Blowfish Technology Ranked No. 55 in the World
Named the number one MSP in the North West of England in the 2026 MSP 501 – the technology channel’s most prestigious global ranking of managed service providers.
A Global Ranking. A North West First.
Blowfish Technology has been named No. 55 in the world in the 2026 MSP 501 – the definitive global ranking of managed service providers, published annually by Channel Futures and MSP Summit, part of Informa.
The result places Blowfish Technology 4th in the United Kingdom and makes us the highest-ranked MSP in the North West of England – ahead of every other provider in the region on the list.
The MSP 501 is now in its 19th year. It ranks managed service providers not on size alone, but on financial performance, operational efficiency, recurring revenue strength, and long-term business health. Getting onto the list is competitive. Getting into the top 55 worldwide means something.
What the MSP 501 Measures
For 19 years, the MSP 501 has stood apart from traditional rankings by assessing managed service providers on far more than size or revenue alone. It is widely regarded as the industry’s benchmark for identifying the world’s best-run managed service providers. The assessment criteria was developed alongside industry experts, the MSP Summit Board, and previous MSP 501 winners. To be considered, providers must submit detailed financial data covering recurring revenue, account growth, staff headcount, and profitability. The ranking then assesses operational maturity, innovation, long-term business sustainability, and consistency of service delivery alongside those numbers. It rewards businesses that are not only performing strongly today but are also building for the future – not businesses that have simply grown large.
In 2026, the 501 companies on the list generated aggregate revenue of more than $32 billion, with average growth of 10.1%. Client accounts across the list grew by 13.4% and staffing increased by 7%. Nine countries are represented. Blowfish Technology is one of just 64 companies on the list from outside North America.
Being placed at No. 55 puts Blowfish Technology in the top 11% of that global field.
The Company We Are Ranked Alongside
To understand what No. 55 means in practice, it helps to look at who sits above us on the list. The top 10 includes Zayo Group, a global network infrastructure provider operating across 48 countries. It includes New Era Technology, a multinational MSP with offices across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. It includes Thrive, an American cybersecurity-led MSP with hundreds of engineers. It includes Abacus, ranked No. 3, which serves over 1,200 clients across 25 countries from offices spanning North America, EMEA, and APAC.
Blowfish Technology is a North West business based in Ormskirk, Lancashire. We have been here since 2012. We are ranked No. 55 in the same list as those organisations, assessed on the same financial and operational criteria. That is the scale of this result.
What This Means for North West Businesses
If your business is based in Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, or Cheshire, you now have access to a locally based managed IT provider that ranks among the best in the world.
Blowfish Technology has been delivering managed IT services to North West businesses since 2012. We hold ISO 9001, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, and Microsoft Solutions Partner status in Modern Work. Our service desk answers calls in under 15 seconds on average, resolves 91% of issues the same day, and operates at 98% within SLA.
The MSP 501 result is external validation of what our clients already know: that the service they receive from us is not regional standard. It is world class. Blowfish Technology has demonstrated the financial strength, operational excellence, and investment in our people and services that set industry leaders apart. Unlike many industry awards, the MSP 501 recognises providers that are not only performing strongly today but are also building for the future. Being placed at No. 55 puts Blowfish Technology alongside some of the most respected and forward-thinking managed service providers in the world.
In the World
In the UK
In the North West
From the Managing Director
“Being ranked No. 55 in the world and 4th in the UK is something the whole team should be proud of. The MSP 501 looks at how a business is actually run – the financial discipline, the operational consistency, the quality of service delivered to clients every day. This result reflects the work that every person at Blowfish puts in. For businesses in the North West, it means you have access to genuinely world-class managed IT support, right on your doorstep.”
– Matthew Palfreyman, Managing Director, Blowfish Technology
The North West’s Highest-Ranked MSP
The 2026 MSP 501 includes managed service providers from nine countries. The UK placed several companies on the list. Blowfish Technology, based in Ormskirk, Lancashire, ranked higher than any other MSP in the North West of England.
For businesses across the region reviewing their IT support, looking to reduce reliance on a single internal resource, or considering the move from in-house IT to outsourced managed services, that context matters. You do not need to go to London or overseas to work with a provider operating at this level.
Blowfish Technology is based in Ormskirk, Lancashire, Liverpool, and serves businesses across the North West of England including Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, and Lancashire.
What This Means If You Are Already a Blowfish Client
The MSP 501 does not judge on marketing claims or self-reported achievements. It assesses how a business actually performs – the financial stability behind it, the rate at which it retains and grows client accounts, and the operational consistency it delivers day to day.
If you are a Blowfish Technology client, this ranking is a direct reflection of the service you are already receiving. The same team that answers your calls in under 15 seconds, resolves 91% of issues the same day, and keeps your IT running at 98% within SLA has just been independently ranked among the best in the world at doing exactly that.
Nothing changes. Same team, same service desk, same people. You just now have a global benchmark to go with it.
What Happens Next
All 2026 MSP 501 winners will be recognised at the MSP 501 Awards Gala on 30 September 2026, held at the Loews Royal Pacific in Orlando, Florida, as part of the MSP Summit conference. The gala is an invite-only event bringing together the top-ranked managed service providers from around the world. Blowfish Technology will be there.
The 2027 MSP 501 application will open in due course. Our intention is to return to the list and move up it.
Work with the North West’s Number One MSP
Find out how Blowfish Technology can support your business with world-class managed IT services.
The Blowfish Technology team. Managed IT, cloud services, software development and connectivity for North West businesses since 1999.