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Microsoft MDS vs Workspace ONE UEM 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
7.2
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
Master Data Management (MDM) Software (4th)
Workspace ONE UEM
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (6th), Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (7th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (2nd), Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (11th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

Microsoft MDS and Workspace ONE UEM 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 9.7%, down 11.5% compared to last year.
Workspace ONE UEM, on the other hand, focuses on Unified Endpoint Management (UEM), holds 12.2% mindshare, down 15.5% since last year.
Master Data Management (MDM) Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft MDS9.7%
SAP Master Data Governance14.3%
TIBCO EBX9.6%
Other66.4%
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Workspace ONE UEM12.2%
Microsoft Intune29.5%
ManageEngine Endpoint Central10.1%
Other48.199999999999996%
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)
 

Featured Reviews

AB
Senior Data Engineer at a insurance company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Outdated capabilities hinder data mapping efficiency but facilitate cost-free data standardization
Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities.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 learning libraries, we seek tools that offer AI-enabled automated mapping without custom coding. Microsoft support for MDS is also going away.
Vishal Bhatia - PeerSpot reviewer
Trainer/Consultant at Koenig Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Effective product tracking and monitoring enhances daily operations despite needing documentation improvement
The documentation part of Workspace ONE UEM can be confusing. The documentation is not comprehensive compared to other VMware solutions or Microsoft documentation. Most people struggle to connect the dots when looking at the documentation. Even the training material and PowerPoint slide decks that trainers use are sometimes too confusing or overwhelming, with too much content but not enough clarity. The support side has recently become weaker compared to what it used to be with VMware. This is another area that needs improvement. Since working with Workspace ONE UEM from when it was AirWatch, it has improved significantly over the last five years. However, there are still some gray areas and scope for improvement, especially in documentation and workflow between different aspects of the solution.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"One of the main features I have found useful is the integration with Azure active directory."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its management."
"The most valuable feature is the administration console."
"The best thing about it is that it comes with the Microsoft package."
"Unlike specialized tools, MDS is adaptable for various industries, making it a versatile choice for master data management."
"What I like about Microsoft, is that it has a huge database with many users."
"The backup and restore functionality are the solution's most valuable aspects."
"It's very easy to use."
"The product offers integration capabilities with third-party solutions."
"The most valuable feature is the security policies."
"The most valuable feature of VMware Workspace ONE is the support for multiple devices. Not only iOS, and Android, but all kinds of platforms, including VR device management. Additionally, it has a tunneling feature, which no other solution provides. Other solutions have to integrate with other tools to have this functionality, whereas VMware Workspace ONE has its own application gateway tunnel."
"The most valuable feature of VMware Workspace ONE is it provides the ability to find out the location of devices and manage end-point solutions when they are deployed, and keep them secure."
"It's all about centralizing your data and making sure that your data is centralized and secure."
"We used to have a system before, Mac OS Open Directory server and this open directory became obsolete because Apple decided to stop the enterprise market, so there was no other alternative for us to use. We chose this to replace the open directory and we found that it has many more features than the previous solution. We totally rely on it right now to manage all the devices on campus."
"It is easy to start something and work from scratch."
"VMware Workspace ONE has been stable so far."
 

Cons

"JMD repositories have records that come in thousands and millions, which takes a long time to process."
"I do not like using Silverlight and Internet Explorer. The new 2019 version gets rid of that, which is one of the reasons why we are looking to switch."
"Stability can be fragile at times. If you are not attentive or make a mistake, it can cause problems."
"The program's navigation tools could be improved."
"Microsoft MDS isn't getting strong support because Microsoft is focusing more on cloud solutions."
"The Microsoft license cost could be lower."
"Most of the Microsoft partners, especially digitally, are separate. Personnel are business people, and they do not have technical expertise, so you end up as a company spending a lot of money training your staff and your engineers."
"From my understanding, MS, as of 2021, will not maintain the product going forward."
"They could provide DLP integration for applications and specific user account security."
"Its performance is quite good on Apple phones or even mid-range phones. If you install an AirWatch on a phone that is not too powerful, you will have performance issues. That's only because the phone is not too powerful, and there is not enough memory, etc. They could do a lighter version for a less powerful phone. It would also be useful for very small companies that don't want to spend money on expensive phones. Having said that, I don't think that is their target market. If their target market is enterprise, all enterprises perhaps have an agreement with Google or Apple, and they would get a phone that has already been tested, and they know that AirWatch will work on that phone."
"The database gets corrupted when used in the cluster. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."
"I would like to see some integration with native Microsoft products such as Anti-value."
"I would like to see technology expense management integrated into the next release. This feature would allow us to manage expenses across various workloads and services, including cloud environments and computing resources."
"The initial setup should be simplified."
"VMware Workspace ONE for the new users or the new clients that they try to procure and learn it, there can have difficulties. It does not have user-friendly portals. The portal seems to be more user-friendly in Microsoft solutions."
"The app installer is something that they should really change. It creates a lot of confusion for the user."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution does require a license and we have enterprise licenses."
"With Microsoft, we buy everything though an agreement, so we purchase volume licensing every year."
"MDS is a part of the SQL Server enterprise license. I am not aware of any additional costs."
"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."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"The pricing of this solution is good."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"The solution is about $45 per device for a 12 month subscription. The price is standard across the world."
"VMware Workspace ONE licensing price is good with their supportability. The price of VMware Workspace ONE is reasonable. We are using an enterprise license."
"You should take out a dedicated license agreement of your MDM fleet and invest heavily in innovating in this space."
"The price of VMware Workspace ONE is reasonable."
"The cost is a little bit high."
"The price of the solution is costly for the number of users I am using it for."
"VMware Workspace ONE can fit any organization because if you need more devices there are only additional fees."
"The pricing and licensing are affordable. They are not too high."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Media Company
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise21
Large Enterprise58
 

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...
How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it easy to control security and manage the usage of mobile apps when you have a ...
How does VMware Workspace One compare with VMware Horizon 7?
VMware Workspace One has a powerful set of helpful features. The solution offers very good documentation, the initial setup is easy, and the product is very stable and reliable. I think the fact th...
What do you like most about VMware Workspace ONE?
The platform provides a stable environment for operations and quickly creates new environments. Additionally, it offers efficient flexibility.
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

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
Australian Sports Commission, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Lomond School, Merck, United Bank, Medical College of Wisconsin, Latymer Upper School, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, Dowling Aaron Inc., Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Harrogate Grammar School, Duke University Football, Delta Air Lines, Adventist Health System, Giochi Preziosi, Cramlington Learning Village, Intermountain Healthcare, Safexpress, TAG Aviation
Find out what your peers are saying about SAP, TIBCO, Qlik and others in Master Data Management (MDM) Software. Updated: December 2025.
879,371 professionals have used our research since 2012.