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Microsoft MDS vs Riversand MDMCenter 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
5th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Riversand MDMCenter
Ranking in Master Data Management (MDM) Software
11th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Master Data Management (MDM) Software category, the mindshare of Microsoft MDS is 8.1%, down from 11.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Riversand MDMCenter is 3.3%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Master Data Management (MDM) Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft MDS8.1%
Riversand MDMCenter3.3%
Other88.6%
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
 

Featured Reviews

NA
Data Management Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Centralized master data has improved data quality but now requires a clearer future roadmap
An area where Microsoft MDS can be improved is that Microsoft has announced Microsoft MDS is being removed from SQL Server two thousand twenty-five. The future of the product is genuinely uncertain, and that's something any organization evaluating it needs to factor in seriously. Microsoft MDS is still supported on SQL Server two thousand twenty-two and earlier, but the trajectory is clear that Microsoft is not investing in Microsoft MDS going forward. I would also say that the cloud story is a gap because there's no native cloud version of Microsoft MDS. For clients who are moving workloads to Azure, that's an increasingly awkward conversation. Microsoft's direction for MDM in the cloud is through other capabilities like Azure Purview and Dataverse, but those are different products with different feature sets.
SS
Senior Solution Architect at Intraedge
A user-friendly data management software with a valuable matching feature
Integration could be better. Riversand is majorly focusing on only the MDM hub part. They don't have their own integration platform. We have to rely on a third-party integration partner. They say this is the format, and it's the client's responsibility to bring the data into their required format. They have to have an integration partner and develop their integration capabilities. It's not so flexible to read any data format or system, for example, SAP. They don't have a connector.

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."
"Unlike specialized tools, MDS is adaptable for various industries, making it a versatile choice for master data management."
"Compared to other databases, it is easier to manage and administer."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its compatibility with ETL tools like SSIS, which simplifies operations for end-users."
"The ROI is terrific and it means you can avoid building or purchasing a solution."
"The solution is easy to install."
"The zero incremental license cost plus the operational improvements from having clean, consistent master data, reduced errors, faster reporting, and cleaner compliance provide a solid ROI."
"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."
"There are a lot of workflow-related capabilities in Riversand, such as packaging-related AI-based algorithms that automatically assign specific packaging for a given product within the workflow."
"I like their matching feature, and the survivorship rules are very strong. I also like their out-of-box reports, data quality dashboards, and more. Those are also very handy and helpful. Internally, I like the kind of configurations that we can create, validations, and enhancements. Those configurations are pretty straightforward and useful. It's a user-friendly tool that is very cool."
"It's a stable solution. I have no complaints."
"This solution provides a good user interface and the ability to update large sets of products quickly, along with providing good off-the-shelf functionality."
 

Cons

"Microsoft MDS isn't getting strong support because Microsoft is focusing more on cloud solutions."
"The program's navigation tools could be improved."
"Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities."
"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."
"If one system has reached capacity or has stopped, then the whole system stops and it is quite difficult to solve the problem."
"It would be a better option to have an on-cloud version."
"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."
"The ability to create bespoke workflows could be improved."
"Integration could be better. Riversand is majorly focusing on only the MDM hub part. They don't have their own integration platform. We have to rely on a third-party integration partner. They say this is the format, and it's the client's responsibility to bring the data into their required format. They have to have an integration partner and develop their integration capabilities. It's not so flexible to read any data format or system, for example, SAP. They don't have a connector."
"The technical support for partners is not so good. It takes a long time to get a response."
"The solution does not have a good match and search capability."
"Integration could be better. Riversand is majorly focusing on only the MDM hub part."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft MDS is an expensive solution."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"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."
"The pricing of this solution is good."
"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."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"Riversand MDMCenter isn't expensive. I believe their price is in the mid-range."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft MDS?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that the licensing is one of Microsoft MDS's genuine advantages, as it's included in SQL Server Enterprise Edition at no additional cost....
What needs improvement with Microsoft MDS?
An area where Microsoft MDS can be improved is that Microsoft has announced Microsoft MDS is being removed from SQL Server two thousand twenty-five. The future of the product is genuinely uncertain...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft MDS?
My main use case for Microsoft MDS is as a central master data repository for clients running SQL Server-based data environments. The typical scenario is a mid-sized organization that has product d...
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
No data available
 

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
Topco, PC Connection, Balsam Brands, Nivea, Eucerin, Tine, Schneider Electric, Miller, ExxonMobil, Baxter, ConocoPhillips, Cameron International, Chevron, Husky Energy, Saint-Gobain, Fingerhut
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft MDS vs. Riversand MDMCenter and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,588 professionals have used our research since 2012.