Modern organizations rely heavily on their IT infrastructure, and even a brief disruption of the IT systems can cause havoc and halt operations.
And so, 90% of organizations adopt robust IT service management (ITSM) systems to prevent downtime and keep IT operations running seamlessly.
During my years in the industry, I’ve worked with multiple ITSM tools that effectively track processes to keep up with the ever-evolving technology.
In this blog, I’ve compiled a list of the top IT service management tools so you can decide which works best for you. 👇
- What Should You Look for in ITSM Tools?
- The 16 Best IT Service Management Tools (ITSM Tools)
- 1. ClickUp for IT Service and Operations Management
- 2. SolarWinds Service Desk
- 3. Zendesk Suite
- 4. ServiceNow ITSM
- 5. BMC Helix ITSM
- 6. SysAid
- 7. Freshservice
- 8. TOPdesk
- 9. Jira Service Management
- 10. Ivanti
- 11. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
- 12. SuperOps.ai
- 13. SymphonyAI ITSM
- 14. Halo ITSM
- 15. TeamDynamix
- 16. CA Service Desk Manager
- Get the Best of ITSM Tools With ClickUp
What Should You Look for in ITSM Tools?
IT service management tools offer a structured approach to designing, managing, and operating IT systems and services, including:
- IT hardware (servers, telephones, and printers)
- Endpoint hardware (PCs, laptops, and mobile devices)
- Software services (Email and VoIP)
- IT services (IT helpdesk and IT project management)
- Software systems (Office suites and ERP solutions)
Selecting the right tool is challenging, as many options exist.
While your ideal ITSM tool varies depending on your business requirements, let me break down some must-have characteristics of ITSM tools:
- User-friendly interface: The tool should be intuitive. It should be easy for your IT team and end-users to navigate the software
- Customization: The tool should let you tailor processes, workflows, and reports based on your needs
- ITIL processes: Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a standardized framework for incident and change management processes. It helps identify and mitigate risks associated with IT services, minimizing disruptions and enhancing service reliability. Check if the tool is compliant with ITIL
- Integration: The software should integrate smoothly with other software, such as monitoring tools or ERP
- Self-service portal: It’s best if your ITSM software has a user portal to submit tickets and access solutions, reducing the burden on IT support
- Scalability: Look for IT service request management tools that can accommodate changes as your organization evolves and scale as your business grows
- Mobile accessibility: Accessing the tool on the go is essential, especially for remote teams. Many ITSM tools like ClickUp offer intuitive mobile apps for easy service
🌟Additional resource: Access the best change management templates with examples
The 16 Best IT Service Management Tools (ITSM Tools)
Understanding your organization’s needs is as essential as knowing basic ITSM software features. Is your goal to boost efficiency? Or improve customer satisfaction?
Once you map your organization’s goals, you can decide which of these ITSM tools is best for you.
Here’s a list of all the software I’ve worked with and found effective. 👇
1. ClickUp for IT Service and Operations Management
ClickUp’s IT and PMO solution offers advanced features to streamline workflows and improve visibility across IT operations management. Get more done faster with 35+ ClickUp tools and hundreds of ready-made templates that can outrun some of the best IT operations management software.
💫ClickUp’s IT operation management toolkit, coupled with its collaboration feature, can increase on-time delivery by up to 35%.
Manage processes and track incidents with ClickUp Tasks; use tags and labels to differentiate between software bugs, hardware failures, etc. With Task Priorities in ClickUp, the team always knows what to pick up first.
ClickUp IT Service Management Template (ITSM) is a great template for getting started and setting up your IT service desk within ClickUp in just a few steps.
This template is designed for incident and knowledge management and lets you:
- Use custom statuses to create 27 different statuses (‘Closed,’ ‘On Hold,’ ‘Work in Progress’) to monitor progress
- Assign custom fields to categorize tasks such as ‘Requester,’ ‘Email,’ and ‘Office’ and visualize customer data
- Leverage collaboration features for teams to assign tickets, set timelines, and hold regular discussions
🧑🏫Other recommended templates
Use ClickUp’s IT Incident Report Template to track how an occurrence interfered with the regular operation of an IT system and how this issue was resolved. The template gives a blueprint or structure for developing this document and creating a database.
Similarly, the ClickUp IT Support Template facilitates internal IT requests and issues. This template lets your team submit requests easily, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
ClickUp best features
- Extensive integrations: Integrate with over 1,000 applications to automate workflow and enhance productivity
- Automation: Set up automated workflows using triggers and actions with ClickUp Automations, streamlining processes such as task management and bug reporting without coding
- Multiple views: Use ClickUp’s 15+ views, such as Kanban, Board, Calendar, List, and Timeline View. Having different ways to view your database brings visibility to infrastructure elements, including servers, devices, and applications
- Customizable templates: Use ClickUp’s SOP templates to report, track, and prioritize bugs, errors, and other issues
- ClickUp Brain: Save time with AI-powered progress updates and reports. Use the AI-powered search bar to retrieve any IT asset information stored in the vast database on ClickUp and on cloud storage like Google Drive
ClickUp limitations
- The feature-rich platform can be overwhelming initially for newbies
ClickUp pricing
- Free forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp Brain: Add to any paid plan for $7 per member per month
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (9,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (4,000+ reviews)
2. SolarWinds Service Desk
SolarWinds Service Desk is a cloud-based IT service management platform that streamlines service delivery and support. It’s designed to scale and support your business as it grows.
One key reason I use this application is its user-friendly ticket management system. It simplifies incident reporting and request tracking, letting you prioritize and manage tickets efficiently.
SolarWinds best features
- Centralize critical information using knowledge bases and allow the team to resolve common issues independently
- Maintain accurate inventories of hardware and software assets with asset management
- Generate robust reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) to enhance service quality using reporting and analytics tools
- Enable easy definition, monitoring, and reporting on SLAs (service level agreements) to ensure timely delivery with SLA management
SolarWinds limitations
- SolarWinds lacks the robustness and scalability of enterprise-grade ITSM tools
- With a steep learning curve, users need to put extra effort into familiarizing themselves with the platform’s features
SolarWinds pricing
- Essentials: $39/month (billed annually)
- Advanced: $79/month (billed annually)
- Premier: $99/month (billed annually)
SolarWinds ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (500+ reviews)
3. Zendesk Suite
Zendesk Suite is a comprehensive IT service management tool that centralizes IT operations. It effectively adheres to the standard practices of ITSM and ITIL.
The cloud-based customer service platform offers a variety of tools to help businesses improve communication with their customers.
Zendesk Suite best features
- Provide customer support across multiple channels such as email, phone, chat, SMS, social media, and web
- Integrate the tool seamlessly with your existing tech stack and other key business systems
- Automate repetitive tasks and workflows, including predefined responses for common issues
- Enable employees to find solutions independently through self-service portals, reducing the burden on IT teams
Zendesk Suite limitations
- Lacks advanced features for complex IT service management needs
- Pricing can be costlier than other ITSM tools if you’re a large organization
- New users face a learning curve, especially if they’re transitioning from a traditional service management tool
Zendesk Suite pricing
- Team: $55/month per user (billed annually)
- Growth: $89/month per user (billed annually)
- Professional: $115/month per user (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Zendesk Suite ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (5,800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (3,000+ reviews)
4. ServiceNow ITSM
ServiceNow ITSM is a cloud-based platform designed to improve service delivery, enhance user satisfaction, and increase organizational agility.
The software aligns with ITIL (information technology infrastructure library) standards. It consolidates many IT tools and legacy solutions into a single platform, allowing automated workflow, real-time data, and increased productivity.
ServiceNow ITSM best features
- Ensure quick resolution of IT problems and prioritize incidents with robust problem and IT incident management capabilities
- Manage changes in the IT environment to minimize disruptions with change management features
- Leverage AI and machine learning to identify potential issues and automate responses using predictive intelligence
- Gain insights into service performance through analytical tools, enabling data-driven decision-making with performance analysis
ServiceNow ITSM limitations
- Initial setup and customization need time and resources
- For a small organization, it’s considered expensive
- It can get slow as the amount of data increases
ServiceNow ITSM pricing
- Custom pricing
ServiceNow ITSM ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (30+ reviews)
Also Read: ServiceNow vs. Jira
5. BMC Helix ITSM
BMC Helix ITSM is an ITSM solution that leverages intelligent automation and AI to enhance IT operations and service delivery.
It integrates with DevOps toolchains, automatically identifying changes and providing dynamic AI-driven risk assessments for improved outcomes.
BMC Helix ITSM best features
- Incorporate intelligent automation to streamline service management for accurate and timely delivery
- Support seamless management across multiple cloud environments with multi-cloud capabilities
- Integrate popular DevOps tools to enable collaboration between IT and development teams
- Use customizable reports and dashboards to access real-time insights on service and operational metrics
BMC Helix ITSM limitations
- Not easy to maintain; some users have complained of performance issues
- Users have faced interface problems, and it can lag a bit
BMC Helix ITSM pricing
- Custom pricing
BMC Helix ITSM ratings and reviews
- G2: 3.7/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.1/5 (100+ reviews)
6. SysAid
SysAid is an ITSM platform that offers a range of tools to manage service requests and incidents, and streamline workflows. The software has generative AI to integrate into every aspect of service management, including a conversational chatbot to answer common questions.
SysAid best features
- Manage and track support tickets efficiently with SysAid’s ticket management
- Access a range of integrations, pre-built packages, and automation bots in SysAid’s marketplace
- Offer remote troubleshooting and support through the software’s remote control capabilities
- Integrate with various third-party applications like Jira, Salesforce, and Slack
- Use SysAid Copilot to help service desk agents with tools and resources to resolve issues effortlessly
- Generate a full case summary, including sentiment analysis, with SysAid’s case summary tools
- Support hybrid digital workspaces with both on-premises and cloud-based deployment options
SysAid limitations
- Users have reported that they are frequently logged out after 10 minutes of inactivity, which is frustrating
- Lacks timely support for complex issues
- SysAid is hard to customize and configure for your business processes
SysAid pricing
- Custom pricing
SysAid ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (400+ reviews)
7. Freshservice
Freshservice is an AI-powered, unified IT and employee service management solution. It provides capabilities to manage IT services and extends to non-IT teams as well.
The platform streamlines help desk operations and enhances service delivery across different business environments.
Freshservice best features
- Provide self-service options for employees to resolve issues independently
- Improve agent productivity with chatbots and AI-powered insights
- Accelerate change deployment and effectively estimate business impact with change management
- Unify text, email, tickets, and teams into one view while consolidating resources across multiple systems, clouds, and offices with omnichannel capabilities
Freshservice limitations
- Limited external integrations impact connectivity to many tools
- Design and customization constraints; customization of the user portal requires HTML coding skills
Freshservice pricing
- Starter: $19/month per user
- Growth: $49/month per user
- Pro: $95/month per user
- Enterprise: $119/month per user
Freshservice ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (1,200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (500+ reviews)
8. TOPdesk
TOPdesk is a comprehensive platform with incident management, knowledge management, and task management features.
You can easily register and process service requests and complaints. The platform’s extremely user-friendly interface and intuitive design make it easy for customers to navigate.
TOPdesk best features
- Choose from multiple board views, including Kanban, Plan, Task, and Dashboard, to view, plan, and prioritize tickets
- Customize layouts and fields to fit specific needs, enhancing user experience
- Allow users to manage service requests independently via self-service portals
- Provide access controls, including automatic access log downloads, IP safe listing, and the ability to limit access to a specific IP range
TOPdesk limitations
- Lacks some features, such as the ability to mass manipulate tickets
- The reporting tool doesn’t offer real-time insights
- Customization has additional costs
TOPdesk pricing
- Custom pricing
TOPdesk ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.1/5 (20+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (90+ reviews)
🌟Additional resource: While using the right ITSM software is essential, it’s best to understand effective IT policies and procedures before making a choice
9. Jira Service Management
Jira Service Management (JSM) is an ITSM software developed by Atlassian. It facilitates collaboration between IT, development, and business teams.
Jira offers well-orchestrated and comprehensive features to enhance service delivery, incident management, and overall IT operational efficiency.
Jira Service Management best features
- Submit requests through multiple channels, including the help center, email, and embeddable widgets with multi-channel request submission
- Accelerate workflow and enhance visibility into tasks and processes
- Create dynamic forms with conditional logic using the no-code/low-code form builder
- Escalate major incidents and enable immediate collaboration among key personnel through Opsgenie for major incident management
Jira Service Management limitations
- Complex for new users due to its feature-rich capabilities
- Integration challenges—users have reported difficulty in connecting with third-party tools
Jira Service Management pricing
- Free plan
- Standard: $17.65/month per user
- Premium: $44.27/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Jira Service Management ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (600+ reviews)
10. Ivanti
Ivanti is a no-code ITSM solution designed to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery. It manages and secures IT environments and aids effective IT asset management, endpoint security, and IT service management.
Ivanti best features
- Provide intuitive control and protect endpoints from viruses, malware, and spyware with a single console
- Choose from on-premises, cloud, or hybrid deployment as per your organizational needs
- Customize dashboards to gain real-time insights into performance metrics for better data-driven decision-making
- Automate troubleshooting and enhance user experience with features like Ivanti Neurons for proactive service management
Ivanti limitations
- Ivanti has extensive customization options that are complex and time-consuming
- Pricing can be a barrier for small organizations or those with limited budgets
Ivanti pricing
- Custom pricing
Ivanti ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (5,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: Not enough reviews
11. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus streamlines ITSM processes and service delivery with ITSM tools and features such as incident management, asset tracking, self-service portals, and project management.
The software is also ITIL compliant and can be used by MSPs to provide IT services to multiple organizations from a single console.
ManageEngine best features
- Sync user accounts and attributes with enhanced Active Directory integration
- Create dependencies between tasks to improve project management
- Optimize space usage across campuses by linking tickets and assets with the Space Management module
- Visualize ITSM metrics better with new chart types in the Graphic Reporting enhancements on the ManageEngine dashboard
ManageEngine limitations
- Multiple clicks for simple tasks such as creating and closing a ticket
ManageEngine pricing
- Standard: $16/month per user
- Professional: $33/month per user
- Enterprise: $78/month per user
ManageEngine ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (200+ reviews)
12. SuperOps.ai
SuperOps.ai is a PSA-RMM platform powered by automation and made for modern-age MSPs. The platform helps MSPs manage their clients, projects, and IT documents from a single place.
It’s known to streamline service delivery and asset and networking monitoring with its AI-powered platform. The platform has in-built network monitoring, IT documentation, and project management.
SuperOps.ai best features
- Log, track, and resolve incidents with a robust ticketing system
- Minimize downtime and user impact through proactive incident management while grouping incidents into problems for root cause analysis
- Track and manage all IT assets effectively with asset management
- Automate repetitive tasks to enhance efficiency through workflow automation
SuperOps.ai limitations
- There is no option to preview files and documents
- Third-party integration is allegedly difficult
SuperOps.ai pricing
- Standard PSA only: $89/month
- Standard RMM only: $109/month
- Pro: $149/month
- Super: $179/month
SuperOps.ai ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (100+ reviews)
- Capterra: Not enough reviews
13. SymphonyAI ITSM
SymphonyAI ITSM is an AI-driven ITSM tool that combines asset, service, and operations management to enhance enterprise productivity.
It leverages the latest advancements in AI-powered digital agents and service automation to deliver exceptional user experiences and increase efficiency.
SymphonyAI best features
- Use a unified service portal for all service requests, enabling centralized access and providing self-service capabilities to resolve issues without IT support
- Streamline processes by automating routine tasks with AI
- Identify and manage IT assets automatically, tracking them through their entire lifecycle to enhance accountability
- Customize workflows using low-code or no-code options and an intuitive interface for designing and managing workflows
SymphonyAI limitations
- Comparatively slower error resolution
- Missing features such as network monitoring and patch management
SymphonyAI pricing
- Custom pricing
SymphonyAI ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (60+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (20+ reviews)
14. Halo ITSM
Halo ITSM is an all-inclusive ITSM software solution to standardize your processes and deliver valuable analytics.
It is particularly appreciated for its user-friendly interface and robust functionality, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes.
Halo ITSM best features
- Track, plan, and execute changes seamlessly while ensuring compliance with established processes with the tool’s strong change management features
- Build centralized knowledge bases to share information and improve problem resolution speed
- Use a powerful configuration management database (CMDB) to track assets and their relationships with asset management
- Automate processes and enhance service delivery through AI integration in the software
Halo ITSM limitations
- The reporting interface is supposedly less intuitive
- Some features are missing; for example, you cannot merge tickets from different organizations
- The Round Robin feature only works when you stay on that tab constantly without switching to work on another ticket
Halo ITSM pricing
- Custom pricing
Halo ITSM ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (35+ reviews)
15. TeamDynamix
TeamDynamix is a web-based platform that offers IT service management and project portfolio management (PPM). It works as an integration platform for a service (iPaaS).
It supports ITIL processes, including asset and change management and capacity planning. The user-friendly portal is an excellent tool for entering tickets, checking status, and searching for knowledge base articles.
TeamDynamix best features
- Manage incidents, problems, changes, and service requests through a centralized interface with TeamDynamix’s unified service desk
- Create an intuitive service catalog to facilitate easy submission of IT service requests
- Adhere to ITIL best practices
- Support project management methodologies, including Waterfall and Agile, with project portfolio management
TeamDynamix limitations
- The complex onboarding process may overwhelm you
- Implementation costs are higher for smaller organizations
TeamDynamix pricing
- Custom pricing
TeamDynamix ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (60+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (100+ reviews)
16. CA Service Desk Manager
CA Service Desk Manager (CA SDM) is an IT service desk software that streamlines incident resolution, enhances user satisfaction, and boosts productivity.
It specializes in incident, problem, and change management. The software is designed to help IT service desk analysts deliver great customer service.
CA SDM best features
- Provide analysts with a personalized, intuitive interface for efficient work through xFlow analyst experience
- Empower users to resolve issues and request services on their preferred devices with collaborative self-service portals
- Include automated change verification and rule-based handling of unauthorized changes with robust change management
- Offer remote access, chat, automated troubleshooting, and repair with support automation in CA SDM
CA SDM limitations
- Some features are challenging to implement and maintain
- Some components, like data visualization and auto-scheduling, have outdated technology
- Users have reported that the software freezes and lags; the downtime is long when you upgrade
CA SDM pricing
- Custom pricing
CA SDM ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (20+ reviews)
- Capterra: Not enough reviews
Get the Best of ITSM Tools With ClickUp
The market has many ITSM tools to help your systems and services stay on track. You must pick the right tool based on your specific goals and needs.
After looking at the top 16 ITSM tools, it’s clear that each offers unique features, from AI integrations to great user interfaces.
If I had to pick one out of all these, I’d go with the first one on the list—ClickUp. Its versatility, ease of use, and advanced features go beyond IT service management. It helps you track tasks, collaborate with teams, and customize your workflows to fit any business structure.
Invest in ClickUp and unlock an efficient operation today!
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