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Microsoft MDS vs Semarchy xDM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

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

Microsoft MDS
Ranking in Master Data Management (MDM) Software
4th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Semarchy xDM
Ranking in Master Data Management (MDM) Software
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Master Data Management (MDM) (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Master Data Management (MDM) Software category, the mindshare of Microsoft MDS is 7.2%, down from 11.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Semarchy xDM is 12.5%, up from 7.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Master Data Management (MDM) Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft MDS7.2%
Semarchy xDM12.5%
Other80.3%
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1524357 - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution Architect at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Has supported endpoint management while revealing areas where usability and latency can improve
The couple of times we found issues with technical support from Microsoft for Microsoft MDS, they resolved them. The response time and understanding were adequate, though there was always a language barrier between the teams. The teams we worked with were in Korea, and it was sometimes a language issue.
Syed-Hasan - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at Inspiring Software
Quick MVP development facilitated by low-code data management
Semarchy xDM's unique selling point is its quick turnover time, allowing for the rapid development of a proof of concept or minimum viable product. Its low-code approach, essentially a wrapper for SQL, enables easy and quick development. The core features include validation business rules, deduplication, merging, and consolidation from multiple sources.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the administration console."
"The beauty with Master Data Services is that it's centralized in one place and the problem with other solutions is that most of them have been created in house."
"The ROI is terrific and it means you can avoid building or purchasing a solution."
"One of the main features I have found useful is the integration with Azure active directory."
"This product provides a robust, flexible, and secure way for my organization and our customers to manage master data without the need to write code."
"It has been 200% useful in our organization."
"It's Microsoft, so it's not always perfect, however, is a good step to start with."
"It has a very good feature called Excel plug-in. You just have to install the plug-in, and then it directly connects to the MDS instance where you can maintain and manage your data and publish it right through Excel. You don't need to go to the front end to make any changes. It has easy integration with SQL Server, and you can use SSIS to do the ETLs. It is a part of the Microsoft stack. It works with most of the Microsoft stuff."
"Their documentation is excellent."
"Semarchy xDM's unique selling point is its quick turnover time, allowing for the rapid development of a proof of concept or minimum viable product."
"You get a big bang for the buck with Semarchy."
"The flexibility of Semarchy xDM allows for possible deployment on-premises, in the cloud, or both."
 

Cons

"The duplication feature is not so good."
"From my understanding, MS, as of 2021, will not maintain the product going forward."
"The only drawback is that it does not have the matching, merging, and all true MDM components."
"The price of the program has gone up, so I would like to see better pricing."
"Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities."
"JMD repositories have records that come in thousands and millions, which takes a long time to process."
"The version that I work with is on-premises and it required an additional virtual machine on the cloud. It would be a better option to have an on-cloud version."
"In my 30+ years in IT I've never experienced a tool that only allows you to create reactive rules that identify bad data but never prevent it from getting saved. In a large enterprise I would rule this as a show stopper."
"There is room for improvement in terms of local support."
"They need to make the workflow more enhanced or dynamic in its functionality."
"They need to make the workflow more enhanced or dynamic in its functionality."
"There is room for improvement in the developer experience, particularly for those who are SQL proficient, as having more direct access would be beneficial."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"With Microsoft, we buy everything though an agreement, so we purchase volume licensing every year."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"MDS is a part of the SQL Server enterprise license. I am not aware of any additional costs."
"Product licensing is very complicated. It would be helpful to have an online calculator to estimate the cost of a license."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"The pricing of this solution is good."
"The solution does require a license and we have enterprise licenses."
"Microsoft MDS is an expensive solution."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Media Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
7%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft MDS?
More generic related things can be included in the services.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft MDS?
Microsoft MDS was pretty affordable. We implemented the solution without a problem.
What needs improvement with Microsoft MDS?
I cannot really give specifics about disadvantages. From what we have seen, speaking to customers, Microsoft MDS was sometimes a bit slow. The frustration they had was just around usability and use...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Semarchy xDM?
The pricing model is based on the number of golden records. It is considered reasonable to good compared to other products that might be more expensive.
What needs improvement with Semarchy xDM?
There is room for improvement in the developer experience, particularly for those who are SQL proficient, as having more direct access would be beneficial. Additionally, configuring Semarchy xDM re...
What is your primary use case for Semarchy xDM?
The primary use case of Semarchy xDM is as a data management tool, specifically for master data management and reference data. It provides a platform to standardize information during mergers and a...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
Semarchy Intelligent MDM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ETA a.s., Apeejay Surrendra Group, Blue Star Infotech, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation, The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, New Belgium Brewing
DiamondStream, Oakley, Araymond, EBU/Eurovision, Groupe Roullier, BOSE, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Putnam Investments, BAE Systems, Mundi Pharma, Merck, Elsevier, CMA CGM
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft MDS vs. Semarchy xDM and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.