Who is buying managed service provider (MSP) businesses in 2026

Part of the IT / managed service providers guide: buying, selling, valuation and who is buying.

Most of the people buying managed service provider (MSP) businesses today are other MSPs, and private equity money backs most of them. Private equity firms also buy whole MSP platforms, and individual buyers with SBA loans buy smaller shops. This guide is for MSP owners thinking about a sale and for buyers who want to know who they are up against. By the end you will know the main buyer types, a few active names with public sources, and what each kind of buyer wants.

I have spent more than ten years advising buyers and sellers of small and mid-sized businesses. Today my focus is AI-powered roll-ups. MSPs are one of the sectors where roll-ups are easiest to see in public, because the buyers put out a press release for almost every deal.

Who is buying MSP businesses right now?

There are three main groups. The table shows each one and a few named examples. Every example is backed by a public announcement linked further down.

The first group makes the most deals by far. If you own an MSP with steady contract revenue, you have probably had emails or calls from at least one of these companies already.

Which PE-backed MSP platforms are buying?

These are MSPs that buy other MSPs. Each one has announced recent deals in its own words.

Thrive. Based in Boston, Thrive sells managed IT, cybersecurity and cloud services. In November 2025 it bought Worksighted, a Michigan IT firm. In its own press release, Thrive called Worksighted its fifth deal of that year and its 27th since it was founded.

Integris. Integris says it is backed by OMERS Private Equity. In June 2025 it bought TechMD and its security arm, 1nteger Security. In April 2026 it announced a deal for First Focus, which serves small and midsize firms in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. Integris said the deal would make it the largest MSP for small and midsize businesses in the world. It said First Focus would keep its own leaders and keep buying firms of its own.

Ntiva. Ntiva is based in McLean, Virginia. In September 2025 it bought Site Tech Services, a Tampa MSP that serves car dealers. Site Tech's president stayed on to run that line of business for Ntiva. This is a common pattern: platforms buy a firm to win a new kind of customer, not just a new city.

New Charter Technologies. New Charter is based in Denver. It describes itself as a portfolio company of the private equity firm Oval Partners. In February 2025 it bought Orchestrate AI Labs, a small company building AI tools for MSPs. Its CEO said the goal was to build "the MSP of the future." That tells you where these buyers are heading.

The 20 MSP. Based in Plano, Texas, The 20 MSP announced four deals at once in June 2026. It bought CTS Computers, MashGrape Technologies, Northwest Computer Solutions and Assured Technology Solutions. The company says it wants to build a national MSP through steady growth plus deals.

We also wrote a separate deal report on Katalyst's purchase of Bluetowne, another example of a platform adding a regional MSP.

Do some buyers keep the MSPs they buy as they are?

Yes. Evergreen calls itself "a family of managed IT services and software partners." It does not merge every firm into one brand. In June 2025 Evergreen announced its 100th MSP acquisition, an Australian firm called REDD. The same page says its first MSP deal was a Pittsburgh firm in December 2017. It also says it looks for technology services firms with high recurring revenue.

For a seller, this model can matter a lot. If you care about your name, your staff and your clients staying the same, a buyer that keeps firms whole may suit you better. A buyer that merges everything into one brand and one help desk may suit you less. Ask each buyer which one they are.

Are private equity firms buying MSP platforms directly?

Yes, but usually only larger ones. A PE firm buys a big MSP as a "platform." Then it uses that MSP to buy smaller ones.

A recent example: in September 2026, Niobrara Capital announced it had bought MSP Corp. Niobrara describes itself as a US private equity firm focused on mid-sized B2B technology companies. MSP Corp is a Canadian MSP, founded in 1993 and still run by its founder. It sells IT support, security, cloud and backup on recurring contracts. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Most small MSP owners will not sell straight to a PE firm. They will sell to one of the platforms that a PE firm owns. The money behind the deal is the same. What you deal with day to day is not. You will work with the platform's own staff and processes.

Do individual buyers buy MSPs?

Yes, mostly smaller ones. An individual buyer is often a former IT manager or someone from the sales side of tech. They usually pay with an SBA 7(a) loan, a seller note and their own cash. These deals are rarely announced, so there is no public list.

Individual buyers have a few traits worth knowing:

• They often pay a lower price than a platform, because they cannot cut shared costs.
• They often want the owner to stay longer to hand over clients and tech know-how.
• The lender will look hard at your contracts, your client list and your tax returns.
• They may keep your brand and your team exactly as they are.

If you are a buyer, our guide on how to buy an MSP business covers financing and red flags. You can find it in the MSP article list below.

What do MSP buyers look for?

Platforms, PE firms and individual buyers check much the same things. They just weigh them differently.

1. Recurring revenue. Monthly managed service contracts are worth more than one-off projects and hardware resale.
2. Contracts that transfer. Buyers read the terms. Can clients leave on short notice? Do the contracts survive a sale?
3. Customer concentration. One client that makes up a large share of revenue is a risk the price will reflect.
4. Owner dependence. If you are the lead engineer and the main salesperson, the buyer is buying your job. A service manager in place helps.
5. Security record. Buyers ask about past breaches, insurance and how you protect client data.
6. Tools and process. A standard set of monitoring, ticketing and backup tools makes merging easier. Platforms like firms that already work the way they do.
7. Clean books. Monthly revenue should tie to contracts and bank statements.

Our hub on buying or selling an MSP business covers what moves the price in more detail.

What does each type of buyer mean for your sale?

The type of buyer shapes the deal, not just the price.

Platforms often offer part of the price in cash at closing and part in other forms. That can be rollover equity (shares in the bigger company) or an earn-out tied to keeping clients. Rollover can pay off if the platform is later sold at a higher value. It can also be worth less than hoped. Read the terms with a lawyer and a CPA, because tax treatment differs.

Holding groups may pay a bit less in some cases but change less after closing. Ask what happens to your staff, brand and pricing in year one.

Individual buyers usually need a seller note and an SBA lender's approval. The process can take longer. The upside is that you often hand over to one person who will run the firm day to day.

Whichever buyer you choose, the work before the sale is the same: clean contracts, clean books and less reliance on you. Our step-by-step guide on how to sell an MSP business covers documents, timeline and fees.