ServiceNow has been a major player in the IT Service Management (ITSM) industry for quite a while. Its reputation for providing comprehensive service desk solutions, automating business processes, IT service management, and digital workflows is well-deserved. However, not all businesses find it the perfect fit for their needs.
The reasons for seeking service desk software alternatives to ServiceNow can vary: it may be due to the price point, the complexity of the software, or the need for features that ServiceNow doesn’t offer.
Whatever your reasons, you’re in luck. We’ve curated a list of top-notch ServiceNow competitors, each with unique strengths and weaknesses as a service desk tool. We’ll delve into their key features, pros and cons, pricing, and customer ratings from G2 and Capterra so that you can make an informed decision.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
What Should You Look for In a ServiceNow Competitor?
Your IT team often juggles multiple responsibilities, from change management, bug tracking, and software updates to tech support for customers and teammates. Here are the features you should look for in a ServiceNow alternative:
- Comprehensive project management:Â The alternative should offer robust project and asset management features, such as time-tracking, resource allocation, and task management to ensure smooth service desk support.
- Collaboration tools:Â Seamless communication and collaboration features are crucial for IT support network management teams. Look for tools that offer features like shared workspaces, real-time chat, and document sharing.
- Integration capabilities:Â Your service desk alternative should integrate seamlessly with other tools that the team uses, such as knowledge management platforms, CRMs, marketing automations, or communication apps.
- Customizability and scalability:Â The tool should be customizable to fit your specific workflows and scalable to grow with your needs as your business expands.
- Reporting and analytics:Â Comprehensive reporting and analytics features are necessary for tracking the progress of support tickets, identifying bottlenecks, and making data-driven decisions about service quality.
- User-friendly interface: A service desk tool that’s easy to navigate and use can increase adoption rates within the service catalog team and improve productivity.
- Pricing:Â Consider the pricing structure of the service desk tool. It should offer good value for its features and fit within your budget.
- Customer support:Â A reliable customer service delivery team can be invaluable when encountering issues or needing help with your service desk tool.
The 10 Best ServiceNow Competitors & Alternatives in 2024
Remember, the ideal tool may vary depending on your team size, industry, and specific needs. So, it’s best to try out a few options before deciding. That’s why you should consider your options with your asset and incident management solutions check out these 10 best ServiceNow alternatives:
1. ClickUp
ClickUp makes the top of our list and a few others—like G2’s Best Productivity and Collaboration Software and FastCompany’s Most Innovative Companies list. With powerful CRM capabilities, asset management features, and true knowledge base software with ClickUp Docs, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the most popular ServiceNow alternatives.
Additionally, ClickUp offers complex conditional logic Forms to collect customer conversations and feedback. This flexible, intuitive, and customizable solution makes a great option for small businesses or large teams with significant business needs to improve customer engagement.
ClickUp best features
- Customizable dashboards make it easy to see everything happening with your project in one place
- Native time tracking keeps your team on task and budget
- Asset management with complex Docs feature for organizing your knowledge hub
- Workflow automations take the effort out of assigning tasks, updating teammates on progress, and turning to-do lists into to-done lists
- A nearly limitless supply of templates for IT teams helps you reduce risks, technical debt, establish cybersecurity frameworks, and strengthen retention with nimble customer support means you never have to start from scratch for your next project
ClickUp limitations
ClickUp is best for teams that need versatile, super customizable tools to assess risks during premortem, manage projects mid-sprint, and build your internal knowledge base in post-mortems. If all you need is a basic ticketing system and simple metric tracking, ClickUp might be overpowered for what you’re trying to do.
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.7/5 (6,770+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.7/5 (3,660+ reviews)
2. Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service and engagement platform that provides service desk tools for customer interaction, including ticketing and knowledge base features. It’s a robust ServiceNow alternative, especially for customer support-focused businesses.
Zendesk best features
- Omnichannel customer support and help desk solution (email, chat, phone, social media)
- AI-powered automated responses for enhanced customer communications
- Self-service options with a built-in knowledge base
- Extensive integration options
Zendesk limitations
- A short free trial makes it hard to test before you have to commit fully
- Missing advanced features like Regex
- Not enough customization for advanced users
- The price is steeper than some other competitors
Zendesk pricing
- Team:Â $49/month per user
- Growth:Â $79/month per user
- Professional:Â $99/month per user
- Enterprise:Â $150/month per user
- Custom Enterprise:Â $215/month per user
Zendesk ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.3/5 (5,590+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â Â 4.4/ (3,640+ reviews)
Bonus: IT Operations Software!Â
3. SAP
SAP is a multinational software company known for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. SAP Service Cloud, a component of its Customer Experience suite, is one of the better ServiceNow alternatives that focus on customer service management and sales.
SAP best features
- Built-in compliance, security, and incident management features that meet and exceed global standards
- An authorization matrix makes sure every role on your team has the proper access at the right time to mission-critical information on the service desk
- Incident monitoring makes sure no IT issue escapes your attention
SAP limitations
- It does not provide the 24/7 live support that ServiceNow offers
- The platform is web-only, so it’s not a great fit for on-the-go IT pros
SAP pricing
Contact SAP for pricing
SAP ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.2/5 (800+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.3/5 (1,840+ reviews)
4. ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk is a user-friendly customer service tool to streamline ticket management and foster team collaboration. It offers a shared inbox that enables efficient handling of customer queries, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
ProProfs’ integrated platform and robust reporting and analytics features provide valuable insights for improving customer service. With ProProfs Help Desk, teams can also create a comprehensive customer knowledge base, reducing their workload and empowering customers with self-service portal options. Its simplicity, efficiency, and customer-centric approach make it one of the most notable ServiceNow alternatives.
ProProfs Help Desk’s best features
- Track and automatically route incoming calls
- Use shared inboxes to improve collaboration
- Agents can use canned replies to improve response times
- Garner customer feedback with NPS, CSAT, and other surveys
- Incident management options for internal tracking
ProProfs Help Desk limitations
- No social media integration
- Self-service portal can be challenging for some
ProProfs Help Desk pricing
- Free
- Paid:Â $20/month per user
ProProfs Help Desk ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.7/5 (15+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.8/5 (10+ reviews)
5. Jira
Jira Service Desk, developed by Atlassian, is a widely-used task and knowledge hub software known for its flexibility and powerful features.
Initially designed for bug and issue tracking in software development, Jira service management has evolved to cater to various project and task management needs. Jira service management offers customizable workflows, agile reporting tools, and advanced issue-tracking features. Its integration capabilities with numerous other tools, such as Confluence and Bitbucket, make Jira service management a comprehensive solution for teams to plan, track, and release great software.
While its learning curve may be steep for some, Jira’s robust functionalities make it an excellent choice for teams seeking a comprehensive workflow automation solution.
Jira best features
- Request queues aggregate service requests from email, chatbots, service reps, and more
- Automatically triage incidents based on urgency, service level agreements, and available service professionals
- The self-service portal helps employees find the answers they need without escalating their issue
Jira limitations
- Jira service management can produce laggy load times
- Overly complex for all but the most technically-savvy users
- Jira Service Desk UI can be challenging to find the features you need when you need them (check out these Jira alternatives)
Jira pricing
- Free
- Standard:Â $7.75/month per user
- Premium:Â $15.25/month per user
- Enterprise:Â Call Jira for pricing
Jira ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.3/5 (5,270+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.4/5 (13,200+ reviews)
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6. Help Scout
Help Scout is a service management platform designed to provide a human touch to customer interactions. Its focus on simplicity and personalization makes it a great ServiceNow alternative for businesses prioritizing customer relationships.
Help Scout best features
- Solve support issues fast with real-time chat and real-time notifications. Use macros and templated responses to communicate with customers instantly
- Never drop the ball again with automated routing and interaction tracking
- Help Scout offers white-label service management with customizable branding to make your support service management look and feel exactly how you want
Help Scout limitations
- No social media integrations make it challenging to track and respond to customers who take to Twitter with their concerns
- Help Scout reports aren’t set up to give you granular details about particular support tickets easily
Help Scout pricing
- Standard:Â $20/month per user
- Plus:Â $40/month per user
- Pro:Â $65/month per user
Help Scout ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.4/5 (380+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.6/5 (190+ reviews)
7. Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer support platform with robust ticketing, collaboration, problem management, and automation features. It’s a strong ServiceNow competitor, particularly for businesses seeking an intuitive, feature-rich customer support tool.
Freshdesk best features
- Remote access lets support teams dive in and help customers on the spot
- The ticketing management system automatically assigns and prioritizes support requests
- Freshdesk collaboration tools let teammates work together on the same ticket to solve issues
Freshdesk limitations
- The inbox is missing some features like a search function, draft saving, and the ability to send a message to multiple recipients
- There’s not much room for customizing reports
- The mobile app isn’t nearly as intuitive as the desktop platform
Freshdesk pricing
- Free
- Growth:Â $15/month per user
- Pro:Â $49/month per user
- Enterprise:Â $79/month per user
Freshdesk ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.4/5 (2,750+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.5/5 (3,030+ reviews)
Bonus: 10 Best Freshdesk Alternatives and Competitors
8. Salesforce Service Cloud
Salesforce Service Cloud is a service management and support platform by Salesforce. It offers comprehensive customer service and asset management tools, making it a competitive ServiceNow alternative, especially for businesses already using Salesforce products.
Salesforce Service Cloud’s best features
- The SalesForce system integrates every aspect of service management and customer support into a unified agent experience
- Smooth user experience on both desktop and mobile
- Create fields, tables, and even add your code to customize the tool precisely the way you want it
Salesforce Service Cloud limitations
- No WYSIWYG editor, which can make formatting a pain
- The high learning curve for new users
Salesforce Service Cloud pricing
- Starter:Â $25/month per user
- Professional:Â $75/month per user
- Enterprise:Â $150/month per user
- Unlimited:Â $300/month per user
Salesforce Service Cloud ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.2/5 (2,270+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.4/5 (700+ reviews)
9. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a web-based help desk solution designed to help businesses deliver top-notch service management. As a ServiceNow competitor, it offers a range of features for ticket management, automation, and reporting.
Zoho Desk’s best features
- Track all customer interactions from a single view, no matter what channel they used to start the conversation
- Tailor the tool to meet your needs, whether you need to rename tabs, add departments, customize email templates
Zoho Desk limitations
- End users don’t receive ticket routing alerts, making it difficult to track cases
- Sorting tickets by account is not straightforward, so it can be hard to keep a high-level view of priority accounts
- No direct chat with Zoho’s support team
Zoho Desk pricing
- Standard:Â $14/month per user
- Professional:Â $23/month per user
- Enterprise:Â $40/month per user
Zoho Desk ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.4/5 (4,640+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.5/5 (2,030+ reviews)
10. SupportBee
SupportBee is a ticketing system designed with simplicity and customer satisfaction in mind. As an alternative to ServiceNow, it provides a straightforward solution for managing customer support emails.
SupportBee best features
- Inbox-style ticketing means teams don’t need to log in to a separate app to assign or answer support requests
- A comprehensive external knowledge base feature makes it easy for customers to find their answers, which cuts down on request volume. A separate internal knowledge base helps agents find the answers they need without having to escalate tickets
SupportBee limitations
- It doesn’t capture customer feedback on support
- Not optimized for Safari or Firefox
- Limited customization available
- No auto-archive function sometimes leads to a cluttered inbox
- No forms available
SupportBee pricing
- Startup:Â $13/month per user
- Enterprise:Â $17/month per user
SupportBee ratings and reviews
- G2:Â 4.1/5 (5+ reviews)
- Capterra:Â 4.3/5 (25+)
Care for Your Customers—The ClickUp Way
Choosing the right service management software is crucial for delivering excellent customer experiences. Each ServiceNow alternative listed above offers unique features, pros, and cons. Your choice will depend on your specific needs, budget, and preferences for your self-service portal and configuration management solutions.
However, if you’re looking for a comprehensive solution that excels in customer service and provides robust project management, product management, and task management capabilities, consider ClickUp the perfect Agile solution. With its versatile functionality, user-friendly interface, and competitive pricing, ClickUp is a top choice among ServiceNow competitors and alternatives.
Remember, the best software is the one that fits your team’s needs perfectly. So, explore your options, try the ones that catch your eye, and make an informed decision. Good luck!
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