It's like choosing between Apple and Android. I believe you have two great products to choose from, although there are many others as well, and it can get very confusing and frustrating selecting "one" out of the bunch. All bickering aside, to answer some of your questions, here are my thoughts on the two, and I admit we are not a Genetec house:
Genetec is overall more expensive, and depending on scenario could be up to twice as expensive for software licensing alone (hardware is becoming more of a commodity item, costs are about even). On the Access Control side, although it's "open platform", the Synergis CloudLink Controller is proprietary, synergis-cloud-link. Once the controllers are installed, it becomes difficult to switch to another manufacturer later down the road. The 3rd Party Integration list is extensive, but hard to tell how deep the integrations are, especially with competing products (AMAG, Lenel, etc).
Milestone Corporate is not cheap, although less expensive and depending on the 3rd party Access Control manufacturer it could be even less, relatively speaking. The 2016 Access Control integration is quite robust and bi-directional, whereby xProtect is receiving alarms, door status, has command and control capabilities, access requests, badge and personnel photo recall, personnel lists, access reporting, macro programming, etc. The Test that Brian referenced is indeed outdated and ancient (and utilizing the Axis door module, not a 3rd party ACS) Milestone xProtect Access . Milestone is a VMS, and you know their R&D funds are going to improve the VMS and 3rd party integrations. Depending on the 3rd party ACS, not having proprietary ACS hardware makes it easier for the end user to switch software. As such, the integrator has to service the customer and perform well (and keep costs reasonable) in order to maintain the relationship.
Genetec is more like Honeywell, Lenel or Bosch (as it was back in the days of ReadyKeyPro)- they have their own products, hardware and software. Once you're down that road it is harder to switch, but they are great products! If you select Milestone with a 3rd party ACS now, and hate it down the road, it's easier to then change to other VMS's or ACS's, or Genetec. I can't say it's the same the other way around.
Above all this, I think the relationship with the installer is the most important, and how hard the integrator works to satisfy the needs (and to keep the relationship and systems installed), and what can you do if it does not work out.
Since I have first hand knowledge of Milestone, I can speak to some of the features, and I hope someone from the Genetec side can respond.
1. Active Directory - native integration, no additional cost (NC).
2. Clients - unlimited clients, no additional cost (NC). The Milestone client can perform live event monitoring, reporting, investigations and some controls. Both Milestone and ACS system have thin client, thick client, mobile client and web client. ACS web client can be many users (limited by licensed concurrent user count). milestone does not count users, concurrent or otherwise.
3. Mobile client - NC. can receive events and alarms, control doors, push video back to server, as well as the usual features (live, playback, export, etc)
4. Distributed Architecture - NC. Recording, management, events, web and other services can run on separate servers/VM's.
5. Failover - NC. both hot and fail-over groups available. Hot stand-by for a one-to-one relationship, 1-5 second delay. Fail-over groups can be many-many relationship, up to 15 seconds delay.
6. SQL - NC. supports up to latest Microsoft SQL release (2014), both express and full.
7. Federation - NC. limits access of clients for both user and management interfaces, maintains a single management database.
8. Interconect - connect video channels from lower tiered Milestone systems into Corporate - provide extreme costs savings for small systems, while maintaining master level access from centralized location. licensed per channel
9. Archiving - NC. can archive on multiple locations, and create multiple rules for archiving. can also groom video, reducing frame rates during archive process.
10. Mapping - NC. maps can have cameras, doors, access requests, alarms, controls buttons, etc.
11. Video Wall - NC. can push video on events, alarms, doors, etc - Macro programmable and automated video call up.
12. Video Analytics - several partners. no cost from Milestone, only 3rd party
13. LPR - utilize many cameras, vendors and 3rd party solutions, and perform Macros based on LPR events
I think the list can go on and on, but a good consultant should be able to put together a comprehensive list and details for you to review.