Managed service providers often work with various platforms, services, and databases. It would be unreasonable to expect an IT professional to log into programs for each client to check server metrics, performance readouts, task management, and tickets just to repeat the process for the next customer. Instead, MSPs streamline the workflow using platforms that push and pull data from multiple clients in one easy-to-use place, making it easier to get a holistic view of clients’ IT statuses.
Top MSP tools in 2024
| ConnectWise Automate | RMM |
| Datto | RMM |
| NinjaOne | RMM |
| Autotask | PSA |
| ScopeStack | CPQ |
| Hudu | Documentation |
| Zoho Desk | Service management |
| Huntress | Cybersecurity |
| Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud | Cybersecurity |
| N-able | Backup & disaster recovery |
Making it or breaking it as an MSP boils down to whether your company has the right tech stack for operational efficiency. Inherently, managed IT service work involves reviewing data from many sources—more than average compared to the general IT/software industry.
A good lineup of platforms supporting MSP work can bring order to chaos and be the difference in a company maintaining productive operations or letting tasks fall through the cracks. The benefits of a good tool stack include:
Below are categorized top 10 tools in the IT service industry that can elevate any MSPs game.
RMM tools allow you to monitor and manage a client’s IT infrastructure. Tool capabilities typically allow IT professionals to view client networks and endpoints, enable remote support, offer security, and provide data insights.
About: ConnectWise Automate provides centralized management for MSPs so your company can view and manage clients' infrastructure and networks from the single, unified console.
Providing a quick holistic overview lets you deliver better service and respond to issues quickly. IT professionals can make informed insights and proactively monitor essential matters through the visibility provided by an RMM. Perhaps the most beneficial feature is allowing MSPs to automate routine tasks, freeing engineers' time and mental bandwidth.
Key Features:
About: As a remote monitoring and management tool, Datto RMM also allows you to support client IT systems and infrastructure remotely. This SaaS lets you view details on remote devices and networks, encouraging performance observation and proactive issue resolution.
Datto RMM integrates with the suite of Datto platforms and services, like its security and data resilience products, making it a true one-stop shop. If you frequently offer disaster recovery functionalities, Datto RMM is an excellent choice.
Features:
About: Similar to the first two in the list, NinjaOne is a top player in the MSP software space. Although it has its distinctions from the above platforms, naturally, there is overlap in the features offered as NinjaOne provides a unified management tool for IT solutions.
IT professionals looking for an intuitive interface often choose NinjaOne. Another value is that the software extends beyond just RMM services by providing a service desk, backup, and documentation functionalities, which sets it apart from other RMMs.
Features:
PSA tools help MSPs manage the business side of work, such as project management, billing, logging time, and service desk.
About: Autotask PSA is within the Datto/Kaseya powerhouse ecosystem, who are no strangers to the MSP game. Autotask makes burdensome business management easy as it leverages technologies to streamline project management, billing, time tracking, CRM functionalities, and more.
The PSA is a central hub for work related to managing client relationships and administration. Additionally, real-time dashboards provide insights and KPIs for delivering service to each client, allowing MSPs to review and optimize their business performance.
Features:
MSPs frequently provide clients with estimates and proposals before kicking off a project. CPQ (configure, price, quote) software combines pricing and level of effort (LoE) data to automatically create a proposal, estimate, or scope of work, speeding up the entire scoping process.
About: ScopeStack found its niche within the IT service provider sales process and drilled down, refining its solution to excellence. As CPQ software, this tool automates and standardizes the scoping process, removing the need for duplicate work. You can choose from ScopeStack’s service catalog or create your own, customizing each scope to include pricing, level of effort, and any unique client requirements, generating consistent statements of work time and time again.
The quick CPQ software reduces the scoping time to as low as 15 minutes, which allows MSPs to provide their clients with fast and accurate estimates. By already accounting for all the detailed specifics required in a project, IT professionals can spend less time scoping and more time delivering valued services to clients.
Features:
View ScopeStack pricing or schedule a demo.
MSPs rely on IT documentation tools to neatly store and manage documentation while ensuring safe storage and easy collaboration between team members.
About: Hudu is a self-hosted software that allows you to store, collaborate, and access necessary documentation in a centralized place. A unique factor is that Hudu doesn’t store data like most cloud-based SaaS but allows you to host documentation on your own servers. Private storage adds an extra layer of security and protection, putting your mind at ease when storing extra sensitive data.
Additionally, the tool makes it easy for multiple employees to structure the information they need to support client services in a custom format.
Features:
Clients need a way to reach their service providers to ask questions or report issues. Tracking email threads would quickly be unmanageable, so MSPs usually have a service desk tool to organize client service requests and incidents.
About: You have several service desk options; most cross into RMM territory. That is great for a company needing a ticketing platform that offers an extensive suite of features in other areas. However, if you’re looking for just a service desk option, Zoho Desk makes receiving and addressing indecent tickets easy.
Though not specifically designed for MSPs, many use this tool because of its simplicity. Because they only need this one gap filled—not a platform offering a mix of RMM, cybersecurity, PSA, and do-it-all functionality. Zoho Desk allows for centralized ticket management, multi-channel customer support, and automated workflow, making it an excellent choice for an IT professional needing a budget-friendly service desk tool.
Features:
Cybersecurity tools make it easy for MSPs to protect against malware, ransomware, and cyber threats while strengthening security measures.
About: Huntress hangs its hat on allowing IT professionals to remotely monitor, detect, and respond to potential threats in remote computing devices within mere minutes. The tool is built mainly for small to medium-sized businesses, comprising a large portion of most MSP clients.
The program runs automated ‘hunts’ for threats, which lets you nip an issue in the bud before a client even knows it's occurring, let alone has time to worry about it. The continuous endpoint monitoring was designed with MSPs in mind, so IT professionals can also get quick insights from Huntress’s simple yet powerful dashboard displaying unlimited client environments.
Features:
About: Acronis offers cybersecurity capabilities for better monitoring, securing, and protecting client endpoints. This tool offers scalability and can grow alongside your client roster. Acronis provides various features, making it an excellent option for an IT professional who wants a robust system providing anything from malware detection to backup functionality.
Compared to Huntress, which focuses more on threat monitoring, Acronis emphasizes its integrated suite of features, which branch into disaster recovery and data protection.
Features:
These tools focus on data protection, with an emphasis on providing backup and disaster recovery solutions. MSPs employ these platforms to ensure business continuity should a system failure arise.
About: N-able has spread its functionality over the years to where it can now be considered a complete IT management tool. Compared to other platforms, many IT professionals say its most substantial aspect is its robust data protection features. From a client’s perspective, this may be the most crucial service they want to receive from an MSP. While it’s hard to understand technical networking details, anyone knows what it means to suddenly have data corrupted or lose revenue due to a disaster.
You can use N-able to back up client data safely, so it’s protected in the case of data loss scenarios, from hardware failures to natural disasters. Additionally, the platform makes it easy to recover and restore data, minimizing disruptions to business as usual. The range of features gives IT professionals many choices when deciding between cloud-based or local backup options, recovery solutions, and automated data storage.
Features:
In summary, MSP tools range from large do-it-all platforms to those with a narrow focus. Which tool works best for your team of IT professionals can depend on preference and which workflow gaps need solving. However, some breakaway giants stand out for their unique capabilities and contributions to the MSP ecosystem. Whether you need to optimize service delivery, focus on cybersecurity, improve operational efficiency, or scope projects faster, these platforms can help solve the complex challenges MSPs and IT professionals face.
If you consistently create time-consuming SOWs that don’t encompass the full scope of work, try ScopeStack’s CPQ software. Configure your estimates and work breakdowns efficiently so you can get back to the other tasks required of an IT professional.
Contact us to learn more about how ScopeStack can benefit you.
You may also like: