A 28-criteria head-to-head between ConnectWise and Autotask, with feature matrix, pricing bands, fit guidance, and a verdict for three operator profiles.
| Feature | ConnectWise | Autotask |
|---|---|---|
| Ticketing | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Contracts and billing | ||
| Native quoting | ||
| Project management | ||
| Custom workflows | Deep | Moderate |
| API access | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| Native dashboards | Strong | Strong |
| Knowledge base | ||
| Client portal | ||
| Native chat | ||
| Starting price | $99/user/mo | $89/user/mo |
| Onboarding effort | 8-12 weeks | 6-10 weeks |
If you are an established MSP with a dedicated PSA administrator and a budget for deep customization, ConnectWise is the safer long-term bet. If you are a growth-stage MSP or you are budget-constrained, Autotask gets you 80% of the value with a faster onboarding and a lower license cost. For greenfield MSPs starting fresh in 2026, we would actually point you to HaloPSA or SuperOps over either of these — see the related comparisons.
Choose ConnectWise if you have 20+ employees, a dedicated PSA admin, a heavy customization roadmap, and a budget that supports a 6-figure annual platform spend. ConnectWise rewards investment but punishes the unprepared.
Choose Autotask if you are growth-stage, you want strong reporting out of the box, and you are happy to live within the standard workflow rather than build your own. Autotask is easier to onboard and easier to maintain over time — especially if you are already running Datto RMM.