-trained staff who are very polite.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
Microsoft customer support for Microsoft 365 Business is very useful.
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for scalability, efficiently supporting varying enterprise sizes and adapting to global demands effortlessly.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft 365 Business offers scalable cloud solutions, enabling easy expansion for organizations of any size, though costs may increase.
I affirm that Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable, as we can configure multiple devices, handling a lot of devices, such as 100 plus devices.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Microsoft 365 Business is widely used by all organizations.
Tech Engine Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor issues during updates or external interruptions.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft 365 Business is generally stable and reliable, despite occasional lags and connectivity or setup issues impacting user experience.
I rate the stability of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) as an eight to nine.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
The stability of Microsoft 365 Business is rated nine out of ten.
Project Manager at Protonmail
The file-sharing feature in Microsoft 365, specifically using OneDrive, is unreliable.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
It works properly, and I have never needed to contact support.
IT Manager at R K Khanna and Associates
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager struggles with integration, reliability, customization, high pricing, compatibility issues, and insufficient feature development.
Microsoft 365 users seek improved communication, integration, and usability with enhanced security, reduced costs, and refined support features.
I see room for improvement in integration with third-party tools.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the responsible person from that device, which would be very useful.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Providing Power BI for a lower package, such as e3, would be beneficial.
Project Manager at Protonmail
Microsoft has very poor security, and Defender is ineffective.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
The comprehensive nature of the solution justifies the cost.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is priced high but considered valuable for its enterprise features, support, and per-device cost-effectiveness.
Microsoft 365 Business pricing is seen as reasonable yet complex, with calls for simpler licensing and more affordability options.
There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Microsoft 365 is cost-intensive, and alternate options like OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or Google Workspace are not as expensive.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
The solution might be considered pricey for some, however, the comprehensiveness of the suite justifies its cost.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
It could be more affordable.
Project Manager at Protonmail
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager offers easy device management with centralized control, enhanced security, and seamless Cisco tool integration.
Microsoft 365 Business excels in collaboration, integration, security, flexibility, and intuitive multi-device access, boosting productivity and performance.
Features such as being very easy to use and troubleshoot have been the most valuable for me, and we can identify if there are any hardware issues easily.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
The remote security feature, as well as the ability to control devices from anywhere, is one of the more beneficial features of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM).
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Using Teams helps our team's productivity because rather than having to make a proper chart again, if I am reviewing someone else's work and I find a mistake, I'll just do it in Excel and it automatically gets updated in the PPT.
asc at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Mobile access to SharePoint in Microsoft 365 Business saves a lot of time because it does not require physical presence, enabling everyone from various distances to access, save, and read all the manuals, which greatly increases efficiency in our business.
Owner at Nexus Auto system
Conditional Access policies have made the biggest difference for my organization because they help us control access based on risk, location, and device, which is very useful in preventing unauthorized access.
Manager at Cyvogenix
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Meraki Systems Manage...
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (12th)
Microsoft 365 Business
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
252
Ranking in other categories
Content Collaboration Platforms (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Mobile Device Management (MDM) category, the mindshare of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is 5.4%, down from 5.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft 365 Business is 5.3%, down from 5.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft 365 Business5.3%
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)5.4%
Other89.3%
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
 

Featured Reviews

Sulesh PK - PeerSpot reviewer
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Has simplified hardware issue identification but needs integrated communication options
We have monitoring capabilities and we are monitoring some network tools from Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) and troubleshooting as well. I am currently working with version MR 32.1.4. Policy involves connecting mostly through emails, as we don't have any special kind of policy features. If any alert comes, we connect via mail. We don't utilize the geolocation tracking feature. The unified dashboard helps me simplify device management for my team based on the location, as we have configured devices from many different countries. We give the device's name based on the location, allowing us to identify easily in the dashboard. Regarding operational cost savings, it is cost-saving because in other companies, they use different tools for different networks, such as one for Windows, another for Linux, and a different one for VMware. We use all the systems including Windows, Linux, and networking under Cisco, Centreon, and Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), which is very cost-efficient. Regarding pricing and licensing of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), I don't have information about that, as we are from the technical department. Details about subscription and quotation come from another department. I rate this solution 8 out of 10.
Jitender Singh - PeerSpot reviewer
Principle Consultant at Akaal Cyber Solutions
Comprehensive cloud tools have unified identity security and device management for my clients
I would suggest a lower cost for my clients because Microsoft 365 has many other licenses that provide different types of features. Microsoft 365 Business covers most of their requirements, and for the other parts, they use other third-party tools for cybersecurity. Although Microsoft 365 Business offers some cybersecurity features, it does not offer everything, such as endpoint detection response and mitigation. For those, clients need to buy a higher version of a license, such as Enterprise E1 or E5. I think Microsoft 365 Business can be improved if it adds more features such as endpoint detection or more features from Microsoft Defender, including cloud app security. With cloud app security, the application status or application logs can be monitored. Currently, cloud app security is not part of Microsoft 365 Business. You have to purchase a standalone license for that. If that can be added, it can increase the volume of purchases for Microsoft 365 Business.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions are best for your needs.
908,877 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Construction Company
20%
Marketing Services Firm
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Outsourcing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise14
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business115
Midsize Enterprise44
Large Enterprise104
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
The pricing sits at a mid-level range, around five or six. There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the responsible person from that device, which would be very useful. Currently, we use ...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
I work with system management in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) products. Our usual use cases for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) involve network tools, such as firewall, switches, a...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Business?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that pricing is reasonable, but it depends on the plan, as some advanced security features require higher-tier licenses.
What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Business?
I have one concern regarding Microsoft 365 in Outlook; if I am using the new Outlook version and I have sent an email to someone using the Classic Outlook, I am not able to recall it, as to recall ...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft 365 Business?
Since I joined my organization, I have been using Microsoft 365 Business for almost two years. Microsoft 365 Business is used for applications like Teams, Outlook, Excel, and Word, which are common...
 

Also Known As

Meraki MDM
Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 F1, MS 365 Business
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hafen Hamburg & Empire Riverside Hotel, Eastview Church, Tourism Holdings, Colegio Sagrada Familia Hijas de Jesús, Tommy Bahama's, Canadian School Mexico, Rosebank College
Urban Agriculture Co., The Detroit Wallpaper Co., TransBlue Facility Management, Garner Food Company
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) vs. Microsoft 365 Business and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
908,877 professionals have used our research since 2012.