Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Kaseya VSA vs Microsoft Windows Server Update Services comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 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
5.6
Kaseya VSA boosted efficiency, reduced support needs, and offered positive ROI, especially for remote operations post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Sentiment score
3.8
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services offers cost-effective automation and patch management, centralizing updates to reduce crashes and download traffic.
If they have some bundle options to pay less for more, we will get it and use it.
Senior Oracle DBA at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.6
Kaseya VSA support is knowledgeable but often slow, with delayed responses and room for improvement in issue resolution.
Sentiment score
4.5
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services support is mixed, with praise for premium help but concerns over wait times and organization.
I would evaluate them as most likely all good because they help me a lot, and they most likely solve my issue.
Senior Technical Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The customer service provides a fast response.
Directeur Technique Services Managés - RSI at Groupe Folder
I would rate their support five out of ten because most of the time they are not able to resolve the issues.
Senior Manager at dinCloud, Inc.
When you pay for the support, you are guaranteed resolution, and I don't think anybody else does that.
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Premium support does not have any benefits.
Lead - Technical Services at Impetus
There was a time when contacting the support agency was more straightforward.
Network Architect at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Kaseya VSA offers scalable cloud deployment but faces performance challenges at higher scales and some user contract concerns.
Sentiment score
5.7
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is praised for scalability and flexibility, though some note performance issues in large-scale environments.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.9
Kaseya VSA is stable and improving, but some users report issues with connectivity, updates, and add-ons reliability.
Sentiment score
4.9
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is highly reliable with minimal bugs, supporting various setups effectively and requiring low maintenance.
When we schedule our updates, it works, and that's it—nothing irregular or different than what was expected.
Senior Oracle DBA at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Kaseya VSA requires UI and patch management improvements, better security, device support, and enhanced technical support and automation features.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services needs UI improvements, enhanced integration, better client support, and efficient updates to reduce disruptions.
I would like to see improved or enhanced scripting capabilities where I can create scripts based on automation by using AI.
Senior Technical Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The inventory tool and the entire backend of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is poorly coded. It's not very reliable, so you can tell when dealing with bad code, and it may work one day but may not work another.
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
I would like the updates to be less often and more rarely because they have a high impact on our team.
Senior Oracle DBA at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
 

Setup Cost

Kaseya VSA offers competitive pricing and regional discounts, though contracts can be limiting, with mixed cost perceptions among users.
Windows Server Update Services is included with Windows Server, offering varied pricing, with differing costs based on licensing models.
It's always expensive for the customer.
Directeur Technique Services Managés - RSI at Groupe Folder
It's a free service.
Lead - Technical Services at Impetus
It's free.
Network Architect at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

Kaseya VSA is valued for its security, remote management, automation, integration, cost-effectiveness, and comprehensive network administration features.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services offers efficient, centralized update management with scalability, AD integration, cost-effectiveness, and selective patch downloads.
Regarding the patching and software management, for me, it's the best path.
Directeur Technique Services Managés - RSI at Groupe Folder
Kaseya VSA makes it easier for me to use, especially with the ability to control everything from the console.
Senior Technical Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The ease of use and efficient reporting contribute significantly to my overall productivity.
Lead - Technical Services at Impetus
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is the update for Microsoft Windows Server.
Senior Oracle DBA at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Patch management is indeed valuable, however, the process to achieve it could be improved.
Network Architect at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Kaseya VSA
Ranking in Patch Management
10th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
4.4
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (2nd)
Microsoft Windows Server Up...
Ranking in Patch Management
3rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Kaseya VSA is 6.6%, up from 3.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is 4.5%, down from 7.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Patch Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services4.5%
Kaseya VSA6.6%
Other88.9%
Patch Management
 

Featured Reviews

Stéphane Guerin - PeerSpot reviewer
Directeur Technique Services Managés - RSI at Groupe Folder
Software management excels with comprehensive modules
We are a reseller. I am conducting some research since we are a vendor for the Kaseya solution.  Regarding the patching and software management, for me, it's the best path. We have all the necessary modules for monitoring on the server and workstations. All modules are working well, and for me,…
NN
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Experience with update service shows need for reliability, but support excels
I wouldn't say any of the update services have great features. The only real advantage I have for having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is if I know or have been informed of a bad update that's causing software conflicts, I can stop it. But I do not depend on Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to keep my machines updated because the failure rates are too high. I have other tools for reporting and inventory capabilities. The inventory tool and the entire backend of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is poorly coded. It's not very reliable, so you can tell when dealing with bad code, and it may work one day but may not work another. So I had to stop using it because I need something that's reliable, therefore I use other tools for that information. In a pinch, you can use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services tools, but for the most part, they're not reliable enough. I don't believe I've seen any improvement on bandwidth optimization or deployment speed from Microsoft Windows Server Update Services. In fact, the only real improvement comes directly from Microsoft because they stagger the updates. So that helps, but having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services on-premise does not provide any real benefit. Its pricing is just all-inclusive. I don't think about it that way. If somebody tried to sell me Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, I would probably reject it. It's a tool that we have, so we use it, but if I were to pay extra for it, I would say it's not worth it. Some of the main differences between Microsoft Windows Server Update Services and the other tools are that WSUS's backend is based on IIS, which is not a very reliable host method. You're going to have problems getting Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to run when you have a large organization. The speed of it is quite painfully slow, so there's not a lot you can do to get Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to work under stress. The other tools just work. I can tell you what services are running on each of my machines and can stop or restart services. I can inventory the software they have on them with multiple tools, so I know what software is on our machines. I don't have to rely on a tool that works when it wants to and requires so much maintenance to keep it going. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is only to green check updates that I know are fine, but obviously, it could save me in a pinch if something went wrong.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Patch Management solutions are best for your needs.
880,490 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Performing Arts
11%
Real Estate/Law Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Wholesaler/Distributor
6%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business26
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise23
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Kaseya VSA?
The most valuable feature of Kaseya VSA is the ability to control laptops remotely.
What needs improvement with Kaseya VSA?
I would improve their support system. They can improve their interface, as the GUI looks very outdated. Although they have many features, improvements in the GUI in terms of the front face and the ...
What is your primary use case for Kaseya VSA?
Primarily, we are using it for remote monitoring and management as an MSP. We are basically a reseller; we are a service provider, so Kaseya VSA is one of our tools which we use for our managed ser...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?
I don't know all details about pricing for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, so I can't answer this question.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?
I think that an area of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services that could be improved is to make these updates less often and more rarely than now, because we have to do these updates once a mont...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft WSUS, WSUS, Microsoft Software Update Services, Software Update Services, Microsoft SUS, SUS, MS Windows Server Update Services
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Sage UK, MSP, CodeBlue Ltd, Connect Work Place Solutions, All Covered, 501cTech, Chairo Christian School, Green Duck
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Kaseya VSA vs. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
880,490 professionals have used our research since 2012.