The best PSA software depends on what kind of services business you run: MSPs usually want ticketing and remote monitoring joined up, while agencies and consultancies want projects, timesheets, resourcing and invoicing in one place. Here are ten professional services automation tools in no particular order, with which offer a free plan, a trial or a demo.
PSA is one of those labels that means two different things depending on who's buying. To an MSP owner, it's the system that turns tickets and monitored devices into invoices. To an agency founder, it's where projects, people's time and client billing finally meet in one place instead of four.
I've listed ten tools here that cover both camps, sorted alphabetically and in no particular order. Every description comes from the vendor's own website, re-checked today, and I've noted how you get in: a free plan, a time-limited trial or a demo. If invoicing is the part that eats your week, my guide to cutting invoicing admin in an agency is worth reading alongside this.
PSA platforms compared
Yes in the free plan column means the vendor's site lists a free plan you can keep using. Trial only means a time-limited trial. No means plans are arranged through a demo or a request form.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accelo | Professional services automation | Agencies and consultancies running client work | No |
| Atera | RMM and PSA platform | MSPs wanting RMM and ticketing together | Trial only |
| Avaza | Projects, time and invoicing | Freelancers and small agencies | Yes |
| BigTime | Time, billing and PSA | Firms billing hourly across several clients | No |
| HaloPSA | PSA and service desk | MSPs wanting every module in one platform | Trial only |
| Kantata | Enterprise PSA platform | Larger services firms needing resourcing | No |
| Productive | Agency operations software | Agencies and consultancies planning resources | Trial only |
| Rocketlane | Client delivery and PSA | Teams onboarding and delivering for clients | Trial only |
| SuperOps | PSA and RMM for MSPs | Teams wanting PSA and RMM in one | Trial only |
| Syncro | RMM and PSA for MSPs | Small and growing MSPs | Trial only |
Ten PSA and services operations tools
Accelo
Best for: Agencies, consultancies and IT services firms wanting client management, projects and billing in one system, with plans tailored after a demo.
Atera
Best for: MSPs and IT departments wanting remote monitoring, help desk ticketing and billing in one tool, sold per technician with a free trial.
Avaza
Best for: Freelancers and small agencies wanting projects, timesheets and invoices in one place, starting on a free plan, with a 14-day trial of the bigger plans.
BigTime
Best for: Professional services firms that bill for time and want timesheets, expenses and invoicing together, with tiers running up to enterprise PSA.
HaloPSA
Best for: MSPs and service teams wanting service desk, projects and billing in a single platform, with every feature open in a 30-day trial.
Kantata
Best for: Larger services businesses wanting a PSA platform with resourcing and financial visibility, ready to talk to an advisor about a plan for their size.
Productive
Best for: Agencies and consultancies wanting budgeting, resource planning and time tracking together, with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.
Rocketlane
Best for: Professional services and onboarding teams wanting client-facing project delivery and billing in one place, with a free trial or a demo.
SuperOps
Best for: MSPs and internal IT teams wanting PSA and RMM built together, with a free trial before a quote from sales.
Syncro
Best for: Small and growing MSPs wanting RMM and PSA bundled in every plan, with unlimited endpoints per technician and a 14-day trial.
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UK record keeping and your billing history
This applies to UK limited companies, and it's the part people forget when they swap systems. GOV.UK says a limited company must keep its accounting records for 6 years from the end of the last company financial year they relate to, or longer in some cases, for example where a record shows a transaction covering more than one accounting period.
What that means when you're choosing a PSA: your invoices, time entries and billing history are accounting records. Before you sign, check you can export them in full, in a format your accountant can open, and find out what happens to your data if you cancel. If you're moving from an older system, keep its exports safe for the full six years.
MSP tooling or agency tooling?
- MSP-style PSA: tickets, contracts, monitored devices and billing joined up, often bundled with remote monitoring and management.
- Agency-style PSA: projects, resourcing, timesheets and invoices, so you can see whether each client is worth the hours.
- Client delivery tools: focus on onboarding and project delivery your clients can see.
- Lighter time and invoicing apps: a sensible first step for freelancers and very small teams.
Questions for a PSA demo
- Show me a ticket, or a task, turning into an invoice line without retyping.
- How do retainers, fixed-scope projects and hourly work sit side by side?
- What does a technician or consultant see on their phone between jobs?
- Which accounting packages do you connect to, and what syncs each way?
- How do I export every invoice and time entry if I leave?
- Who helps us move our existing clients and contracts across?
Good records make the move far easier, and this guide to keeping tidy financial records is a helpful checklist before you migrate.
Do you make PSA software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice for agencies and MSPs picking a PSA
Decide which camp you're in first. If you're an MSP, look at tools that join ticketing to remote monitoring, because that's where the hours are saved. If you're an agency or consultancy, start with the ones built around projects, timesheets and resourcing, and judge them on how quickly a timesheet becomes an invoice.
Whichever you choose, test the export before you need it. Your billing history has to outlive the software, and in the UK that means six years at least.
Frequently asked questions
What does PSA stand for?
Professional services automation. It's software that runs the business side of services work: clients, projects or tickets, time, and billing.
What is the difference between PSA and RMM?
RMM watches and manages client devices remotely. PSA handles tickets, contracts, time and invoicing. Many MSP tools bundle the two.
Is there free PSA software?
A few tools offer a free plan, usually aimed at freelancers and small teams. Most PSA platforms offer a trial or a demo instead.
Can an agency use MSP software?
It can, but it may feel awkward. Agency-focused tools are built around projects and resourcing rather than tickets and devices.
How long must I keep invoices in the UK?
GOV.UK says limited companies must keep accounting records for 6 years from the end of the last financial year they relate to, and longer in some cases.
How hard is it to switch PSA?
It takes planning. Export clients, contracts, open work and billing history, then run both systems side by side for a short period.
