Best Managed Service Providers (MSP) Software of 2026

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What you need to know about managed service software?

What is managed service software?

Essential features of MSP software

Benefits and competitive advantages of using managed service provider software

How to choose the best managed service provider software for your business

Software related to managed service provider software

More resources for your managed service provider journey

What you need to know about managed service software?

MSP software is designed to help service providers monitor and resolve errors, software deployment, and security issues across various client networks.

To give you an idea of the market, we have over 100 managed service provider software vendors on our site, and we’ve published around 1,200 reviews in the past year alone. [2] 

Managed service provider software is typically priced on a "per month" basis, starting at around $149 for basic functionalities. Mid-tier subscriptions can cost around $189, while high-end platforms can cost upwards of around $225 as they often require customizations for more advanced features. [1] Many products offer free trials or free versions of the software. 

First-time buyers should begin evaluating with a budget, number of users, specific use cases, and necessary integrations in mind. Ensure you've consulted with stakeholders on a list of critical questions to help you evaluate systems based on your needs, such as:

• What backup and recovery methods are supported by the software? 

• Does the tool allow users to schedule maintenance and create ad hoc requests?

• Does the software provide a self-service portal for users?

• What devices can be managed remotely using the MSP software?

Because there are so many different vendors, choosing the right option can be a long, daunting process. In this guide, you'll learn about the essential components of managed service software and get step-by-step guidance on choosing the right solution for your business. Reach out to schedule a consultation with any of our advisors.

What is managed service software?

Managed service software (MSP software) is designed for IT companies or businesses to manage, maintain, and monitor their clients’ IT infrastructure, including servers, endpoints, networks, and applications. By providing ongoing support and maintenance services to their clients, MSP software can help customer organizations focus on enhancing their services without worrying about downtimes or interruptions.

Essential features of MSP software

When comparing managed service provider software systems to choose the best solution for your business, it's essential to understand the key features you can expect. Some functionalities, such as remote monitoring, backup, and recovery, are fundamental and available in every MSP software. In contrast, other features, such as license management, maintenance scheduling, and self-service portal, are still common. By analyzing user reviews and feedback from industry professionals, we've identified the core features of MSP software to guide your decision.

Core managed service provider software features

Common managed service provider software features

Contact our team of advisors to learn more about managed service software features and get recommendations for your business. 

Benefits and competitive advantages of using managed service provider software

Many companies look for MSPs to streamline and enhance the quality of their business operations. Using MSP software, businesses can focus their strategic decisions instead of being experts at routine IT tasks. Our analysis of 1,381 user reviews from the last year shows that remote access, integration capabilities, reporting, and patch management are some of the top-rated benefits of MSP software:

• Remote access: Remote access functionality of the software allows IT experts to access your business’s network and infrastructure remotely to identify and solve issues and deploy important software updates. 

• Real-time monitoring and reporting: The ideal practice is to resolve problems before they convert into bigger issues. Utilizing the benefit of real-time monitoring, businesses can mitigate IT-related issues even before they actually occur. Also, organizations can get complete visibility into their IT infrastructure and performance with comprehensive reporting, which, in turn, can allow for informed decision-making and cost savings. 

• Automated patch management: With automated patch management, MSP software can ensure systems are up-to-date to reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities and system downtime. 

• Integration capabilities: Integration capabilities within the MSP software can allow businesses to add new services and tools as needs evolve seamlessly. For example, integrating cybersecurity solutions can help organizations understand potential threats, viruses, and incidents.

How to choose the best managed service provider software for your business

Step 1: Define your requirements

Before choosing the right MSP software, a business must identify and outline specific requirements. These needs are not limited to deciding the software's functionality but also consider data migrations, cost, training support, and integrations. 

What is the cost of MSP software?

The cost of an MSP software can rely widely on various factors, including:

• Number of users

• Required features

• Third-party integrations

• Type of support offered

• Number of devices

However, our analysis finds that the basic version of MSP starts at around $149 per month, while mid-tier subscriptions typically cost around $189 per month. [1]

Consider scalability and flexibility 

As your business evolves, your IT requirements might also grow. Select an MSP software that provides services that can expand with business growth. Also, ensure the software offers enough flexibility to customize your solutions to specific needs. 

Evaluate best security practices

Cybersecurity should be a top concern when choosing an MSP software provider. Make sure that the software implements industry best practices for network and data security and provides robust protocols for responding to cyberattacks. It is also essential to see if the product offers the ability to update a disaster recovery plan so that businesses can easily recover from interruptions. 

Potential drawbacks of MSP software

Though MSP software offers a lot of benefits, there could be some challenges that organizations should consider when selecting an MSP platform. However, you can overcome these drawbacks with careful planning. 

• Lack of physical presence: Using MSP software, businesses generally allow third parties to manage their IT requirements from external locations. If an organization comes across any on-site issues, they have to deal with them themselves. 

• Lack of a dedicated IT team: Every business has its particular IT needs. The managed service provider software may not be familiar with a business’s specific characteristics as they might provide generalized services catering to the entire industry.

Step 2: Make a shortlist of MSP software

With so many MSP software options available, it might be difficult to select the right software for your business. But with the right support and resources, choosing the best software can become easier. 

Get support from a qualified advisor 

At Software Advice, our advisors have experience assisting hundreds of businesses with identifying solutions to match their budgets and requirements. 

If you require assistance, you can chat online now with an advisor or schedule a phone call. In just a few minutes, your advisor will help you identify a shortlist of options that align with your practice’s requirements.

Explore our list of managed service provider software FrontRunners

In case you are not ready to talk to an advisor yet, you can also begin compiling your shortlist of managed service provider software with our FrontRunners report. Only products that earn top user ratings make this list. To be eligible for consideration, a product must:

• Have at least 20 unique user reviews in the last 24 months

• Be a stand-alone managed service provider software product

• Offer these features:

  • Backup and recovery

  • Issue management

  • Remote monitoring and management

Check out our full methodology description for more details on how the report is compiled.

Step 3: Pick your best option

After you’ve listed down your options, the next step is to look at vendor demos. Demo sessions might help you explore features, make the right investment, and understand pricing. Preparation is important to getting the most out of these sessions. 

How to prepare for vendor demos 

Once you have a shortlist of MSP software, schedule demo sessions with the vendor to gain deeper insights into the products. Remember to ask specific questions about features, pricing models, technical support, training resources, and any other factors important to your decision-making process.

Here are some questions you should ask vendors during demo sessions include:

• How do you manage data backup and recovery?

System downtime and data loss may affect your business operations. Therefore, you need to ask MSPs about their backup and recovery strategies. Also, ask how frequently backups are performed and how quickly they can recover systems if a disaster occurs. Verify if they conduct regular tests to test the effectiveness of their backup and recovery plans. 

• How does the software handle issue management and escalation?

By automating tasks and processes, the software has the potential to reduce the time needed to determine and resolve problems. Also, MSP software usually has a framework that can address different types of issues, ranging from low to critical urgency. 

• Does the software support remote monitoring?

When selecting MSP software, remote monitoring is an important factor to consider since it allows businesses to identify and fix issues without being on-site physically. This significantly enhances client satisfaction by allowing real-time monitoring of devices and systems across different locations. 

Software related to managed service provider software

Depending on which managed service provider software you select, you may have to integrate or use some similar software types to enhance your organization's issue management strategy. Some types of software that are closely related to MSP but may or may not be included in your MSP system include:

• IT management software: IT management software is designed to help businesses track the implementation of an organization’s IT assets and handle its operations. For example, security, usage, and performance. 

• ITSM software: The term ITSM software, short for “information technology services management software,” is used by businesses to manage all types of IT devices and the networks and services those devices require. 

• Remote monitoring and management software: Remote monitoring and management software is designed for IT professionals and managed service providers to manage and monitor devices and networks remotely.

More resources for your managed service provider journey

• 6 Top-Rated Affordable ITSM Software

About our contributors

Author

Smriti Arya is a writer at Software Advice, where she helps small businesses find the right software solutions. She draws insights from over 550,000 user reviews and nearly 48,000 interactions between Software Advice advisors and buyers.

Before joining Software Advice, she covered lifestyle, education, and technology trends. Her work has appeared in Medium and Canadian publications like Business in Vancouver and Canadian HR Reporter.

Editor

Parul Sharma is a content editor at Software Advice with expertise in curating content for various niches, including SaaS, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. With over half a decade of experience in content writing and editing, Parul has the expertise to simplify complex terms into engaging, valuable content for targeted audiences. She completed her graduation and post-graduation in English literature from Delhi University and was awarded the Dr. Asha Sahni Memorial Award for being the highest scorer in her graduating class.

Parul has contributed to the news, lifestyle, education, and health verticle of DNA India, India’s premier media channel. Outside of work, she can be found curating healthy recipes, coloring in mandala books, and spending quality time with her family.

Sources

• Software Advice software pricing data: Only products with publicly available pricing information and qualified software products within the category, as of May 2024, are included in the pricing analysis. Read the complete methodology.

• Software Advice reviews data: Software Advice reviews are collected from verified users for individual software products. For this report, we analyzed reviews from the past year as of the production date. Read the complete methodology.