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Microsoft Entra ID vs Workspace ONE UEM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 2, 2024

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 Entra ID
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
219
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (1st), Authentication Systems (1st), Identity Management (IM) (1st), Access Management (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (2nd)
Workspace ONE UEM
Ranking in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
100
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (3rd), Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (6th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (3rd), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) category, the mindshare of Microsoft Entra ID is 28.7%, down from 29.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Workspace ONE UEM is 1.3%, down from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

Aaron Liang - PeerSpot reviewer
Has significantly improved secure access to applications and resources in our environment
Microsoft Entra ID has helped by simplifying our management of permissions for APIs. We are not directly exposing credentials, as we use tokens instead. It has made management easier and more secure, especially in a multi-user environment. The implementation of Microsoft Entra ID significantly improved secure access to applications and resources in our environment, primarily through the widespread use of single-sign-on. Managing API permissions became much easier, as application registration often involves calling an API to utilize services without directly exposing credentials, relying instead on token-based authentication. This streamlined approach benefits end-users by simplifying access while remaining transparent to them. Ultimately, my role focuses on ensuring a smooth and user-friendly experience, even if the underlying technology remains unseen by the end-users. Our company strongly emphasizes passwordless authentication, primarily through device-bound passkeys in Microsoft Authenticator. While administrators with high-privileged accounts utilize YubiKeys and passwords for tasks like accessing Microsoft Graph, we are actively transitioning all other users towards passwordless methods such as Windows Hello biometrics. This approach streamlines authentication and enhances security. Though initial deployment in 2022 presented challenges due to hardware limitations and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the technology has significantly improved and provides a simple and effective user experience.
Joel Amate - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is stable, scalable, and offers single sign-on
I give the solution a nine out of ten. I suggest if a person wants to start using Workspace ONE, they should make use of the cloud instance instead of the on-premise instance. There is an on-premise instance available, but the cloud instance is a better option now. I advise them to make use of the cloud instance. This is because management-wise, there is no need to manage a server. For example, we don't need to buy a server, and we don't need to buy network switches, which are required for the on-premise. At the same time, I can advise setting up all the functionalities or whatever functionalities are available for the trial version. We need to check if the Workspace ONE integration includes Azure AD or other identity providers. A lot of applications are using these providers for authentication, such as Ping, Okta, and others. If the Workspace ONE integration doesn't include these providers, the company might have to find a different solution. Security projects should also be considered. Specifically, if the solution can integrate with local security solutions to secure mobile devices.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Conditional access and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) are the most valuable features from a security perspective."
"We have about 80 users in the Azure Active Directory right now, however, we know that if it was necessary to scale it for hundreds or thousands of users, it wouldn't be a problem."
"The identity and access management piece is probably the most valuable to us."
"I would say that Azure AD's pricing is very reasonable because of the structure and in terms of the solution."
"The solution offers business to business and client to business support."
"It helps us with maintaining enterprise identities."
"I would rate Microsoft Entra ID a solid 10 out of 10."
"The most valuable feature of Entra ID is having a cloud-based identity, similar to Google's single sign-on."
"The platform makes the mobile device management process straightforward to handle."
"The feature with the highest rating for me is its employee management. I can also praise how versatile it is in terms of operating systems. It has good support for multiple operating systems and can easily manage them all. Not just that, but it can also support any kind of tool that can be run on all these operating systems."
"The solution can scale."
"The location and remote management services are the most valuable."
"You can upgrade and migrate the existing group policies that we use for VMware Workspace ONE for the active directory. We can push the policies and group policies. We can migrate it and manage it from VMware Workspace ONE."
"For me, the integration of AirWatch with various enterprise components is something I like. The way they are partnering with various services, like security services, or some of the big guys like Google, Android, Apple, and including Microsoft; that's really awesome. And the way they look at providing functionality to create self-service and automation, that's really usefully and beneficial. That's where I see they differentiate themselves."
"It has all of the features that we need to use and that we want to use."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it enables us to remotely manage the devices, which is its purpose, and to push applications to the mobile devices from the portal."
 

Cons

"Many of the features are outdated, so the UI and UX could be improved."
"It would be awesome to have a feature where you can see the permissions of a user in all their Azure subscriptions. Right now, you have to select a user, then you have to select the subscription to see which permissions the user has in their selected subscriptions. Sometimes, you just want to know, "Does that user have any permissions in any subscriptions?" That would be awesome if that would be available via the portal."
"Compatibility features for legacy system integration with new features will be challenging at times."
"Tech support is inconsistent."
"The documentation could be better."
"I would rate it an eight out of ten. The price plays a factor in the rating."
"The only issue with Azure AD is that it doesn't have control over the wifi network. You have to do something more to have a secure wifi network. To have it working, you need an active directory server on-premises to take care of the networks."
"I had some issues with the Azure Active Directory on Windows XP. However, it worked well on Windows 7."
"There are some bugs that our team needs to work around. It required some API integration required because visitor integration was not there. For example, we are currently working on a tunnel issue, and VMware doesn't have this solution."
"Sometimes, we have challenges with remote patching and remote version upgrades."
"The SaaS environment is not very responsive at times, so the performance can be improved in that regard."
"Setup is not too complex."
"There should be better compatibility with Linux devices."
"It's not accurate enough when it comes to sending items to end-users."
"The product's stability for certain instances needs improvement."
"Windows 10 management is there, but VMware only recently developed that part, and it's not fully mature. Patch management and other integrations are there as well as the application-pushing part, command line, mandatory commands, etc. Some out-of-the-box solutions should be available to better integrate a broader range of applications and handle application push. That's the roadmap we should look at."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is relatively affordable, especially compared to Okta, a pricey solution."
"Active Directory is bundled with a package of Microsoft services, so it doesn't cost much. I don't know about the individual license of Active Directory."
"The price is fine. It's a good value for the money compared with other solutions."
"We have an agreement with Microsoft, and my company pays yearly."
"I work for an academic medical center, where there is a watch kept over every dollar spent. I do have concerns about the micro charges for different levels or features of the product."
"It is bundled with other services and the pricing is quite reasonable."
"The licensing model is straightforward. I don't think there are any issues with the E3 license or E5 license."
"Previously, only building and global administrators could purchase subscriptions or licenses. Mid-last year, Microsoft made it so users can purchase the license online. Microsoft business subscription is for 200 to 300 users. If you have more than 300 users, you can't purchase the business plan. You have to purchase the enterprise plan. The enterprise plan is for 301 users and above. Pay as you go is also available. If you pay as you go in Azure, you will be billed for whatever you use."
"Workspace ONE is on the higher end of the pricing band when compared to other players in the market."
"We pay approximately $6.50 per user for the standard version. If you are paying for an enterprise license that includes VDI then it will cost approximately $25 per user on a monthly basis."
"I think that the price is reasonable."
"While it is not inexpensive in terms of price, it is definitely worth it."
"The price of the solution is costly for the number of users I am using it for."
"The solution can be costly when the customer is dealing with multiple platforms. If a customer is only dealing with iOS, Windows, and Android then Intune is the better choice because there are free licenses."
"The price of VMware Workspace ONE is expensive. However, for the features that are provided, the price is reasonable. There is a subscription to use the solution."
"We pay approximately thirty to thirty-five euros per device per month for the complete suite, and this is a fixed cost with one, three, or five-year licensing in advance. I would rate the pricing a four out of ten, making it affordable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
33%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Duo Security compare with Microsoft Authenticator?
We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Duo for 30 days, and we could not be happier. Duo Security is easy to configure a...
What do you like most about Azure Active Directory?
It is very simple. The Active Directory functions are very easy for us. Its integration with anything is very easy. We can easily do third-party multifactor authentication.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Active Directory?
We are an enterprise customer with an enterprise agreement in place with many of our partner companies, so there are no special questions or issues about pricing, setup cost, or licensing.
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

Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator
VMware Workspace ONE, VMware AirWatch, Workspace ONE Assist, VMware Identity Manager, Workspace ONE Access, VMware Horizon Air
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
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 Microsoft Entra ID vs. Workspace ONE UEM and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,651 professionals have used our research since 2012.