Top 9 IT ticketing systems for faster, more efficient IT support in 2024

For IT support teams, a solid IT ticketing system is an essential tool. It makes the ticketing process more efficient and enables the provision of excellent support. Efficiency and support — these are the foundations of helpdesk operations.

While IT ticketing systems work on similar principles, they are not all the same, and some are better suited to certain teams than others. For example, the needs of an MSP are different to those of internal IT departments. That’s why it is so important to closely assess the features of IT ticketing systems and make the right choice for your requirements and goals.

In this guide, you can compare different IT ticketing systems on the market, so your decision-making process will be simpler and smoother. Before we look at the different solutions, let’s start by exploring what an IT ticketing system is, types of IT ticketing systems, and why you need one.

What is an IT ticketing system?

An IT ticketing system is a software tool used for organizing, prioritizing, and addressing various IT and technical issues reported by customers, employees, or internal teams. IT tickets can involve problems with software, hardware, network access, and more.

IT ticketing systems typically include the following capabilities:

• Helpdesk and ticketing for processing requests and managing cases
• Ticket routing to direct tickets to the right IT professional
• Workflow automation like AI ticketing for increased efficiency
• Reporting and analytics for a better understanding of your operations
• Knowledge base, where customers have the option to self-serve troubleshooting activity
• Integrations with third-party software for more functionality

These capabilities not only improve the efficiency of IT support teams but also enhance the user experience as a whole.

IT ticketing systems frequently get confused with PSA (Professional Services Automation, but they are not the same. Instead, IT ticketing is generally included in PSA software, which covers the broader needs of IT departments and MSPs.

Types of IT ticketing systems

Depending on how big your team is and whether you are dealing with customer support issues or internal IT issues, the functionalities you require in an IT ticketing system will vary.

For this reason, there are different types of IT ticketing systems for different businesses. Here’s an overview of the issues at play for each type:

Small and midsize businesses

Small businesses may not require robust IT ticketing capabilities when starting out, but the platform should enable scalability if growth is planned or expected. The IT ticketing system should include all the core capabilities, including helpdesk and ticketing, ticket tracking, reporting and analytics, basic integrations, and workflow automation.

An IT ticketing system with fair pricing is also crucial for small businesses. Many IT ticketing solutions include more features than just IT ticketing, such as remote monitoring and management, and are priced according to the number of devices/endpoints being managed. This can lead to unpredictable and overly-complex pricing. The pay-per-technician pricing offered by alternatives like Atera is simpler and more scalable in the long run.

Managed service providers (MSPs)

MSPs require a ticketing system capable of managing multiple clients through a single platform, with easy onboarding for new customers. The ticketing system should include advanced reporting and analytics, which allows real-time tracking and analysis of important customer metrics.
Advanced automation is also crucial for MSPs as they must manage dozens of tickets or more every day. Automation capabilities, such as Atera’s AI-ticket summaries, can detect intent, sentiment, and language in tickets, and resolve incidents automatically before they even reach the technicians. This can significantly save time, resources, and budget for IT support teams, leading to increased efficiency.

Enterprises

Enterprise-level ticketing systems are designed for large organizations with more extensive IT infrastructures and numerous devices or endpoints. The ticketing system should offer a high degree of customization so that it aligns with the company’s specific processes and workflows.

It should also have advanced integrations with different PSA, RMM, and CRM systems. Good integrations make it possible to incorporate the IT ticketing system seamlessly into existing company workflows.

Why you need an IT ticketing system

With IT tickets and support requests coming in every day, an IT ticketing system is a must-have tool for IT teams. Let’s look at five key reasons why you should use an IT ticketing system:

1. Makes scaling easier

As your business expands, your need for IT support increases. A good IT ticketing system helps manage this growth more effectively. IT ticketing tools make it possible for you to handle a larger volume of requests and issues without compromising the quality of service, making sure every ticket is tracked and resolved.

2. Streamlines your workflow

An IT ticketing solution helps organize tickets, route them to the right technicians, and prioritize the most urgent tasks. This leads to a more efficient workflow since IT staff can concentrate on resolving technical issues instead of spending time handling emails and manual logs.

IT ticketing solutions like Atera offer AI-powered capabilities, further streamlining the workflow with automated functions that remove some of the rote and manual tasks of IT ticket management.

3. Improves client service for MSPs

Client satisfaction is paramount for MSPs, and a reliable ticketing system can make all the difference. The best IT ticketing solutions make it easy to manage dozens of customer environments from a single location. This helps you stay on top of client issues, enhancing client trust and ticket response time.

Additionally, IT ticketing systems offer patch management functionality, which automates patches for OS, software, and hardware. Besides the increased security posture, the other important benefit of automated patch management is time saved for IT support teams, which can then be used for more important tasks.

4. Reduces costs

The top IT ticketing systems help identify and resolve issues before they escalate into more significant issues that are more costly to fix. 

Also, many modern ticketing systems come with user-friendly interfaces and knowledge bases that help speed up the onboarding process for new IT staff. This reduces IT costs and time associated with training new employees.

5. Provides insights from reports and analytics

IT ticketing systems often include robust reporting and analytics tools that help you assess the efficiency of your IT support efforts. These reports are useful for identifying common issues, tracking performance metrics, and assessing staff productivity.

The 9 best IT ticketing systems for IT support teams in 2024

Now that we’ve uncovered what is an IT ticketing system, the types of IT ticketing systems, and why they are so important, let’s review the best IT ticketing systems on the market today. In the list of 9 IT ticketing systems below, we’ll explore the main features of each, as well as pricing and who they are best suited for. With this information at hand, you can make a smarter decision about which option might be best for you.

1. Atera

Atera provides IT professionals and MSPs with IT ticketing capabilities through its all-in-one IT management platform. Out of all the IT ticketing solutions listed here, Atera is the only solution powered by AI in partnership with Microsoft.

Features and capabilities

Atera is more than just an IT ticketing tool; it’s an all-in-one IT management solution for internal IT departments and managed service providers (MSPs). On top of IT ticketing, IT professionals can take advantage of PSA, remote monitoring and management (RMM), patch management, remote access, and network discovery capabilities.

These features are essential for IT departments and MSPs, and Atera offers them all under one subscription, which is more cost-effective than buying separate software packages.
Atera leverages AI and automation to enable organizations to eliminate Tier-1 support, reduce response and resolution times, and boost operational efficiency. A few of Atera’s AI features include auto ticket summaries, ticket solution suggestions, and an automated script generator.

Atera’s IT ticketing system (image via Atera)

User interface and usability

From the ground up, Atera was built with user-friendliness as its priority. With Atera’s intuitive onboarding, you will be up and running within one hour after signing up.

Atera’s admin dashboard view

MSPs are able to create and manage customer environments with ease, as well as provide high-level customer support through fully branded customer portals.

Pricing and value for money

Atera is well known for its transparent pricing, and offers tailored pricing plans for IT departments and prices for MSPs. Enterprises can request a custom quote, but the standard plans for IT departments range from $149 to $219 a month, and for MSPs, plans range from $129 to $209a month.

Atera’s pay-per-technician pricing ensures you pay a fixed rate for each IT technician, no matter how many devices/endpoints you add. This ensures greater scalability and price transparency, unlike most RMM pricing plans, which are based on a pay-per-endpoint model.

Atera G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (500+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on G2:

According to some reviews, Atera’s all-in-one value is unmatched by any other service. From resource monitoring to remote support, you get almost everything you need for a happy customer base. Some reviewers were pleasantly surprised by the ticketing system and other features, which they didn’t expect to take advantage of. Atera’s ticketing is very convenient, which helps to keep support teams on track.

Atera Capterra rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (300+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on Capterra:

Atera has a built-in helpdesk and ticketing system, allowing IT departments to bring support services in-house without relying on outside help. Some reviewers say that they’re now able to manage endpoints and ticketing from one unified dashboard. Employees can access assistance in various ways, including Atera’s 24/7 live chat, knowledge base, tutorials, and more.

Atera pricing:

For IT departments: 

• Professional: $149 per month, per technician
• Expert: $189 per month, per technician
• Master: $219 per month, per technician
• Enterprise: Custom quotation. Contact sales for pricing.

For MSPs:

• Pro: $129 per month, per technician
• Growth: $179 per month, per technician
• Power: $209 per month, per technician
• Superpower (Enterprise): Custom quotation. Contact sales for pricing.

Get started with Atera on a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk is an IT ticketing solution for IT departments, MSPs, and customer service teams. It helps IT support teams save time through different automations and optimized workflows. The main features of the software include IT ticketing and messaging, workflow automation, a help center for customers, and analytics and reporting.

Zendesk provides the basic helpdesk and ticketing capabilities that IT support teams may require but won’t meet your needs if you require more robust PSA capabilities. For more functionality, Zendesk integrates with various RMM, CRM, and analytics solutions.

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars (5,000+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars (3,500+ reviews)

Zendesk pricing:

• Suite Team: $69 per month, per technician
• Suite Growth: $115 per month, per technician
• Suite Professional: $149 per month, per technician
• Suite Enterprise: Custom pricing available

3. SysAid

SysAid is an IT service management software aimed at MSPs, IT departments, and HR teams. The main features of the platform include helpdesk and ticket management, workflow automation, service level and asset management, and integrations with third-party software.

Similarly to Atera, SysAid uses AI capabilities such as auto ticket summaries to help technicians work more efficiently. While SysAid is effective for IT ticketing, it lacks other features IT teams may need, such as remote monitoring and management (RMM).

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (600+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (400+ reviews)

SysAid pricing:

• Book a demo call to receive custom pricing.

4. HaloPSA

HaloPSA is an all-in-one PSA software specifically designed for managed service providers (MSPs). It includes helpdesk and ticketing, reporting and analytics, billing and contracts, and basic CRM functionality.

Similarly to SysAid, HaloPSA doesn’t have RMM and remote access built-in, so you need to integrate a third-party tool to get these features. If you have a tighter budget and need these functionalities, this could be a problem because it will require investment in multiple subscriptions. Also, HaloPSA has a minimum monthly subscription of 10 technicians, so it won’t suit small teams or individual operations.

G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars (20+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 stars (20+ reviews)

HaloPSA pricing:

• Starting at $109 per month, per user.

5. Pulseway

The main functionality of Pulseway’s platform is remote monitoring and management (RMM), but they also offer PSA software for MSPs. This includes helpdesk and ticket management, a basic CRM, project management, finance and billing, and time tracking capabilities.

Pulseway’s customers are required to pay an onboarding fee of $149 before they can use the service. There are very few IT ticketing systems that require onboarding fees. For example, Atera does not charge extra upon joining. Additionally, Pulseway alternatives such as SolarWinds RMM, NinjaRMM, and ConnectWise Automate also do not impose onboarding fees, providing a more cost-effective solution for IT management needs.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (50+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (180+ reviews)

Pulseway pricing:

• Basic: Custom pricing available. Visit their website to find out specific costs based on your situation.

6. Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management is an IT service management solution that helps IT teams resolve incidents and requests more quickly. It’s based on Jira, Atlassian’s project management tool, but is specifically designed to manage IT support operations.

Jira Service Management falls within the Jira product family and integrates well with other Jira products. Since Jira lacks many essential features, like patch management and advanced PSA, using its third-party integrations is crucial to getting a complete IT management system.

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 (760+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (600+ reviews)

Jira Service Management pricing:

• Free: Free for up to 3 technicians
• Standard: $22 per month, per technician
• Premium: $49 per month, per technician
• Enterprise: Pricing based on custom quotation. Visit their website to learn more.

7. ConnectWise

ConnectWise PSA offers service desk, project management, time tracking, sales and marketing, and reporting functionalities for MSPs. It doesn’t have any remote monitoring and management (RMM) functionalities, but it can be integrated with other ConnectWise products if you need them.

ConnectWise is especially popular among enterprises and mid-sized businesses that need robust functionality. While the software is capable of a lot, it has some downsides, mainly its steep learning curve. To use ConnectWise effectively, you might have to dedicate someone exclusively to learning the software. Alternatively, businesses seeking ConnectWise alternatives may consider platforms like Atera, Syncro, and RepairShopr, which offer similar functionalities with more user-friendly interfaces and easier learning curves.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 (120+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 (125+ reviews)

ConnectWise PSA pricing:

• Pricing is not available publicly. To find out ConnectWise pricing, request a quote from their team.

8. Syncro

Syncro is an all-in-one IT management solution that includes IT ticketing functionalities, such as helpdesk, billing and contracts, reporting and analytics, and third-party integrations. Since Syncro provides a ‘complete’ IT solution, it also includes RMM and remote access features.

Similarly to Atera, Syncro charges based on the number of agents/technicians you have, which is more cost-effective, especially for smaller IT teams. However, the cost-effectiveness comes with a downside, as customers report limited functionality and an outdated user interface. If you prefer an intuitive user experience, you might want to consider another all-in-one solution such as Syncro alternatives like NinjaRMM or SolarWinds RMM. These alternatives offer modern interfaces and robust feature sets, making them ideal choices for IT teams seeking a more intuitive and comprehensive solution.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (120+ reviews)

Capterra rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (70+ reviews)

Syncro pricing:

• Basic: $139 per month, per user.

9. SuperOps

SuperOps offers both PSA and RMM capabilities in one platform, and it is designed primarily for MSPs. As with just a few other IT ticketing solutions, SuperOps has built-in AI capabilities that help automate tasks, such as responding to tickets. 

SuperOps was founded more recently in 2020. Being relatively new on the market, some customers report experiencing bugs on a daily basis, which is one of its drawbacks. For PSA functionality, SuperOps charges pay-per-technician. If you want remote monitoring and management, SuperOps charges per endpoint, which can be costly for teams managing many endpoints.

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (100+ reviews)

Capterra rating: n/a

SuperOps pricing:

• Starting at $119 per month for the unified PSA and RMM package.

Choosing an AI-powered IT ticketing solution

When choosing an IT ticketing solution, IT support teams usually need more than just helpdesk and ticketing functionality. Most IT teams need additional capabilities such as PSA, remote monitoring and management (RMM), remote access, patch management, and network discovery.

Atera offers all of these functionalities under one subscription. Atera is unique among similar all-in-one solutions due to its AI-powered capabilities. With Atera, IT teams and professionals can resolve problems 10 times faster, with approximately 50% of tickets being resolved automatically.
If you want to see how Atera can fit your workflow, contact our sales team or start your 30-day free trial with no credit card required!