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ConnectWise Automate
Your technicians fix the same Windows faults every week. A script should fix them first — ConnectWise Automate is the scriptable RMM you can host on your own server — built for Windows estates, with searches, groups, scripts and monitors that fix routine faults before a ticket opens.
Buy through TechBag
Same software. Better outcome — at a lower cost.
How it’s rated
Full scoreboard ↓Quick answer
The ConnectWise platform family
This page covers ConnectWise Automate — the self-hostable, scriptable RMM. The rest:
Quick facts
30-second orientation- Product
- Scriptable RMM for MSPs, ex-LabTech
- Hosting
- On your own server, or ConnectWise cloud
- Server stack
- Windows server with a MySQL database
- Endpoints
- Primarily Windows, per ConnectWise’s FAQ
- Scripting
- Script engine plus AI-drafted PowerShell
- Price
- Quote only; free trial offered
- Not the same as
- ConnectWise RMM, the cloud-native tool
- Analysts
- No Gartner MQ exists for RMM
- India
- No India cloud region; self-host instead
- In India via
- TechBag — INR/GST, sizing and support
Understand scriptable RMM before you buy one
Most product pages skip this. We start here — so you buy a capability, not a buzzword.
What is a scriptable RMM?
Monitoring and management you shape yourself — agents report to a server, and your own scripts decide what happens next.
Fixing the same fault by hand on every ticket vs a scriptable RMM — the honest table
What consolidation actually replaces, dimension by dimension.
| Dimension | Repeat fixes by hand, patches pushed at once | ConnectWise Automate |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat fixes | A technician re-does it on every ticket | A script runs when the monitor fails |
| Finding machines | Spreadsheets and remote spot-checks | Saved searches that keep groups current |
| Windows updates | Approved by hand, pushed all at once | Pilot groups, rings and maintenance windows |
| Client questions | Log into each site to look | One data view across every client |
| Where data lives | Wherever the SaaS vendor hosts it | Your own server, or ConnectWise’s cloud |
| What it is NOT | — | Not cloud-native, and not Mac- or Linux-first |
The cheapest test is the free trial: load one client, turn three repeat tickets into monitor-triggered scripts, and see what it saves.
The five pieces of the platform
Vendors love diagrams; buyers need to know what they’re actually operating. Here’s the whole platform, demystified.
Server
The Automate server and a MySQL database run on one Windows server, or split across separate Automate, database and web servers when the estate outgrows one box.
Agent
An agent on each managed machine checks in, collects inventory, runs scripts and monitors, and pulls patches. The FAQ says Windows endpoints are the primary target.
Engine
Searches place machines into groups; groups carry scripts, monitors, patch policies and permissions. A monitor that fails can fire a script that fixes it.
Hosting
Run the server yourself for full control, or let ConnectWise host it. ConnectWise sells paid conversion services to move an Automate server in either direction.
One Automate server on your hardware or in ConnectWise’s cloud — agents on every endpoint, your own scripts doing the work.
Nine capabilities. Automate, maintain, control.
ConnectWise Automate lets an MSP script its own service model and run it from a server it controls.
A script engine built for scale
Build a fix once and run it on demand, on a schedule, or as the response to a failed monitor across every client and site.
AI-drafted PowerShell, human-approved
AI assistance drafts PowerShell scripts for a technician to review and approve before they run — speed without handing over control.
Searches that sort machines for you
Saved searches drop machines into groups by what they run or how they are set up, and each group inherits its own scripts and policies.
Windows patching in rings
Approval policies, pilot groups, maintenance windows and deployment rings roll Windows updates out in stages, with compliance reports.
Third-party patching, narrower list
Automate patches third-party apps too, but ConnectWise’s own FAQ says ConnectWise RMM covers a much larger list — check yours are on it.
Monitors that trigger their own fix
Prebuilt scripts and monitors catch routine faults, and a failed check can run a remediation before the user notices or a ticket opens.
Ask the whole estate a question
Data views query, filter and export software, versions and settings across clients — the raw material for QBRs, audits and renewals.
Granular roles and audit trails
Role-based permissions decide which technician may touch which client, machine or script, and audit trails record what was run.
ScreenConnect for hands-on fixes
Remote sessions and background troubleshooting run through ScreenConnect, which ConnectWise installs and validates on an on-premises build.
Watch ConnectWise Automate in context
ConnectWise’s 2024 automation roadmap, seven habits for third-party patching, and one MSP on moving from Automate to ConnectWise RMM.
IT Nation Automation Nation 2024: ConnectWise Roadmap to Hyperautomation
ConnectWise’s 2024 automation roadmap.
How to Automate Third Party Patching: 7 Best Practices
Seven habits for third-party patching.
Switching from ConnectWise Automate to ConnectWise RMM
One MSP on moving to the cloud tool.
Want a live, India-context walkthrough for your environment?
Book a guided demo →Every MSP repeats the same fixes. Automate turns them into scripts on a server you control.
Here’s what genuinely sets it apart — and exactly where it stops.
The one ConnectWise RMM you can host yourself
Automate is the only RMM in the ConnectWise line that installs on your own server. ConnectWise’s FAQ lists on-premises or cloud hosting as its difference from ConnectWise RMM, which is cloud-native. If device data must stay on hardware you choose, this is the route.
Depth for teams that like to build
ConnectWise pitches Automate at MSPs that want deeper, manual customisation. Searches, groups, scripts, monitors and permissions all bend to your own service model. That rewards a team with a scripting lead; it punishes a team that wanted defaults and a short setup.
Built around Windows estates
ConnectWise’s FAQ says Automate primarily supports Windows endpoints, and its patching features are written for Windows OS updates. For a book of Windows desktops and servers that fits well. For many Macs or Linux servers, ConnectWise itself points to its RMM.
Where it stops
Self-hosting means you patch the server. ConnectWise shipped Automate security fixes in 2024.3, 2025.9, 2026.4 and 2026.5; cloud instances were updated for you, on-premises ones were not. There is no public price, no India cloud region, and ConnectWise openly publishes stories of MSPs moving to RMM.
The numbers behind the platform
What your ConnectWise Automate rollout looks like
Count endpoints by operating system
List every managed machine by OS. If Macs and Linux are a large share, test ConnectWise RMM before Automate.
Decide who runs the server
Choose on-premises or ConnectWise cloud, name the data centre, and size single-server or split-server with ConnectWise.
Automate one client in the trial
Load one client, build its searches and groups, and turn three repeat tickets into scripts triggered by monitors.
Roll out patch rings
Set approval policies, a pilot group and maintenance windows, then confirm your third-party apps are on the list.
Own the upgrade routine
Write down who applies each Automate release on-premises, how fast, and how the ScreenConnect integration is re-checked.
The review scoreboard
Modelled on Gartner Peer Insights structure. *Counts and breakdowns are illustrative pending verified review collection.
Quick poll — what’s driving your evaluation?
Talk to an advisor“Our Automate server sits in a Mumbai colo rack. When a bank client asked where device data lives, we could point at the box.”
“One search finds every machine missing our AV build and drops it into a group that reinstalls it overnight. Nobody touches a ticket.”
“The depth is real, but so is the learning curve. It took our scripting lead a full quarter before the groups felt right.”
“Running it on-premises means we own the upgrades. The 2025.9 fix went on a weekend change window, not in the background.”
“Ninety percent of our fleet is Windows, which is exactly where Automate is strongest. The few Macs we look after elsewhere.”
“Data views answer QBR questions in minutes — which clients still run an old Office build, and on how many machines.”
Where everyone sits — the grids
Analyst firms bury this view behind paywalls, and G2 retired its Grid. So here’s TechBag’s synthesis of the MSP RMM market — tap any vendor to see why it sits where it does.
TechBag MSP RMM Grid
Execution strength vs product vision — the classic market map, minus the paywall.
Deep scripting; on-prem or cloud; Windows-first.
Hosting Control × Scripting Depth
The grid nobody publishes — how much control you get over where the RMM runs and its data sits vs how far you can script it.
Self-host anywhere; deepest scripting in the line.
Positions are TechBag’s illustrative synthesis of public review-platform data and vendor documentation — not a reproduction of any analyst graphic. Verify before relying on it.
ConnectWise Automate vs the MSP RMM field
Against ConnectWise RMM, N-able N-central, Kaseya VSA 10, NinjaOne and Datto RMM — on hosting, endpoint coverage, scripting, patching, price, upkeep and India.
| Dimension | ConnectWise Automate | ConnectWise RMM | N-able N-central | Kaseya VSA 10 | NinjaOne | Datto RMM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Scriptable MSP RMM | Cloud-native MSP RMM | Multi-tenant MSP RMM | Kaseya’s RMM | Cloud IT operations | Cloud MSP RMM |
| Deployment | On-prem or cloud | Cloud only | On-prem or hosted | On-prem or SaaS | Cloud only | Cloud only |
| Endpoint coverage | Windows first | Windows, Mac, Linux | OS plus SNMP devices | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Scripting depth | Deepest in the line | PowerShell, bash, batch | Drag-and-drop builder | Standard scripts | Five script types | Four languages |
| Patching | Windows rings; narrow 3P | OS, NOC-checked, 3P | OS and third-party | 3P is a separate licence | OS and third-party | 200+ apps as an add-on |
| Pricing model | Quote only | Quote per package | Quote only | Quote only | Per endpoint, range | Quote only |
| Published price | None; free trial | None published | None; free trial | None published | $1.50–$3.75/endpoint | None published |
| Scale and architecture | You size the servers | ConnectWise scales it | Your server or N-able’s | 8 GB RAM minimum | Vendor-scaled SaaS | Vendor-scaled SaaS |
| Integrations | PSA, ScreenConnect | Platform-native | N-able stack | Autotask and IT Glue | Open, vendor-neutral | Autotask-native |
| Access and security | Granular, but you patch | Patched by ConnectWise | Tenant-level RBAC | KaseyaOne sign-in | SAML SSO, MFA | SSO via Autotask |
| India storage region | Self-host in India | None documented | Self-host in India | Self-host in India | No India region | Sydney nearest |
| Support and upkeep | You patch the server | No server to run | Depends on hosting | Depends on hosting | No server to run | No server to run |
| Lock-in and exit | Automate-own objects | Plain scripts travel | Policies are N-able’s | Kaseya bundle ties | Standard script files | Datto components |
| Best fit | Windows-heavy MSPs | Cloud-first MSPs | Multi-client MSPs | Kaseya-suite MSPs | Depth, no server | Autotask shops |
Which approach fits you?
Honest fit signals — because the fastest way to lose your trust is to pretend one product wins every scenario.
Choose ConnectWise Automate if…
- ✓Your managed estate is mostly Windows and you have someone who enjoys building scripts and monitors
- ✓Device data has to stay on a server you choose, in a data centre you can name
- ✓You already run ConnectWise PSA and ScreenConnect and want them tied to a customisable RMM
Compare alternatives if…
- ✓You want prebuilt monitors and no server to patch — ConnectWise RMM is ConnectWise’s own answer
- ✓Many client tenants must be kept strictly apart — weigh N-able N-central
- ✓You need a price before a sales call — NinjaOne publishes a per-endpoint range
Do not expect…
- ✓A public price — Automate is quote-only
- ✓Mac- and Linux-first coverage — ConnectWise says Automate primarily supports Windows
- ✓Security fixes to apply themselves on-premises — cloud instances are updated for you, your own server is not
ConnectWise Automate is one of 24 rmm & patch products TechBag carries. The RMM & Patch guide narrows them to a shortlist and shows the reasoning. →
What do hand-run repeat fixes cost you?
Drag the sliders (Windows endpoints under management; technician-hour cost). Estimates model technician time spent on repeat fixes, manual patch approvals and machine-by-machine lookups at an assumed 1.5 hours per endpoint a year, with 70% of it removed by monitor-triggered scripts, patch rings and data views. Both figures are assumptions. Illustrative.
Loaded cost = salary + overheads per productive hour. Illustrative only — your TechBag quote models your actual environment and modules.
Three ways to consume it
Quote-only: ConnectWise publishes no price for Automate — its pricing page offers ‘Request a Quote’ and the product page a free trial. The quote turns on endpoint count and whether you host on-premises or in ConnectWise’s cloud; on-premises install help is a separate paid service. TechBag gets the quote from ConnectWise and invoices in INR with GST.
Automate on-premises
Best when data must stay on your own servers
- Quote only; no public price
- Windows server with a MySQL database
- You apply every release yourself
+ Platform add-ons
Best for a broader rollout
- Scoped to your estate
- Add-on modules as needed
- Phased, right-sized deployment
Automate cloud-hosted
Best for Automate depth without a server
- Quote only; no public price
- ConnectWise hosts and updates the server
- No India storage region documented
Buy it for less — TechBag pricing beats list
Whatever the list prices above, TechBag negotiates a significantly better deal — with GST-compliant INR invoicing and local support. Ask us for your discounted quote.
Get an India-ready quote
Tell us your requirements and current tools — we’ll model it against what you spend today.
The 8 questions to ask every vendor
Take this into your next vendor call — including ours.
What share of your endpoints are Windows? ConnectWise says Automate primarily supports Windows; a mixed fleet may suit RMM better.
On-premises or ConnectWise cloud? On-premises gives you the data location — and the job of patching the server.
Will one server do, or do you need split Automate, database and web servers? Size it with ConnectWise before signing.
Who applies each Automate release on your own server, and within how many days of a Trust Center bulletin?
Are your clients’ third-party apps on Automate’s patch list? ConnectWise says RMM’s list is much larger.
Do you have someone to build and maintain scripts, searches and groups? Automate rewards that work and needs it.
Where exactly will device data be stored? No India cloud region is documented, so get the location in writing.
Would you move to ConnectWise RMM later? ConnectWise publishes no Automate end date, but sells both tools.
Questions buyers ask
Ready to evaluate ConnectWise Automate?
Count your endpoints by operating system first, or let a TechBag advisor settle Automate versus ConnectWise RMM and scope the hosting before you ask for a quote.
Stats, ratings, review counts and pricing are illustrative and sourced from public materials; verify before purchase.