Start with the PSA, because that is where tickets, time entries, and contracts become invoices. Our pick for that core is SherpaDesk. A helpdesk and PSA a small IT team can run alone. No contract. No implementation project. No dedicated admin.
Key takeaways
| If you… | Pick | Why | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill every hour by client, contract, or prepaid block | SherpaDesk | Logged time collects by contract in Ready to Invoice; five rate-plan types; no contract | No built-in RMM |
| Run one or two technicians and want the price up front | SherpaDesk | First agent free, forever; Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually) | Asset management needs High Camp ($55 per agent per month) |
| Need PSA and RMM on one license | Syncro Core | One license, unlimited endpoints | $159 per technician per month billed monthly ($129 annually), even for PSA only |
| Need named or concurrent agent licenses | HaloPSA | Named or concurrent licenses; NinjaOne alerts open tickets | Onboarding package required, priced by scope |
| Want an RMM priced per device | NinjaOne | $3.75 per endpoint per month at 50 or fewer | No PSA in the license |
| Already run Datto RMM | Autotask PSA | Alerts and devices sync into Autotask | No published price |
| Need self-hosted documentation | Hudu | No minimum; cloud or self-hosted | Listed price is for annual billing |
| Have 5+ technicians and need two-way PSA sync for documentation | IT Glue Select | Two-way PSA/CRM sync, $38 per user per month | Basic and Select require 5 users on a 36-month term, plus onboarding |
Example: a team of 3 on Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually) pays for 2 agents, because the first is free. That is $90 a month, $177 less than SuperOps PSA Only ($267). Billed annually, it is $80 against $237.
Picks By Scenario Comparison Table Cost Comparison Cost Calculator How To Choose FAQHow we chose
We publish this guide, and SherpaDesk is one of the 10 tools. It is described with the same template and listed with its limitations.
Definition
MSP software is the set of tools a managed service provider uses to run clients' IT remotely and to run its own business. The core is an RMM to monitor and patch devices, and a PSA for tickets, time, contracts, and billing.
A managed service provider is a third-party company that remotely manages a customer's IT infrastructure and end-user systems. Two kinds of software do most of that work.
RMM software lets off-site technicians maintain networks, servers, desktops, and mobile devices, and apply patches and updates. PSA software handles the business side: projects, billing, assets, and inventory. It replaces separate tools for resource planning, billing, time tracking, and project management with one system.
Some vendors sell PSA, RMM, and remote control as one suite. Others sell each piece and connect them.
Practitioners on r/msp put the order bluntly. "Your best tools start with your RMM and PSA," one owner told a new two-person shop. Another added: "Get customers first. … Until then keep expenses way down".
| Category | Job it does | 1 technician | 3 technicians | 10 technicians | Usual billing unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA and billing | Tickets, time, contracts, invoices | Yes, if you bill by the hour or by contract | Yes | Yes | Per technician |
| RMM | Monitoring, patching, scripts on client devices | Yes, once you have managed clients | Yes | Yes | Per endpoint or per technician |
| All-in-one PSA + RMM | Both of the above in one license | Optional | Optional | Optional | Per technician |
| Documentation | Passwords, configurations, runbooks | Can wait | Yes | Yes | Per user |
| Remote access | Attended support sessions | Check your RMM first | Check your RMM first | Often a separate tool | Per concurrent technician |
| Security and backup | Endpoint protection, recovery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies by vendor |
Read the "Starting price" column with its unit. $3.75 per endpoint and $45 per agent aren't comparable until you count your endpoints. The Cost Section does that for a team of 3.
| Tool | Category | Best for | Starting price | Seat minimum | Time → invoice (documented workflow) | Native RMM | Documented RMM integration | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SherpaDesk Ours | Helpdesk, PSA, and billing | 1–10 technicians who bill hourly and by contract | Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually); first agent free, forever | None | Yes, documented | No | NinjaOne, on High Camp ($55 per agent per month) | 14 days free, no card |
| HaloPSA | PSA and billing | Named or concurrent licenses, with an onboarding budget | £66 per agent per month, billed annually; onboarding package required, quoted | None listed | Yes, documented | No | NinjaOne | 30 days, no card |
| ConnectWise PSA | PSA and billing | Shops already on ConnectWise RMM | Quote on request | Not listed | Not verified by us | No | ConnectWise RMM | Not listed |
| Autotask PSA | PSA and billing | Shops already on Datto RMM | Quote on request | Not listed | Yes, labor tracked for invoicing | No | Datto RMM | Not listed |
| Syncro | All-in-one | One license for PSA and RMM, unlimited endpoints | $129 per technician per month annual, $159 monthly | None listed | Yes, documented | Yes | Not checked (RMM built in) | 14 days, no card |
| SuperOps | All-in-one | Choosing PSA only, RMM only, or both | Pro $129 per technician per month annual, $149 monthly | None listed | Not verified by us | Yes, in Pro and Super | Not checked (RMM built in) | Free sign-up |
| NinjaOne | RMM | Adding an RMM to a separate PSA | $3.75 per endpoint per month at 50 or fewer endpoints | Not listed | n/a (PSA sold separately) | Yes (the RMM itself) | n/a | 14 days |
| Hudu | Documentation | Small teams starting documentation | $27 per user per month, billed annually | None | n/a | n/a | n/a | 14 days, no card |
| IT Glue | Documentation | Teams of 5 or more | Basic $29 per user per month (one-way PSA sync; two-way from Select, $38), 36-month term, plus one-time onboarding fee | 5 users (Enterprise: 1–4 user options) | n/a | n/a | n/a | Not listed |
| Splashtop | Remote access | Attended support without an RMM agent | Remote Support SOS from $22 per concurrent technician per month, billed annually | Not listed | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes |
A PSA is where the money is counted. Every ticket, time entry, and contract lives there, and the invoice comes out of it.
The four tools below are PSAs without a built-in RMM. You pair each with an RMM, so their prices look lower than the bundles.
In the r/msp threads we read, the PSA choice turns on setup effort and integrations. For a team without a spare person, setup is the cost that decides. Ask each vendor who configures it and what onboarding costs.
Best for MSPs with 1–10 technicians who bill hourly, by contract, or from prepaid hours
A helpdesk and PSA a small IT team can run alone. No contract. No implementation project. No dedicated admin. Two founders who ran their own MSP have built it since 2001.
You get ticketing, time tracking, and invoicing in one product, with projects and reporting alongside. Asset management is in High Camp ($55 per agent per month). You can run it as client-facing ticketing for the businesses you support, or as an internal helpdesk.
It is built for teams without a spare person. Modules you don't use toggle off. Contractor licenses are $10 each, limited to assigned tickets in one account.
Tickets start from forwarding: you forward your support address to a dropbox address, and incoming email becomes tickets. Your technicians log time on tickets, projects, and accounts, from the Chrome extension and the mobile app too.
You can connect QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks; QuickBooks Desktop takes downloaded .IIF import files. There is no onboarding fee, and migration is included. The path to the invoice is in How It Works.
Recommendation
Choose SherpaDesk if you run an MSP with 1–10 technicians and bill hourly, by contract, or from prepaid hours. Add the RMM you run. The NinjaOne integration syncs devices into Asset Manager, a High Camp feature ($55 per agent per month). Consider a bundle if you want one license, or if its price is lower for your own counts (try the Calculator).
Best for MSPs that need named or concurrent agent licenses and have a budget for onboarding
For a team without a spare person, onboarding is the cost to check first. "Onboarding packages are required with purchase at a bespoke cost depending on scope," the pricing page says.
The pricing page lists automated invoicing, time and material billing, recurring billing, timesheets, and accounting integrations. There is no RMM in the plan.
Halo documents a NinjaOne integration that imports customers and their assets. It opens a ticket for each NinjaOne alert and closes it when the alert resolves.
Recommendation
Choose HaloPSA if you need named or concurrent agent licenses and have a budget for the required onboarding. Consider another option if there is no budget or no person for onboarding.
Best for MSPs already on ConnectWise RMM, or whose stack depends on its integrations
Built for teams without a spare person: that is the bar a small shop sets for its PSA. On SherpaDesk, tickets start from inbox forwarding, contractor licenses are $10 each, and there is no implementation project. For ConnectWise PSA, put the same questions to sales: who configures it, and what onboarding costs.
ConnectWise PSA covers service delivery "to billing—in one system," in the product page's words. The page offers packages, starting with Essentials, and a form to ask for pricing instead of a number.
The RMM is a separate product. ConnectWise says its RMM and PSA "work together to automatically convert monitoring alerts into actionable tickets". "The whole reason we stay with Connectwise PSA is the integrations," one r/msp member wrote in a PSA-switching thread.
Recommendation
Choose ConnectWise PSA if you already run ConnectWise RMM or need an integration that exists only there. Consider another option if you want to see the price before the demo.
Best for MSPs already on Datto RMM
Autotask's product page says it tracks labor, contracts, and expenses automatically for invoicing. It integrates with accounting tools such as QuickBooks. Pricing is negotiated: "Every partner has the freedom to customize their own pricing plan," the pricing page says.
Its RMM partner is Datto RMM, sold separately. The integration maps Autotask organizations to Datto RMM sites and creates alert tickets in a queue you choose. It also syncs devices to configuration items.
Recommendation
Choose Autotask PSA if you already run Datto RMM and can wait for a quote. Consider another option if you need a price you can put in a spreadsheet today.
All-in-one bundles sell PSA and RMM under one license, so you deal with one vendor and one bill. "Some RMMs bundle PSA features and have a low startup cost," as one r/msp owner put it.
The trade-off is that both halves come from one vendor. Changing your RMM later means reviewing the whole license.
At NinjaOne's published rate, High Camp ($55 per agent per month) with NinjaOne comes to an estimated $179.50 a month less than Syncro Core. The Cost Section runs the numbers for a team of 3 and 50 endpoints.
Best for MSPs that want PSA, RMM, and invoicing on one per-technician license
Syncro puts "RMM + PSA in every plan" with "Unlimited endpoints per technician". Core is $129 per user per month on annual billing or $159 monthly.
Team is $179 or $209. Estimates, invoicing, payments, and recurring billing automation are included in both plans.
Recommendation
Choose Syncro if you need PSA and RMM on one license, or if its price is lower for your own counts (try the Calculator). Consider another option if you already run an RMM you like; you'd pay for a second one.
Best for MSPs that want to start with PSA only, RMM only, or both, from one vendor
SuperOps' MSP pricing splits the product into pieces. PSA Only is $79 per technician per month on annual billing or $89 monthly, and lists "Automated billing and invoicing".
RMM Only is $99 or $109. Pro, labeled "Essential PSA-RMM", is $129 or $149, and Super is $159 or $179.
RMM Only, Pro, and Super list 150 endpoints per technician. More come in packs of 150 for $75 a month instead of extra licenses.
Recommendation
Choose SuperOps if you want PSA and RMM from one vendor, bought one half at a time. Consider another option if you run many more than 150 endpoints per technician and want the price fixed per head.
If you buy a PSA on its own, you still need an RMM. Here, per-endpoint pricing is common, so the bill follows your device count rather than your headcount.
Best for MSPs pairing an RMM with a separate PSA
NinjaOne uses per-device pricing. It "starts as low as $1.50 USD per month at 10,000 endpoints, increasing to $3.75 USD at 50 or fewer endpoints". You can pay monthly or annually; month-to-month terms are offered "on a case-by-case basis".
NinjaOne lists PSA, ticketing, and billing as separate products, so you can pair its RMM with a PSA from another vendor. Paired with SherpaDesk High Camp ($55 per agent per month), the integration syncs NinjaOne accounts and devices and turns alerts into tickets.
Recommendation
Choose NinjaOne as the RMM next to SherpaDesk if you want patching and monitoring billed per device. Consider another option if your technicians each manage hundreds of endpoints; per-technician bundles may cost less.
A documentation tool keeps client passwords, network diagrams, and procedures in one place instead of a technician's head. Both tools below charge per user, and their minimums and terms differ.
Best for 1–4 person shops starting documentation
Hudu lists $27 per user per month on annual billing with "No minimums · No contracts". It runs cloud-hosted or self-hosted. Hudu Radar is an add-on from $44 a month, and professional services start at $199.
Recommendation
Choose Hudu if you have fewer than five technicians, or clients who need the documentation hosted on your own servers. Consider another option if you need monthly billing; check the monthly price first.
Best for MSPs with five or more technicians
IT Glue lists Basic at $29 per user, Select at $38, and Enterprise at $44, each with a 5-user minimum. The exception is Enterprise, with "1-4 user options available for $49-102/user". Prices are per user per month "based on a 36-month term", and "a one-time onboarding fee applies".
The tiers differ in integrations. Basic includes one integration, Select two, and Enterprise unlimited.
Select and Enterprise add two-way PSA/CRM sync, while RMM sync is one-way on every tier. IT Glue is sold only as SaaS.
Recommendation
Choose IT Glue Select, from $38 per user per month on a 36-month term plus onboarding, if you want two-way PSA sync and have five or more technicians. Consider another option if you're smaller, can't commit to 36 months, or need self-hosting.
Some vendors bundle remote-control software with PSA and RMM, so check what you already own before buying a separate tool. A standalone tool earns its place when you support users on machines without your RMM agent.
Best for attended support on devices without an RMM agent
Splashtop's Remote Support SOS plan is listed "Starting at $22 / month/ concurrent tech license". It is billed annually. Sessions reach unlimited on-demand devices through a session code, and a free trial is offered.
Recommendation
Choose Splashtop if your RMM's remote control doesn't cover the sessions you run. Consider another option if it does; you'd pay twice for the same job.
We didn't price security or backup tools for this edition, and we don't rank them. Whichever you buy, we'd require four things:
The last point is where the PSA comes back in. If your contract bills restore tests, log the time on a ticket so it reaches the invoice.
Your first agent is free, forever, so a team of 3 pays for 2. Without an RMM, Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually) totals $90 a month, $177 less than SuperOps PSA Only.
| Stack | Price basis | Billed annually | Billed monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| SherpaDesk Base Camp Ours | First agent free, then $45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually; RMM bought separately | $80 + RMM | $90 + RMM |
| SherpaDesk High Camp Ours | First agent free, then $55 per agent per month, $50 billed annually; adds Asset Manager, where NinjaOne devices sync | $100 + RMM | $110 + RMM |
| SuperOps PSA Only | $79 or $89 per technician; no RMM | $237 | $267 |
| Syncro Core | $129 or $159 per technician, unlimited endpoints | $387 | $477 |
| SuperOps Pro | $129 or $149 per technician, 150 endpoints per technician included | $387 | $447 |
Billed annually, the same team pays $80, $157 less than SuperOps PSA Only. You pay no onboarding fee, and migration is included. HaloPSA has no row: it is priced in pounds and needs a quoted onboarding package.
For the full stack, NinjaOne devices sync into Asset Manager, which is in High Camp ($55 per agent per month). NinjaOne's published rate of $3.75 per endpoint at 50 or fewer gives $187.50 for 50 endpoints.
Add 2 paid agents on High Camp ($55 per agent per month, $110 in total), and the estimate at NinjaOne's published rate is $297.50 a month. At their monthly prices, that is $179.50 less than Syncro Core and $149.50 less than SuperOps Pro.
Start from what you already own and how you bill. A shop with a working RMM needs a PSA that integrates with it. Either way, the invoice is the test: if logged time doesn't reach it without a spreadsheet, someone has to re-enter the data.
The r/msp threads we read show where small shops get hurt. One owner described the month-end: a PowerShell script pulling line items from the PSA's API into accounting.
Another called that kind of setup "creating unnecessary manual work". A third said: "My PSA integrates with Qbo or Xero and just creates the invoices automatically". On setup, small teams report paying for consultant time to get a PSA configured. Ask every vendor these questions before the trial ends.
Bottom line: for an MSP with 1–10 technicians that bills hourly or by contract, our pick is SherpaDesk next to the RMM you run. Price it for your own team in the Calculator.
How this works in SherpaDesk
Your technicians log time on the ticket with the timer, the timesheet, an email command, or the mobile app. Each uninvoiced time entry, with any expenses, lands in the Ready to Invoice list, grouped by the client's contract.
Each account has its own rate plan, such as hourly, retainer, or blended hourly. A contract can also hold prepaid hours. From there you create the invoice and push it to QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks, without a month-end export script.
| Account | Contract | Next billing | Last inv. | Billable | Non-billable | Included | Accum. | Overage | Labor | Travel | Products | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Dental Group | Flat + Hourly | 10-01-2026 | 09-01-2026 | 14.50 | 2.25 | 10 | 0 | 4.50 | $562.50 | $0 | $0 | $562.50 | + | |
| Maple Street Law | Hourly | 10-15-2026 | 09-15-2026 | 9.75 | 1.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $1,218.75 | $45.00 | $0 | $1,263.75 | + | |
| Brightline Accounting | Block Hours | 10-01-2026 | 09-01-2026 | 12.25 | 0.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $1,531.25 | $0 | $129.00 | $1,660.25 | + | |
| Cedar Ridge Veterinary | Retainer | 10-20-2026 | 09-20-2026 | 6.00 | 0.50 | 8 | 2.00 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $389.00 | $389.00 | + | |
| Northgate Property Co. | Blended Hourly | 10-31-2026 | 09-30-2026 | 7.50 | 1.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $862.50 | $60.00 | $0 | $922.50 | + | |
| Oak & Pine Bakery | Main | 11-01-2026 | Never | 2.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $250.00 | $0 | $0 | $250.00 | + |
Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually) covers tickets, time tracking, and invoicing. High Camp ($55 per agent per month) adds asset management.
Where SherpaDesk fits
We don't build RMM. We integrate with yours, and the stack stays yours.
Today that means NinjaOne, so a shop that wants PSA and RMM on one license fits Syncro better. You get SherpaDesk as a cloud service only; clients that require self-hosted software need another option. If your stack depends on a specific integration, check it is on the list before the trial.
The core is an RMM to monitor, maintain, and patch client devices, and a PSA to manage projects, billing, and assets. Around them sit documentation, remote access, security, and backup tools. Some vendors sell PSA and RMM as one suite; see the Category Table.
It depends on your clients' compliance needs and on what your RMM integrates with, so we don't rank one here. Require three things: detections that open a ticket in your PSA, a per-client view you can bill from, and a per-endpoint price you can pass through in your contracts. See Security And Backup.
For a small shop, separate tools can cost less. Take a team of 3 and 50 endpoints. Your first agent is free, so SherpaDesk High Camp ($55 per agent per month) plus NinjaOne at $3.75 per endpoint is an estimated $297.50 a month. Billed monthly for 3 technicians, Syncro Core is $477 and SuperOps Pro $447.
Separate tools also let you keep an RMM you like. A bundle gives you one license and one vendor, and at other counts it can cost less. See the Cost Table.
Paid PSA plans in this list start with SherpaDesk Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually). SuperOps PSA Only is $89 per technician monthly, $79 billed annually. HaloPSA lists £66, billed annually.
PSA + RMM bundles cost $129 on annual billing for Syncro Core and SuperOps Pro, or $159 and $149 monthly. ConnectWise and Autotask quote each partner.
With SherpaDesk, your first agent is free, forever (the Single Agent plan), with tickets, time tracking, invoicing, and quoting. Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually) adds more agents, and you pay only for those. High Camp ($55 per agent per month) adds asset management and a custom email domain, and contractor licenses are $10 each.
Yes, once you bill several clients for time or by contract. You need one place where tickets, hours, and contracts become invoices, and that is the PSA's job. Keep costs low until revenue arrives, as r/msp owners advise new shops.
With SherpaDesk, your first agent is free, forever; when you hire, move to Base Camp ($45 per agent per month, $40 billed annually). Watch for minimums elsewhere: IT Glue Basic and Select require 5 users on a 36-month term, plus onboarding.
Several PSAs do. Autotask names QuickBooks on its product page, HaloPSA lists accounting integrations, and SherpaDesk supports QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks. Ask how each connection works for your version. In SherpaDesk, you push invoices to QuickBooks Online; QuickBooks Desktop works through downloaded .IIF import files.
Per-technician pricing charges for each person who works tickets. Syncro includes unlimited endpoints per technician, and SuperOps Pro includes 150.
Per-endpoint pricing charges for each managed device; NinjaOne runs from $3.75 down to $1.50 as the count grows. Few devices per technician favors per-endpoint; many favors per-technician. Try both in the Calculator.
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Patrick co-founded SherpaDesk and has led it as CEO since 2013. He has worked with IT service providers since 1998, first on network projects for schools and government offices, then on the helpdesk software their technicians use every day.