As the threat landscape evolves and client environments grow more complex, managed service providers (MSPs) are rethinking how their technology stacks work together.
According to the new Acronis MSP integration trends 2025 report, this past year marked a decisive shift toward security‑first, automation‑centric and platform‑driven operations. Integrations are no longer a backend convenience — they’re a strategic imperative that directly impacts service quality, margins and growth.
Whether you rely on native platform capabilities or third‑party tools, one message is clear: MSPs that integrate strategically outperform those that simply add more tools. And in an era where MSPs manage 20+ tools on average, cohesive integration is the only path to efficiency, scalability and profitability.
Here is a preview of the top three integration trends shaping MSP operations today. For the full data insights including charts, activation growth and strategic integration priorities for 2026, download the MSP integration trends 2025 report.
Trend 1: Security integration takes the lead
For the first time, security integrations are the fastest‑growing category among MSPs, outpacing traditional RMM and PSA connections by a wide margin. Threat escalation, expanding compliance obligations and rising client expectations are driving this shift.
The 2025 data shows:
- Security integration adoption more than doubled (123%) year over year.
- XDR and MDR integrations saw record spikes, with third‑party XDR integrations growing 162% on average.
- The number of MSPs using Acronis’ native XDR capabilities grew by 136%, reflecting a major shift toward unified security.
This reflects a broader industry pivot from monitoring to protection. MSPs are consolidating their security posture across backup, endpoint, email and identity, and leveraging integrations that enable automated response, cross‑system correlation and faster remediation.
Why it matters for 2026
Security is now the competitive differentiator. MSPs that unify security with data protection and endpoint management will be able to demonstrate measurable, outcome‑based value to clients.
Trend 2: Automation evolves beyond MSP‑specific tools
Automation is no longer limited to RMM scripts or PSA workflows. In 2025, MSPs increasingly adopted business‑wide automation, spanning operations, sales, finance and customer success — not just IT service delivery.
A surprising finding from the report: General‑purpose automation tools like Zapier saw 146% activation growth, outpacing MSP‑specific automation platforms.
This tells us the modern MSP wants:
- No‑code automation.
- Cross‑department workflow orchestration.
- Freedom from manual, repetitive tasks.
- Automation that connects native and third‑party tools seamlessly.
Acronis’ native workflow automation, launched in late 2025, also gained strong traction. With automation built directly into the platform, MSPs can orchestrate workflows across backup, disaster recovery, RMM, EDR / XDR and PSA tasks without managing APIs or connectors.
Why it matters for 2026
The MSPs who grow fastest in 2026 will be those who automate not just IT processes, but their entire business.
Trend 3: The platform consolidation paradox
At first glance, 2025 revealed a contradiction:
- Adoption of native platform capabilities such as Acronis RMM and PSA skyrocketed (96% and 50% growth in licenses, respectively).
- Yet third‑party integrations also continued to grow significantly.
This isn’t a conflict; it’s a strategy.
MSPs are embracing platformization (MSP 3.0), consolidating core functions to reduce complexity, while integrating specialized tools where they add targeted value.
MSPs choose integrated platforms because they:
- Reduce tool sprawl.
- Eliminate context switching.
- Lower training and licensing overhead.
- Improve response times and consistency.
At the same time, no MSP platform can do everything, which is why maintaining a flexible, integration‑friendly tech stack is essential. Acronis’ ecosystem of 300+ integrations gives MSPs the ability to consolidate intelligently while maintaining the flexibility they need.
Why it matters for 2026
The winning MSPs will consolidate where it matters, integrate where it counts and continuously evaluate tools based on business value.
Build your 2026 integration roadmap. Download the report.
The trends are clear: Security‑first integration, business‑wide automation and strategic platform consolidation will define the MSP landscape in 2026.
Want the full insights and strategic recommendations? Download the MSP integration trends 2025 report and discover which integration priorities should shape your 2026 roadmap.
This report is essential for MSPs seeking to optimize their Acronis integrations strategy, whether through native capabilities, third‑party tools or a hybrid approach.
For ISVs: Join the Acronis ecosystem of 300+ technology vendors
Independent software vendors (ISVs) play a critical role in the future of MSP innovation. With more than 300 integrations, the Acronis ecosystem is one of the fastest‑growing collaboration networks in the industry.
ISVs can:
- Build integrations that reach over 21,000 service providers.
- Extend the capabilities of Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud.
- Co-innovate on security, automation, management and data protection technologies.
Acronis welcomes new integration proposals and is committed to helping ISVs bring modern, high‑value capabilities into the MSP ecosystem. ISVs interested in developing new integrations can join the Acronis Technology Program to accelerate adoption and expand their reach within the MSP community.
About Acronis
A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 50+ countries. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 21,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses.
