--- title: Enterprise IT Pros Prefer PCmover Enterprise over Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool (USMT) - Laplink's Technology Blog description: One of the most popular free tools used by enterprises today for large enterprise migration projects is Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool (USMT). However, IT personnel declared a clear preference for PCmover Enterprise over free alternatives, including USMT, by a 3 to 1 margin. Enterprises who evaluated Laplink’s product cited its ability to migrate data that other tools missed, as well as the ease to … image: https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/Enterprise%20IT%20Pros%20Prefer%20PCmover%20Enterprise%20over%20Microsoft%E2%80%99s%20User%20State%20Migration%20Tool%20(USMT).png --- TRUSTED FOR OVER 40 YEARS - [About Laplink](https://go.laplink.com/about-us) - [About Us](https://go.laplink.com/about-us) - [Management](https://go.laplink.com/management) - [Careers](https://go.laplink.com/careers) - [Laplink Blog](https://blog.laplink.com/) - [Media Center](https://news.laplink.com/) - [Support](https://contact.laplink.com) - [Knowledge Base](https://help.laplink.com) - [Laplink Account Login](https://laplink.com/mysupport/default.asp?FinishURL=/mysupport/mysupport.asp) - [Contact](https://contact.laplink.com/) [![Laplink](https://blog.laplink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Blog%20%20Main/images/logo-white.png?width=750&height=242&name=logo-white.png "Laplink")](https://www.laplink.com/) - 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Evaluation requests are processed and approved usually within one business day. Please fill out the form below. Please note the Evaluation copy of PCmover Enterprise requires you to be logged into a domain when testing. If you would like to test Enterprise without this requirement, please contact corpsales@laplink.com to receive an alternate copy of the software. Thank you for your interest, and for choosing Laplink Software! ##### Contact Sales × ![Featured Image](https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/Enterprise%20IT%20Pros%20Prefer%20PCmover%20Enterprise%20over%20Microsoft%E2%80%99s%20User%20State%20Migration%20Tool%20(USMT).png) # Enterprise IT Pros Prefer PCmover Enterprise over Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool (USMT) Published by [Thomas Koll, CEO](https://blog.laplink.com/author/thomas-koll-ceo) on February 24, 2014 at 7:52 AM One of the most popular free tools used by enterprises today for large enterprise migration projects is Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool (USMT). However, IT personnel declared a clear preference for [PCmover Enterprise](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise) over free alternatives, including USMT, by a **3 to 1** margin. Enterprises who evaluated [Laplink’s product](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise) cited its ability to migrate data that other tools missed, as well as the ease to implement customized rule sets and work flow as their reasons for preference. [![PCmover Business Left](https://blog.laplink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/PCmover-Business-Left-1.png?width=343&height=564&name=PCmover-Business-Left-1.png)](https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/PCmover-Business-Left.png?hsLang=en) While USMT has no licensing fee, it requires weeks or months of time spent on development and testing for migration projects. If an organization doesn’t currently have the resources to code and test with XML files, money must also be spent on technical experts. Investing in development and testing is an ongoing cost due to high maintenance needs; updates to OS and PC environment or to the staff roster require further updates to USMT. Laplink’s [PCmover Enterprise](http://www.laplink.com/businessforms/evaluationform.php) typically costs an enterprise less than $10 per PC deployed while generating labor savings of over $300 per PC deployed. [PCmover](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise) doesn’t require any complex scripting or integration; evaluation of pilot projects are offered at no cost and VIP engineering assistance and support is included for free. There’s no need to reconfigure [PCmover Enterprise](http://www.laplink.com/businessforms/evaluationform.php) when changes are made to the employee roster, OS, or PC environment, making maintenance extremely simple. [PCmover Enterprise ](http://www.laplink.com/businessforms/evaluationform.php)helps automate large-scale PC deployment projects, ultimately reducing end-user downtime and accelerating PC replacement cycles. [PCmover](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise) includes a Policy Manager Module that provides organizations greater control over the migration process without the need to create labor-intensive scripting. The ability to migrate registry entries and even transfer applications ready-to-use coupled with complete flexibility results in [PCmover](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise) often being the tool of choice in most migration scenarios. USMT has a limited interface and requires extensive scripting and testing. As migration scenarios become more complex, USMT requires even more labor. USMT can’t successfully migrate installed applications or application settings that aren’t stored in the user profile. A desktop support technician from a large, national telecommunications company had this to say about USMT: “USMT should be considered a ‘partial migration’ tool. It’s good for transferring user profiles, but misses a great deal of data, including registry keys and settings.” [![free evaluation pcmover enterprise](https://blog.laplink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/free-evaluation-pcmover-enterprise-1.jpg?width=235&height=67&name=free-evaluation-pcmover-enterprise-1.jpg)](https://store.laplink.com/59/cookie?x-affiliatenetwork=Blog-PCmoverVsUSMT-02242014&redirectto=http://www.laplink.com/index.php/business/business-products/pcmover-enterprise/try-pcmover) Tags: [Enterprise](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/enterprise), [PCmover Enterprise](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/pcmover-enterprise), [Comparison Series](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/comparison-series), [Comparison](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/comparison) [Back to Blog](https://blog.laplink.com) #### Add Comment Published by #### Thomas Koll, CEO ![Author Image](https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/TKauthor.jpg) As Chairman of the Board and CEO of Laplink, Thomas guides the company’s strategic direction. Prior to joining Laplink in 2003, Thomas was Chairman of the Board for Infowave, where he was involved in interfacing with global business and financial communities. Thomas also served as Infowave’s Chief Executive Officer from February 2001 to April 2002. Prior to joining Infowave, Thomas worked at Microsoft for more than 13 years. He was Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Network Solutions Group where he was responsible for Microsoft’s worldwide business with telecommunication companies. Thomas was instrumental in developing Microsoft’s vision for the communications industry and led the development of strategic partnerships in mobility, broadband and hosting. Previously, he was General... [Read more about Thomas Koll, CEO...](https://blog.laplink.com/author/thomas-koll-ceo) ## Related Articles ## [Complete Your Toolset for Efficient PC Deployments with Laplink’s PCmover Enterprise](https://blog.laplink.com/complete-your-toolset-for-efficient-pc-deployments-with-laplinks-pcmover-enterprise?hsLang=en) Download the PDF Any organization that purchases new PCs for its employees each year will know... [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/complete-your-toolset-for-efficient-pc-deployments-with-laplinks-pcmover-enterprise?hsLang=en) ## [Simple PC Migration for Enterprises & Consumers with PCmover](https://blog.laplink.com/2019/11/07/simple-pc-migration-with-pcmover?hsLang=en) Laplink is the global leader in simple PC migration software, and our flagship product, PCmover is... [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/2019/11/07/simple-pc-migration-with-pcmover?hsLang=en) ## [A Letter from the CEO: PCmover Enterprise streamlines remote PC deployments, OS Upgrades, & Break/fixes - Laplink's Technology Blog](https://blog.laplink.com/2020/12/10/pcmover-enterprise-streamlines-remote-pc-deployments-os-upgrades-break-fixes?hsLang=en) Hi Everyone! [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/2020/12/10/pcmover-enterprise-streamlines-remote-pc-deployments-os-upgrades-break-fixes?hsLang=en) - ©  LAPLINK SOFTWARE INC. 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