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ManageEngine ADManager Plus vs Microsoft Active Directory comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 9, 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
5.5
ManageEngine ADManager Plus boosted ROI by 90%, increased task efficiency, and cut ownership costs with focused training and fewer engineers.
Sentiment score
4.4
Microsoft Active Directory enhances efficiency and access control, providing value through centralized management despite lacking direct ROI calculation.
The solution is really time-saving since I don't need to create users in each server or system manually, and user access control is streamlined.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.2
ManageEngine ADManager Plus support is generally praised but needs consistency, with some users suggesting a ticketing system.
Sentiment score
5.5
Microsoft Active Directory support is inconsistent, with varying response quality, reliance on online resources, and better service via premium options.
Technical support from ManageEngine is very satisfactory.
Junior System Engineer at Corporate Projukti Limited
If you purchase retail, the support will be more difficult because they will assess the priority or rating from the customer.
IT Operations & Security at veris
Support documents are available on the internet in every language.
Owner at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
Sometimes support takes long to engage and resolve, extending over weeks or even months.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
ManageEngine ADManager Plus is praised for scalability and adaptability, though it faces integration challenges outside Microsoft environments.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Active Directory is scalable and integrates well, but faces challenges at larger scales, suggesting hybrid solutions.
Microsoft Active Directory scales effectively; I don't foresee any issues with that at all.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
ADManager Plus is praised for reliability and stability, with minor challenges in multi-user setups and compatibility checks.
Sentiment score
6.4
Microsoft Active Directory is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor issues not significantly affecting performance.
If you meet the installation requirements from Microsoft, it will be very stable.
IT Operations & Security at veris
With multiple domain controllers, stability is ensured.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
I've been working with Microsoft Active Directory for over 3 years, and we've had no problems.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Room For Improvement

ADManager Plus requires UI improvements, better integration, and enhanced features for efficiency, stability, and responsiveness in large directories.
Microsoft Active Directory needs improvements in usability, integration, security updates, synchronization, setup, reporting, support, scalability, and email group sync.
There are always possibilities for improvements in the initial setup of ManageEngine ADManager Plus.
Network Administrator at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Upgrading from recent to the latest versions is quite complex and time-consuming.
Junior System Engineer at Corporate Projukti Limited
Microsoft should work on the support and ability to solve problems more efficiently.
IT Operations & Security at veris
The current Active Directory UI is limited in report generation, necessitating script knowledge to generate various reports.
Senior Consutant at HCLSoftware
There are some features that need improvements in terms of ease of use and frequency of updates.
Information Technology Specialist at stelios@biolandenergy.com
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise users debate ADManager Plus pricing's value, with mixed views on cost justification, affordability, and potential discounts.
Microsoft Active Directory pricing varies by region and model; Azure offers cost-effective solutions for large enterprises despite perceived expense.
The solution is perceived as cheap, and the licensing is annual.
Junior System Engineer at Corporate Projukti Limited
So it is 200 euros per user.
Owner at Syntlogo GmbH
For the cloud solution in our region, the pricing of Microsoft Active Directory is very high.
Network & Security Section Head/Digital Transformation at City Edge
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing with Microsoft Active Directory is straightforward; you just buy the server and then have to buy the user CALs.
Network Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

ManageEngine ADManager Plus simplifies AD management with robust features and automation, enhancing usability and efficiency for teams.
Microsoft Active Directory simplifies management with integration, group policies, and scalable operations across on-premises and cloud environments.
The software is fast, secure, and enables me to manage everything in one place.
Junior System Engineer at Corporate Projukti Limited
Reporting is the most valuable feature of ManageEngine ADManager Plus and is highly usable.
Network Administrator at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings.
IT Operations & Security at veris
These Group Policies provide enhancement, helping to reduce administrative overhead and enhance productivity.
Network & Security Section Head/Digital Transformation at City Edge
The features and capabilities of Microsoft Active Directory that I have found the most valuable over the years are that it is a mature technology, it's stable, and it delivers what it promises.
Owner at Syntlogo GmbH
 

Categories and Ranking

ManageEngine ADManager Plus
Ranking in Active Directory Management
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Active Directory
Ranking in Active Directory Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Active Directory Management category, the mindshare of ManageEngine ADManager Plus is 12.6%, down from 14.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Active Directory is 6.2%, up from 4.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Active Directory Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Active Directory6.2%
ManageEngine ADManager Plus12.6%
Other81.2%
Active Directory Management
 

Featured Reviews

MUBDIUL ISLAM - PeerSpot reviewer
Junior System Engineer at Corporate Projukti Limited
User management becomes efficient and installation is straightforward
My primary use case for ADManager is to manage users and groups, perform group policy without logging into Active Directory, and provide easy and secure management and monitoring capabilities. One of my clients uses ADManager for these purposes With ADManager, I can easily complete any Active…
Eko Kurniawan - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Operations & Security at veris
Has simplified credential management and improved secure access control across departments
The features I find most useful in Microsoft Active Directory are especially for the Single Sign-On. This is very useful for users, particularly if they have plenty of applications, such as tablet applications. When they log in to their computer, the application will automatically log in with their credentials. They don't need to remember another user and password to log in to the application because it's already maintained with Microsoft Active Directory using Single Sign-On. To assess the impact of Microsoft Active Directory's centralized domain management on security protocols and access permissions, Microsoft Active Directory itself has constraints with security because when we have a solution such as SSO or Single Sign-On, which makes it easier for users to log in, some parts have security openings. When their computer is compromised with a threat, malware, or other cyber threats, it becomes easier to enter the application without login permission.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with ManageEngine ADManager Plus?
While the features in ManageEngine ADManager Plus are very good, not all features are necessary for every organization. Automation is a strong feature within the product but is not currently requir...
What is your primary use case for ManageEngine ADManager Plus?
ManageEngine ADManager Plus is used for multiple tasks, especially for reporting purposes that cannot typically be obtained from Active Directory or present difficulties requiring additional expert...
What do you like most about Microsoft Active Directory?
The solution is easy to install and has good reliability.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Active Directory?
The best way to protect this is to use Microsoft Defender. For Microsoft support for Microsoft Active Directory, I would rate it as eight. If I give it 10, it would be too perfect. Eight is fair. M...
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Active Directory?
My main use cases for Microsoft Active Directory are to manage user access and credentials.
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about ManageEngine ADManager Plus vs. Microsoft Active Directory and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.