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Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs erwin Data Modeler comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
5.1
erwin Data Modeler enhances efficiency, accuracy, and customization in data management, boosting productivity and reducing manual effort.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Purview Data Governance offers significant returns with improved data management, cost savings, and enhanced compliance and risk mitigation.
It replaces manual charting in Visio with a structured tool, providing significant return on investment.
Clients benefit from using a one-stop-shop solution, increasing their visibility across different platforms.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.5
Erwin Data Modeler's support is praised for responsiveness and expertise, despite occasional response time and communication issues.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Purview Data Governance support is generally positive, but users report varied experiences based on responsiveness, expertise, and resources.
The quality and speed of their support are excellent; everyone is very helpful, and they can solve problems quickly.
Quest is committed to keeping the product robust.
Overall, it doesn't meet our expectations.
They're skillful people who know what they're doing in their space.
I have a dedicated team as a government agency, and Microsoft assists us promptly.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Erwin Data Modeler is scalable, supports multiple users and platforms, but may slow with massive models; excels in enterprise architectures.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Purview Data Governance efficiently handles scalable data sources in Azure, though challenges exist with network load and data ingestion.
I would rate it probably a nine, making it a leader in data modeling.
Regarding scalability, erwin Data Modeler is performing well; from a few tables to 100 tables, it is working effectively so far.
With automation, you can label five documents or 50,000 with the same amount of clicks.
It allows for one-to-one connections with different types of servers, either cloud-based like AWS, or physical servers.
The product is scalable and works across multi-cloud and multi-platform environments.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
5.6
Erwin Data Modeler is stable and mature, with occasional performance issues, but users value its consistent improvements.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft Purview Data Governance is generally stable and reliable, though minor bugs and occasional lag may occur.
New versions often introduce enhanced features but may cause model crashes due to memory exhaustion.
Sometimes when I want to open the attribute editor, it stops working and the whole application freezes.
It can take seven days to 24 hours to determine whether a policy is effective.
Microsoft Purview Data Governance is absolutely fine in terms of stability.
 

Room For Improvement

Erwin Data Modeler needs improvements in usability, multi-language support, integration, automation, and compatibility with evolving big-data platforms.
Microsoft Purview needs better integration, enhanced features, clearer documentation, and improved system configuration for complex environments.
There are many features, and I would expect good documentation detailing each feature, including when and how to use it, to be very useful because data modeling is not very popular in the data area and there aren't many educational videos regarding erwin Data Modeler.
It's essential to know if a feature isn't working due to missing licenses.
There are some problems with DLP rules, and it would be great if the security around DLP could be expanded.
A watermark feature or similar tools to help enhance security for end users could be added.
 

Setup Cost

Erwin Data Modeler is seen as costly due to its features and flexibility, challenging affordability in lower-budget regions.
Microsoft Purview Data Governance offers competitive pricing and cost control benefits, appealing to enterprises with existing Microsoft licenses.
The feature might be available in the console, but it won't work without the proper license, creating confusion.
Microsoft Purview Data Governance is quite affordable compared to other market solutions, which have high initial costs.
I'm not exactly sure how much our license costs, but it is very expensive.
 

Valuable Features

erwin Data Modeler simplifies database management with features like visual modeling, DDL generation, version control, and collaborative capabilities.
Microsoft Purview ensures data security, compliance, and efficiency with integration, data cataloging, lineage tracking, and multi-platform connectivity.
One of the best aspects of the tool is its reverse engineering capability.
Currently in the market, there is no competitor to erwin Data Modeler; everything is very powerful, such as performing reverse engineering from an existing database and deploying that on Databricks or Snowflake.
It provides a comprehensive view of the entire ecosystem's threats and compliance in real time.
The sensitivity labeling is the most valuable feature because it is the foundation for automating the encryption process and ensuring proper data handling across the organization.
Microsoft Purview Data Governance has helped my company by finding insider risks, ensuring data loss prevention, and achieving compliance to make sure everybody is compliant.
 

Categories and Ranking

erwin Data Modeler
Ranking in Data Governance
14th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
40
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Architecture Management (3rd), Business Process Design (9th)
Microsoft Purview Data Gove...
Ranking in Data Governance
1st
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
58
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Data Governance category, the mindshare of erwin Data Modeler is 0.0%. The mindshare of Microsoft Purview Data Governance is 21.4%, down from 22.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Governance Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Purview Data Governance21.4%
erwin Data Modeler0.0%
Other78.6%
Data Governance
 

Featured Reviews

JorgeSanz - PeerSpot reviewer
Streamline data modeling and automate network changes for increased efficiency
The initial setup depends on the tool if you are using the data model environment. Stopping the server could be complex and require strong expertise. If you have everything set up and configured, Erwin is straightforward. You can deploy it in a few hours. In our case, it took a couple of months to address internal conditions, assign machines, and set up everything for the services. I rate the initial setup a six out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.
AmrNaeem - PeerSpot reviewer
It helps us by reporting on and auditing leaks and breaches
One important feature is data security, which both end users and the organization seek. Microsoft Purview offers data protection across a multi-cloud and multi-platform environment. It's critical that Purview connects to iOS, Mac, and Android. We could only secure some of our data if it only covered Windows. It provides a comprehensive view of the entire ecosystem's threats and compliance in real time. It's very easy to use. Purview's compliance features are crucial. We have to match some cases in other countries to our own to comply with the policies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks here.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise29
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise30
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
Forward engineering, DDL generation, reverse engineering, and reporting are the most valuable features of the solution.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
I do not recall the pricing from about a year and a half ago, but it seems reasonable.
What needs improvement with erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
erwin Data Modeler could improve its UI as it still feels old school and not very modern. There are many features, and I would expect good documentation detailing each feature, including when and h...
What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Purview?
It is designed to seamlessly connect to various data sources, which is particularly beneficial for our customers who primarily use Microsoft technologies.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Purview?
Microsoft Purview Data Governance is quite affordable compared to other market solutions, which have high initial costs. It allows for a cost-effective start with negligible initial cost. However, ...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Purview?
There should be more clarity about the costing, particularly how the cost is calculated, especially when utilizing health reports and quality features. Additionally, adding more tools around data q...
 

Also Known As

erwin DM
Microsoft Purview, MS Azure Purview
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

 Premera, America Honda Motors, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Dental Dental Cali, Cigna, Staples
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs. erwin Data Modeler and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.