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Microsoft MDS vs SOTI MobiControl 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft MDS
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
Master Data Management (MDM) Software (3rd)
SOTI MobiControl
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

Microsoft MDS and SOTI MobiControl aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Microsoft MDS is designed for Master Data Management (MDM) Software and holds a mindshare of 13.3%, up 13.0% compared to last year.
SOTI MobiControl, on the other hand, focuses on Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM), holds 6.3% mindshare, down 7.0% since last year.
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)
 

Featured Reviews

Satyam Saxena - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced data management and cost effective with flexible integration capabilities
If Microsoft MDS were part of Azure, it would be significantly more helpful. Additionally, integrating fuzzy duplication within MDS itself, rather than relying on SSIS, would streamline operations. The current requirement to store data in Azure tables after processing it in MDS, due to its lack of direct Azure integration, is a drawback.
Mohamad Charara - PeerSpot reviewer
An MDM solution for device management and application control on devices
SOTI MobiControl is nice and powerful but has some complications. The interface is not easy. In IT, if you manage multiple platforms and systems, it becomes tedious and hard. Also, there are issues with phones supported by SOTI. SOTI MobiControl's support should be extended to a broader range of phones, especially in Africa, where many people do not have access to high-end devices. Investing in expensive devices that could be lost or stolen overnight is not logical. In addition to expanding device compatibility, we would also like to see the platform made easier to use and more control over settings.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The tool is easy to use."
"What I like about Microsoft, is that it has a huge database with many users."
"The best thing about it is that it comes with the Microsoft package."
"The solution is easy to install."
"Enables non-technical people to directly interact with the BI system."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its management."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its compatibility with ETL tools like SSIS, which simplifies operations for end-users."
"It has been a long-standing tool in our organization since it was free."
"We can do auto patch updates using SOTI. SOTI has been well placed in terms of the number of endpoints it can handle."
"SOTI MobiControl is user-friendly and easy to access compared to AirWatch."
"Because we have a custom, business-to-business applications, the solution's deployment features give us the ability to control the deployment of new versions. We can granularly decide which people or which phone receive updates. It's kind of like having your own "app store" and being able to control what you deploy on the phones... You can see how the deployment is happening; if it's going well or not."
"The remote control technology and screen-sharing absolutely help us resolve issues faster. If there is a remote user who has difficulties or does not understand an error or a problem or a crash, the support team can remote control the phone and see right away what is on the screen and act on the problem. We can debug, we can help, we can reboot the phone."
"I recommend SOTI MobiControl for its ease of deploying new components and software remotely without onsite personnel."
"All features are useful. It is useful for preventing the use of unauthorized software on corporate-owned devices. It provides an option to lock the devices for unauthorized software. The devices can only be used under the supervision of the device manager."
"One of the most valuable features is the remote control. If there are issues in the field, we can remote into those devices and see what kind of issues they are."
"The ease of access was awesome. The guys helping us out were pretty fluent in the product. I currently have two devices in a dashboard that we're testing, but the solution that they have is awesome. I like that it's a cloud-based based solution, and I think there will be some significant cost savings."
 

Cons

"Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities."
"The Microsoft license cost could be lower."
"The stability could be improved."
"The solution could be better integrated into Microsoft's other products."
"Microsoft MDS' language should be simple so everyone can use it easily."
"More generic related things can be included in the services."
"JMD repositories have records that come in thousands and millions, which takes a long time to process."
"Stability can be fragile at times. If you are not attentive or make a mistake, it can cause problems."
"They should improve the lockdown feature."
"Reporting could be better. When I try to run a report, it doesn't have a filter or even a feature where I can choose what I have in the report. That's been a struggle since the first time I used it so I just don't touch it anymore."
"The area that could be improved is the reporting services or application usage. They need to integrate more with local resellers so they can fetch information from ISP providers and allow for a more detailed overview of device usage, such as internet packages."
"The pricing policy of SOTI is not stable. You buy it today at one price, and the following year, it becomes something like 5% or 7% higher. From my point of view, SOTI is a little bit weak in terms of implementation on the new Windows 10 devices, and they have to work on this. It can't compete with Intune and other solutions when it comes to Windows implementation. It almost doesn't work with iOS. It works well with Android."
"Companies like SOTI and Mobile Iron are working with Google to help them manage these devices and eliminate the use of bar code scanner sales and mobile device sales. That's kind of crazy."
"There are some limitations with the remote control feature, and the interface occasionally experiences issues."
"The previous version, for example, had the networking signal and that feature was great. When we were troubleshooting, we could find the level of the network I/O. If the worker was working in a corner of the warehouse where the signal was not as strong as in another part of the warehouse, we could tell, "Just move a little and you will have coverage for your device." That was great. I don't know why they removed it from the newer version."
"SOTI MobiControl's user interface is very tough to handle and should be made more user-friendly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of this solution is good."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"With Microsoft, we buy everything though an agreement, so we purchase volume licensing every year."
"Microsoft MDS is an expensive solution."
"Product licensing is very complicated. It would be helpful to have an online calculator to estimate the cost of a license."
"The solution does require a license and we have enterprise licenses."
"MDS is a part of the SQL Server enterprise license. I am not aware of any additional costs."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"The price of this solution is high when you compare it with Microsoft Intune. This is mainly because Microsoft Intune is included with some packages, such as Microsoft Office 365. It makes it difficult to sell SOTI MobiControl because of the pricing against Microsoft Intune."
"It's a little bit expensive."
"The price is average. SOTI manages the price according to the type of client they have. I would rate the cost as five out of ten."
"There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."
"You need to secure a license on a per-device basis."
"SOTI is fairly priced. It's not super expensive. If you have a thousand devices that are licensed, it's going to start climbing up in price. Typically, it's like 25 bucks a seat for a year."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"There are solutions that can be more aggressively priced, but they may not provide all that SOTI does. It's a matrix regarding what feature you use. You need to compare the features you use and what you are willing to pay for them... SOTI's pricing is okay. It's in the middle... They can provide more aggressive pricing once you start to have a lot of licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
16%
Computer Software Company
14%
Retailer
9%
Comms Service Provider
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 is free. Currently, there is no pricing concern with the tool.
What needs improvement with Microsoft MDS?
Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities. It is too slow and does not support automated mapping or AI-based functionalities. Although I created Python scripts for some machine learni...
What do you like most about SOTI MobiControl?
The most valuable features of the solution are containerization and app control.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SOTI MobiControl?
I rate the pricing as an eight, which indicates it is on the more expensive side. However, I am not responsible for billing, that is handled by the finance team. I believe the price could be lower,...
What needs improvement with SOTI MobiControl?
SOTI MobiControl is quite advanced already, and there is nothing that needs improvement. The solution is currently the most advanced EMM in the market and sits in the highest tier because other com...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
MobiControl
 

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
Citizen Mexico, Sanctuary Housing, PENINSULA HOTELS, East Orange High School, Andrews Distributing, Amey Plc, American Airlines
Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, TIBCO, Microsoft and others in Master Data Management (MDM) Software. Updated: July 2025.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.