ConnectWise PSA vs Jira: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of ConnectWise PSA and Jira to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
ConnectWise PSA
5.9/10
ConnectWise PSA (formerly ConnectWise Manage) is professional services automation software that gives managed service providers ticketing, projects, time tracking, billing, and reporting in one system.
Jira
7.3/10
Atlassian's work and issue-tracking platform for planning, tracking, and shipping projects, with scrum and kanban boards built mainly for software and technical teams.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 3/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Ease of Use | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | $8/user/mo Standard |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Task management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| Collaboration tools | Not listed | |
| Kanban boards | Not listed | |
| Knowledge base | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Task lists | Not listed | |
| Timeline view | Not listed | |
ConnectWise PSA vs Jira cost by team size
| Team size | ConnectWise PSA | Jira |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | $212/moStandard |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | $424/moStandard |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose ConnectWise PSA
- Better fit for customer support teams (7/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Jira
- Has a free plan (ConnectWise PSA does not)
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for startups (8/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for small business (6/10 vs 3/10)
Pros & Cons
ConnectWise PSA
Pros
- Ticketing goes deep, with SLA timers, routing rules, and service boards for MSP service desks.
- Billing handles recurring agreements, time and materials, and prepaid blocks, and syncs with QuickBooks and Xero.
- Time entries link directly to tickets, projects, and agreements, which helps capture billable work.
- A large ecosystem through the ConnectWise Marketplace and native RMM ticket creation.
Cons
- Reviewers report a learning curve of several weeks, plus ongoing work to maintain boards and workflows.
- There are no public prices, and independent estimates of 75 to 145 USD per user per month exceed many rivals.
- Users mention a dated, cluttered interface and slow performance at peak times.
- Reviewers cite uneven support, account manager turnover, and price increases at renewal.
Jira
Pros
- The free plan supports up to 10 users and includes scrum and kanban boards.
- Reviewers highlight deep customization of workflows, boards, and fields.
- Sprint and agile management are strong, and Jira integrates with GitHub and Git tools.
- It links closely with Confluence and other Atlassian products, so tickets can be referenced across those apps.
- Time tracking is built into every plan, including Free.
Cons
- Reviewers report a steep learning curve and an interface that overwhelms non-technical users.
- Users report slow issue loading and laggy boards in large deployments.
- Paid Marketplace apps can add hidden costs for reporting, CRM, and helpdesk needs.
- The free plan is limited to 100 emails per day and community support only.
- Troubleshooting failed automation rules can be frustrating.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Jira scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.3/10 against 5.9/10 for ConnectWise PSA. The largest gap is in Cost: 3/10 for ConnectWise PSA and 7/10 for Jira.
Jira has a free plan; ConnectWise PSA does not list one.
Jira is the better fit for startups: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 2/10 for ConnectWise PSA.
