v2.4.1.9
Reconciliation of Effective Income Tax Rate (Detail)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items      
Income tax expense at federal statutory rate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
State taxes, net of federal tax effect (4.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 2.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 3.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Foreign earnings taxed at different rates 2.90%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential (18.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential (21.50%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Withholding tax 14.30%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsOther 9.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsOther 6.30%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsOther
Foreign tax credit (9.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsForeign (5.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsForeign (3.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsForeign
Other international components 0.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments 3.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments 1.90%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Change in valuation allowance 21.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance (0.80%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 0.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Deferred tax adjustments and rate changes (4.90%)mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAdjustmentToDeferredTaxAndRateChanges (2.80%)mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAdjustmentToDeferredTaxAndRateChanges 0.60%mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAdjustmentToDeferredTaxAndRateChanges
Meals and entertainment 5.90%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment 4.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment 2.90%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment
Other tax credits 2.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther 2.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther 2.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
Subpart F income 4.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings 2.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings 1.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings
Research and development tax credit (13.70%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch (12.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch 0.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch
Other permanent differences (1.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherReconcilingItemsPercent 0.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherReconcilingItemsPercent 0.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherReconcilingItemsPercent
Release of unrecognized tax benefits 0.00%mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationReleaseOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefits (86.00%)mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationReleaseOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefits (1.90%)mstr_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationReleaseOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Total 54.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations (58.50%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations 30.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Non-deductible Officers Compensation      
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items      
Other tax credits 2.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
/ mstr_IncomeTaxReconciliationAxis
= mstr_NonDeductableOfficersCompensationMember
7.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
/ mstr_IncomeTaxReconciliationAxis
= mstr_NonDeductableOfficersCompensationMember
2.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
/ mstr_IncomeTaxReconciliationAxis
= mstr_NonDeductableOfficersCompensationMember