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ManageEngine ADAudit Plus vs Microsoft Active Directory comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 9, 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
8.3
ManageEngine ADAudit Plus offers cost-effective compliance, boosts security, reduces external audits, and delivers 80% ROI through operational efficiency.
Sentiment score
8.8
Microsoft Active Directory offers high ROI, efficient user access control, and centralized management, enhancing organizational productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Feedback from clients indicates their keen interest in the product, as it allows for easy budget approval without needing an advisory board meeting.
The solution is really time-saving since I don't need to create users in each server or system manually, and user access control is streamlined.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.0
ManageEngine ADAudit Plus customer support is praised for responsiveness, effectiveness, and technical expertise in addressing complex queries and deployments.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Active Directory support varies, with slow responses, costly premium help, mixed experiences, and reliance on external resources.
Customer service is effective, even for new users who need guidance on complex issues.
Support documents are available on the internet in every language.
Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is highly scalable, efficiently supporting diverse enterprise needs with high user satisfaction across varied environments.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Active Directory scales well for small and large businesses, with Azure suggested for extreme scalability and integration ease.
This product is highly scalable and supports easy migration.
I rate the scalability as eight out of ten.
Microsoft Active Directory scales effectively; I don't foresee any issues with that at all.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is praised for stability, frequent updates, and excels in identity access management with high user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Active Directory is stable and reliable, with high satisfaction despite minor bugs and occasional patch issues.
When compared to similar products like Accenture Plus or Reminder Plus, this solution excels in identity access management.
With multiple domain controllers, stability is ensured.
I've been working with Microsoft Active Directory for over 3 years, and we've had no problems.
 

Room For Improvement

ADAudit Plus needs UI enhancements, better documentation, customizable reporting, easier integration, and simplified configuration for broader use.
Active Directory needs a user-friendly interface, better integration, security upgrades, and improved cloud synchronization for enhanced usability.
Activity monitoring is cost-effective, workstation monitoring can be challenging without additional training.
I would like to generate reports on users who have not logged into the Active Directory for a specific period, but this feature is not available.
The current Active Directory UI is limited in report generation, necessitating script knowledge to generate various reports.
There are some features that need improvements in terms of ease of use and frequency of updates.
Sometimes, it can be overly complicated, and when you apply Group Policy in an Active Directory environment, sometimes those settings apply and sometimes they don't.
 

Setup Cost

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is seen as affordable and flexible, offering good value compared to larger vendors.
Microsoft Active Directory offers affordable licensing, often bundled, with Azure cloud reducing costs by eliminating server fees.
It is cost-effective.
I consider the pricing for ADAudit Plus a bit high compared to other software solutions, so I would rate it around two or three on the pricing scale.
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing with Microsoft Active Directory is straightforward; you just buy the server and then have to buy the user CALs.
 

Valuable Features

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus excels in user-friendly monitoring, detailed reports, and robust network security management with behavior analytics.
Microsoft Active Directory offers seamless Azure integration, user-friendly management, and scalability, enhancing network efficiency and usability for large organizations.
The audit functionality and the ability to share user-based reports with management are significant advantages.
Engineers can receive reports and log details within one to five seconds, which is essential for monitoring user activity swiftly and effectively.
Having active deployment and well-configured systems helps me manage tasks and easily oversee thousands of users.
Permissions can be granted to a group or specific folder with one or two clicks in Active Directory.
I can control all the devices in my domain by just changing the group policies in one place.
 

Categories and Ranking

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus
Ranking in Active Directory Management
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is 11.1%, up from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 6.0%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

Md Abdul Hakim - PeerSpot reviewer
Advanced monitoring enhances user tracking that's cost-effective
I have been involved with this product for the last three years, participating in service and support within our company. We are currently supporting over 30 companies. This month, we deployed the solution for three companies, including two RMGs and one private bank in Bangladesh. The popularity of this product is due to its active directory monitoring abilities. Engineers can receive reports and log details within one to five seconds, which is essential for monitoring user activity swiftly and effectively. This product is very well-liked in Bangladesh due to user tracking, failed logins, and Jar reports for any Barna activity or execution. This solution's popularity extends through comprehensive auditing capabilities.
Roberta Politano - PeerSpot reviewer
Has good authentication features
The solution's group policy is a normal way to deploy configuration and helps deploy to a wider environment. The solution is deployed both on-premises and on the cloud. I would recommend the solution to other users based on their infrastructure. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
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859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Healthcare Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about ManageEngine ADAudit Plus?
The most valuable feature of ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is its reports.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ManageEngine ADAudit Plus?
I consider the pricing for ADAudit Plus a bit high compared to other software solutions, so I would rate it around two or three on the pricing scale.
What needs improvement with ManageEngine ADAudit Plus?
The interface could be improved, and the log collecting feature should have additional functionalities. For example, I would like to generate reports on users who have not logged into the Active Di...
What do you like most about Microsoft Active Directory?
The solution is easy to install and has good reliability.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?
Technology is evolving. AI is offering solutions. However, short-term fixes are like band-aids.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
I utilize it in almost every scenario. I use the Hazer database and meet daily needs across every industry, every time.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Warsaw City Hall, Acument Global Technologies, Inc., Cosma International, Bank of South Pacific, Life Management Center, Central Bank, UncleBob's Self Storage, Leeds Building Society, California Transplant Donor Network, First Response, Blessing Hospital, Northern Land Council, RMK Marine
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Find out what your peers are saying about ManageEngine ADAudit Plus vs. Microsoft Active Directory and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.