How StrataDesk Compares
We built StrataDesk because existing tools didn't handle multi-tenant properly. Here's how we stack up.
| Feature | StrataDesk | ConnectWise | HaloPSA (Halo) | Freshdesk | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per client space | Per user (~€35-100)* | Per agent (from €75) | Per agent (€17-84) | Per agent (€55-115+) |
| Database per End-Client | Separate PostgreSQL DB | No — permission-based | No — permission-based | No — shared account | No — shared account |
| Deployment Isolation | Separate containers | On-prem available | Dedicated hosting | Shared SaaS | Shared SaaS |
| Self-Hosted Option | Docker-based | Yes (Windows, complex) | Yes (Windows + MS SQL) | No | No |
| Multi-Client Management | Built-in | Yes | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| White-Label | Included | Portal branding incl. | Available | Plan-gated (brand caps) | Partial (plan-gated) |
| Custom Asset Types | Dynamic | Yes (IT-focused) | Yes | No (separate product) | Yes (max 50) |
| Per-Client Backup | pg_dump per client | Instance-level only | Not documented | Account-wide export | Account-wide export |
| Free Tier | Yes | No | No (30-day trial) | 2 agents, 6 months | No (14-day trial) |
| Setup Time | Minutes | Weeks-months† | Paid onboarding required | Self-serve | Self-serve |
| Recurring plans + callback observability | Native — schedule + per-asset tickets + signed callbacks | Ticket templates | Scheduled tickets | Marketplace app | Paid marketplace app |
| Best For | MSPs, multi-client businesses | Large MSPs | Mid-size MSPs | Customer support | Customer support |
StrataDesk vs ConnectWise Manage
Enterprise features without enterprise pricing
The Problem with ConnectWise
- $ Quote-only pricing that scales with headcount: third-party estimates run ~€35-100/user/month*, so a 5-person team pays roughly €2,100-6,000/year in licenses alone
- $ Implementation is a project: ConnectWise's own process spans onboarding, implementation, and go-live over 6-20 weeks, with implementation costs commonly reported at €500-20,000+
- | Steep learning curve: Built for established MSPs with dedicated admin staff; new technicians need weeks of training
- X One database for all your clients: end-client separation is role-based permissions, not separate databases
When ConnectWise Makes Sense
- You have 50+ employees
- You need deep PSA/RMM integration
- You have dedicated admin staff
- Budget isn't a constraint
When StrataDesk Makes Sense
- You're a small/mid MSP (1-20 people)
- You want true client isolation
- You need to control costs while growing
- You value simplicity over feature count
Cost Comparison: 5 agents, 30 clients
ConnectWise PSA licenses (est.*)
€2,100-6,000/year
+ implementation (one-time, reported)
€500-20,000+
StrataDesk Business
€2,388/year
You save
Up to €3,600/year + no implementation project
Data isolation per client
Separate DB
Per-client backup
pg_dump per client
Time to first ticket
30 minutes
White-labeling
Included
Feature Comparison
Pricing
Per client space
vs
Per agent (from €75)
Per-end-client database
Yes
vs
Permission-based
Per-client backup
Yes
vs
Not documented
On-premise option
Docker-based
vs
Windows Server
Onboarding fee
None
vs
Required (bespoke)
Free tier
Yes
vs
No
StrataDesk vs HaloPSA (now Halo)
Per-client isolation vs per-agent pricing
What Halo Does Well
- Everything-included per-agent price (all modules, one price)
- Dedicated hosting per customer when Halo-hosted
- Clean, modern interface with good ticketing and asset management
- Active development
Where It Falls Short
- Per-agent pricing: from €75/agent/month (1-24 agents) — costs scale with your team, and concurrent licenses cost double
- Mandatory paid onboarding: "Onboarding packages are required with purchase" at a bespoke cost
- No per-client databases: your end-clients share your instance, separated by permissions
- Windows-only self-hosting: On-premise requires Windows Server and MS SQL
When StrataDesk Makes Sense
- Per-client databases and per-client backups matter to you
- You prefer Docker-based, cross-platform deployment
- You want costs independent of team size
- You want to start self-serve, free, today
StrataDesk vs Freshdesk
Built for service providers, not just support teams
What Freshdesk Does Well
- Great UX for support agents
- Strong knowledge base features
- Good automation and workflows
- Affordable entry pricing
Where It Falls Short for Service Providers
- Single-company mindset: Designed for one company supporting their customers
- No per-client separation: Your end-client companies are records inside one shared helpdesk account
- No built-in asset management: Freshworks sells that separately as Freshservice
- Multi-brand portals are capped: 5 branded portals on Pro (€52/agent/month), unlimited only on Enterprise (€84)
- Free plan expires: 1-2 agents, 6 months only
When Freshdesk Makes Sense
- You're a product company supporting your own customers
- You don't need multi-client management
- Knowledge base and self-service are priorities
Key Differences
Best for
Multi-client service providers
vs Single-company support
Data isolation
Separate DB per client
vs Shared account
Asset management
Dynamic types
vs Separate product
White-label
Included
vs 5-brand cap below Enterprise
Self-hosted
Yes
vs No
Cost Comparison: 5 agents, 1 year
Zendesk Suite Professional (€115, annual billing)
€6,900/year
StrataDesk Business
€2,388/year
You save
€4,512/year
Starting price
Free
vs
€55/agent/mo
Multi-client native
Yes
vs
Plan-gated brands
Setup complexity
Low
vs
Extensive configuration
StrataDesk vs Zendesk
Multi-tenant architecture vs enterprise support platform
What Zendesk Does Well
- Massive feature set
- Excellent integrations
- Strong marketplace
- Native IT asset management since late 2025
Where It Falls Short for Service Providers
- Expensive at scale: €55-115+/agent/month (annual billing); Enterprise pricing unpublished
- Multi-client via plan-gated "brands": 1 brand on Suite Team, 5 on Growth/Professional — more requires Enterprise
- Shared multi-tenant SaaS: No dedicated or self-hosted deployment; data-residency choice and BYOK encryption are plan-gated extras
- Complexity: Hundreds of features to configure
When StrataDesk Makes Sense
- You provide services to multiple clients
- True data isolation matters
- You want simpler, not more features
- Cost efficiency is important
StrataDesk vs Zoho Desk
Multi-tenant architecture vs a low-cost single-company helpdesk
What Zoho Desk Does Well
- Genuinely inexpensive entry pricing, from €7/agent/month
- Free edition with three user licences
- Enormous feature breadth, and tight integration with the wider Zoho suite
Where It Falls Short for Service Providers
- Per-agent pricing: €7-40/agent/month (billed annually) — the bill grows with hiring, not with clients
- Multi-brand help centres need Enterprise: branding each client separately means the top tier
- Departments are not tenants: clients share one account and one data store; multi-department itself starts at Professional
- Backups are account-wide: only the primary contact can run one, a full backup locks out the next for 30 days, and the link expires after 7
- Recurring tickets need code: a schedule running a custom Deluge function, capped at 10 schedules per department
When StrataDesk Makes Sense
- You support many separate client companies, not one
- A client asks you to prove their data is separate
- You need to back up or hand over one client's data on its own
- You would rather pay per client space than per technician
StrataDesk vs Jira Service Management
Client companies as tenants vs client companies as projects
What Jira Service Management Does Well
- An exceptionally powerful workflow and automation engine
- The obvious choice for teams already living in Jira and Confluence
- Mature incident management, on-call scheduling, and a large marketplace
- Asset and configuration management included from Standard
Where It Falls Short for Service Providers
- No longer sold on its own: ships inside the Atlassian "Service Collection" with Customer Service Management, Assets and Rovo — the apps cannot be bought separately
- Cloud only: Service Collection is Atlassian Cloud exclusively; self-hosting means the separate Data Center product
- Priced in USD agent tiers: $1,250/year at 4-5 agents on Standard, $2,850 on Premium — your sixth technician is a tier jump
- Projects are not tenants: every client is a project inside one site sharing one data store, with no per-client database or restore
- Assets are metered: $0.02 per object per month above the plan allowance
When StrataDesk Makes Sense
- Your clients are separate companies, not projects
- You need per-client backup, restore, and clean offboarding
- You want EU hosting or your own infrastructure
- You would rather not run an Atlassian administration project
The StrataDesk Difference
What makes our architecture unique
Database-per-Client
Each client gets their own PostgreSQL database. Not a row filter. Not a schema. A separate database.
Per-Client Pricing
Pay by client spaces, not seats. Your team grows, your price doesn't. Unlimited team members on paid plans.
Deploy Anywhere
Managed cloud, private cloud, or on-premise. Docker-based deployment. Your infrastructure, your choice.
* ConnectWise does not publish pricing publicly; the range shown is an estimate based on third-party data and user reports. † Setup-time range reflects ConnectWise's own published implementation process (onboarding, implementation, go-live). Competitor prices are list prices for annual billing where vendors publish them (monthly billing typically costs more) and may vary based on contract terms, team size, region, and billing cycle. HaloPSA rebranded to "Halo" in 2026; we keep the HaloPSA name for recognition. Feature statements reflect each vendor's public documentation. All pricing and feature information on this page was last verified in July 2026. We strive for accuracy — if you represent one of these companies and notice an error, please contact us and we'll update promptly.
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