Best Tools for MSP Documentation
A workflow-first evaluation of MSP documentation platforms. Covers IT Glue, Hudu, N-able Passportal, NinjaOne, and ITBoost with criteria that actually matter at scale.
5 platforms compared · Updated Feb 2026
Contents
- 1.Why MSP Documentation Is Different
- 2.Lock-in risk is real
- 3.What Every MSP Documentation Platform Must Support
- 4.Field test before you buy
- 5.The Five Core Tool Categories in a Documentation Stack
- 6.IT Glue
- 7.Hudu
- 8.NinjaOne Documentation
- 9.N-able Passportal
- 10.ITBoost (ConnectWise)
- 11.Feature Comparison at a Glance
- 12.How to Evaluate Platforms Before You Commit
- 13.Workflow Comes Before Tooling
- 14.The discipline principle
- 15.Standardize your client folder structure before migrating any data
- 16.Define credential handling policies and enforce them in the vault
- 17.Create required record types for every client at onboarding
- 18.Attach SOPs to recurring ticket categories in your PSA
- 19.Establish quarterly documentation audits against a completeness standard
- 20.What is the best MSP documentation platform?
- 21.Can MSPs use Confluence or Notion instead of a dedicated platform?
- 22.How much does MSP documentation software cost?
- 23.Is Hudu a good replacement for IT Glue?
- 24.What is the difference between MSP documentation and a knowledge base?
Why MSP Documentation Is Different
Lock-in risk is real
MSP documentation platforms accumulate years of linked records, credential relationships, and embedded SOPs. Migration is technically painful and often takes weeks of dedicated effort. Evaluate long-term portability before committing, not after you need to leave.
What Every MSP Documentation Platform Must Support
- ✓Multi-tenant client segmentation with strict data isolation between records
- ✓ Secure credential storage with full audit logging (not just a password field)
- ✓ Role-based access controls scoped per-client and per-role
- ✓ Device-to-configuration relationships linking servers to credentials, SOPs, and network diagrams
- ✓ Native integration with your PSA, RMM, and backup systems (not Zapier workarounds)
- ✓ Change tracking and historical versioning for every record
- ✓ Global search across all tenants that respects permission boundaries
Field test before you buy
Ask vendors to demo a cross-tenant search for a credential, show you how permissions are scoped to a single client, and walk through what an audit log looks like after a technician accesses a password. These three scenarios expose more than any feature checklist.
The Five Core Tool Categories in a Documentation Stack
IT Glue
IT Glue is the most widely deployed MSP documentation platform. It offers the most mature feature set in the category: deep PSA/RMM sync, automated configuration documentation via its collector agent, a structured password vault, the Network Glue automated diagramming add-on, and a completeness dashboard that shows documentation coverage per client. Its relationship linking is genuinely best-in-class. Opening a server record surfaces its host, switch, SOP, and credentials in one view. The MyGlue client portal allows read-only access for clients without exposing the full system.
Key features
- ·Most comprehensive PSA/RMM integration library
- ·Automated documentation via collector agent
- ·Network Glue for auto-generated network diagrams
- ·Completeness scoring per client
- ·Mature audit logging and SOC 2 compliance
Considerations
- ·Kaseya's contract and billing practices have drawn community criticism
- ·Development velocity has slowed since acquisition
- ·Migration out is technically difficult
- ·Can feel expensive for smaller MSPs
Hudu
Hudu is the most credible challenger to IT Glue and the primary destination for MSPs migrating away from Kaseya's ecosystem. Its standout differentiator is the self-hosted option, which addresses data sovereignty requirements that cloud-only platforms cannot meet. The hosted version holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification. Hudu's UI is widely regarded as cleaner and more modern than IT Glue's. Relationship mapping and customizable asset templates are well-implemented. The client portal lags IT Glue's MyGlue in maturity, and some integrations have known rough edges. Development is active and community-responsive.
Key features
- ·Self-hosting option for strict data sovereignty
- ·Cleaner, more modern UI than IT Glue
- ·Active development cycle responsive to community feedback
- ·More transparent pricing
- ·SOC 2 Type 2 certified, 256-bit encryption, MFA and SSO
Considerations
- ·Fewer native integrations than IT Glue
- ·Client portal still maturing vs MyGlue
- ·No native network diagramming (requires third-party embed)
- ·Some integrations have known sync issues
NinjaOne Documentation
NinjaOne includes documentation as a native component of its RMM rather than a standalone product. For MSPs already running NinjaOne for endpoint management, this eliminates a significant synchronization problem: device records in the RMM are the same records referenced in documentation. The platform includes a template library, sub-account client segmentation, and searchable documentation. The tradeoff is depth. NinjaOne's documentation module is less feature-rich than IT Glue or Hudu as a standalone system. MSPs needing sophisticated credential vaulting, detailed SOP management, or complex asset relationship mapping may find it limited.
Key features
- ·Documentation native to the RMM with zero sync gap
- ·120+ integrations across the full platform
- ·Template library speeds new client onboarding
- ·Intuitive interface with lower learning curve
Considerations
- ·Documentation depth limited compared to dedicated platforms
- ·Credential vaulting less mature than IT Glue or Hudu
- ·Value is tied to the NinjaOne RMM bundle
- ·SOP and runbook features are basic
N-able Passportal
N-able Passportal is positioned primarily as a credential management system rather than a full documentation platform. It delivers strong credential vaulting and secure document storage within a cloud-based architecture, and integrates well within the N-able stack. Community feedback consistently places it as more of a credential supplement than a primary documentation platform. MSPs looking for the depth of asset linking, SOP management, and RMM sync available in IT Glue or Hudu typically find the documentation features fall short.
Key features
- ·Strong credential vaulting and secure sharing
- ·Good fit for N-able RMM and N-central shops
- ·Document storage with access controls
- ·SOC 2 compliant infrastructure
Considerations
- ·Not designed as a primary MSP documentation system
- ·Asset relationship linking is limited
- ·Less suitable outside the N-able ecosystem
- ·Reporting could be more flexible
ITBoost (ConnectWise)
ITBoost was acquired by ConnectWise and positions itself as the documentation layer within the ConnectWise stack. It carries overlapping features with IT Glue in many areas, adds client satisfaction survey tools and limited dashboarding, and integrates tightly with ConnectWise Manage and Automate. Community feedback is mixed. MSPs heavily invested in ConnectWise may find it a natural fit. Those outside that ecosystem generally prefer IT Glue or Hudu.
Key features
- ·Tight ConnectWise Manage and Automate integration
- ·Competitive pricing vs IT Glue
- ·Client satisfaction survey feature
- ·Familiar interface for ConnectWise users
Considerations
- ·Best value within the ConnectWise ecosystem only
- ·Smaller community and fewer resources than IT Glue
- ·Development pace has been inconsistent
- ·Feature depth lags behind IT Glue and Hudu in some areas
Feature Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | IT Glue | Hudu | NinjaOne Docs | Passportal | ITBoost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-tenant segmentation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated credential vault | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Asset relationship linking | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ |
| Native network diagramming | yes (add-on) | — | — | — | — |
| Self-hosting option | — | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Automated documentation (RMM sync) | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ~ | ~ |
| Client portal | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| SOP/runbook linking | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | — | ~ |
| SOC 2 compliance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| API availability | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
| Audit logging | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Per-user/month (tiered) | Per-user/month | Bundled with RMM | Contact vendor | Per-user/month |
How to Evaluate Platforms Before You Commit
Workflow Comes Before Tooling
The discipline principle
Documentation quality is determined by governance, not platform selection. Define your standards, assign ownership, and audit regularly. The platform enables the process. It doesn't replace it.
Standardize your client folder structure before migrating any data
Decide on your taxonomy for clients, locations, contacts, and device categories. Apply it consistently from day one. Retrofitting structure after data is imported is expensive and politically difficult.
Define credential handling policies and enforce them in the vault
Which credential types live in the documentation platform vs a separate manager? Who can access which categories? Document this policy before importing any credentials. See our credential management workflow for a structured approach.
Create required record types for every client at onboarding
Use templates. Every client should have the same baseline structure at go-live, even if fields are initially empty. Empty structured records are better than unstructured completeness.
Attach SOPs to recurring ticket categories in your PSA
The documentation system's value compounds when technicians encounter it automatically during ticket workflows, not only when they remember to look for it.
Establish quarterly documentation audits against a completeness standard
Use the platform's own completeness reporting (IT Glue's completeness dashboard, for example) or define your own checklist. Audits should have an owner, a deadline, and a remediation process.
What is the best MSP documentation platform?
+IT Glue remains the most feature-complete platform with the deepest integration library. Hudu is the leading alternative, particularly for MSPs concerned about Kaseya's contract practices or who need self-hosting. NinjaOne Documentation is compelling for NinjaOne RMM shops who want unified tooling. The best platform is the one that supports your documentation workflow, not the one with the most features.
Can MSPs use Confluence or Notion instead of a dedicated platform?
+For internal SOPs and process documentation, yes. For multi-tenant client documentation with credential management, asset relationships, and audit trails, no. Generic tools lack the guardrails that prevent documentation decay at scale. Most MSPs that start with a wiki migrate to a purpose-built platform once they pass 10 to 15 clients.
How much does MSP documentation software cost?
+All major MSP documentation platforms use per-user per-month pricing, with costs varying by tier and feature set. NinjaOne documentation is bundled with its RMM at no additional documentation-specific fee. All vendors offer volume discounts, and MSP-specific pricing is almost always available and worth requesting. Contact vendors directly for current rates.
Is Hudu a good replacement for IT Glue?
+Hudu covers the core documentation workflow effectively. Migrating MSPs typically note the cleaner UI, more transparent pricing, and more responsive development team. The tradeoffs: a less mature client portal, fewer native integrations, no built-in network diagramming, and a technically complex migration from IT Glue (which does not make data export easy). Run both systems in parallel during migration for at least 30 days.
What is the difference between MSP documentation and a knowledge base?
+A knowledge base is a repository of articles and procedures, primarily unstructured text. MSP documentation platforms are structured data systems that maintain relationships between clients, devices, credentials, contacts, network diagrams, and SOPs. The distinction matters operationally: a knowledge base tells you what a server is. A documentation platform links that server to the credentials needed to access it, the SOP governing its maintenance, the switch it connects to, and the ticket history associated with it.