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ConnectWise Automate vs. ScreenConnect vs. SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    ConnectWise Automate

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/AConnectWise Automate, formerly LabTech, is a remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform. It provides powerful automation to discover and manage devices, monitor for problems, and scripts repetitive action.

    $700

    ScreenConnect

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/AConnectWise ScreenConnect is a remote support, access, and meeting solution. With it, users can utilize remote support and access to repair computers, provide updates, and manage machines. Users can also conduct online seminars and presentations using remote meetings.

    $39

    per month

    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)

    Score8 out of 10
    N/ADameWare Remote Support from Austin IT company SolarWinds is remote administration software for the remote control of desktops, laptops, and servers behind or outside the firewall, allowing registry editing, restart services, logging activity, account and password management, and more. The mobile app also provides access from a phone or tablet. DameWare Remote Support licensing is per technician, the number of end-user remote machines is irrelevant; one technician may receive a license for…

    $520

    one-time fee

    Pricing
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Editions & Modules
    Agents
    $1.00-$6.00
    per month/per agent
    Implementation Fee
    $700
    One
    $39
    per month
    Standard
    $59
    per month
    Premium
    $69
    per month
    Dameware Mini Remote Control
    $370
    one-time fee
    Dameware Remote Support
    $520
    one-time fee
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Free Trial
    YesYesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsDameWare Remote Support and Mini Remote Control are licensed based on the number of technician users that use the software for remote administration. There are no limits or restrictions for the number of end-users supported or the number of remote endpoints/computers supported. As you buy higher counts of licenses, the per-seat pricing goes down giving you a reduced total price.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Considered Multiple Products
    ConnectWise
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    I have evaluated NinjaRMM, but it was after I was already familiar with ConnectWise Automate. While it seems like a good product, I found that ConnectWise Automate was more flexible in allowing me to make custom configurations to meet various business needs across different …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Formerly used Lansweeper, Solarwinds Orion, BMC track-it, which were all replaced with Connectwise offerings.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    I believe the monitoring and alerts in Continuum command is better, but [ConnectWise Automate (formerly LabTech)] does have stronger scripting, and perhaps a better interface. N-Central is inferior on all fronts to both. I did not make the purchasing decision. I would myself …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    It just seems like Automate is a tool for professionals who want to be the best proactive solution for their customers. There are so many different things built into Connectwise Automate which makes it a superior tool compared to anything else on the market currently. Once …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We have used Kaseya. It is not nearly as functional or reliable as ConnectWise Automate.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    It is, by far, the best solution we have ever used. The others are not even close.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We have only previously deployed HoundDog/GFI and Autotask but evaluated all that we found. In the long run, none of the others compare with the features of ConnectWise Automate. Many others are less expensive but simply do not do all that ConnectWise Automate can do. We …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    ConnectWise Automate (formerly LabTech) took us a while to implement and adopt, but it was worth the time, cost, and effort.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    ConnectWise gave us a lot more automation features.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Automate is the most flexible and customizable tool on the market - but it's also the most complex and requires the most care and feeding to run smoothly...
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We selected ConnectWise Automate over Kaseya as it provided many of the same features but less of the headache. Often times, scripts would not work in Kaseya or updates would not push. We have not had this experience with Automate, scripts and such just run when scheduled. …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    ConnectWise Automate has been the best tool I have used to service client computers. The ease of customization and the cleanliness of the interface, allows our company to successfully help our clients remotely and sometimes even without their input. What can be done silently, …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    I was using Autotask but felt ConnectWise was going to help me scale better.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    When we looked at Kaseya it required even more setup than Labtech at the time and we did not feel we had the resources to implement it. We still feel we made the right decision selecting Labtech over Kaseya. At the time we were using Zenith InfoTech which is now named something …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Automate's features and pricing are much better than the other products we tested.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    The larger RMMs compare side by side fairly well -- a more compelling argument for deciding on an RMM has to do with your PSA (and integrating with it) and other tools (AV, backups, etc.) -- and integrating with those. CWA integrates well with the tools we use - so it's an …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Before LabTech, we used Kaseya 6, which was terrible. Currently with LabTech, we use ConnectWise for our ticketing, PRTG and Auvik for network monitoring. We selected LabTech, because it met our price point and they are a local company, that we can easily work with to meet our …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We selected LabTech because we already had a very good ongoing customer support experience with ConnectWise. We had LabTech before ConnectWise acquired it, and had Kaseya, but gave LabTech another try and we are very glad that we did. We did not have a good experience with …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    LabTech is a more flexible platform if you are wanting to do scripting etc., but Kaseya is much more intuitive and reliable.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We have tried Kasaya and Level Platforms. Both were not as powerful and light on the client end.
    LT is certainly more customizable.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    We started with Kaseya years ago and paid a hefty price for it in dollars. It was an adequate product at the time but when LabTech came along, it was priced much better and had much more capability than Kaseya did at the time.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Prior to using LabTech, we used Kaseya. While Kaseya and LabTech have much of the same functionality, LabTech does things better and more consistently. Also, we rely on ConnectWise as our ticketing system and PSA. LabTech has two way ticket synchronization with ConnectWise that …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Labtech is a more advanced system than N-central but with the features comes complexity for an advanced MSP Labtech is better, for someone getting started N-central is faster to get setup and running.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    From what I know - LabTech appears to be the most robust platform on the market and the most technical one as well. We have not tried any others up to this point. We selected LabTech because of the integration it has with ConnectWise and other existing products that we use.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConnectWise Automate
    Before we moved to LabTech we were with Kaseya's RMM tool, and ultimately decided to make the switch. At the time, Kaseya was bogged down with their attempts at custom integrations with products like Acronis (Backups) and AVG (Antivirus), and those custom builds of the software …
    Incentivized
    ConnectWise
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We prefer ScreenConnect as it is much better for an MSP with thousands of client machines, the other options don't provide an easy way of accessing a machine quickly enough. We have also had an issue with the other software's reliability to connect. ScreenConnect's integration …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We have used Beyond Trust occasionally for one of our White Label clients, but have found it is not as robust as ConnectWise Control. The seamless integration of Control with ConnectWise Automate makes it the best and most effective choice for our technical teams to deploy and …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    TeamViewer is more more limited than what ConnectWise ScreenConnect offers. ConnectWise ScreenConnect has more trust built into it by installing running processes on the client computers. The tools work reliably and TeamViewer is not the better choice for use across multiple …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    I think ConnectWise ScreenConnect is by far the superior product to all of these. It is way ahead and does do not even come close. It has way more options and features and is much easier to use and manage.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We used LogMeIn Rescue for 3 years before moving to Control. Logmein felt clunky and required locally installed software. We had frequent issues with the LogMeIn Rescue client on end-user devices and needed to manually uninstall it every so often. We were not able to use Rescue …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control is less expensive and it has all of the features we need to perform our remote support tasks.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    Dameware: I don't remember the exact version but I had 2 of their engineers trying to install or setting the demo up on my computers over 2 sessions and they never were able to make it work. I was able to access the location's computers but never remote offices. All other …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We were using a program that would only give us remote access if the user was within our domain. ScreenConnect allows us to access machines anywhere as long as they are connected to the internet. This has also helped us to work with physicians that are working remotely in …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect) is faster, renders screens better, is more reliable, runs smaller, scales better, and is more dependable than the competition.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    Compared to the rest of the applications I listed the top reason we use CWC is due to its usability. It is fluid, connects easily and doesn't get hung up on anything. Managing clients and installations is super simple and it is just intuitive. Over the course of the last …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control is superior in speed, reliability and has a very lightweight agent. I like LogMeIn second best, but it does take quite a bit more time to connect and the speed moving around is not as quick. Agent installation is super fast as well. You can also convert an …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control is much easier to use than all other alternatives, and is also highly secure. The compression is great, and the connection times and remote session speeds are hands down the best. The feature set can't be beat with the ability to cast your own screen, …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control costs less, is easier to configure, is easier to use, has a better UI and UX, doesn't get in its own way, and for lack of a better phrase, absolutely rocks.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ScreenConnect beats out all of the competitors in terms of ease of use, ease of access, and cost.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    Found ScreenConnect at former employer and have never gone back to any other software or program.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise Control is far superior to all of these in our opinion. Radmin used to be our go-to product many years ago, but required a VPN to access the clients.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    ConnectWise allows for easier files transfers than TeamViewer and is far more reliable than DameWare. The cost difference is also a big factor when compared to both of the other products. They each have strengths and weaknesses but ConnectWise has turned out to be the best …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    WebEx is where we experienced many of the issues described previously, trouble connecting, longer loading times, etc. Join.me was our go-to alternative but since switching to ConnectWise we have not needed an alternative and it helps our image look much more professional.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We have reviewed 14 different remote platforms, of those the ones we have purchased in the past include Bomgar, TeamViewer, and WebEx. Due to limitations in ScreenConnect and inability to connect with some of our customers, we are forced to maintain backup accounts with TeamView…
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    I have used TeamViewer here and there but I am not in the same business mindset as I am with ConnectWise Control, It's a great product and I still prefer screen connect in comparison to TeamViewer. I think ConnectWise is a lot more user friendly and runs better in the …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    It is the best tool I've seen when it comes to remote support.
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    I really did like a lot of the features in LogMeIn Rescue but when I can save some money and use it for company events etc, that is a win!! Labtech replaced what was Zenith info tech so it has been at least 10 years since we switched. Now that I have a dedicated engineer for …
    Incentivized
    Chose ScreenConnect
    We don't use LabTech, ConnectWise Control did not replace any products, it was a first and only choice
    Incentivized
    SolarWinds
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    86%
    Would buy again
    18 Answers
    89%
    Would buy again
    25 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    11 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    95%
    Delivers good value for the price
    19 Answers
    96%
    Delivers good value for the price
    27 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    11 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    95%
    Happy with the feature set
    20 Answers
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    27 Answers
    91%
    Happy with the feature set
    10 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    85%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    11 Answers
    93%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    14 Answers
    78%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    7 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    73%
    Implementation went as expected
    11 Answers
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    22 Answers
    90%
    Implementation went as expected
    9 Answers
    Features
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Application Performance Management
    Comparison of Application Performance Management features of ConnectWise Automate and ScreenConnect and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Feature
    ConnectWise Automate
    8.5
    1 Ratings
    18% above category average
    ScreenConnect
    -
    Ratings
    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    -
    Ratings
    Virtualization monitoring8.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    IT Asset Discovery9.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Monitoring Tasks
    Comparison of Monitoring Tasks features of ConnectWise Automate and ScreenConnect and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Feature
    ConnectWise Automate
    7.4
    22 Ratings
    4% above category average
    ScreenConnect
    -
    Ratings
    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    -
    Ratings
    Remote monitoring10.022 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Network device monitoring8.021 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Activity Monitoring8.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management Tasks
    Comparison of Management Tasks features of ConnectWise Automate and ScreenConnect and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Feature
    ConnectWise Automate
    7.8
    22 Ratings
    14% above category average
    ScreenConnect
    -
    Ratings
    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    -
    Ratings
    Patch Management10.021 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Policy-based automation9.022 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Remote Access
    Comparison of Remote Access features of ConnectWise Automate and ScreenConnect and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Feature
    ConnectWise Automate
    8.0
    1 Ratings
    13% above category average
    ScreenConnect
    -
    Ratings
    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    -
    Ratings
    Attended device access10.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Unattended device access8.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile device access5.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Virtual device access8.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple-display support9.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple concurrent sessions8.01 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Remote Administration
    Comparison of Remote Administration features of ConnectWise Automate and ScreenConnect and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Feature
    ConnectWise Automate
    -
    Ratings
    ScreenConnect
    8.4
    626 Ratings
    6% above category average
    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    8.6
    65 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Screen sharing00 Ratings9.8596 Ratings10.053 Ratings
    File transfer00 Ratings8.6569 Ratings10.050 Ratings
    Instant message00 Ratings8.3501 Ratings8.347 Ratings
    Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication00 Ratings7.074 Ratings8.716 Ratings
    Access to sleeping/powered-off computers00 Ratings6.9311 Ratings9.035 Ratings
    Over-the-Internet remote session00 Ratings10.0602 Ratings8.548 Ratings
    Initiate remote control from mobile00 Ratings7.1389 Ratings9.025 Ratings
    Remote management of servers & workstations00 Ratings8.8517 Ratings9.158 Ratings
    Remote Active Directory® management00 Ratings9.2172 Ratings7.239 Ratings
    Centralized management dashboard00 Ratings7.7479 Ratings8.238 Ratings
    Session record00 Ratings8.1316 Ratings8.55 Ratings
    Annotations00 Ratings7.8266 Ratings7.94 Ratings
    Monitoring and Alerts00 Ratings9.1188 Ratings8.75 Ratings
    Multi-platform remote control00 Ratings8.6399 Ratings7.131 Ratings
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    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
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    Score9.1 out of 10
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    User Ratings
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    10.0
    (59 ratings)
    8.7
    (626 ratings)
    8.3
    (66 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (4 ratings)
    10.0
    (40 ratings)
    9.0
    (13 ratings)
    Usability
    9.0
    (5 ratings)
    8.9
    (55 ratings)
    9.0
    (10 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    3.0
    (4 ratings)
    10.0
    (9 ratings)
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.0
    (14 ratings)
    8.2
    (63 ratings)
    5.0
    (9 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    7.5
    (24 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    5.0
    (2 ratings)
    10.0
    (20 ratings)
    5.0
    (8 ratings)
    Configurability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (16 ratings)
    8.0
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (4 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.0
    (4 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    ConnectWise AutomateScreenConnectSolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    ConnectWise
    I recommend it to all IT colleagues; regardless of the size of the PCs with which you work most of the time, the application allows connection stability between computers that make it possible to continue working or taking care of the infrastructure from afar.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ConnectWise
    We often need to create an ad-hoc session with a device that is not under our management. We find ourselves doing this more than ever in the COVID world. Many people are working from home on personal machines with their employer, our client's permission and we are facilitating more support for these personal machines. Connectwise Control [(formerly ScreenConnect)] gives us a robust resource to control the device, navigate anywhere we need, execute various commands, and engage in an on-screen chat with the client. The session is very simple to create and very user-friendly to initiate. We do not recommend it for Android, Apple, or Chromebook applications. There is little to no support for these platforms.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SolarWinds
    I feel like this is a very robust solution that I would recommend to anyone who relies heavily on remote support. Most of the colleagues I work with already use SolarWinds products to one extent or the other. I feel the price for the solution is very fair and a good value for the product.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    ConnectWise
    • Desktop sharing / view with chat to the operator, file sharing and pass-through for keyboard strokes
    • Computer/server monitoring with thresholds and warning
    • Search - tracking down computers when you have many by name, logged in user, IP
    • End user ticket raising is built into the tray icon which make access really easy
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ConnectWise
    • The interface is easy to use and makes sense. It's easy to understand how to organize a large number of machines involving multiple clients. But, it's also applicable for smaller set of machines too.
    • The connection speed is very quick. I've used solutions in the past that take a variable amount of time to connect, or they just take a long time every time. Control is quick every time. It doesn't get in the way of being able to support the machines on the other end.
    • The connections are reliable. I haven't experienced random disconnects throughout hundreds of instances. It was a breath of fresh air coming from the previous solution we used. I consider Control a gold standard for what a great remote connection solution can be.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SolarWinds
    • Troubleshooting computers remotely without the need for the user to even be around.
    • Install software that needs to be installed manually without having to travel.
    • Viewing what the user is doing specifically that triggers the issue, making replicating issues way simpler.
    Read full review
    Cons
    ConnectWise
    • They have conflicting scheduling paradigms. When scheduling patching for clients, the 1st Friday is interpreted as the very first Friday of the month, even if this is the 1st of the month. For scripting, the 1st Friday of the month is interpreted as the 1st Friday of the 1st FULL WEEK of the month. This makes no sense to have two different interpretations, and makes it unreliable to schedule recurring scripts to fall when recurring maintenance does. The scripts need to be done manually because of this.
    • There is no way to dictate reboot orders for patch policies. This tied directly in with my first point. We have some clients that require reboot orders. This is not possible without having different patch policies for each server and specifying a time this way. But, there aren't small enough increments of time to make this reliable, plus patching duration might vary. Excluding reboots with patching and scheduling reboot scripts fixes this. However, this can't be done once on a recurring schedule due to the different scheduling paradigms already discussed. We have to schedule these manually each month.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ConnectWise
    • I'd like to see the ability to selectively log off the remote machine via a button on the toolbar. Currently it's a setting to always lock on disconnect, or never lock on disconnect, requiring the tech to manually lock the machine if called for at the end of a session. Its a small time save that would add up!
    • The chat feature could be expanded to be a lot more useful. Allowing clients to start conversations, and have conversations ping an email address if no one is monitoring the dashboard would be extremely valuable.
    • Some clarity on licensing when providing host-passes to guest technicians would be a boon, especially for one-off support sessions with vendors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SolarWinds
    • It would be nice if the installed agent would be able to check in with the server so that I can connect to laptops, etc that have the agent pre-installed for when they are off network.
    • DameWare could do better with the mobile app. I cannot connect in from the outside with the mobile app to provide quick support if needed. This kind of defeats the purpose of a mobile app. If I am on the network, I probably have access to my workstation.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    ConnectWise
    The primary reason for this rating is that ConnectWise Automate is currently so integral to our operations that moving away would involve more man hours than we would realistically have to invest. However, ConnectWise Automate is also completely capable of meeting all of our business needs and customizable to the point where if something is not meeting those needs out of the box, it can be modified to do what we want. From only installing software on machines if a different software package exists, to push a new version of that software is available, to check if credentials for user/machine have been updated to our new standards and then updating them if they have not, ConnectWise Automate is capable of doing everything we ask of it.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ConnectWise
    I would recommend this product for both internal remote control of end user workstations and remote access to other clients over the internet. It provides a secure and feature rich product that allows me to complete any necessary tasks without ever leaving the office. I will continue to renew as I'm eager to see what they do next. I would however wish the cloud service had a better API to work in conjunction with team collaboration or chat services to make it easier to connect with end users who use multiple workstations. (Slack or Stride provide this functionality)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SolarWinds
    This application is one of my most used tools when it comes to supporting end users and the network as well. I don't have to run all over the place to get things done when I can access multiple computers on the network at the same time to accomplish multiple tasks in a minimal amount of time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    ConnectWise
    Basic use of the product is fairly easy. Information about the machines you manage can be found in customizable dashboards, which can be unique for each user, and, therefore, properly suited to the users' needs/job function. This is not a 10 because some of the interfaces are very clunky (Patch Management), and some features are not intuitive and not well documented (reporting). Scripting and Patch Management have a fairly steep learning curve (For structure in patch management and syntax in scripting), but once learned, they work well.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ConnectWise
    On the whole SC is a very powerful tool that is a vital part of the IT service arsenal. On-site visits are an "emergency" only type of scenario. Just "showing your face" is not winning any browny points for me. If my client sees my face, it's usually just to upgrade hardware or to deal other aspects of business. SC provides me and my client the bulk of the info I need to get projects done.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SolarWinds
    Because it has enhanced my ability to trouble shoot more issues during the day. Instead of having to go to each machine and spend time at the machine, I can remote in from my desktop and assist the person 90 per cent of the time. I also use it from home to remote in which saves me the time from having to return back to the workplace.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    ConnectWise
    No answers on this topic
    ConnectWise
    In my 5 years of using the product, I am only aware of one time when the service was down and is was due to a backbone outage upstream.
    Incentivized
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    SolarWinds
    Yes, always available.
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    Performance
    ConnectWise
    It used to be great, but then they broke reporting, speed and responsiveness with version 11 and the new Patch Manager. It's really bad and their support people are way behind on fixing so many bugs. They have really gone downhill. If they don't get it together soon, we'll start looking around.
    Incentivized
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    ConnectWise
    It performs well. It also has full control over windows security and does not get hung up like GoToMeeting when trying to install remote software at the prompt to install as admin / override. I have used TeamViewer, WebEx, LogMeIn and GoToMeeting. This is by far the best at spontaneous, remote control. It is also very easy to get a novice user connected to the session.
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    SolarWinds
    The application always seems responsive to me
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    Support Rating
    ConnectWise
    ConnectWise Automate lets you manage more endpoints, with enhanced productivity and improved service, all without increasing expenses. It can manage patches and updates across thousands of computers. We also use it for customized monitoring and alerting on workstations and servers. Monitoring is really robust and granular. It does a great job of gathering a TON of data about the network, and that data is searchable. There are a bunch of different reports built in. Integrates with Manage, Control, and other applications. It does a ton of stuff out of the box, and has endless customization options.
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    ConnectWise
    There have been two times when something has went wrong and I needed immediate assistance in order to be able to use Screenconnect to be able to help clients and response has not been immediate. The response time has been within 24 hours. Both times if there had been easier to navigate self help I would have been able to help myself. With better self help and a speedier response it would definitely be a 10 as they always respond and help. Just a little more difficult or slow than it should be at times
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    SolarWinds
    I use a Samsung mobile device; DameWare Mobile was working and then after an Android update it started crashing. I reported the issue to DameWare and worked with the technicians and developers to gather data for them to correct the issue. They quickly published a beta release for me to test (which corrected the crashes) and then published an update to the Google Play Store.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    ConnectWise
    No answers on this topic
    ConnectWise
    No answers on this topic
    SolarWinds
    It was excellent
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    Online Training
    ConnectWise
    The Online training has been re-done and needs a lot more work. When you look at training in different roles, it shows a lot of the same topics but no explanation to what is different about them. Several times that topics are the exact same, but they make you re-take the same information for a different topic, instead of marking that you have already completed that portion of training.
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    ConnectWise
    I find ScreenConnect to be very simple and effective overall, with the main problem being that a number of my clients can't download the app due to existing firewalls and so on. Otherwise it does its job well, and I'm happy with it.
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    SolarWinds
    The videos were more than sufficient to learn the product
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    Implementation Rating
    ConnectWise
    Start small and learn the in's and out's before making policies and rolling things out company wide. Ask the questions of why if you don't agree with something or your company does things a different way. Usually they are done a certain way for a reason. Start simple with roll out and slowly enable or add on the functionality that is needed.
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    ConnectWise
    ConnectWise has done everything they could to help us in any situation. Great support team and their new updates are always providing features that we need. Its a simple solution that works the way we need it to. Their legacy pricing model is still much better than their subscription based model however it is still fair pricing
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    SolarWinds
    It helps greatly if you know someone already using DameWare Remote Support. I was fortunate as my tech support guys were using it at their hospital and assisted me through the purchase, download and implementation of remote support. As well as, knowing how many licenses to purchase at the time. You have to make sure that anyone assisting in IT can have access to the program with their own license.
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    Alternatives Considered
    ConnectWise
    I believe the monitoring and alerts in Continuum command is better, but [ConnectWise Automate (formerly LabTech)] does have stronger scripting, and perhaps a better interface. N-Central is inferior on all fronts to both. I did not make the purchasing decision. I would myself likely pick Continuum if I had to make a on the spot choice.
    Incentivized
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    ConnectWise
    I have worked with Citrix, AnyDesk, LogMeIn, VNC Connect, and many others. I ultimately installed ConnectWise as a self-hosted solution, based on the incredible list of features and capabilities, and the pricing at the time. I continue to use the product as it is still one of the best solutions out there and is certainly capable of growing and expanding to meet the needs of my business.
    Incentivized
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    SolarWinds
    We previously utilized LogMeIn. They increased the pricing of their solution which made us reconsider it. I inherited LogMeIn. I am not a big fan of hosted solutions for some vital IT processes. There was convenience in LogMeIn, but there were also risks about the solution that I was never completely comfortable with. I had utilized DameWare at a previous company, so I knew what I was getting with it. It was an easy decision for me to make. DameWare is an exceptional product.
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    ConnectWise
    No answers on this topic
    ConnectWise
    I have used multiple remote desktop support software in the past (Bomgar, Team Viewer, Logmein and Join.me) and this is far the easiest of the bunch to use. It is very easy to create a session and easy to maintain remote desktops from their access view (where you install the software and can get in at any time) I highly recommend this product from ConnectWise!
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    SolarWinds
    You get an 8 because of the constant initial freeze on most connections. Takes a reconnect to have it work.
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    Return on Investment
    ConnectWise
    • We found we were able to provide good monitoring of our customers sites which was an objective. However, that came at a significant time investment that never seemed to be finished.
    • We were able to negotiate a price that worked for us for an up-front purchase which was nice.
    • We found the pricing to be very competitive.
    • Bottom line for us was despite the pros of the product, we found other RMM solutions to be a better overall "value" due to not having to dedicate technicians to maintaining the product.
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    ConnectWise
    • Instead of waiting 30+ seconds to initiate sessions, they initiate and display a desktop in two or three seconds. The amount of frustration this avoids is immeasurable.
    • Once installed it doesn't need more handholding, i.e., having the remote enter a username/password. It is always just there.
    Incentivized
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    SolarWinds
    • DameWare has allowed us to maintain our non-traditional approach to IT support. It allows our administrators to work from anywhere and has extended their reach to clients domestic and abroad.
    • Return on investment was realized as soon as we purchased the licenses. We don't have to maintain a large office space or overhead costs due to the flexibility it allows our administrators.
    • First call resolution has increased drastically since implementing DameWare company-wide. The user no longer has to wait to reproduce an error. We can screen share and view it as it happens and mitigate the issues.
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    ScreenShots

    ConnectWise Automate Screenshots

    Screenshot of Monitor: Find problemsProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshot

    ScreenConnect Screenshots

    Screenshot of the guest page, where end-users enter a code to join a session with a technicianScreenshot of connecting from a Windows machine to a macOS machineScreenshot of the Extension Marketplace, where administrators can install and configure new features and integrationsScreenshot of the Access view of the Host page, where a technician can connect to unattended machinesScreenshot of the toolbox menu, which allows technicians to store and run executables, scripts, and other frequently-used filesScreenshot of the Host page, where a command can be run directly without connecting to the machine

    SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS) Screenshots

    Screenshot of DameWare Remote Support Management ConsoleScreenshot of Remotely Connect to Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X ComputersScreenshot of Over-the-Internet Remote Session via Secure Proxy ServerScreenshot of Connect to Remote Computers from iOS and Android Mobile Devices