N-central vs PDQ Deploy & Inventory

ManageEngine Endpoint Central

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus

NinjaOne

Kaseya VSA

System Center

Datto RMM

Compare N-central and PDQ Deploy & Inventory based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

NinjaOne simplifies IT for 35,000+ customers with one platform for endpoint management, autonomous patching, backup and remote access. 

Kaseya VSA is a cloud-based Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) software built for IT professionals. It allows users to monitor, manage, and secure any endpoint from anywhere. Kaseya VSA offers automated IT solutions with comprehensive monitoring and alerting capabilities, automated patch management, auto-remediation of routine IT issues, asset and inventory management, and remote access and control for troubleshooting.

A modern, secure, and fully-featured cloud RMM, Datto RMM helps manage the complexity & risks of supporting client endpoints. Intuitive and easy-to-use, Datto RMM helps MSPs keep their supported estate secure, patched, optimized, and running.

N-able N-central is an endpoint detection and response software designed to help managed service providers (MSPs) prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from threats.

Access Controls/Permissions

Active Directory Integration

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Escalation

Alerts/Notifications

Anomaly/Malware Detection

Anti Virus

App Management

Application Management

Approval Process Control

Asset Lifecycle Management

Asset Tracking

Audit Management

Audit Trail

Automated Scheduling

Automatic Backup

Automatic Patch Deployment

Automatic Scans

Backup and Recovery

Bandwidth Monitoring

Baseline Manager

Behavioral Analytics

Billing & Invoicing

Build Automation

BYOD Management

Capacity Management

Change Management

Chat/Messaging

Compliance Management

Compliance Tracking

Configuration Management

Contract/License Management

Cost Tracking

CPU Monitoring

Credential Management

Customizable Branding

Customizable Dashboard

Customizable Fields

Customizable Reports

Customizable Templates

Customization

Dashboard

Dashboard Creation

Data Import/Export

Data Visualization

Database Monitoring

Deployment Management

Device Auto Discovery

Device Management

Diagnostic Tools

Disaster Recovery

Drag & Drop

Email Alerts

Email Monitoring

Encryption

Endpoint Management

Endpoint Protection

Event Logs

For MSPs

Help Desk Management

HIPAA Compliant

Incident Management

Inventory Management

IP Address Monitoring

Issue Auditing

Issue Management

IT Asset Management

IT Asset Tracking

IT Reporting

Knowledge Management

License Management

Maintenance Management

Maintenance Scheduling

Mobile Device Management

Monitoring

Multi-Device Support

Network Analysis

Network Monitoring

Network Resource Management

Network Security

Network Wide Management

Password Management

Patch Management

Patch Prioritization

Patch Testing

Performance Metrics

Performance Monitoring

Policy Management

Predictive Analytics

Problem Management

Process/Workflow Automation

Procurement Management

Real-time Alerts

Real-Time Analytics

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Monitoring

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

N-central

Android

Linux

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Remote NOC technician

Overall helpful, love the ability to access CMD under an admin account and work behind the scenes. Would like the connections to be more stable.

Senior Engineer

Extremely powerful and capable platform. Very happy with N-Central so far and they regularly provide updates, listen to feedback and have an excellent support team.

Network Engineer

N-Central accomplishes our ability to maintain asset info and has many add-ons that allow you to expand the product to your needs.

IT Manager

Ease of use, powerful software with lots of features and excellent logging. The graphical user interface si relatively simple but straightforward.

Directeur

The application is a SAAS solution and the performance is good. The way we can monitor jobs is verry easy and the integration with Halo PSA is working.

IT Director

Having used N-Central for over two years now, I can say with confidence that we get our money's worth out of it. There are numerous features that should meet the needs of most IT professionals.

Managing Director

The interface feels outdated and cumbersome. Furthermore, device detection seems limited, as it struggles to identify some of our hardware.

President

Additionally, working with N-Able is a miserable experience, whether it's on the sales, provisioning, customer service, or technical support side.

Technician

Full featured, flagship product. Definitely the best among the competitors in my opinion.

IT System Administrator

This product really helps our group to assist remote users, especially during the Pandemic, and many of our clients appreciated what IT could do for them.

IT RMM Technician

The lack of integration for Intune. There is an integration module but it does not provide us with what we are looking for in overall management.

I like the simplicity of it and how it would work most of the time.

Owner

I like the simplicity of reviewing the security, updates, and backups for computers all from a single window.

Account Manager

I do sometimes struggle to step back from where I have got to, navigation a little "cluncky.

Technical Support Analyst

Too Many options in the dashboard that sometime gets confusing.

owner

Take control is painful to use after using Connectwise Control. I've also had an open issue with the RPD protocol under Take Control that has been open for months unresolved.

Hit or miss on agent sometimes, does not always connect to remote pc.

Every added option has a cost. This makes it very difficult to cost price for taking on new customers.

N-central screenshot: N-able N-central dashboard

N-central screenshot: N-central device details view

N-central screenshot: N-central active issues view

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Small Business

Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central) from ManageEngine is an integrated desktop & mobile device management application that enables the centralized management of desktops, servers, laptops, tablets & smartphones.

System Center is a data center management software that helps businesses of all sizes monitor networks, system storage, security, and more. It offers integration with cloud platforms and provides teams the ability to gain insights into system analytics affecting the health of monitors.

Patch Manager Plus allows users to automate patching of Windows, Mac, Linux, and over 850 third-party applications offering complete automated patch deployment

PDQ Deploy is the best way to automate your patch management. Update third-party software, deploy custom scripts, and make impactful configuration changes in minutes. With 200+ ready-to-deploy applications right out of the box.

Data Security

Prioritization

Remote Access/Control

Remote Monitoring & Management

Reporting/Analytics

Scheduling

Status Tracking

Third-Party Integrations

Threat Intelligence

PDQ Deploy & Inventory

Overall this is an excellent software. With ease of use and one click solutions it has produced less headaches then other solutions.

Outstanding value at the price point for the product capabilities.

IT Technician

Ability to target by queries, OUs or just about anything. Good integration between the prodcts (Deploy and Inventory).

Data and Security Architect

Pretty easy to use and customer support is responsive and reliable.

User & Devices Team Lead

Amazing solution for automating deployment of software, tools and other changes.

ICT Network Manager

Outstanding software, low priced and perfect for schools.

PR Account Manager

It can sometimes be hard to find MSI versions of software installers which are required by PDQ Deploy, and making an MSI version can often be painful and tedious.

Technology Support Specialist

Patch Tuesday from Microsoft, the updates for Microsoft Office are left off. Only bad thing I can say.

VP, ISO

Especially great for those vendors with constant updates or supplemental tweaks after the install, which can be built into the deployment.

Sometimes a google search can get you the answer, sometimes not. This can make it hit or miss if you do not have the correct switches for the parameters.

Senior Desktop Support Engineer

PDQ is an amazing tool that I could not live without, it provides the helpdesk with one click installation of custom MSI packages, pre-built MSI packages to make software deployment a breeze.

Infrastructure Engineer

Pdq software has been a live saver. Super cheap and easy to use.

IT Support Specialist

Creating packages was easy, and my favourite feature was that I didn't need to install any software on the remote PCs in order to get them working.

IT Services Manager

PDQ is a great interface. It's agentless and sits on a server internally.

Network Administrator

Very positive and lots of online resources with this product and company.

Senior Technical Support Analyst

I have the free version of PDQ Deploy which is more than enough when deploying software app across your organization.

PDQ Deploy easely let me deploy uninstallers for software that I was having problems with. With it I was able to uninstall remotely multiple versions of Dell SupportAssist.

N-central vs PDQ Deploy & Inventory Comparison (2026)

N-central

PDQ Deploy & Inventory

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives