AvePoint Elements vs ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus

AEAvePoint Elements8.8Visit ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus8.6Visit

Higher score AE AvePoint Elements #1 in Microsoft 365 Management Tools 8.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit AvePoint

vs

ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus #2 in Microsoft 365 Management Tools 8.6/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit ManageEngine

• AvePoint Elements fits best

  MSPs managing multiple Microsoft 365 tenants

• ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus fits best

  Teams wanting affordable, self-hosted M365 administration

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	AEAvePoint Elements 8.8/10 Visit ↗	ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.6
Ranking	#1 in Microsoft 365 Management Tools	#2 in Microsoft 365 Management Tools
Best for	MSPs managing multiple Microsoft 365 tenants	Teams wanting affordable, self-hosted M365 administration
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Pricing on request	$345/unit/yr
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Cloud	Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Windows, Web
Support	Email, Phone, Tickets, Docs, Live chat · 24/7	Email, Phone, Live chat, Community, Docs
Integrations	2 integrations	5 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features AvePoint Elements 4/4 · ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus 4/4
Multi-tenant management	✓	✓
License management	✓	✓
Change automation	✓	✓
Audit and reporting	✓	✓
Specs
Managed services	Baseline Management; User & Device Management; Workspace Management; License Optimization; Risk & Change Management; Marketplace Integration	Microsoft Entra ID, Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business
Deployment	Cloud	Self_hosted
Our review
Pros	Applies security baselines and policies across customer tenants Combines device compliance, workspace governance, and drift monitoring Tracks unused licenses and supports distributor billing integration	Bulk administration for users, mailboxes, groups, licenses, and Teams Schedules recurring or event-driven tasks and Microsoft 365 reports Auditing, alerts, monitoring, and scoped task delegation across tenants
Cons	Pricing requires contacting sales Designed around MSPs managing multiple customer tenants ConnectWise Manage is the only other named integration	Requires self-hosted deployment on Windows Standard lacks Professional features such as auditing and automation Exchange Online backup and restore is an optional add-on
Our verdict	AvePoint Elements is a cloud platform for managed service providers that oversee Microsoft 365 environments for multiple customers. It brings tenant governance, user and device management, workspace controls, license optimization, and risk… Read the review →	ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus gives IT teams a centralized way to administer Microsoft 365 through a Windows installation and browser interface. It is aimed at organizations that need bulk changes, reporting, and delegated administration… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• AvePoint Elements — where it wins

  • Applies security baselines and policies across customer tenants
  • Combines device compliance, workspace governance, and drift monitoring
  • Tracks unused licenses and supports distributor billing integration

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting sales
  • Designed around MSPs managing multiple customer tenants
  • ConnectWise Manage is the only other named integration

• ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus — where it wins

  • Bulk administration for users, mailboxes, groups, licenses, and Teams
  • Schedules recurring or event-driven tasks and Microsoft 365 reports
  • Auditing, alerts, monitoring, and scoped task delegation across tenants

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires self-hosted deployment on Windows
  • Standard lacks Professional features such as auditing and automation
  • Exchange Online backup and restore is an optional add-on

• AEAvePoint Elements8.8/10 · Pricing on request

  Centralizes tenant, device, workspace, security, and license controls for MSPs.

  Visit AvePointFull verdict →
• ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus8.6/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  Self-hosted M365 administration with bulk controls, scheduled tasks, and a free edition.

  Visit ManageEngineFull verdict →