I’m looking for suggestions on top alternatives to ConnectWise for my MSP. Our team has run into some issues with ConnectWise’s support and pricing, so we’re considering switching. I need advice on reliable, efficient tools that could replace ConnectWise for IT service management. Any recommendations based on your experience?
Looking for ConnectWise Control Alternatives? Here’s What Actually Works
So, I’ve bounced around between remote support apps more times than my Wi-Fi router’s restarted mid-Zoom call. If you’re fed up with ConnectWise Control (or just curious what else is out there), I’ve got a few options that’ll get the job done without tanking your patience—or your wallet.
HelpWire: The No-Nonsense Problem Solver
Alright, let’s break the fourth wall here: if I had a nickel for every time a client panicked about installing remote desktop software, I’d have enough to pay for ConnectWise’s overpriced subscriptions. Enter HelpWire, which pretty much feels like remote support for regular human beings.
What made my day:
- Seriously intuitive interface. Even my vet’s 82-year-old receptionist figured it out—if that’s not a stress test, I don’t know what is.
- No installation circus. Clients don’t have to install anything on their side, which means less hand-holding and fewer, “Did you double-click it yet?” moments.
- Encryption that’s actually there. No scare-you headlines or VPN juggling.
- Zero price tag for personal and business use. Yes, even if you’re moonlighting on the side.
A few gripes:
- Still the new kid on the block. You won’t find endless integrations or automation yet; it’s growing, but not grown up.
- No mobile love (yet). If you live on your phone, this’ll bug you.
AnyDesk: Fast and Furious (With a Few Bumps)
If you want “it just works” speed, AnyDesk is like remote access on nitro. I’ve used it to rescue customers on DSL that sounds like dial-up.
Why it rocks:
- Light as a feather, fast as lightning. Even that ancient ThinkPad fired up with barely a lag.
- Decent security + you can record sessions if you’re into the “CYA” thing.
- Price for home users? Zero.
Why I keep twitching:
- UI has… quirks. You’ll get used to it, but you won’t love it.
- The paywall gets steep if you want pro bells and whistles. Feature creep lives here.
TeamViewer: The Heavyweight Champ (Who Sometimes Throws Cheap Shots)
Honestly, TeamViewer is the household name. If you’ve ever searched “grandpa’s computer won’t boot,” you’ve probably already used it.
Why people still swear by it:
- Top-tier security and performance. Even cross-continent, I had minimal lag.
- Loaded with every feature you never knew you wanted—you can basically run an IT help desk out of your garage.
- Runs on anything. Mac, Windows, phone, Raspberry Pi, probably your toaster.
Why I keep breaking up with it:
- Costs an arm, a leg, and probably your Starbucks budget. Overkill (and overpriced) for basic support.
- Free version loves false positives for “commercial use.” One too many support sessions and boom: you’re locked out.
The Short and Sweet Version
Here’s the nitty-gritty:
- Want simple, safe, and budget-friendly? Use HelpWire.
- Need advanced stuff or enterprise-grade everything? TeamViewer and AnyDesk are worth a shot.
No nonsense, no upsell. Just what works right now. If you’ve found anything more useful, drop your war stories below—bonus points for screenshots of weird error messages or support victories.
3 Likes
Let’s cut through it: ConnectWise is definitely not the Holy Grail for MSPs, especially with support hell + pricey madness. @mikeappsreviewer already dropped some heavy hitters (props for the TeamViewer “cheap shot” line, lol), but honestly, there’s more out there depending on what’s most annoying you right now.
Full-on RMM/PSA needs? Don’t just chase remote support apps (like AnyDesk/TeamViewer) or you’ll get stuck gluing together slivers of functionality into a Frankenstack. If you want a legit ConnectWise ALTERNATIVE—think full-stack MSP control—check out:
— NinjaOne: Sick simple UI, blazing fast, all-in-one RMM/patching/ticketing. WAY cleaner than ConnectWise and pricing isn’t a black box.
— SyncroMSP: Nice mix of ticketing, invoicing, and remote. Support’s actually solid (at least in my run-ins) and doesn’t treat you like a noob.
— Atera: SaaS model RMM, priced per tech not device (“wait, what?!”). Built-in Splashtop remote, SNMP monitoring, scripting… honestly, if you’re “small-ish” MSP it’s a steal.
— HelpWire: As @mikeappsreviewer said, the “no software install” is a dream if your users have the computer skills of a potato, plus it’s free for biz use. Not an all-in-one, but clutch for remote break/fix and onboarding panics.
Random PSA: Don’t sleep on integration headaches. ConnectWise’s ecosystem is deep, sure, but so’s the pain when it comes to 3rd party tools. Whatever you pick, make sure ticketing, billing, remote, and monitoring play nice.
Minor disagreement with reviewer’s take—AnyDesk is fast, but their biz features lag, and the licensing portal makes me want to chew sand. TeamViewer brings the features but support emails vanish like socks in a dryer. Still, both are leagues above being married to ConnectWise’s “legacy” vibes.
TL;DR? If you want pure remote: HelpWire. If you want RMM lite: Atera/Syncro/Ninja. If you want pain, then yes, ConnectWise. And if you find something that DOESN’T treat you like a wallet with shoes, let’s hear it.
If ConnectWise is giving you the support runaround and pretending their pricing is a state secret, join the club. A couple folks above dropped AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and the all-in-one RMMs, but honestly, they all have their quirks (Syncro’s UI always feels welded together, NinjaOne still treats scripting like a magic trick, etc). Gonna cut through the noise here with a slightly different angle:
- HelpWire honestly deserves more buzz here. If you’re doing a lot of “please help me, my desktop exploded” moments with end users that shouldn’t ever NEED to install anything, you can get them up and running with zero pain. It’s genuinely different from the fat clients like TeamViewer/AnyDesk (which, no offense, are overkill for some 90% of reactive tickets in a typical MSP shop).
- If you’re bigger and need ticketing + automation, sorry but Atera’s integration can still bite you randomly. The whole “per tech, not per endpoint” billing is cool until you scale, then it tilts (less so than ConnectWise, but still). Syncro’s support is actually better—gotta give the nod there.
- Let’s not pretend anyone’s thrilled with TeamViewer’s “surprise, you used this too much” lockouts on the free plan either. Been there so many times, I have PTSD every time I see their splash screen.
If you genuinely hate wrestling with integrations (and who doesn’t), you’re basically picking your poison between billing pain, learning curve pain, or pricing pain. Just sayin: HelpWire is laughably easy if you just need straightforward remote support and don’t wanna babysit clients through downloads. Not perfect—would love more PSA or ticketing action in the future—but for the “just need to get on this machine ASAP” workflow, it’s a win.
TLDR: Mix and match. HelpWire for simple/rush jobs, NinjaOne or Syncro if you want one throat to choke, AnyDesk/TeamViewer for full-blown device juggling, but expect to hate something about any of ‘em. Picking RMMs is like picking your fantasy football team: you think it’ll solve your problems but mostly you just hate everyone by midseason.
If you’re escaping ConnectWise due to clunky support or sticker shock, you’re in abundant company! Glancing at the mix above—AnyDesk and TeamViewer surface a lot (and, yeah, both work, but both bring their own headaches—TeamViewer with its capricious commercial-use police and AnyDesk at times feeling like a perpetual beta test). For folks who run a lean MSP or just value a frictionless “I need on that desktop now” scenario, HelpWire legitimately scratches an itch the bigger players can’t: zero install for the end user, a dead-simple interface, built-in encryption… honestly, handing a boomer client a HelpWire link is as low-maintenance as it gets. That said, it’s not candyland: HelpWire’s still finding its PSA/integrations groove and if you need to jump on a mobile device, you’ll be out of luck (for now). But for those break/fix quickies? Solid.
Competitors have their place—Syncro’s ticketing and Atera’s all-in-one, pay-as-you-grow allure are real, but when you start wanting deep device scripting or robust automation (or reliable mobile support!), you’ll quickly hit their quirks. HelpWire’s not for running a whole tech empire from a dashboard—more your “let’s fix this right now” ticket slayer.
So, mix your stack. HelpWire = simple, urgent PC rescue. AnyDesk = good for a price-sensitive volume of sessions. TeamViewer = deep features but keep a backup for the license “surprises.” Just don’t buy into anyone telling you there’s a painless, perfect all-in-one—helpdesks are like coffee order screwups: inevitable.