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Spiceworks vs Kaseya 2026: Features, Pricing & Who Wins

Honest breakdown of pricing traps, support quality, implementation timelines, and who wins on automation based on real user reviews and head-to-head testing.
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Spiceworks vs Kaseya: How They Stack Up

Side-by-side comparison on the things that matter most

Criteria Criteria
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Kaseya Kaseya

G2 Rating

4.4/5 (580+ reviews); ease of use highly rated

4.0/5 (200+ reviews); ease of use 7.8/10

Starting price

Core: free (ad-supported); Premium: $6/agent/mo

Kaseya 365 Express: $1.75/endpoint/mo (no MDR)

Setup time

15-30 minutes; cloud setup extremely fast

2-6 weeks; steep learning curve; complex onboarding

Hidden costs

Ads on free tier; Premium $6/agent/mo removes ads

Multi-year contracts; implementation $1K-$10K+

AI copilot pricing

No AI features on any plan

Kaseya 365 Ops bundle; custom quote; not ITSM-native

Agentic AI pricing

No agentic AI available

Kaseya 365 Ops; automation-focused; custom quote only

Storage

Cloud included; no stated limits

Per-product; varies by module

Support availability

Community forums only; 24/5 live chat on Premium

Support quality widely criticized; slow response times

TLDR Verdict

Quick guide to help you decide
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Break down

  • Genuinely free Core plan; zero cost barrier for small IT teams
  • Setup in under 30 minutes; 6 million+ IT pro community
  • No AI features; limited automation; not suited for MSPs
  • Premium plan at $6/agent/mo removes ads and adds live chat
  • Ideal for solo admins and small internal IT teams only
Kaseya

Kaseya

Break down

  • Purpose-built for MSPs managing multi-client endpoint environments
  • Kaseya 365 bundles RMM, EDR, backup at $3.99/endpoint/mo
  • 40+ product ecosystem; deep MSP automation capabilities
  • Weak support reputation; aggressive contract history

Spiceworks vs Kaseya: Key Differences Explained

Key differences between Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk and Kaseya

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Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk's Recent Evolution

Spiceworks added a paid Premium tier in June 2025 after years of being fully free. Kaseya launched Kaseya 365 in April 2024 and named new CEO Rania Succar in June 2025.

  • Spiceworks: Premium plan launched June 2025
  • Kaseya: 365 bundle launched April 2024
  • Kaseya: 5% workforce layoff January 2026
file-box

Platform Architecture

Spiceworks is a free lightweight help desk for small IT teams; Kaseya is a full MSP endpoint management ecosystem with 40+ products.

  • Spiceworks: simple ticketing + basic asset tracking
  • Kaseya: 40+ MSP products; RMM, EDR, backup, PSA
  • Trade-off: Zero cost simplicity vs MSP power
Revenue

Pricing Models

Spiceworks Core is free (ad-supported); Kaseya charges per endpoint via Kaseya 365 bundle subscription.

  • Spiceworks Core: free; Premium: $6/agent/mo
  • Kaseya 365 Express: $1.75/endpoint/mo
  • Kaseya 365 Pro: $3.99/endpoint/mo
workflow

Automation Architecture

Spiceworks offers basic rules-based ticket routing; Kaseya provides enterprise-grade endpoint automation at MSP scale.

  • Spiceworks: basic ticket routing rules only
  • Kaseya: 20 core automations in Kaseya 365
  • Kaseya leads on automation by a wide margin
headset

Support Quality

Critical when evaluating support platforms.

  • Spiceworks: community forums; no dedicated vendor SLA
  • Kaseya G2: slow response times; widespread complaints
  • Neither offers strong dedicated vendor support
blocks

Integration Ecosystem

Spiceworks: small plugin library; basic connectors. Kaseya: 40+ internal products including Datto, IT Glue, Autotask.

  • Spiceworks: limited; community-built plugins
  • Kaseya: deep MSP stack; strong within own ecosystem
  • Trade-off: Zero cost vs MSP integration depth

Product Overview

Understanding what each platform offers
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Free IT help desk for small and mid-sized IT teams

Spiceworks, founded in 2006 and acquired by Ziff Davis in 2019, serves 6 million+ IT professionals worldwide through free cloud-based help desk and network monitoring tools. It is the go-to zero-cost option for small IT teams and solo admins who need functional ticketing without licensing overhead.

Founded
Founded
2006
Revenue
Revenue
[NOT PUBLICLY DISCLOSED]
Employees
Employees
[NOT PUBLICLY DISCLOSED]
Ownership
Ownership
Private (Ziff Davis)
Kaseya

Kaseya

All-in-one MSP management and security platform

Kaseya, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Miami, FL, serves 40,000+ organizations with 40+ IT management and security products. Its Kaseya 365 platform bundles RMM, EDR, backup, and automation for MSPs at $3.99/endpoint/month, managing 300 million devices globally through 500,000+ IT professionals.

Founded
Founded
2000
Revenue
Revenue
$1.5B+ ARR (2025)
Employees
Employees
~5,600
Ownership
Ownership
Private (Insight Partners)

Feature by Feature Comparison

Deep dive into how each platform performs across key areas
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • G2 ease of use: highly rated across 580+ reviews
  • Cloud setup in under 30 minutes; no IT required
  • Intuitive UI; minimal training needed for agents
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • G2 ease of use: 7.8/10; steep learning curve flagged
  • Setup: 2-6 weeks; complex onboarding process
  • Interface described as dated and overwhelming by users

Bottom line: Spiceworks wins decisively on ease of setup. Kaseya requires significantly more time and technical expertise.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Core: free; unlimited agents; ad-supported
  • Premium: $6/agent/mo (monthly) or $5/seat/mo (annual)
  • No hidden fees; no storage or ticket limits
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Kaseya 365 Express: $1.75/endpoint/mo (no MDR)
  • Kaseya 365 Pro: $3.99/endpoint/mo (full bundle)
  • Multi-year contracts; implementation $1K-$10K+

Bottom line: Spiceworks is free. Kaseya 365 is cheap per endpoint but requires contract commitment and implementation spend.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic rules-based ticket routing only
  • No multi-step workflow builder available
  • Automation far behind enterprise competitors
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 20 core automations in Kaseya 365 bundle
  • Patch management and auto-remediation built-in
  • VSA agent procedures; policy-based endpoint management

Bottom line: Kaseya leads on automation by a wide margin. Spiceworks covers only the most basic routing needs.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Small plugin library; community-built add-ons
  • No publicly available REST API
  • Basic email and Active Directory integration
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 40+ internal products; Datto, IT Glue, Autotask sync
  • API-based third-party connectors available
  • Best value within Kaseya MSP product ecosystem

Bottom line: Kaseya wins on integrations. Spiceworks suits teams with no integration requirements or budget.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Cloud reliability; notable email provider outage in 2024
  • Security certifications not prominently published
  • Basic access controls; no SSO on free plan
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 2021 REvil ransomware supply chain attack on VSA
  • SOC 2 Type II; 2FA enforced; EDR in Kaseya 365
  • Security investments significantly increased post-2021

Bottom line: Both have had reliability or security incidents. Kaseya publishes stronger compliance certifications.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • 6 million+ member community forum; peer-driven support
  • No dedicated vendor support on Core (free) plan
  • 24/5 live chat only on Premium ($6/agent/mo)
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Support quality widely criticized on G2 and Capterra
  • Slow response times; lack of follow-through flagged
  • Partner network and community forums available

Bottom line: Spiceworks community is unmatched for peer support. Kaseya's vendor support is a consistent weak point.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic built-in reporting; agent performance metrics
  • No custom report builder available
  • Reporting criticized as insufficient for growing teams
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Endpoint monitoring dashboards; patch compliance reports
  • MSP-oriented per-client reporting available
  • Reporting praised for power; criticized for complexity

Bottom line: Neither platform leads on reporting. Kaseya offers more depth for MSP operations; Spiceworks is basic.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic admin panel; simple role management
  • No formal change or problem management modules
  • Suited for single-team, single-department IT only
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Multi-tenant admin for MSP client separation
  • Policy-based management; RBAC per organization
  • Centralized endpoint governance across client sites

Bottom line: Kaseya leads on governance for MSP environments. Spiceworks is not designed for multi-team management.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • G2 ease of use: highly rated across 580+ reviews
  • Cloud setup in under 30 minutes; no IT required
  • Intuitive UI; minimal training needed for agents
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • G2 ease of use: 7.8/10; steep learning curve flagged
  • Setup: 2-6 weeks; complex onboarding process
  • Interface described as dated and overwhelming by users

Bottom line: Spiceworks wins decisively on ease of setup. Kaseya requires significantly more time and technical expertise.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Core: free; unlimited agents; ad-supported
  • Premium: $6/agent/mo (monthly) or $5/seat/mo (annual)
  • No hidden fees; no storage or ticket limits
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Kaseya 365 Express: $1.75/endpoint/mo (no MDR)
  • Kaseya 365 Pro: $3.99/endpoint/mo (full bundle)
  • Multi-year contracts; implementation $1K-$10K+

Bottom line: Spiceworks is free. Kaseya 365 is cheap per endpoint but requires contract commitment and implementation spend.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic rules-based ticket routing only
  • No multi-step workflow builder available
  • Automation far behind enterprise competitors
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 20 core automations in Kaseya 365 bundle
  • Patch management and auto-remediation built-in
  • VSA agent procedures; policy-based endpoint management

Bottom line: Kaseya leads on automation by a wide margin. Spiceworks covers only the most basic routing needs.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Small plugin library; community-built add-ons
  • No publicly available REST API
  • Basic email and Active Directory integration
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 40+ internal products; Datto, IT Glue, Autotask sync
  • API-based third-party connectors available
  • Best value within Kaseya MSP product ecosystem

Bottom line: Kaseya wins on integrations. Spiceworks suits teams with no integration requirements or budget.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Cloud reliability; notable email provider outage in 2024
  • Security certifications not prominently published
  • Basic access controls; no SSO on free plan
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • 2021 REvil ransomware supply chain attack on VSA
  • SOC 2 Type II; 2FA enforced; EDR in Kaseya 365
  • Security investments significantly increased post-2021

Bottom line: Both have had reliability or security incidents. Kaseya publishes stronger compliance certifications.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • 6 million+ member community forum; peer-driven support
  • No dedicated vendor support on Core (free) plan
  • 24/5 live chat only on Premium ($6/agent/mo)
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Support quality widely criticized on G2 and Capterra
  • Slow response times; lack of follow-through flagged
  • Partner network and community forums available

Bottom line: Spiceworks community is unmatched for peer support. Kaseya's vendor support is a consistent weak point.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic built-in reporting; agent performance metrics
  • No custom report builder available
  • Reporting criticized as insufficient for growing teams
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Endpoint monitoring dashboards; patch compliance reports
  • MSP-oriented per-client reporting available
  • Reporting praised for power; criticized for complexity

Bottom line: Neither platform leads on reporting. Kaseya offers more depth for MSP operations; Spiceworks is basic.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

  • Basic admin panel; simple role management
  • No formal change or problem management modules
  • Suited for single-team, single-department IT only
Kaseya

Kaseya

  • Multi-tenant admin for MSP client separation
  • Policy-based management; RBAC per organization
  • Centralized endpoint governance across client sites

Bottom line: Kaseya leads on governance for MSP environments. Spiceworks is not designed for multi-team management.

Pricing & Value Breakdown

Transparent comparison of costs and what's included — Spiceworks vs Kaseya

Plan Tier Plan Tier
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Kaseya Kaseya

Free/Entry

Core: $0/mo; unlimited agents; basic ticketing; ad-supported

No free tier; demo available; trials on select products

Mid-Tier

Premium: $6/agent/mo (monthly) or $5/agent/mo (annual)

Kaseya 365 Express: $1.75/endpoint/mo; no MDR included

Professional

No Professional tier — two plans only (Core + Premium)

Kaseya 365 Pro: $3.99/endpoint/mo; RMM, EDR, backup, MDR

Enterprise

No Enterprise tier — not designed for enterprise scale

VSA Advanced: custom quote; enterprise endpoint management

Unlimited Agent

Not applicable — flat per-agent pricing on Premium

Not applicable — per-endpoint pricing model
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AI Pricing Deep Dive

See which AI capabilities are included vs charged as extras — Spiceworks vs Kaseya

AI Capability AI Capability
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Kaseya Kaseya

AI Agent Assistance

Not available on any plan

Kaseya 365 Ops bundle; custom quote

Ticket Summarization

Not available

Not available in standard tiers

Response Generation

Not available

Not available in standard tiers

Intelligent Routing

Basic rules-based routing only

Automation-based; not AI-native routing

Sentiment Analysis

Not available

Not natively available

Conversational AI/Chatbot

Not available

Not a core ITSM AI feature

Pay-per-Resolution

Not available

Not available
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Hidden Costs Comparison

The real cost of Spiceworks vs Kaseya — what's included and what costs extra

Features Features
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Kaseya Kaseya

Data storage

Cloud: included

Per-product; varies by module

File storage

Cloud: included

Per-product; varies by module

Onboarding

Self-service; community help available

Complex; paid onboarding common

Migration

No formal migration support

Partner-assisted; costs vary

Support

Community forums; 24/5 chat on Premium only

Slow response; widely criticized

Implementation

Not needed; 30-min setup

$1,000-$10,000+ for implementations

Training

Community docs only; no formal training

Paid training portal; certifications available
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Industry-Specific Use Cases

Find the right platform for your industry

Features Features
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Kaseya Kaseya
Verdict Verdict

SaaS / Tech Companies

Weak: lacks automation and DevOps integrations

Moderate: endpoint management; not deep ITSM

Kaseya edges for automation; neither suits SaaS ITSM

E-commerce / Retail

Weak: no e-commerce integrations or multi-brand support

Moderate: endpoint mgmt for retail IT environments

Kaseya edges for endpoint management needs

Healthcare / BFSI

Weak: compliance certifications not clearly published

Moderate: SOC 2 Type II; EDR for healthcare endpoints

Kaseya wins on published compliance certifications

Education / K-12 / Universities

Strong: free tier ideal for school IT teams and tight budgets

Moderate: endpoint management useful; ITSM features limited

Spiceworks wins for budget-constrained education IT teams

IT Services / MSPs

Weak: no MSP edition; no multi-tenant capability

Strong: purpose-built MSP platform; Kaseya 365 bundle

Kaseya wins decisively for MSP businesses

Non-profit / Government

Strong: free tier suits non-profits and public sector budgets

Moderate: pricing complex; government sector use cases

Spiceworks wins for zero-budget non-profits

Manufacturing / Logistics

Weak: no asset management depth for manufacturing scale

Strong: endpoint automation and patch management at scale

Kaseya wins on endpoint scale and asset automation
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Switching to HappyFox from Spiceworks or Kaseya

The 4-Step Process (2-5 Weeks Total)
1

Export & Assessment

2-5 Days

Export and assess your current setup.

  • All tickets, contacts, and profiles
  • Knowledge base articles and macros
  • SLA policies and team structure
  • Custom fields, tags, and historical data
2

Config & Mapping

3-7 Days

Configure HappyFox and map your data.

  • Ticket categories, statuses and SLAs
  • Team structure and roles
  • Email routing and channels
  • Automation rules and branding
3

Automation Setup

2-5 Days

Set up automation rules and workflows.

  • Ticket routing and escalation rules
  • SLA timers and business hour calendars
  • Smart rules, canned responses, and macros
  • Integration connections and webhook triggers
4

Testing & Go-Live

5-10 Days

Test thoroughly and go live with confidence.

  • End-to-end ticket flow testing
  • Agent training and onboarding sessions
  • Parallel running period (optional)
  • Go-live with HappyFox support on standby
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Spiceworks really free compared to Kaseya?
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Yes. Spiceworks Core is completely free with unlimited agents and tickets, supported by ads. Kaseya has no free tier and requires contract commitments starting at $1.75/endpoint/month for Kaseya 365 Express, plus implementation costs of $1,000-$10,000 or more.
Can Spiceworks replace Kaseya for an MSP?
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No. Spiceworks is a basic internal IT help desk with no multi-tenant MSP architecture, no RMM, no EDR, and no endpoint management. Kaseya is purpose-built for MSPs managing multiple client environments at scale. These products do not overlap in target audience.
Does either Spiceworks or Kaseya have AI features in 2026?
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Neither product offers meaningful native AI for ITSM workflows. Spiceworks has no AI features on any plan. Kaseya's AI capabilities are available in its Kaseya 365 Ops bundle at custom pricing, focused on endpoint automation rather than ticket intelligence.
Which is better for a small IT team of 3-5 people?
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Spiceworks wins for very small teams. The free Core plan covers basic ticketing with zero cost and setup in under 30 minutes. Kaseya is designed for MSPs managing external clients and would be overcomplicated and too expensive for a small internal IT team.
What are Kaseya's contract risks in 2026?
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Kaseya historically enforced aggressive multi-year auto-renewing contracts. In 2024, Kaseya introduced a Partner First Pledge offering 1-year contract options at multi-year pricing and capping annual price increases at 5% plus inflation adjustments upon renewal.
Editorial Note

This comparison is published by HappyFox and presents our perspective on how platforms compare. While we've made every effort to present accurate information based on publicly available data, vendor documentation, and third-party reviews as of 2026, features and pricing are subject to change. We encourage readers to verify all claims through official vendor websites, request demos from both platforms, and consult independent review sites like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. All customer quotes are from verified review platforms and are linked to their original sources.

Why settle for either? See what HappyFox offers.

Custom demo + side-by-side comparison + cost savings analysis

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