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Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) vs Microsoft 365 Business comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 13, 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
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager enhances remote management, reduces downtime, and offers centralized support, improving customer service efficiency.
Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft 365 Business offers significant value with improved efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced flexibility, and connectivity benefits for organizations.
It also provides good security and the ability for normal users to create simple applications without needing developers.
Project Manager at Protonmail
I have seen a return on investment, especially in reducing security incidents and improved team collaboration.
Manager at Cyvogenix
The pricing of Microsoft 365 Business is good; the amount we pay yields a good return on investment.
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.7
Customer service is highly rated but costly, with excellent support lacking local assistance and needing improvement in complex issues.
Sentiment score
4.5
Microsoft 365 Business customer service experiences vary, with some users reporting responsiveness and others noting delays and language barriers.
I am definitely satisfied with Cisco support.
Technical Manager at AiGENZ Communication and Services WLL
My experience with the technical support of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) involves configuring firewalls and troubleshooting switches and IPs, which is our primary focus.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
It would be beneficial if Microsoft had more expert customer support staff.
Project Manager at Protonmail
We have had good support from Microsoft, with responsive and well-trained staff who are very polite.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
Microsoft customer support for Microsoft 365 Business is very useful.
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for scalability, efficiently supporting varying enterprise sizes and adapting to global demands effortlessly.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft 365 Business is flexible, supporting global teams with robust integration, despite some cost and limitation concerns.
I affirm that Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable, as we can configure multiple devices, handling a lot of devices, such as 100 plus devices.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor issues during updates or external interruptions.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft 365 Business is highly rated for stability, with minor glitches mainly due to external factors like internet connectivity.
I rate the stability of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) as an eight to nine.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
The stability of Microsoft 365 Business is rated nine out of ten.
Project Manager at Protonmail
The file-sharing feature in Microsoft 365, specifically using OneDrive, is unreliable.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
It works properly, and I have never needed to contact support.
IT Manager at R K Khanna and Associates
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager struggles with integration, reliability, customization, high pricing, compatibility issues, and insufficient feature development.
Microsoft 365 Business faces challenges with setup, integration, costs, performance, UI, documentation, and requires better collaboration and AI features.
I see room for improvement in integration with third-party tools.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the responsible person from that device, which would be very useful.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Providing Power BI for a lower package, such as e3, would be beneficial.
Project Manager at Protonmail
Microsoft has very poor security, and Defender is ineffective.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
The comprehensive nature of the solution justifies the cost.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is priced high but considered valuable for its enterprise features, support, and per-device cost-effectiveness.
Enterprise users find Microsoft 365 Business reasonably priced but seek better transparency and simplicity in its flexible licensing options.
There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Microsoft 365 is cost-intensive, and alternate options like OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or Google Workspace are not as expensive.
Managing Director at NaMax Limited
The solution might be considered pricey for some, however, the comprehensiveness of the suite justifies its cost.
ICT Manager at Calzavara S.p.A
It could be more affordable.
Project Manager at Protonmail
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager offers easy device management with centralized control, enhanced security, and seamless Cisco tool integration.
Microsoft 365 Business enhances productivity with seamless integration, data security, real-time collaboration, and built-in security for scalable solutions.
Features such as being very easy to use and troubleshoot have been the most valuable for me, and we can identify if there are any hardware issues easily.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
The remote security feature, as well as the ability to control devices from anywhere, is one of the more beneficial features of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM).
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Using Teams helps our team's productivity because rather than having to make a proper chart again, if I am reviewing someone else's work and I find a mistake, I'll just do it in Excel and it automatically gets updated in the PPT.
asc at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Mobile access to SharePoint in Microsoft 365 Business saves a lot of time because it does not require physical presence, enabling everyone from various distances to access, save, and read all the manuals, which greatly increases efficiency in our business.
Owner at Nexus Auto system
Conditional Access policies have made the biggest difference for my organization because they help us control access based on risk, location, and device, which is very useful in preventing unauthorized access.
Manager at Cyvogenix
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Meraki Systems Manage...
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (8th)
Microsoft 365 Business
Ranking in Mobile Device Management (MDM)
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
250
Ranking in other categories
Content Collaboration Platforms (8th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Mobile Device Management (MDM) category, the mindshare of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is 5.5%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft 365 Business is 5.5%, down from 8.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft 365 Business5.5%
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)5.5%
Other89.0%
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
 

Featured Reviews

Sulesh PK - PeerSpot reviewer
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Has simplified hardware issue identification but needs integrated communication options
We have monitoring capabilities and we are monitoring some network tools from Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) and troubleshooting as well. I am currently working with version MR 32.1.4. Policy involves connecting mostly through emails, as we don't have any special kind of policy features. If any alert comes, we connect via mail. We don't utilize the geolocation tracking feature. The unified dashboard helps me simplify device management for my team based on the location, as we have configured devices from many different countries. We give the device's name based on the location, allowing us to identify easily in the dashboard. Regarding operational cost savings, it is cost-saving because in other companies, they use different tools for different networks, such as one for Windows, another for Linux, and a different one for VMware. We use all the systems including Windows, Linux, and networking under Cisco, Centreon, and Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), which is very cost-efficient. Regarding pricing and licensing of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), I don't have information about that, as we are from the technical department. Details about subscription and quotation come from another department. I rate this solution 8 out of 10.
Hemanthreddy Vakiti - PeerSpot reviewer
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Collaborating securely across project teams has improved communication and streamlined workflows
In my view, Microsoft 365 Business has all the features, but there are some areas for improvement. One area is that the licensing structure can be confusing, especially with the different plans, so understanding each plan is somewhat difficult. When using large Excel files, such as extracting data from an SQL query and pasting it into Excel, it sometimes encounters performance issues when dealing with large files. Integration with non-Microsoft tools is sometimes limited; however, integration within the Microsoft tools is very good. It would be useful if it were possible to integrate with other tools outside of Microsoft. Managing permissions and access in SharePoint and Teams can be complex for new users, but once they become familiar with the tool, they can manage it easily. The security and permissions for new users in SharePoint and Teams can be made more intuitive for them. Additionally, the pricing structure, which involves explaining different plans, could be clearer to help users easily choose the plan they need. Improving performance when working on large Excel files would also be beneficial.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Construction Company
15%
Marketing Services Firm
13%
Performing Arts
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise14
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business114
Midsize Enterprise44
Large Enterprise102
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
The pricing sits at a mid-level range, around five or six. There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the responsible person from that device, which would be very useful. Currently, we use ...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
I work with system management in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) products. Our usual use cases for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) involve network tools, such as firewall, switches, a...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Business?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that pricing is reasonable, but it depends on the plan, as some advanced security features require higher-tier licenses.
What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Business?
Microsoft 365 Business can be improved because sometimes the admin portal can be confusing, especially for a new user, and policies are spread across multiple dashboards. Better centralized visibil...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft 365 Business?
My main use case for Microsoft 365 Business is securing collaboration, email security, and identity management across the organization. A specific example of how I use Microsoft 365 Business for em...
 

Also Known As

Meraki MDM
Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 F1, MS 365 Business
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hafen Hamburg & Empire Riverside Hotel, Eastview Church, Tourism Holdings, Colegio Sagrada Familia Hijas de Jesús, Tommy Bahama's, Canadian School Mexico, Rosebank College
Urban Agriculture Co., The Detroit Wallpaper Co., TransBlue Facility Management, Garner Food Company
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) vs. Microsoft 365 Business and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.