Sikich vs AlignLayerNine
Side-by-side comparison based on objective data: client reviews, employee reviews, security certifications, and overall scoring.
Disclosure: this site is owned and operated by XL.net, a Chicago MSP that is itself ranked here. How we handle that conflict.
| Metric | Sikich | AlignLayerNine |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 32% | 31% |
| Client Reviews | 42 | 118 |
| Avg Client Rating | 3.9 | 5.0 |
| Employee Reviews | 92 | 0 |
| Avg Employee Rating | 3.3 | — |
| Security Certifications | 5 | 9 |
| Location | Chicago, IL | Glenview, IL |
Which should you choose?
- Sikich and AlignLayerNine are effectively tied on overall score (32.1% vs 31.2%).
- AlignLayerNine holds the stronger client rating (5.0 vs 3.9 out of 5).
- AlignLayerNine has the larger public review footprint (118 client reviews vs 42), which makes its rating statistically steadier.
- AlignLayerNine lists more security certifications and frameworks (9 vs 5).
No single metric decides an MSP choice — weight what matters to your firm with a custom evaluation, and read each firm's full profile before shortlisting.
Sikich
Reviews by source
- clutch: 4.6/5 (22 reviews)
- google: 3.2/5 (20 reviews)
Strengths
- + Listed on 4 industry directories — Clutch, Indeed, Manifest, Glassdoor
- + 5 Chicago-area offices — Google
- + Serves Healthcare, Finance, Legal, Manufacturing +8 more verticals — vendor website (claimed)
- + Offers Co-Managed, vCIO, 24/7 Monitoring services — vendor website (claimed)
Weaknesses
- - Recent ratings trending down (-0.8 vs all-time) — Clutch, Google
- - Security certifications are the firm's own claim — no third-party documentation on file
Recent notable events
- Sikich secures $250 million minority investment from Bain Capital (May 21, 2024)
- Sikich agrees to acquire Cotton & Company (Feb 15, 2022)
AlignLayerNine
Reviews by source
- google: 5.0/5 (118 reviews)
Strengths
- + 5.0 avg client rating — Google
- + 118 client reviews across 1 platform — Google
- + Flexible contracts (month-to-month, easy exit) — vendor feed
- + Listed on 4 industry directories — Clutch, Indeed, Manifest, Glassdoor
Weaknesses
- - Client reviews on a single platform only — Google
- - No client reviews in the past 12 months
- - Security certifications are the firm's own claim — no third-party documentation on file
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sikich or AlignLayerNine rated higher by clients?
AlignLayerNine is rated higher by clients — 5.0 vs 3.9 out of 5 across public review sources.
Which scores higher overall, Sikich or AlignLayerNine?
Sikich currently scores higher under our default weighting — 32% vs 31%. Scores recompute nightly across 4 transparent criteria as new data arrives.
How is this Sikich vs AlignLayerNine comparison compiled?
Every number comes from our nightly scoring pass over collected public data: public client and employee reviews, verified and claimed security certifications, and Bayesian review averaging under a published methodology. Neither firm pays for placement, and the same criteria apply to every Chicago MSP we track.
Data sourced from public reviews, vendor websites, and third-party directories. Scores reflect our transparent methodology. Last updated based on nightly data collection.