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Microsoft Purview Information Protection vs Netwrix Data Classification comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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 Purview Informati...
Ranking in Data Governance
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Data Privacy Management Software (2nd), Microsoft Security Suite (14th)
Netwrix Data Classification
Ranking in Data Governance
30th
Average Rating
0.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Data Governance category, the mindshare of Microsoft Purview Information Protection is 2.5%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Netwrix Data Classification is 1.0%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Governance
 

Featured Reviews

Heidi Hasting - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides an essential audit trail that helps prevent accidental exposure of sensitive data, but the changing product names are confusing
One of the key features of Microsoft Purview Information Protection is the auto-classification functionalities, although I have found them to be less effective in complex scenarios. The policy toggle, demanding justification for downgrading labels, provides an essential audit trail that helps prevent accidental exposure of sensitive data. The security tools integrate well. I like that you can scan several data or informational assets, such as your SharePoint list, Teams, etc., and bring them into Purview as a central repository. Partnering with other products, like Sentinel, for logging capability and inventory provides a service across the board. It's essential that Purview automatically prevents highly sensitive corporate secrets and data from being ingested into generative AI models, but the reality is that AI is a tool. It's problematic if consumers rely on a tool to protect them because they must be educated first. Regardless of the education, the employee might share the information anyway, so the AI shouldn't be the first point of failure. It should be a human making good decisions.
Simonas Palevicius - PeerSpot reviewer
A comprehensive data classification and information security solution that offers robust functionality, scalability, and competitive pricing
The standout aspect of this solution is its price performance. It's highly flexible and scalable, offering customers the choice to match their needs and budget. It is also user-friendly and effective. Even if you opt for just one module, such as Active Directory, you'll immediately see automated, valuable insights when you install and run the auditor. From a network perspective, it offers an array of well-structured rules. Unlike other systems that require extensive configurations, Netwrix simplifies the process. It's more intuitive and forgiving, meaning you don't need to be an expert to get value from it. Its strength lies in its predefined rules that generate automated reports and more without requiring in-depth knowledge of the system.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I recommend Microsoft Purview Information Protection for organizations using the Microsoft ecosystem."
"We use the solution for our customers' services. It helps identify and protect sensitive data in documents, PDFs, emails, and Teams chats to prevent data leakage. It can detect and block emails containing credit card information sent outside the organization."
"Before using it, we had a lot of unlabeled data, and the tool helped us quickly and accurately label a large number of documents."
"We can restrict access or specify who can see sensitivity labels, which can be based on the classification level. We can encrypt restricted content and limit who can see that from an internal view, too, so Purview is a powerful tool."
"Incorporating data loss prevention capabilities built into the Microsoft platform to endpoints, such as Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers, can also help prevent data loss and is highly advantageous."
"The features my clients request most are sensitivity labels and data loss prevention. Additionally, I am trying to interest them in risk management and insider risk management, although those features are considered more advanced."
"The reporting capabilities of Microsoft Purview are crucial. They provide insights into potentially non-compliant situations and suggest ways to rectify them. The solution helps to automate many tasks, allowing human operators to focus on areas where they offer the most value."
"The user interface is nice and it's very user-friendly on that front."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager finds the data in a very efficient manner, and the efficacy of the solution is very good."
"It's highly flexible and scalable, offering customers the choice to match their needs and budget."
 

Cons

"There is potential for more integration in the use of AI."
"I had experience with previous versions of Microsoft Purview Information Protection as well. The new version doesn't have all the features that were present in the previous native clients and functionalities. For example, the ability to track documents - knowing where your document is, who is accessing it, when and where. You could even revoke access to a particular document if needed, which was a cool feature. These aren't available right now, although Microsoft is working on bringing them back, which might take some time."
"Our primary concern is third-party application visibility. Many people choose other DLP tools, as they can search the Office 365 suite and detect sensitive information across thousands of other apps. The product is weak compared to the competitors on the DLP front, but the classification is good; the tool needs a bit more maturation."
"I would evaluate Microsoft's customer support for Microsoft Purview Information Protection as not satisfactory. I'm not happy with Microsoft's customer support."
"Purview could better integrate with third-party tools, but I don't have a specific use case for that because It's currently integrated into the managed services we offer to Microsoft customers using E5 licenses."
"Scalability is affected by the time it takes to update policies."
"I am concerned about its accuracy levels. Sometimes it throws a lot of false positives."
"I rate Microsoft support six out of 10. Response times are a challenge. It's hard to be an ambassador for a product when you know it will be hard to get support."
"One of the key issues is its interface and querying capabilities, which can be complex, making it difficult to interpret logs."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager is very good at network data classification, but it also has to work on endpoint data classification because clients ask for it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's pricing is not a problem for customers because they often purchase it as part of a bundle. With an E5 license, for example, users get access to the entire functionality. This is one of the main reasons why many customers are choosing Microsoft."
"The price is determined by the enterprise licensing, either the E3 or E5 licensing or the EMS plus security and other feature licensing."
"Initially, Purview's cost seemed quite high because it was for personal use. I was scanning a tiny tenant and thinking, "If I extrapolate this to an enterprise-scale tenant, it will be quite costly." However, I talked to people who had compared it to other products on the market, and they're spending five figures to get started. At least, Purview has a free trial, so you can try some of the features early on."
"The tool's pricing is fairly low, less than 100,000 for a year."
"The product is affordable, and our clients agree. Sensitivity labels come with the MIP license at an additional $2 a month per user, an excellent deal for auto-labeling capabilities."
"The pricing and setup costs are transferred to my clients, who find it affordable and are satisfied with what they receive."
"The initial pricing might seem reasonable, but costs can quickly escalate when adding components."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager has an affordable price."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
19%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
7%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
14%
Legal Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Purview Information Protection?
It ensures that sensitive data is automatically safeguarded, even for email attachments, regardless of the user or device.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Purview Information Protection?
The pricing is not very high and is considered fine. Microsoft offers different licensing options. AIP Plan 2 is used for critical users. The AIP is included in the business standard license for cl...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Purview Information Protection?
I am concerned about its accuracy levels. Sometimes it throws a lot of false positives. Microsoft Purview Information Protection needs to increase effectiveness and ensure compatibility. Effectiven...
What do you like most about Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager finds the data in a very efficient manner, and the efficacy of the solution is very good.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager has an affordable price. Since the solution is priced according to the client's market size, everybody can afford it.
What needs improvement with Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager is very good at network data classification, but it also has to work on endpoint data classification because clients ask for it. Although the solution is easy to...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Information Protection
No data available
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Purview Information Protection vs. Netwrix Data Classification and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
852,780 professionals have used our research since 2012.