Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Scalefusion comparison

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs. Scalefusion

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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 Windows Server Up...

Ranking in Patch Management

3rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Scalefusion

Ranking in Patch Management

22nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Web Content Filtering (10th), Mobile Device Management (MDM) (9th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (14th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is 4.5%, down from 7.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Scalefusion is 1.1%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services	4.5%
Scalefusion	1.1%
Other	94.4%

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Nadeem Nasir

IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.

Experience with update service shows need for reliability, but support excels

I wouldn't say any of the update services have great features. The only real advantage I have for having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is if I know or have been informed of a bad update that's causing software conflicts, I can stop it. But I do not depend on Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to keep my machines updated because the failure rates are too high. I have other tools for reporting and inventory capabilities. 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. So I had to stop using it because I need something that's reliable, therefore I use other tools for that information. In a pinch, you can use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services tools, but for the most part, they're not reliable enough. I don't believe I've seen any improvement on bandwidth optimization or deployment speed from Microsoft Windows Server Update Services. In fact, the only real improvement comes directly from Microsoft because they stagger the updates. So that helps, but having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services on-premise does not provide any real benefit. Its pricing is just all-inclusive. I don't think about it that way. If somebody tried to sell me Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, I would probably reject it. It's a tool that we have, so we use it, but if I were to pay extra for it, I would say it's not worth it. Some of the main differences between Microsoft Windows Server Update Services and the other tools are that WSUS's backend is based on IIS, which is not a very reliable host method. You're going to have problems getting Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to run when you have a large organization. The speed of it is quite painfully slow, so there's not a lot you can do to get Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to work under stress. The other tools just work. I can tell you what services are running on each of my machines and can stop or restart services. I can inventory the software they have on them with multiple tools, so I know what software is on our machines. I don't have to rely on a tool that works when it wants to and requires so much maintenance to keep it going. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is only to green check updates that I know are fine, but obviously, it could save me in a pinch if something went wrong.

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Sipho Ngubonde

Admin at IEC (Electoral Commission of South Africa)

It has significantly increased the amount of work we can perform, but blocking devices could be easier.

It could be easier to put devices on the blocklist. I would like the ability to block a device with a click of a button. Currently, we have to sift through different groups to block a device. It would be nice if Scalefusion allowed me to block without moving the device to a different profile. Another helpful feature they could add is the ability to migrate from one MDM to another. I'd also appreciate more extensive cloud storage. They give you 1 GB by default, but sometimes that's not enough.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I am absolutely happy with its stability and performance. It is a stable product."

"The most important aspect is that we can centrally deploy the updates that are necessary for the organization. It's important."

"We get server updates from the internet and from the Bluetooth server. All of the clients are connected to it, and they're all updated from this exact server. It updates automatically."

"We use the security patch-level services provided by Microsoft. This is essential for keeping our network secure."

"The noteworthy aspect is the system's capability to handle an extensive range of services and workloads, with the potential for almost unlimited scalability."

"The product provides a valuable Single Sign-On (SSO) integration feature within our IES environment, particularly with the IT directory and server systems."

"PowerShell is a valuable feature."

"The solution can be used to update PCs and servers."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services pros

"Its enhanced support for iOS and Windows devices has been particularly beneficial, expanding our service offerings to customers with diverse device environments."

"Scalefusion is easy to use, and they have a broad knowledge base, so you can quickly find answers if you're unsure how to do something. The articles on the knowledge base are well-written, with clear steps on what to do for a specific scenario. That part is well documented."

Cons

"The main problem with WSUS is that the management console doesn't allow you to do a lot of operations. It's actually quite a primitive console, and has been since day one. In order to be more effective, you need to use another tool from Microsoft that can take advantage of WSUS and also offer you the extra features you need."

"The only complex part was the solution’s tricky setup phase."

"Microsoft Windows Server Update Services could improve the ease of use."

"More integration with different platforms would be an improvement."

"Setup is complex."

"A few bugs need to be figured out for the security side."

"Microsoft Windows Server Update Services should improve its patching solution by providing offline patches because most customers are not willing to provide direct internet access to Microsoft cloud and don't want to expose their workstations through the internet."

"In the next release, I would like to see additional tools added to fix the engine issues on the client's side."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services cons

"It could be easier to put devices on the blocklist. I would like the ability to block a device with a click of a button. Currently, we have to sift through different groups to block a device. It would be nice if Scalefusion allowed me to block without moving the device to a different profile. Another helpful feature they could add is the ability to migrate from one MDM to another. I'd also appreciate more extensive cloud storage. They give you 1 GB by default, but sometimes that's not enough."

"One area for improvement could be streamlining permissions during initial device setup, especially for corporate-owned devices, to reduce manual user interaction and expedite deployment."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We need one single key for Windows deployments, which is a better option. Buying a license with the same key for all systems, like Windows and Windows Desktop, makes configuring easier. Otherwise, it isn't easy to manage multiple keys for different systems."

"While it might be relatively more expensive for smaller companies, larger enterprises can find it robust and capable of delivering significant value."

"The WSUS cost is included in Microsoft Windows, and there are no licensing fees."

"The product is expensive."

"Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is not an expensive solution."

"The licensing of WSUS is free of charge because it comes with the Windows Server operating system, included as a feature of the operating system itself. It's simply a role that you enable within Windows Server."

"The product is not expensive."

"Configuration Manager is less expensive than Microsoft Windows Server Update Services."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	23

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?

We can track the updates of the PC and servers.

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 that an area of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services that could be improved is to make these updates less often and more rarely than now, because we have to do these updates once a mont...

What needs improvement with Scalefusion?

One area for improvement could be streamlining permissions during initial device setup, especially for corporate-owned devices, to reduce manual user interaction and expedite deployment.

What is your primary use case for Scalefusion?

Our typical use cases for the product involve auto-enrollment, zero-touch deployment, location tracking, application deployment, auto-installation, and content deployment across various device type...

What advice do you have for others considering Scalefusion?

In terms of device management, the platform is particularly effective for managing Android devices, especially Samsung, which are predominant among our customers. Its enhanced support for iOS and W...

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs Microsoft Windows Server Update Services

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Product Reports

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services

Download Microsoft Windows Server Update Services product report

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services report

Mobile Device Management (MDM)

Download Scalefusion product report

Also Known As

Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft WSUS, WSUS, Microsoft Software Update Services, Software Update Services, Microsoft SUS, SUS, MS Windows Server Update Services

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a patch management tool that simplifies the administrator’s task of deploying the latest Microsoft updates. Administrators use WSUS to manage the distribution of updates released through Microsoft Update to computers in their network.

WSUS has features you can use to manage and distribute updates from a management console. The WSUS server can also be a source of updates to other servers within the organization, acting as an upstream server.

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Use Cases

The four main use cases that WSUS adds value to businesses are:

Centralizes update management.
Automates update management.
Performs general patch management to ensure compliance and protect against vulnerabilities.
Downloads all endpoint updates from data centers to a central location and then distribute them across the organization’s network.

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Features

This built-in server includes the following features:

Includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
Features client and server separation, which means you can deliver versions of the Windows Update Agent (WUA) separately from WSUS.
Automatic download of updates.
Deploy a targeted download of updates to a specific group of computers.
Multiple language support.
Advanced reporting capabilities.
Centralized management of network resources.

Requirements

In order to be able to use WSUS to manage and deploy updates, it is important to use a supported WSUS version, such as:

WSUS 10.0.14393
WSUS 10.0.17763
WSUS 6.2 and 6.3 with installed KB 3095113 and KB 3159706

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Benefits

Stable.
Ensures servers are always patched and prevents vulnerabilities.
Works great for internal updating.
Enforces automated updates and patching for applications.
Because the solution is used in the cloud, clients are always using the latest version.
Highly scalable and configurable regardless of the organization’s layout.

Different Types of WSUS Deployments

Simple WSUS deployment: A server inside the corporate firewall serves clients via a private intranet. The WSUS server downloads updates by connecting to Microsoft Update. Using this model, you can configure multiple WSUS servers with a parent WSUS server.
Computer groups: You can use computer groups to deliver updates to specific computers. There are two basic computer groups: All Computers or Unassigned Computers. When a client first contacts the WSUS server, it is added to both. You can then create a group from the Unassigned Computers group to the new group.
WSUS server hierarchies: The flexibility of WSUS enables the creation of complex hierarchies of servers. To do this, you need only a single WSUS server connected to Microsoft Update. This will serve as an “upstream server,” and the connected servers as “downstream servers.”
- You can link WSUS servers in two modes: autonomous or replica. In the autonomous mode, the upstream server shares the updates with the downstream servers but doesn’t update status or group information.
- The upstream server shares updates, status, and group information in replica mode. You cannot administer replica servers apart from the upstream WSUS server.

Microsoft

Scalefusion is a leading Mobile Device & Endpoint Management software helping businesses globally to secure and manage their device fleet.

Ambitious companies around the world trust Scalefusion MDM to secure and manage endpoints including smartphones, tablets, laptops, rugged devices, POS, and digital signages. Our mission is to make Device Management simple and effortless along with providing world-class customer support.

Scalefusion

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Magna, Scania, Darya - Varia, Radisson Blu, Slice, Veezu

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs. Scalefusion