Server downtime can wreck your entire morning.
If you’re evaluating Datto, you’re probably trying to avoid lost productivity, data loss, and manual scrambling whenever client systems go down—or worse, get hit by ransomware.
What’s really frustrating is that constant disruptions eat into your billable hours and wreck your client relationships, leaving you exhausted from always playing catch-up.
Datto stands out by taking an integrated approach to business continuity, backup, recovery, endpoint management, and SaaS protection—purpose-built for MSPs. From instant server failover to multi-tenant cloud backup and seamless PSA-RMM integration, Datto aims to cover every gap that keeps your clients safe and your workflows smooth.
In this review, I’ll show you how Datto can keep your clients running even when things go sideways—and what that really means for your efficiency.
In this Datto review, you’ll get a hands-on look at the features, real-world performance, pricing, and the alternatives to consider on your buying journey.
You’ll get the insights and details you need to choose the features you need to protect your MSP business and deliver real uptime for your clients.
Let’s dive into the analysis.
Quick Summary
- Datto is an integrated platform for MSPs offering backup, disaster recovery, RMM, PSA, and networking tools.
- Best for MSPs looking to standardize on a unified, reliable service delivery platform.
- You’ll appreciate its market-leading BCDR backup reliability combined with cohesive RMM and PSA workflows.
- Datto offers premium pricing with no free trial, available through MSP partners with custom quotes.
Datto Overview
Datto has been around since 2007, based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Their core mission is to empower Managed Service Providers (MSPs) delivering enterprise-grade cloud and security solutions to small and medium-sized businesses.
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What sets them apart is how they focus exclusively on MSPs serving SMB and mid-market clients, leveraging a 100% channel-only sales model. You won’t find Datto trying to sell direct to end users, which keeps their platform tightly aligned with MSP workflows and needs.
A smart move was the 2022 acquisition by Kaseya for $6.2 billion, combining two MSP software giants. You can see the impact of this in how integrated their offerings are evolving — a key point if you’re reading this Datto review with MSP scalability in mind.
Unlike competitors who cover broad IT management, Datto emphasizes an all-in-one suite purpose-built for MSP delivery. This integration across backup, RMM, PSA, and networking feels like it was built by people who actually use this stuff daily.
They work with thousands of MSPs managing hundreds of thousands of SMB clients worldwide, especially those needing reliable disaster recovery and endpoint management.
Right now, Datto is focused on streamlining MSP operations through tighter platform integration and expanding cloud-native protections, aligning with your need for efficiency and security in a crowded market.
Now let’s examine their capabilities.
Datto Features
Managing multiple MSP tools is frustrating, right?
Datto solutions offer a unified platform tailored for Managed Service Providers, combining backup, monitoring, service automation, networking, and SaaS protection. These are the five core Datto solutions that tackle key MSP challenges and streamline your service delivery.
1. Datto BCDR (Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery)
Unexpected downtime can cripple your business fast.
Server crashes, ransomware, or hardware failures often cause costly outages that halt operations and revenue flow. Many tools promise uptime but can’t deliver quick recovery.
Datto BCDR uses a hybrid-cloud backup plus on-site appliances to keep your data safe. What I love about this solution is its Instant Virtualization capability for near-immediate failover, which lets you run your server virtually while fixing hardware. From my testing, the seamless transition minimizes downtime risks dramatically.
This means you can keep your business running even during disasters and avoid costly operational gaps.
2. Datto SaaS Protection
Worried about losing cloud data from Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
Native cloud platforms often lack sufficient backup options, leaving you vulnerable to accidental deletions or malicious attacks. Recovering granular items can be tedious without proper tools.
Datto SaaS Protection automatically backs up key cloud data multiple times a day and allows easy restoration of single emails, files, or entire SharePoint sites. This cloud-to-cloud backup solution simplifies recovery for complex SaaS environments, making it straightforward to restore data quickly. Here’s what I found – the centralized MSP dashboard is a genuine time saver for managing multiple clients.
This solution ensures your SaaS data remains protected, meeting compliance demands and reducing data loss risks.
3. Datto RMM (Remote Monitoring & Management)
Handling thousands of endpoints remotely is overwhelming.
Without smart automation, manual patching and maintenance drain resources and increase security risks, leaving endpoints exposed.
Datto RMM provides real-time monitoring, alerting, and patch management with a powerful automation engine. The highlight is its policy-driven automation features which let you roll out updates or scripts across your entire client base easily. From my testing, this feature really shines when automating common tasks without manual intervention.
Your IT team gets more done with less effort while reducing endpoint vulnerabilities effectively.
4. Autotask PSA (Professional Services Automation)
Juggling separate tools for tickets, billing, and projects slows you down.
Disjointed systems cause duplicate work and missed billable hours, hurting MSP efficiency and profits.
Autotask PSA combines service ticketing, CRM, time tracking, and billing into one workflow. This solution’s key strength is the full integration with Datto RMM that auto-creates tickets from alerts, streamlining service management. This is where Datto shines — eliminating data silos so your team can focus on resolving issues rather than admin.
You get faster ticket resolution, improved billing accuracy, and greater operational control.
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5. Datto Networking
Managing multiple client networks remotely is a headache.
Traveling on-site or using different VPNs to monitor routers and switches wastes time and complicates troubleshooting.
Datto Networking offers cloud-managed access points, switches, and routers with a multi-tenant Partner Portal. This solution’s standout is its centralized network configuration and monitoring for all clients in one dashboard. Here’s what I found – the portal’s ease of use lets MSPs scale network services efficiently without on-site visits.
This helps you deliver better network uptime and reduces operational overhead.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Comprehensive platform covering MSP backup to billing
- ✅ Instant Virtualization minimizes downtime during failures
- ✅ Powerful RMM automation saves time on routine tasks
- ⚠️ High cost, especially for proprietary BCDR hardware
- ⚠️ Steep learning curve for Autotask PSA configuration
- ⚠️ Support quality declined after Kaseya acquisition
Together, these Datto solutions form a tightly integrated MSP platform that covers operations from disaster recovery to network management. This unified approach means less switching between tools and better overall visibility for your MSP business. You’ll appreciate how these Datto features work hand-in-hand to support growth and service excellence.
Datto Pricing
Wondering what Datto pricing really looks like?
Datto pricing follows a fully custom quote model through its MSP partner network, making upfront costs less transparent but tailored to your specific backup, SaaS protection, and management needs.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Platform: $1,000 to $15,000+ one-time appliance cost (for BCDR)
- User Licenses: $2.00 to $3.50 per user/month (SaaS Protection)
- Implementation: Typically bundled via MSP with possible setup fees
- Integrations: Included with platform but MSP markup varies
- Key Factors: Appliance model, storage size, endpoint count, MSP pricing strategy
1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors
Complex pricing tailored to you.
Datto’s pricing model combines upfront hardware costs for their BCDR appliances with ongoing monthly fees for cloud services and support. Their pricing structure involves multiple elements including device choice, cloud storage, and per-user SaaS licensing. MSPs add management fees on top, making final costs vary widely. From my cost analysis, this means your budget needs flexibility and direct partner engagement to understand total ownership costs.
This approach fits businesses wanting tailored, scalable solutions over standard packages.
2. Value Assessment & ROI
Custom pricing offers strategic ROI.
Datto’s combination of physical backup devices with cloud virtualization and SaaS protection gives you enterprise-grade resilience cost-effectively through the MSP channel. Their pricing reflects the value of instant recovery options and enhanced continuity and operational protection your company gains. What I found regarding pricing is that while initial costs can be high, your ongoing investment supports minimizing costly downtime.
So for your business, the price is justified by enhanced continuity and operational protection.
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3. Budget Planning & Implementation
Plan for layered expenses.
Since Datto pricing involves hardware acquisition, recurring cloud subscriptions, and MSP services layered on top, understanding the total cost of ownership is critical. Implementation fees and service bundles vary by partner, affecting your upfront and monthly budget. From my cost analysis, instead of you wondering about hidden costs, planning closely with your MSP partner helps avoid surprises and align expenditures with your business size.
This means your finance team needs to forecast multiple cost layers for accuracy.
My Take: Datto’s pricing is best suited for MSPs and their clients who want customizable, resilient backup and management solutions without forced tier pricing. Budget-wise, you can expect a mix of upfront and recurring charges that match your exact workload and data protection needs.
Datto pricing reflects a tailored approach balancing upfront investment with ongoing value.
Datto Reviews
Is Datto really living up to customer expectations?
From my review analysis, Datto reviews reveal a mix of strong satisfaction and emerging concerns, drawing from recent feedback on trusted sites like G2 and Capterra. This balanced look helps you understand how real users experience the platform today, especially after its acquisition by Kaseya. Review-wise, you’ll find insights on reliability, integrations, and evolving user sentiments.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users generally appreciate Datto’s strengths.
From the reviews I analyzed, overall satisfaction rates remain solid, with many users giving high marks for core functionalities. What stood out was how users consistently praise Datto’s reliable disaster recovery and integrated MSP tools, despite some hesitation linked to recent changes. This pattern suggests you can expect dependable service but should weigh recent shifts in support and pricing carefully.
Key drivers of satisfaction include dependable backup performance and integrated management, while dissatisfaction mainly stems from post-acquisition adjustments.
2. Common Praise Points
Reliability and integration win praise consistently.
What I found in user feedback is that the flagship BCDR product’s stability and ease of recovery stand out. Additionally, many MSPs value the synergy between Datto RMM and Autotask PSA, calling it a time-saving, unified ecosystem that streamlines operations. These points emerge repeatedly in Datto reviews as critical reasons customers remain loyal.
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This reliability and integration matter because they directly impact how smoothly your MSP can handle client IT challenges day-to-day.
3. Frequent Complaints
Support and cost cause user frustration.
Across multiple reviews, users frequently complain about longer support response times and price hikes since Kaseya took over. Feedback highlights post-acquisition declines in support quality as a key frustration, alongside concerns about the high cost of proprietary hardware and software. These issues appear often enough to merit attention if budget and service responsiveness are priorities for you.
While serious for some, these complaints may not outweigh benefits for users who prioritize robust backup and integrated tools.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “Their BCDR solution is best in class. We have had to do multiple restores for clients due to ransomware, and every time, Datto has come through for us.” (G2)
- Constructive: “Since the Kaseya buyout, things have changed. Support wait times are longer, and there’s a constant push to buy more products.” (Capterra)
- Bottom Line: “The PSA and RMM integration is the best part. An alert in RMM can automatically create a ticket with the right configuration details attached.” (G2)
From the patterns I observed, the overall Datto reviews combine strong product reliability with some growing user concerns, reflecting a transparent picture of evolving user experiences.
Best Datto Alternatives
Too many MSP software options to consider?
The best Datto alternatives include several strong contenders, each catering to different business sizes, budgets, and technical priorities. Choosing among them depends largely on what fits your operational style and client needs best.
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1. ConnectWise
Need deeper customization and control?
ConnectWise serves MSPs who require highly customizable tools fitting complex workflows. From my competitive analysis, this alternative excels when you want an all-in-one platform but aren’t shy about navigating a steeper learning curve and managing intricate setups alongside Datto’s simpler interface.
You should choose ConnectWise if your team demands extensive tailoring and you have resources to support ongoing platform complexity.
2. NinjaOne
Looking for intuitive, user-friendly software?
NinjaOne shines as an alternative when ease of use and rapid deployment are must-haves. What I found comparing options is that NinjaOne’s modern, straightforward UI reduces onboarding friction, making it attractive for smaller MSPs or those with less technical staff compared to Datto’s more feature-rich but complex suite.
Choose NinjaOne if you prioritize simplicity and want to get up and running quickly without sacrificing essential RMM and backup tools.
3. Veeam
Managing large, virtualized environments?
Veeam stands out as a powerful backup alternative especially suited for MSPs focused on virtualization and flexible infrastructure use. From my analysis, Veeam’s software-only model offers unmatched flexibility for integrating with your existing hardware or cloud storage, unlike Datto’s appliance-dependent approach.
Your situation calls for Veeam when you want a highly configurable, software-centric backup solution for complex enterprise clients.
4. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
Prioritizing security and data protection together?
Acronis appeals as an alternative if cybersecurity integration is your top priority. From my review, Acronis combines backup with advanced anti-malware and EDR features more tightly than Datto’s traditionally backup-focused platform, making it suitable for MSPs aiming to provide a consolidated security package.
Consider Acronis when your clients need both robust backup and unified cyber defense in a single platform.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose Datto: Integrated backup and MSP tools with moderate complexity
- Choose ConnectWise: When deep customization and complex workflows are critical
- Choose NinjaOne: For intuitive, easy-to-use RMM with straightforward setup
- Choose Veeam: If you prefer flexible, software-only virtual environment backups
The best Datto alternatives depend largely on your business priorities around customization, usability, and security rather than feature checklists alone.
Setup & Implementation
Implementation can be more involved than you expect.
The Datto review shows that Datto implementation is not a trivial plug-and-play process. You’ll want to approach deployment as a significant project, with clear expectations on setup complexity and resource commitment upfront.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Not as simple as it looks.
From my implementation analysis, configuring Autotask PSA alone can take weeks due to its complexity, while Datto RMM and BCDR hardware setup are more straightforward but still require care. A realistic timeline is 3-6 months for average MSPs, depending on your client base and custom workflows. Implementation-wise, complexity rises if you have multiple integrations or bespoke automation.
You’ll want to prepare for detailed configuration sessions and some trial-and-error adjustments along the way.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Infrastructure demands vary by component.
Datto’s BCDR appliances require physical space, power, and networking setup at client sites, whereas Autotask PSA and RMM are cloud-based with agent installs on endpoints. What I found about deployment is that hardware and network integration often create the biggest technical hurdles during implementation, especially when aligning with existing client infrastructure.
You’ll need an IT team ready to coordinate on-site installs and endpoint agent deployment alongside cloud configuration.
3. Training & Change Management
User adoption requires ongoing effort.
Technicians face a learning curve, mainly mastering Autotask PSA’s workflows and billing systems, while RMM and BCDR day-to-day use is easier to pick up. From my analysis, formal training and hands-on practice are critical to avoid common user frustration during early implementation phases.
You’ll want to budget time for comprehensive training sessions and build superusers to champion adoption in your team.
4. Support & Success Factors
Support can be hit or miss.
Historically praised for excellent help, post-Kaseya acquisition support has become less consistent. From my implementation analysis, having dedicated internal expertise often matters more than vendor support during deployment due to variable response times.
Plan for strong internal ownership, clear communication, and contingency plans to navigate any support delays effectively.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: 3-6 months depending on complexity and client count
- Team Size: Project lead plus IT staff and trainers
- Budget: Professional services and hardware costs beyond licensing
- Technical: On-site BCDR hardware setup and endpoint agent deployment
- Success Factor: Dedicated project management and thorough training
The overall Datto implementation requires careful planning and dedicated resources for smooth deployment, making it best suited to MSPs prepared for moderate complexity.
Who’s Datto For
Is Datto the right platform for your MSP?
In this Datto review, I’ll help you determine if this software matches your business profile by focusing on target users, team sizes, and use cases where Datto thrives or falls short.
1. Ideal User Profile
Best for MSPs scaling their service delivery.
Datto is built primarily for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) looking to unify their core tools under one platform. If your business aims to boost technician efficiency with integrated RMM, PSA, and BCDR solutions, you’ll benefit most. From my user analysis, MSPs who prioritize reliability and comprehensive feature sets over piecemeal tools are where Datto shines.
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Success comes from standardizing service management and leveraging automation to reduce overhead.
2. Business Size & Scale
Designed for MSPs beyond the startup phase.
Your team will find Datto fits best when you’re a mid-sized MSP managing multiple clients with structured service delivery needs. What I found about target users is that very small or break-fix IT providers may find it overly complex or expensive to implement effectively.
You’re a good fit if your business demands scalable IT management tools supporting expanding client bases and consistent workflows.
3. Use Case Scenarios
Ideal for integrated MSP workflows and disaster recovery.
Datto excels for MSPs handling remote monitoring, automated ticketing, and enterprise-grade backup and disaster recovery. Its strength lies in a tightly integrated ecosystem for end-to-end service management, including seamless RMM-PSA automation and reliable BCDR recovery, which resonates with MSP teams focused on proactive client support.
Your situation calls for Datto if you prioritize unified tech stacks over mix-and-match approaches.
4. Who Should Look Elsewhere
Not suited for small businesses or internal IT teams.
If you run an internal IT department or a small business without managed service needs, Datto’s MSP-specific design likely won’t fit. From my user analysis, users looking for modular, best-of-breed point solutions or those with limited budgets and simpler IT environments should consider alternatives with less complexity and lower entry costs.
Look for solutions tailored for direct small business use or simpler IT setups instead.
Best Fit Assessment
- Perfect For: MSPs scaling with integrated RMM, PSA, and BCDR needs
- Business Size: Mid-sized MSPs managing multiple clients and workflows
- Primary Use Case: Unified MSP service management and disaster recovery
- Budget Range: Premium pricing justified by comprehensive feature sets
- Skip If: Small IT shops or firms preferring modular, low-cost solutions
From my perspective, this Datto review shows that your best fit depends on MSP operational scale and the desire for an all-in-one platform tailored to managed service delivery.
Bottom Line
Is Datto the right fit for your MSP needs?
This Datto review offers a balanced final assessment based on features, pricing, and recent user feedback to guide your software choice confidently.
1. Overall Strengths
Industry-leading disaster recovery delivers peace of mind.
Datto excels with its robust Backup and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) solution that MSPs rely on for dependable data protection and quick restores. From my comprehensive analysis, the integrated RMM and PSA platform streamlines IT management workflows and boosts operational efficiency across MSP teams.
These strengths matter because reliable recovery and unified tools directly support your clients’ uptime and service quality.
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2. Key Limitations
Post-acquisition changes temper prior service excellence.
While Datto’s technology remains solid, recent feedback reveals increased pricing, longer support wait times, and aggressive upselling since the Kaseya acquisition. Based on this review, the high cost of proprietary hardware can strain SMB budgets, and the complexity of Autotask PSA requires dedicated training.
These limitations aren’t outright deal-breakers but should be weighed carefully if budget or ease-of-use are critical.
3. Final Recommendation
Recommended for MSPs prioritizing reliability and integration.
You should choose Datto if your priority is comprehensive BCDR paired with unified RMM and PSA tools, especially when supporting SMBs who value uptime. From my analysis, this solution offers unmatched value for MSP-centric IT management, though your decision should factor in the elevated costs and recent support shifts.
Bottom line for your business—test compatibility via demos and pilot projects before wider adoption.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended with reservations for MSP-focused use
- Best For: Managed Service Providers serving SMB and mid-market clients
- Biggest Strength: Reliable BCDR combined with integrated RMM and PSA
- Main Concern: High hardware costs and recent support quality changes
- Next Step: Schedule a demo and evaluate pilot deployment
This Datto review concludes with solid confidence in MSP-targeted capabilities balanced against factors requiring careful evaluation.