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Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs NinjaOne comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
8.0
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services automates updates, reduces downtime, minimizes costs, and simplifies management without additional purchase or effort.
Sentiment score
7.7
NinjaOne enhances productivity and efficiency, showing significant time and cost savings with benefits visible within six months.
NinjaOne enables significant time savings, reducing my workload by 40% to 50%, primarily due to remote management capabilities.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.5
Users find Windows Server Update Services user-friendly, but opinions on support quality and speed are mixed, with documentation helpful.
Sentiment score
7.8
NinjaOne's customer service is praised for expertise and ease of use, despite some slow technical support responses.
Premium support does not have any benefits.
There was a time when contacting the support agency was more straightforward.
The customer support at NinjaOne is excellent, rated ten out of ten.
Our experience with escalation supports, including auto escalation to third-level or engineering support, has been very positive.
I rate customer service and support for NinjaOne at seven out of ten due to slow response times.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services effectively supports scalable enterprise needs but may face challenges in very large organizations.
Sentiment score
7.9
NinjaOne is highly regarded for its scalability and flexibility, ideal for managing numerous devices and users efficiently.
To go beyond this, shifting to SCCM is advisable.
I would rate the scalability of NinjaOne as ten out of ten.
The design suggests it is scalable.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is generally stable with strong performance but may face minor issues with specific versions or hardware.
Sentiment score
7.9
NinjaOne is praised for stability and consistent performance, with frequent updates addressing occasional server issues and improvements.
 

Room For Improvement

Windows Server Update Services needs improvements in user interface, integration, stability, security, automation, and update efficiency.
NinjaOne needs to improve integrations, user interface, reporting, pricing, connectivity, patching, automation, dashboard usability, and backup features.
Security and reporting, including business intelligence tools, are adequate.
The inclusion of XENServer and Proxmox as virtual platforms in NinjaOne is currently missing.
The network monitoring needs to be improved.
 

Setup Cost

WSUS is included with Windows Server licenses, but costs differ based on deployment complexity and Microsoft's enterprise agreements.
NinjaOne is valued for its affordable, scalable pricing and cost-effectiveness, especially for small companies and educational institutions.
It's a free service.
It's free.
The pricing for NinjaOne is appropriate for small companies.
NinjaOne is reasonably priced, particularly with the inclusion of TeamViewer, SentinelOne, and Bitdefender.
The price or licensing of NinjaOne is a little bit high.
 

Valuable Features

Effective Group Policy integration ensures stable performance, centralized management, efficient updates, scalability, enhanced security, and cost-effective deployment.
NinjaOne streamlines IT management with remote monitoring, automation, and integration features, boosting efficiency for small businesses.
The ease of use and efficient reporting contribute significantly to my overall productivity.
Patch management is indeed valuable, however, the process to achieve it could be improved.
Every month, every quarter, I see new features, and it is always evolving.
The software's automation tools have solved critical deployment problems for small businesses.
A significant feature of NinjaOne is its remote access capability, which is essential for my clients’ home office usage.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Windows Server Up...
Ranking in Patch Management
3rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NinjaOne
Ranking in Patch Management
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (31st), Server Monitoring (11th), IT Service Management (ITSM) (6th), Remote Access (22nd), Mobile Device Management (MDM) (5th), IT Alerting and Incident Management (11th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (1st), MSP Backup (4th), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is 6.9%, down from 13.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NinjaOne is 8.1%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Patch Management
 

Featured Reviews

Chuck Colby - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient patch management, potentially scalable, and free is using Microsoft servers
Whether to use the solution or not is going to be context-sensitive. If you have a strong Microsoft team, you can probably handle this. If, like my team, you also have a dozen other vendors to consider, it's not just the operating system. The pattern I've seen over time with WSUS is that it has the potential to be a fantastic product, yet it doesn't feel finished. People try to implement WSUS, and context is important. In my context, we're a small business without teams of Microsoft-certified people. We are just trying to use what's available to achieve a goal, and WSUS is fine, however, not the best product out there. The business in America often tries to do more with less. I would not recommend it to a team of my size. If a company had half a dozen or a dozen Microsoft-certified people, I'd say, run with it. For a team of my size, no, absolutely not. I would rate the overall solution a solid eight out of ten.
Jörg Köhler - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhances remote access and integration with third-party tools
I use NinjaOne for managing smaller clients, specifically their devices and software, for small to medium businesses. I provide remote management services through NinjaOne. It allows clients to use NinjaOne for remote access to their computers for home office purposes. This feature is highly…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
16%
Retailer
8%
Government
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?
It's a free service. You just buy the Windows Server operating system, and it is an internal feature.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?
Sometimes, I encounter issues with the Windows internal database, which occasionally does not load, leading to the Pandit console stopping. I have to repair the database and perform export and impo...
What do you like most about NinjaOne?
NinjaOne helps us view the status of software patching, whether the PC is locked or unlocked.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NinjaOne?
NinjaOne is reasonably priced, particularly with the inclusion of TeamViewer, SentinelOne, and Bitdefender. It is an affordable solution due to its collaboration with other companies.
What needs improvement with NinjaOne?
The inclusion of XENServer and Proxmox as virtual platforms in NinjaOne is currently missing. Although Hyper V and VMware are included, the absence of XENServer makes it less comprehensive. They ar...
 

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

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Status Pros, Mitchell and Company
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs. NinjaOne and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.