Empath vs Trainual for MSP Training
Empath Learn is the staff training program for an MSP: ready-made MSP courses and role paths, your own courses, labs, Microsoft Learn and a ConnectWise ticket workflow. Trainual's strength is documenting procedures and training teams on those SOPs. Keep it for a documentation need that earns its seat. Trainual content can be embedded in Empath today, but completions stay in Trainual.
The Bottom Line
- Empath Learn gives MSP owners and staff ready-made MSP courses and paths, their own course builder, Microsoft Learn and included practice.
- Keep Trainual for AI-assisted SOP writing, editable process templates, assignments, tests and reports when that documentation workflow matters.
- If you use both, Trainual content can be embedded in Empath today; completions stay in Trainual.
Empath makes Empath Learn and wrote this comparison from Trainual's published product pages and Empath's catalog and workflow documentation. We did not run a hands-on Trainual evaluation.
Empath vs Trainual at a Glance
The table compares Empath Learn for an MSP's staff with the Trainual features described on its current plan and help pages. Trainual's documentation templates are not the same thing as ready-made MSP course pathways.
| Staff training feature | Empath Learn | Trainual |
|---|---|---|
| Write SOP lessons and quizzes | Included course and knowledge-check authoring | Editor, quizzes and AI drafting documented |
| Prebuilt documentation and process templates | Course and pathway templates serve a different purpose | Customizable documentation templates included |
| Assign by role, set due dates and report completion | Included assignments and progress reports | Core lists group training, due dates, tests and reports |
| Ready-made MSP role onboarding paths | MSP role pathway templates included | Trainual has roles and plan-dependent paths, without the same documented MSP course starting point |
| Included MSP operations and technical courses with labs | MSP courses, technical catalog and labs included | This exact included MSP service, certification and lab bundle is not established by reviewed pages |
| Expert-built compliance and soft-skill courses | Included Curated Collection content | Trainual library is a paid add-on |
| Public YouTube playlist becomes a draft course | One lesson per video in playlist order | A YouTube video can be embedded; playlist-to-course import is not documented |
| Weekly ConnectWise PSA training tickets | Available after setup for assigned courses, with limits | This exact built-in ticket workflow is not documented by reviewed pages |
| Published self-serve price | Empath posts its staff pricing | Reviewed Trainual pricing page requests a demo and quote |
Documented for the compared offer Narrower feature, plan condition or paid add-on No credit for this exact feature from the cited pages; it does not prove Trainual could never offer it. For YouTube, full means a public playlist becomes a course with one lesson per video. Half means a video or link can be added to training.
What Does Trainual Do Better for SOPs?
Trainual is built around documenting how a company works. Its plan page describes AI-assisted writing, file and video embedding, collaboration, version history, role information and more than 500 customizable templates. A manager can turn an internal process into training, assign it by group, set due dates, test understanding and see reports. These are real training controls, not just a folder of notes.
The plan details matter: Core has group training and reports, Pro adds individual paths, and Premium lists path templates. Core's published version history is 30 days; higher plans extend it. Check the path and retention controls in your quote. Process templates are different from an MSP ticket-triage course. Empath Learn adds that MSP course starting point while letting your team author its own SOP lessons.
What Does Empath Start an MSP With?
Empath Learn starts with MSP-made training as well as a course builder. Its ready-made role templates cover Tier 1, Account Manager, Project Delivery Basics, Cybersecurity Fundamentals and New Hire Onboarding. For a new service-desk hire, a manager can assign Introduction to Tickets and Triage, add Ticket Escalations 101 and place the MSP's escalation SOP beside them.
A Content Admin can paste an SOP into a text lesson, add a video or quiz, and place it in a course or pathway. Trainual also authors lessons and tests. The choice is whether to build around your documentation or begin with MSP courses and add local procedures.
Every Learn staff seat includes Microsoft Learn and the Curated Collection. The Collection brings more than 14,000 courses as counted in October 2026, plus more than 40 included labs and AI roleplays. Those counts do not prove a particular exam or lab matches a technician's need. Check the exact course before replacing specialist training.
How Do Assignments and Reports Compare?
Both products can assign work and report completion. Trainual's Core list names group training, due dates, testing, tracking and reporting. Its individual training paths appear in Pro. Empath Learn assigns courses and pathways with due dates and lets a manager see progress by learner and group. The difference is the material inside the assignment: Trainual excels when your processes are the curriculum; Empath joins your processes to MSP and technical training.
Empath's Microsoft Learn connection also brings completion of assigned Microsoft Learn material into Empath daily after setup. The lessons still open at Microsoft. A Trainual lesson embedded in an Empath path does not gain that sync: Trainual completion remains in Trainual. If the manager needs proof from both systems, plan to check both records.
Can You Keep Trainual SOPs Inside an Empath Path?
Yes. Trainual content can be embedded in Empath today; completions stay in Trainual. An MSP can put permitted Trainual content into an Empath lesson beside an MSP course, then check that the learner has access through the MSP's Trainual setup. The outside page must allow framing, and the MSP should test its private-content access in the actual learner environment.
This viewing route is not a native Trainual integration or two-way progress sync. It does not promise single sign-on, automatic enrollment or transferred completions. Keep an owner for each record if both systems remain part of onboarding.
What Content and Practice Are Included?
Trainual offers an expert-built course library with more than 400 current courses on compliance, workplace subjects and soft skills. Its help center calls that library a paid add-on. It is not included with every Core seat by default. The company's own templates and course-authoring tools are a separate strength and should not be confused with that optional library.
Empath Learn includes MSP courses, Microsoft Learn, the Curated Collection, labs and roleplays in its staff offer. One useful test is to name the next three things your team must learn: perhaps ticket triage, a customer conversation and a specific certification topic. Check the exact items in each proposed offer. A broad catalog count cannot tell you whether your own escalation rule is taught well.
Does Either Connect Training to PSA Work?
Empath can create weekly ConnectWise PSA training tickets for assigned courses after setup. The learner's email must match exactly across systems, and an Empath tenant connects to one ConnectWise company. Tracked time is added to the previous week's ticket if it still exists. Unassigned learning and historical Learn time do not sync. See the current-state PSA help article before planning around this workflow.
The reviewed Trainual pages do not document this exact built-in ConnectWise ticket workflow. That is a limit of the evidence, not a claim that Trainual can never connect to a PSA through another route. Ask Trainual about a tested setup if it matters to your service manager.
What Do the Prices Include?
Empath posts Learn pricing by seat count and billing term. Trainual's current plan page asks buyers to get a demo and quote rather than printing a dependable self-serve plan price. Ask which plan includes the paths, version history and seats you need, and price its expert-built course library separately if you want it. A platform quote and a content-inclusive staff seat are different offers; no published figure here establishes that either total is cheaper.
Empath Grow is separately priced for MSPs that train and bill their own clients. Its client tenant, admins, reporting and per-client revenue model are outside this staff comparison. Trainual's public content sharing is useful, but the reviewed pages do not establish the same MSP client creation, billing and margin workflow.
Should an MSP Keep Trainual Alongside Empath?
Start with Empath Learn as the core staff program where its courses and paths cover your roles. Keep Trainual when a named documentation workflow earns its seat. The content can be embedded in Empath today, but completions stay in Trainual. A second paid content subscription rarely pays off if Learn already covers the needed skills; Partner Success can help examine a real gap.
When changing systems, your own course and SOP files may move through a planned migration; historical completions stay in the old system. Empath's business development and Partner Success teams can help choose a route, work through it with your MSP or give your staff a plan to do it. Some packages include professional services; ask an account executive for the terms. An outside embed works only when its provider allows framing, and an integration can be requested through Empath's feature request process. Neither step promises a data transfer or a future Trainual sync.
Bring a sample SOP and a role path to an Empath demo. See how your written procedure, an MSP course and the separate completion records would fit the way your team trains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Trainual assign training and track completion?
Yes. Trainual's Core plan lists group training, due dates, testing, tracking and reporting. Its Pro plan adds individual training paths, and Premium lists path templates. Check the exact plan in your quote. Empath Learn also assigns courses and paths with due dates and reports; the larger choice is which learning material you want to start with.
Are Trainual's expert-built courses included?
Trainual's help center describes its expert-built course library as a paid add-on, with more than 400 current courses. Core's documentation tools and customizable templates are separate. Ask Trainual to show the add-on and its cost in the same quote as the seats and path features you need, rather than assuming those courses come with the base plan.
Can Trainual content appear in Empath?
Yes. Trainual content can be embedded in Empath today when the content permits framing and the learner can access it through the MSP's Trainual setup. Test the actual lesson with a learner account. This lets the content appear beside an Empath course; it does not make Empath the source of the learner's Trainual completion record.
Do Trainual completions sync into Empath?
No. Completions stay in Trainual, even when Trainual content is embedded in an Empath lesson. Empath does not inherit that completion. A manager using both products should decide who checks each record and where sign-off happens. Do not plan around automatic enrollment, single sign-on or progress transfer without a separately tested workflow.
