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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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Meraki Systems Manage...
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (6th)
Microsoft 365 Business
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
244
Ranking in other categories
Content Collaboration Platforms (8th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Mobile Device Management (MDM) category, the mindshare of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is 6.1%, down from 9.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft 365 Business is 8.0%, down from 10.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
 

Featured Reviews

GaneshKhutwad - PeerSpot reviewer
A central portal where you can add, stack, configure, and maintain your devices
Nearly 35,000 users are connected to Systems from America because their network is configured to cover worldwide areas. I have approximately 450 devices connected, which can scale based on requirements. For instance, if you have around five hundred to six hundred users in one office, the MR14 and MR24 series are suitable. For environments with a larger number of standard device users, the MR24 series is recommended. Cisco Meraki provides various series to meet your requirements, allowing you to manage your users efficiently. I rate the solution's scalability a nine out of ten.
Luca Turco - PeerSpot reviewer
Subscription model ensures continuous updates and connectivity across devices
The subscription model of Microsoft 365 Business is beneficial since it provides continuous updates, including functional updates and transformations of the product. This contrasts with older perpetual licenses that rarely received updates. The overall suite is very complete, and being tied to a vendor that improves week by week is of great value. Implemented features like sharing calendars and access to emails on multiple devices enhance basic functionalities that were previously lacking.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most significant benefit is that the deployment is quick and painless. You don't need a specialized IT department to implement and scale the network. It's easy to maintain, too. It only requires one or two network administrators."
"The cloud dashboard's analytics data is particularly valuable, giving me insights into user activities and making it easy to track and manage devices."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) are its ability to do geofencing for devices, manage thousands of devices with only a push of a button, and quick application deployment in seconds. It's amazing. For example, in an education scenario, you can deploy an application update for thousands of iPads in two clicks."
"We experience no downtime, no breakdowns, all the user readings are exact, and it gives us quick analysis so we can apply security measures."
"It's robust, and we like the device availability, ease of purchase, and supplier stock availability."
"Security is the main feature because the company is reliable."
"I have found the location analytics feature that is built into the APs to be the most valuable. It allows you to compare data and to single out individuals who are repeatedly coming into your store. We can observe different trends. This is what separates it from a lot of the other solutions."
"The solution is straightforward to set up."
"The stability and reliability are great."
"It is easy to use."
"The solution is very easy to use. It's completely transparent and extremely easy to navigate."
"The stability of the product is excellent."
"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward."
"The solution has pretty good security baked in."
"Microsoft products are familiar to most users and intuitive to use."
"The overall suite is very complete, and being tied to a vendor that improves week by week is of great value."
 

Cons

"I've participated in numerous product launches primarily focused on HP and Dell. Consequently, there should be a vested interest in local gatherings to showcase product advantages and performance. Particularly in Singapore, it only has so limited integrators to engage in IP product sales. There's room for improvement through dedicated workshops and training. The European and Western markets differ significantly from the context here. The physical location holds more importance. Thus, they should have a survey to evaluate demand, supply, and sales points, tailoring strategies accordingly."
"Security could be improved, and there could be more features that enable you to customize the end customer solution."
"In my opinion, the equipment availabilities and competitive pricings could be improved."
"The solution can be expensive."
"Meraki is limiting our connections."
"Because Cisco has improved a lot and is competing with other technologies that are innovative and brand new to the market, the only improvements they have to make are to keep up with the current competition and remain competitive with other solutions."
"The maintenance is average."
"System's compatibility with Google Chrome could be improved."
"The backup option should be included in Microsoft 365 Business."
"The cost is a bit high."
"I don't like the tool's administration which consists of crappy operations."
"At times, the OneDrive lags, so the performance can be improved."
"If Business 365's documentation were better, then the user could read it and fix their issues by themselves. Microsoft could also add some more detailed pop-up troubleshooting messages. When a user has a problem, the messages they get don't help much."
"It's a bit complex in itself when you get into items such as security or compliance."
"The stability needs to be improved."
"Data protection needs to be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Meraki MDM is the cheapest solution we have used."
"Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is an expensive solution."
"The price is high for the market."
"This product is reasonably priced."
"My clients find it a bit expensive compared to other systems."
"My customers at times have issues with the price of the solution. It is expensive, but overall it is worth it. The licensing model cost is based on how many devices you require."
"The storage is affordable and the system has some price-related issues. Therefore, keeping the price in mind, I would rate it seven out of ten."
"It's extremely competitive and very good for a product in this sphere."
"Licensing fees are paid annually."
"The cost of the subscription is fair."
"Microsoft 365 Business is an expensive solution."
"They are always a bit pricey. They should reduce their prices or make it free because we already have other solutions, like Google Suite, which are cheaper or free."
"It works out to be $12.50 per user per month."
"The price could be cheaper. We have a yearly license."
"The product is expensive."
"I don't pay any licensing fees."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
44%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Financial Services Firm
4%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Real Estate/Law Firm
7%
Healthcare Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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)?
While the graphical user interface is user-friendly and easy to configure, I see room for improvement in integration with third-party tools. We haven't had any integration issues, but potential lim...
What do you like most about Microsoft 365 Business?
The product's initial setup phase was straightforward.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Business?
The solution might be considered pricey for some, however, the comprehensiveness of the suite justifies its cost. It is generally still worth the money and is cost-effective when considering the pr...
What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Business?
Price is an area for improvement, as spending less money would always be preferable. However, the comprehensive nature of the solution justifies the cost.
 

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: April 2025.
849,963 professionals have used our research since 2012.