N-able MSP Manager vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) comparison

N-able and OpenText are both solutions in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category. N-able is ranked #25 with an average rating of 7.0, while OpenText is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.3. N-able holds a 0.6% mindshare in ISM, compared to OpenText’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of N-able users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of OpenText users who would recommend it.

N-able MSP Manager

Read 4 N-able MSP Manager reviews

259 Views
178 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

OpenText Service Management...

Read 6 OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) reviews

875 Views
410 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

N-able MSP Manager

OpenText Service Management...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

N-able MSP Manager and OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) compete in IT service management. N-able MSP Manager appears to excel in ease of use and deployment, offering advantages for smaller teams, whereas SMAX's comprehensive feature set justifies its higher cost, appealing to larger enterprises.

Features: N-able MSP Manager offers efficient task management and ticketing processes, a centralized portal for unified workflow, and seamless integration with RMM for comprehensive device information. SMAX, on the other hand, provides AI-driven automation, cloud management, and a user-friendly interface that supports diverse business operations and advanced chatbot functionalities.

Room for Improvement: N-able MSP Manager could enhance capabilities for larger enterprises by expanding feature sets beyond basic task management, improving automation features, and offering more robust reporting tools. SMAX might benefit from streamlining its deployment process, reducing initial setup complexity, and offering more cost-effective pricing options for smaller businesses.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: N-able MSP Manager is noted for its quick setup and intuitive design, enhancing onboarding and reducing training time, backed by responsive support services. SMAX, however, requires a more elaborate deployment, with extensive configuration options and detailed documentation, supported by specialized assistance.

Pricing and ROI: N-able MSP Manager provides a cost-effective pricing model, ideal for smaller firms seeking quick ROI without high upfront costs. SMAX's pricing aligns with its extensive capabilities, requiring a higher initial investment but potentially offering a favorable ROI for those utilizing its full feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed N-able MSP Manager vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

N-able MSP Manager vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

April 2025

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Helped 848,207 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

N-able MSP Manager

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

25th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Help Desk Software (23rd)

OpenText Service Management...

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

16th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category, the mindshare of N-able MSP Manager is 0.6%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is 2.1%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IT Service Management (ITSM)

Featured Reviews

Yazan Albaw

Customer Success Director at We Cybers

N-able MSP Manager centralizes service management, automates ticketing, and enhances client communication for streamlined IT operations.

For improvement, there's a feature I've already requested from N-able that I'd love to see in future releases. When adding a client, there should be a way to add multiple contacts under each client. Currently, we have to manually enter each contact’s details one by one, including their name, last name, password, and other information. It would be much more efficient if we could import contacts in bulk, perhaps using an Excel sheet or another import method. Additionally, it would be highly beneficial if MSP Manager could integrate with multiple RMM solutions. At the moment, we're limited to integrating with just one RMM, Expanding this capability would greatly enhance the versatility and value of MSP Manager.

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Mourad Ali

ITSM Consultancy Head at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Offers topic analytics for incident and problem management

The only challenge with Azure customers is when they have a specific requirement that is not available out of the box and is inflexible to adjust. Sometimes, customers have tough requirements that are not flexible enough to be adjusted, even if SMAX can provide a better alternative. They need this specific feature. This challenge is common with SMAX, BMC, ServiceNow, IBM, or other similar tools. When working with enterprise tools that are not developed in-house, I don't have access to the source code and am limited to the features and capabilities provided by the leading vendors. So, this challenge is common across SMAX, BMC, and ServiceNow. The solution could have more customization flexibility.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The best advantage for us, since we use all N-able products, is that the MSP portal centralizes everything."

"This is a premier product and it has been around for a long time."

"I like that you can do all the things with it. You can patch, and you can run the scheduled tasks. You can remote in, upload files, and download files. You can log onto a computer PowerShell, or command prompt, without having to log into RDP. I also like its ease of use."

"I am impressed with the tool's integration with our mail system."

"This is a cordless application that can be used throughout any organization."

"The product provides an interface for the end users to make requests."

"The most valuable features of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) are that it is user-friendly, easy to configure, and adaptable."

"The tool is very easy to use."

"It offers a range of tools for sales and configuration. It's like a business process improvement platform, suitable for various lines of business operations."

"OpenText Service Management Automation X provides valuable features such as topic analytics for incident and problem management. It also includes natural language processing for analyzing technical descriptions. Additionally, it features a virtual chatbot capable of processing natural language to interact effectively with end users. This service enhances customer support and is not subject to the limitations often found in offerings from other vendors."

Cons

"Its reporting is lousy and bad. It is not as good as it should be. There is too much work involved to get what you want. Most times, you have to call them to customize some stuff. I just don't like that part. They need to work on their reporting. They have a way to go."

"I'd like to see a way to import contacts in bulk using an Excel sheet or another import method."

"The tool needs to improve its customization of the user interface."

"What I would like to see is a simplified solution that is packaged better, where you can easily implement or turn on the functionality that you need."

"The product's connectivity with third-party products is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"The tool has negatively impacted our productivity."

"The contract management feature can be improved."

"The initial setup of Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is complicated, but once it is set up the configuration is straightforward to adapt to the users' or customers' needs."

"The solution lacks sufficient documentation."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't know the exact cost, but I know it's reasonable. Its cost of entry is not bad. I've had other organizations sign up for it. I don't know how much they paid, but it wasn't bad. You charge for every object. You charge for AV, and you charge for servers. There is a charge for everything or every object in that. I know we make money from it, but I don't know what it is."

"Don't get scared of the price tag because it's definitely worth it."

"I would rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten since it's not the cheapest one in the market."

"The solution is somewhat cheaper than the competitors."

"The cost of the license for SMAX varies depending on the configuration, including the number of seats for users and the customer's specific requirements. It's not a fixed cost and can vary."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about N-able MSP Manager?

I am impressed with the tool's integration with our mail system.

See all answers

What needs improvement with N-able MSP Manager?

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What is your primary use case for N-able MSP Manager?

At We Cybers, we utilize multiple N-able products, including RMM, EDR, and Passportal. N-able MSP Manager seamlessly integrates our ticketing system with both RMM Insight and N-central, enabling au...

See all answers

What do you like most about Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The tool is very easy to use.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The solution is used for the end-user portal. It is used for incident management, requests, and other informational purposes.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)?

The tool is appropriate if we don't have a complicated use case. It is the right tool for simple use cases. It's a lot cheaper than ServiceNow. It is an appropriate tool for a smaller business or m...

See all answers

Comparisons

SolarWinds Web Help Desk vs N-able MSP Manager

Compared 100% of the time

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ServiceNow vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 35% of the time

JIRA Service Management vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 31% of the time

BMC Helix ITSM vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 23% of the time

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Compared 11% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Help Desk Software

March 2025

Download N-able MSP Manager product report

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

March 2025

OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) report

Download OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) product report

Also Known As

SolarWinds LOGICnow, SolarWinds MSP Manager

OpenText Service Manager, Micro Focus Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

N-able

OpenText

Overview

Managing your business and providing excellent support shouldn’t bog you down. MSP Manager’s ease of use will free your team to deliver on your promise of great service.

Intuitive, lightweight ticketing with seamless RMM and N-central^®platform integrations.
Painless time tracking with convenient timers and functionality for recurring tickets and appointments.
Closed-loop email with automatic ticket monitoring and routing, with a streamlined Microsoft 365 setup via OAuth.
Complete customer and knowledge management with a branded portal.
Accounting integrations with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero.

N-able

OpenText™ SMAX is a SaaS-based solution that delivers a smart approach to IT and enterprise service management with built-in analytics, codeless configurations, and private generative AI chatbots.

OpenText SMAX delivers a smart approach to service management, with full capabilities for IT service management (ITSM), IT asset management (ITAM), and enterprise service management (ESM). Empower users to self-resolve common requests with private generative AI chatbots that offer human-like responses. Give your team what they need—ITIL best-practice templates, codeless configurations, and built-in AI and analytics for automating workflows, improving processes, and solving issues. With SaaS deployment, SMAX eliminates the hassle of installation, maintenance, and upgrade. What’s more, SMAX offers flexible and affordable licensing that adapts to your business needs and saves you money.

SMAX has a flexible and transparent pricing model that lets you change license allocations or add capabilities without costly surprises. Pricing starts at $79 per agent per month for a full range of processes and features that include a service portal, mobile app, AI, analytics, federated CMDB, ITSM, ESM, discovery, and orchestration. Visit the OpenText ITSM SaaS pricing page for details.

OpenText

Sample Customers

Longleaf Systems, ITproMedia, Choice Technology, Halski Systems, Allixo Technologies, Nettech, Concept Technology

Zurich Airport, Envirosuite, Norsk Helsenett, Achmea, University of Milan, World Vision, Petroleum Development Oman, Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT).

Buyer's Guide

N-able MSP Manager vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

April 2025

Free Report: N-able MSP Manager vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)

Find out what your peers are saying about N-able MSP Manager vs. OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX) and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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