Atera vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

Atera and Microsoft are both solutions in the Patch Management category. Atera is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.0. Atera holds a 4.5% mindshare in PM, compared to Microsoft’s 12.8% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Atera users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Atera

Read 15 Atera reviews

1,301 Views
138 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Read 81 Microsoft Configuration Manager reviews

3,415 Views
1,059 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Atera

Microsoft Configuration Man...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 2025

Microsoft Configuration Manager and Atera compete in the IT management market. Microsoft Configuration Manager seems to have the upper hand in enterprise-level capabilities, while Atera is favored for its pricing and ease of use suitable for smaller businesses.

Features: Microsoft Configuration Manager features extensive software deployment, patch management, and compliance reporting, making it ideal for large enterprises with complex IT infrastructures. It integrates well with other Microsoft services, enhancing its utility for managing detailed IT environments. Atera, on the other hand, offers a cross-platform solution with efficient real-time monitoring, automated tasks, and remote management, appealing to MSPs and startups looking for cost-effective solutions.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Configuration Manager could benefit from reduced resource consumption and a simpler setup process. It also needs better automation and improved PowerShell integration to ease deployment and compliance reporting. Atera could improve its network monitoring capabilities, mobile device management, and offer better resale platform integration and customization in reporting.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Configuration Manager is often deployed in on-premises and hybrid cloud environments, with extensive support documentation and a robust user community, although support can be inconsistent. Atera's simplicity and cloud deployment capabilities are highlighted along with its strong customer service and responsive support, making it an attractive option for companies seeking straightforward solutions.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Configuration Manager's enterprise-level features come with a high cost, often tied to enterprise agreements and SQL licenses, which can deter smaller businesses despite its value for large organizations. Atera provides a simpler, subscription-based pricing model with unlimited devices per technician, delivering cost savings and scalability that offer a good ROI for smaller enterprises and startups.

To learn more, read our detailed Atera vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Atera vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager

June 2025

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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

Atera

Ranking in Patch Management

12th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

IT Service Management (ITSM) (13th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (5th)

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Ranking in Patch Management

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Server Monitoring (7th), Configuration Management (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Atera is 4.5%, down from 5.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Configuration Manager is 12.8%, down from 17.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Edgard Chognika

Technician at a security firm with 11-50 employees

An AI-powered IT management platform that force multiplies IT teams’ brainpower & enables relentless operational excellence for customers

There should be enhancements in network monitoring capabilities beyond just physical devices like computers and servers. It would be beneficial to include better tools for monitoring networking infrastructure such as routers. Additionally, while Atera excels in ticket management, I believe there's room for improvement in user authentication and security features, especially when accessing and managing remote equipment. These updates would contribute to a more robust and secure user experience overall. Atera should include a monitoring tool integrated with Azure or similar cloud platforms. It would be beneficial to have capabilities for monitoring network growth and automatically generating statistics based on system stability and performance metrics. This feature would help us better manage and optimize our equipment and network resources, especially for strategic customer planning and resource allocation.

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MikeNelson2

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

Deployment recovery works well but requires configuration improvements

While I do not use the product frequently, many issues were due to configuration rather than the product itself. I cannot give an exact recommendation as it is not my area of responsibility. The team that uses it finds it adequate. It is presently good enough for us not to investigate other options. Overall, I rate the product a six out of ten.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I would say it's the number one tool for all ITMS."

"Pricing is definitely my favorite part of it. It is also extremely easy to use."

"I really like the Shared Script Library and automation tasks which they have implemented... because all the Atera users in the community can share their scripts and their automation tasks knowledge. The same goes for the Shared SNMP Template Library."

"Atera has helped me to provide more accurate solutions based on a given problem. For example, we base our solutions on event scenarios, like the alerts. We identify that there's a series of problems occurring in a particular area from the information provided by the alerts."

"Measuring the integration is very helpful when using Atera Assist Test. It takes the solution to the next level by automating activities. It doesn't just provide the solution but also allows running scripts to fix issues before a technician has to work on them."

"All of the features of Atera are valuable because they allow the customers to achieve their goals. It is easy to use, has good collaboration, and has zero maintenance."

"There are a lot fewer hardware replacements. Once people migrated from old style hard disks over to SSDs, you have things like hard disks filling up faster. So, I run a script to clear out all the waste, e.g., all the temporary files and downloads. A lot of our business runs through a custom web application that we built. This involves people downloading a lot of PDFs and Excel files, and not just having them sitting in folders. With Atera, I can just go through and clean the temporary files out."

"We value the alerts that come with the product which allow me to reach out to my clients. Overall, Atera generates additional revenue streams for work done on their machines."

More Atera pros

"There is a faster time to rollout. If we get a new PC, it can be ready for productivity right away."

"One of the standout features of SCCM is its application management capabilities. It allows us to create packages efficiently and deploy them to specific groups within our network. This streamlined process has significantly improved our software distribution workflows."

"It saves a lot of money when you can install things automatically and they are installed the exact same way on every computer."

"The ease of usability is the most valuable feature. It's user-friendly."

"I manage software updates and operating systems for devices, and within seconds, we can remotely deploy a system for, say, 2,000 devices. Not only that, but we can also deploy scripts and create comprehensive compliance rules."

"Microsoft is being very competitive right now, and they are really investing in a lot of new features to be more competitive in the marketplace."

"The technical support is good."

"I like the data collection."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pros

Cons

"Atera could be improved by adding more granular control over technician roles. We need more specific controls on what technicians can access, like limiting their ability to view certain sections or access devices and share files. This feature request has already been made. The IP asset management capabilities need improvement to better manage assets beyond just devices."

"I would like to see more mobile device management. iPad is a big one. I know they've been working on some of that. For me, it would be amazing if I could do tablet devices and even expand it to POS systems or the like. I know that a lot goes into that but I've seen it is an area they're looking at."

"There is definitely room for improvement with its automation capabilities."

"It should improve its processes."

"I also use Apple Zoho, which does not require you to download anything. You can get help from Zoho. Atera, on the other hand, requires you to download an applet."

"Customization could be improved."

"It will be interesting if Atera can integrate all kinds of products. In North America, there are a lot of resellers, like Ingram Micro, Tech Data, Arrow Electronics, etc. It would be amazing if Atera could integrate with these products. If they could integrate with these products for MSPs, it would be much easier. Then, if you are buying something, and need to add something, you don't need to jump from place to place because this is a very quick sales instrument for use on a daily basis."

"The one thing that could do with improvement is the reporting. This is from someone who worked in an MSP, where I would want to run a report and be able to just present that to a client."

More Atera cons

"The setup was complex and I faced a lot of problems initially because I was new to the solution."

"Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager could improve the integration."

"The tool's deployment can be cumbersome."

"The solution is a bit heavy on the sources such as RAM or CPU and the software needs to be a bit lighter."

"Their compliance reporting is not accurate, and they admitted it on the phone when we had a call with them. We were trying to understand why their numbers didn't match on our compliance reports. It is not accurate and you cannot depend on the compliance reports. The numbers just don't match, and we can't figure out why. We called Microsoft and they said, "Yeah, that's a known issue." But there is no word that they're working on it."

"The solution can be improved by speeding up the synchronizing of the policies on the devices."

"They need to improve the support for the Mac operating system."

"As far as load balancing across, they don't have that support yet, so that you can actually build multiple primaries and have it load balance across. They don't have any of that functionality yet. That would be a nice feature, to scale that way."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution cost approximately $200 Canadian per month."

"As an internal IT, it's gold right there. It is money in the bank."

"Pricing is my favorite part of it. It was per user, not per client."

"Atera happened to have the best pricing model."

"We pay per user. I am the only user. It is $150 per user. If I need to add one, it is not as costly as expanding with other providers."

"Our company is a startup. The initial reason I looked into Atera was the fact that you pay by the technician, not per-device. That means you are able to jump right in with a service without having a large overhead."

"The value of the product is perfect, neither cheap nor expensive. I think it is the right rate. It would be awesome if it continued to be the same price because it is a great solution that I like. I like it because I'm not paying per device. I have some customers on monthly contracts and some of them are on break'n fix. If I have a client who is on break'n fix, and they need to pay per agent, then I am losing money. If they were ever to change structures, going to pay-per-device model, then I would need to think about changing to something else."

"Atera's pricing stays fixed and predictable, enabling us to add more customers and unlimited monitored devices. We still have a number of clients who fit a break/fix IT model. This is something where clients are complaining more about having to pay extra month-by-month for technology services. With Atera's model, we don't have to be going out and asking for more from clients each month. Right now, with where we are at in terms of scale, this is very important to us."

More Atera pricing and cost advice

"Along with buying a license for MECM, we also have to buy a service called CMG (Cloud Management Gateway) which is a virtual machine in the cloud with which you can link your MECM to the Azure tenant so as to manage teleworkers."

"Presently, I am using a free trial version."

"Its price is okay because it is part of our licensing."

"Pricing and licensing are horrible. You have to not look at dollar value to use SCCM. It's super-duper expensive but it works. The acquisition cost is expensive, it's labor-intensive. But it works."

"Pricing is negotiable with Microsoft, depending upon which of their packages you choose."

"I would rate the cost as eight out of ten."

"For enterprises, there is an annual license required to use this solution. The price of the solution could be cheaper. However, this is mostly because of the exchange rate from the dollar to the Nigerian currency."

"Microsoft provides a steep price for their enterprise products, but they offer very competitive pricing for their legacy customers."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

10%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Atera?

Pricing is low. It costs around 149 bucks per month.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Atera?

It should improve its processes.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Atera?

Atera is integral to our daily operations. We use it for RMM, PSA, our ticket system, and contact with people. We also integrate it with different products.

See all answers

How does Ansible compare to Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM)?

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your org...

See all answers

How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?

ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. What I like most about ManageEngine is that I can log on to every PC very easily a...

See all answers

What do you like most about SCCM?

One of the standout features of SCCM is its application management capabilities. It allows us to create packages efficiently and deploy them to specific groups within our network. This streamlined ...

See all answers

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

BigFix vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 5% of the time

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Atera

June 2025

Download Atera product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Configuration Manager

June 2025

Download Microsoft Configuration Manager product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )

Overview

Atera offers a comprehensive solution for MSPs and IT Professionals. The platform provides in one integrated solution: full remote monitoring and management (RMM), PSA, remote access, patch management, billing, reports, and so much more! Atera’s disruptive pricing model also helps managed IT service providers scale their business while providing continued best-in-class service. All plans include unlimited devices, meaning you only pay per technician.Everything you need, in one easy-to-use platform

Thousands of paying users in over 75 countries
Free 30-day trial, no credit card or commitment required
No hidden fees or restrictions, all plans include unlimited devices
Seamless integration with your favorite IT tools including: Splashtop, AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and ScreenConnect

What can Atera do for you?

Improve Efficiency. Atera delivers customers the tool suite for IT management. Everything you need in an all-in-one, easy-to-use platform.
Automation. Set alerts and proactively prevent issues for your clients. Minimize time spent on manual tasks and spend more time on what matters most, serving your customers.
Disruptive Pricing, Unlimited Devices. Per technician-based pricing with unlimited servers and workstations means you can cover it all, at one fixed price.

Atera

Microsoft Configuration Manager helps IT manage PCs and servers, keeping software up-to-date, setting configuration and security policies, and monitoring system status while giving employees access to corporate applications on the devices that they choose. When Configuration Manager is integrated with Microsoft Intune, you can manage corporate-connected PCs and Macs along with cloud-based mobile devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, all from a single management console.

New features of Configuration Manager, such as the support of Windows 10 in-place upgrade, co-management with Microsoft Intune, Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise Servicing Dashboard, integration with Windows Update for Business, and more make deploying and managing Windows easier than ever before.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

MSPs, IT consultants, and IT departments worldwide trust and use Atera.

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad

Buyer's Guide

Atera vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager

June 2025

Free Report: Atera vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager

Find out what your peers are saying about Atera vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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