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ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus 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
3.3
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus enhanced efficiency, security, and productivity with centralized management, automation, and an intuitive interface for users.
Sentiment score
3.2
Windows Server Update Services provides free, efficient patch management, automates updates, centralizes downloads, and reduces crashes and internet usage.
Compared to other products, ManageEngine provides good return on investment within five years.
Technology Lead at GMG
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
5.8
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus offers highly rated, efficient customer support through phone, chat, and email with quick response times.
Sentiment score
4.1
Users criticize Microsoft Windows Server Update Services support for slow responses and inconsistency, preferring online resources or premium support.
You do not have to raise a ticket and wait for them to respond.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Customer service and support are excellent, with a perfect score of ten out of ten.
Technology Lead at GMG
The technical support from ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is helpful.
Information Security Specialist at Arab Open University
Microsoft Update provides one of the worst support experiences among all tech companies that I have experienced.
Lead - Technical Services at Impetus
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.
I explain that I am unhappy because it takes too long for a reaction.
System Administrator at Waternet
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
5.0
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is highly scalable, supports various OS, and suits enterprises, scoring 8-10 in scalability ratings.
Sentiment score
5.2
Windows Server Update Services is scalable and adaptable but may experience performance issues in large, stressed deployments.
Scalability requires downtime for performance adjustments.
Technology Lead at GMG
The default instance, which most customers run, can take up to 5,000 endpoints.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Though there are options to use Microsoft MS SQL, it does not support more than 3,000 clients.
Lead - Technical Services at Impetus
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is highly stable, with users praising its minimal downtime, efficient operation, and reliable performance.
Sentiment score
5.3
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is stable and reliable, though minor issues may occur with specific updates or large environments.
I have not had any downtime in six years.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
The solution is very stable.
Technology Lead at GMG
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

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus requires enhancements in usability, communication, integration, and pricing for better functionality and broader appeal.
Windows Server Update Services requires UI enhancements, better integration, stability improvements, and efficient patch management for smoother operation.
When the patch testing works well, there is no need for patch management rollbacks.
System Administrator at SKN Caribecafe Ltda
Instead of separate technician licenses for each product, there should be a single bundled license to simplify licensing requirements.
Technology Lead at GMG
You cannot create multiple tasks, which is another significant issue.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 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

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is cost-effective, with fees around $3 per agent monthly, though exchange rates may affect affordability.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services has no licensing fees but can incur costs from storage, cloud deployment, and enterprise agreements.
Currently, I am paying around three dollars per agent per month.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
There is a concern regarding the exchange rate as one dollar equals six reais today, making everything expensive in dollars for us.
Advisor at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
ManageEngine's licensing model recently changed from being endpoint-based to server-based, which might affect costs during the next renewal.
Technology Lead at GMG
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

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus provides comprehensive, automated patch management with robust security features and seamless integration for multiple platforms.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services offers centralized management, automated updates, and reporting, enhancing efficiency without extra licensing fees.
The software covers platform security and application security, ensuring everything is updated at the endpoint level.
Technology Lead at GMG
Second, you get remote access capabilities, meaning you can take the device remotely and provide support, with the session recorded for playback if needed.
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
The vulnerability scanning highlights outdated PCs and users breaching policies.
System Administrator at SKN Caribecafe Ltda
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
I confirm that they all get downloaded and installed simultaneously, and the new security patches are applied automatically.
System Administrator at Waternet
 

Categories and Ranking

ManageEngine Patch Manager ...
Ranking in Patch Management
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Windows Server Up...
Ranking in Patch Management
5th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is 3.9%, down from 6.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is 3.8%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Patch Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services3.8%
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus3.9%
Other92.3%
Patch Management
 

Featured Reviews

ManojNair2 - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Centralized patching has unified multi‑OS management and delivers detailed security reporting
Based on my experience, a better function would be to address the problem that the product only scans a machine once a day. It has a central scanning activity that scans every laptop for changes in assets, meaning both hardware and software, as well as installed software for patches. However, this activity works only once per day and does not work on local time. If you are a global organization with the UK office and a colleague in the US, for example, and you set the task at 11:00 AM UK time, that translates to 6:00 AM in the US East Coast. If that colleague's laptop is on, the task completes; otherwise, it fails. This represents a major drawback because the task does not run on the local time of the system. Regarding the ability to create multiple tasks, you cannot create them, which is another significant issue. Only one task exists for these two activities. That one task performs both the hardware and software scanning for any changes and also conducts a patch scan. Both activities occur through the same task, but the problem is that if you have a global user base, this becomes a bottleneck.
Mladen Vidic - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Oracle DBA at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Has supported routine update requests and maintained reliable system operations
I think that the most valuable feature of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is the update for Microsoft Windows Server, as we do not use any other tools, but I don't know if Office 365 is under Windows update services regulation; it is not in our domain because we use it, but other teams are responsible for this task. The key features or benefits of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services that have been most valuable in my IT administration processes are just the services for updating my Windows and Windows Servers, and as I mentioned, we don't use many applications; we just use it for Windows updates. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services supports our regular requests for reliable systems, and updates are part of the process of keeping those systems stable, reliable, and confidential.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Construction Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business11
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise24
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
Pricing for ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is pretty reasonable. Currently, I am paying around three dollars per agent per month.
What needs improvement with ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
Based on my experience, a better function would be to address the problem that the product only scans a machine once a day. It has a central scanning activity that scans every laptop for changes in...
What is your primary use case for ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus?
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus was the first solution on the cloud six years ago when I started using this product. Although other competitors existed in the market, they were either behind in ter...
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 nothing could be improved or enhanced in Microsoft Windows Server Update Services because it is doing precisely what it has to do. I do not see any minor enhancements or limitations to be o...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?
I use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services primarily for Windows updates, specifically for updates and security patch updates from Microsoft.
 

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

IKEA Honda UNICEF The University of Georgia Evander
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
904,928 professionals have used our research since 2012.