Whether you’re an existing SNOW customer or a prospective buyer, you’re starting to wonder if ServiceNow is all it’s cracked up to be.
Surely there must be better ITSM tools on the market, or at least a tool that better fits your needs?
You're not the only one. And lucky for you, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.
These are the nine best ServiceNow alternatives for growing businesses:
- ServicePRO®: Best for Automations
- iSupport Software: Best for Service Management
- Alloy Software: Best for IT Asset Management
- Issuetrak: Best for Issue Tracking
- OMNINET: Best for Process Customization
- OTRS Group: Best for UX Management
- Serviceaide, Inc: Best for AI Integration
- TeamDynamix: Best for Low and No-Code Features
- BMC: Best for Enterprise Volume
We’re breaking down the prices, features, and limitations of all nine providers so you can make an informed decision for your business. We also explain what each alternative is best at so you can mix and match to your heart’s content.
But first:
Why Do People Choose ServiceNow Alternatives?
Great question! And if you’re here, you probably already know the answer.
There are three major reasons why businesses look for alternatives to ServiceNow:
- ServiceNow's pricing structure can be confusing and unpredictable.
- Some users report performance issues, including slow load times and bugs.
- The platform’s steep learning curve can make onboarding a drag.
Let’s break down each of these challenges in greater detail.
1. Confusing Pricing (& Not Transparently Listed)
ServiceNow's pricing isn’t just expensive — it’s also confusing and complex. Plus, you won’t find any pricing listed on the website, which might leave you (rightfully) feeling nervous about the true long-term investment.
Here are just some of the things you might have to pay:
- Annual subscription
- Per-user pricing
- Tiered packages
- Add-on costs
With ServiceNow, basic IT service management may require one subscription, but features like asset management, HR service delivery, or security operations are priced as add-ons. And since pricing is quote-based, this could make it difficult for businesses to forecast costs upfront.
TL;DR? If you need multiple modules to meet your ITSM needs, prepare to spend tens of thousands of dollars per year with ServiceNow or potentially a nasty surprise in your inbox.
2. Performance Issues Can Slow Down Productivity
Like any other ITSM provider, ServiceNow isn’t perfect all the time. But according to users, recurring performance issues can be frustrating, especially when you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars per year.
See for yourself:
“Awful tool. Doesn’t load anything consistently. Drop down boxes? Forget about it until you literally click around the blank areas of the page. Templates? Only some of the fields. Clone task? Nope. These are the kinds of tools that drive a good man to quit. Or drink.” — Reddit
“The main issue with ServiceNow is Performance!!! It often takes a long time to load a page or query results. - Filter and Queries are useful but sometimes it's hard to search existing queries if you are in a different section of ServiceNow. Would be nice to have all-in-one queries for user so user can easier lookup all the existing queries (yes, you can go to the correct section first and then check the queries, but loading is often a big issue) - Lot of different ServiceNow products incorporated together, so it's sometimes hard for new users to browse around and get use to it. Learning curve is steep. - Very costly product.” — Capterra
Users have also flagged issues with system updates or integrations, which may lead to temporary downtime or compatibility problems. If you’re a business that’s managing critical service operations, even minor delays can have a major impact on your productivity.
3. Steep Learning Curves Can Pump the Brakes on Adoption
ServiceNow boasts a dramatic range of features, but for many business owners, it’s a double-edged sword. The platform often comes across as clunky or complex, and configuring it for specific business needs often requires specialized knowledge or dedicated training.
Many businesses need to hire external consultants or invest in extensive internal training to maximize ServiceNow’s value. They may also need to regularly perform audits in-platform.
In other words: unless you have fairly robust internal IT resources, this can mean a long, expensive, and often exhausting onboarding process. 🥴
The 9 Best ServiceNow Alternatives
Ready to look for a ServiceNow alternative?
Let’s break down nine alternatives in this handy comparison chart:
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Now let’s explore each one in greater detail.
ServicePRO®: Best for Automations
ServicePRO® offers an intuitive ITSM platform designed to simplify service desk operations and automate complex workflows. Its goal is to deliver a seamless experience for both IT teams and end-users alike.
You’ll see how this platform offers efficient ticket management and process automation tools, not to mention robust reporting to keep everyone on your team in the loop. Add that to the user-friendly interface and customizable templates, and you’ll find ServicePRO® to be a solid ServiceNow alternative without the high ticket cost.
Key Features of ServicePRO®
- Customizable workflows
- Integrated knowledge base
- Visual process designer
- Asset management
- Reporting and analytics
What ServicePRO® users say
“Friendly, easy to use interface. All your information in one place from previous services to notes between the customer and office. When the software implemented in a company runs smoothly everything else feels like it is as well. Sometimes there are a few glitches or early generations but overall I have had few issues with it.” — G2
ServicePRO® Pricing
- Professional: $20 to $45 per agent license per month for unlimited technical support, three hours of free web-based consulting, software upgrades, and more
- Enterprise: $25 to $50 per agent license per month for multiple service centers, granular user permissions, unlimited custom forms, business rules, project templates, and email accounts, SCCI 0129 compliance, advanced AD integration, and more
iSupport Software: Best for Service Management
Since 1992, iSupport Software has offered its ITSM platform to businesses that need customizable service management solutions. It offers a suite of features designed to simplify service desk operations and support dynamic business needs.
From managing incidents and assets to automating workflows, iSupport provides flexible tools that can be tailored to your organization's unique processes. Its intuitive interface, combined with powerful reporting and customizable dashboards, makes it an efficient option for teams looking to streamline their IT services.
Key Features of iSupport Software
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Workflow automation tools
- Incident, change, and problem management modules
- Asset and configuration management
- Self-service portal for end-users
- Support for corporate governance
- Approval cycles, workflow templates, and change controls
What iSupport Software Users Say
“Very complete package, able to customize workflows, notifications, etc. Stable platform. But complexity of features creates complexity in configurations. Support is great at walking through any needs though.” — G2
iSupport Software Pricing
iSupport offers flexible pricing models based on the number of agents and features required. Pricing is available upon request — but you can request a demo if you want to try before you buy.
Alloy Software: Best for IT Asset Management
Alloy Software delivers a comprehensive ITSM solution designed to support the entire service lifecycle, from incident management to asset tracking. It also provides unique asset management tools so you can more easily manage loaner devices, mobile phones, rentable spaces, and more.
You can use Alloy software to connect service desk operations, asset management, and workflow automation all in the same efficient tool. And if you’re a fan of AI, you can always tap into Alloy Navigator, which allows you to automate routine tasks and save more time for mission-critical jobs.
Key Features of Alloy Software
- Incident/change management
- CMDB
- Service catalog
- Self-service portal
- Purchase order management
- Equipment checkout
- Work order management
- Consumable management
What Alloy Software Users Say
“Coming from another similar product, Alloy has a great system for handling tickets and creating a knowledge base, both for customers and internally. For me there was a steep learning curve, some things were hard to find but after looking in the documentation it made sense. The documentation can be lacking at places but usually it gets the job done!” — G2
Alloy Software Pricing
- Alloy Navigator Explorer: $19 per tech per month for access to the IT Helpdesk, asset management, knowledge base, self service portal, network discovery, automation, and on-premises support (three-user max)
- Alloy Navigator Express: $49 per tech per month for change management, approvals, consumables, software licensing, named or concurrent user licensing, and on-premises and cloud support (four-user minimum)
- Alloy Navigator Enterprise: $86 per tech per month for ITIL, configuration management and CMDB, project management, service catalog, advanced workflow automations, and on-prem/cloud support (four-user minimum)
Issuetrak: Best for Issue Tracking
You can probably guess what Issuetrak does: organizes incoming tickets and issues for teams. Whether you're tracking IT issues, customer complaints, or internal service requests, Issuetrak offers the flexibility to adapt to your business needs.
You can also use Issuetrak with distributed teams, since it offers omnichannel ticket management services from practically anywhere with a WiFi connection. It also supports seamless integrations with key business systems (think Zapier and Gmail) so you can keep your business humming along.
Key Features of Issuetrak
- Multi-channel management
- Issue hub
- Round robin issue assignment
- Customizable task flows
- Knowledge Base
- Asset management
What Issuetrak Users Say
“Issuetrak is one of the best ticketing systems that I've used. The search function for previous tickets is a great Knowledge Base for recurring issues and fixes as long as the tickets are documented properly. This could have been on our end, but with a large amount of tickets, searching through old ones could take quite a bit of time. It's not a deal-breaker but a speedy search would be appreciated!” — G2
Issuetrak Pricing
There are two different types of Issuetrak plans:
Cloud Plan
- Team: $27 per user per month to give every end user the power to own and assign issues (10-agent minimum)
- Support: $79 per user per month for specific agents to own and assign issues (three-agent minimum)
On-Premises Plan
- Team: $160 per agent (10-agent minimum)
- Support: $478 per agent (three-agent minimum)
Custom pricing based on organizational needs, with additional options for customization, dedicated support, and advanced integrations.
Keep in mind there are also agent-based plans available, but you’ll have to contact the company for a custom quote.
OMNINET: Best for Process Customization
OMNITRACKER - Das modulare ITSM-Tool
OMNINET (aka OMNITRACKER) is essentially a ‘business process ecosystem.’ In other words, you can easily connect multiple pieces of your business puzzle, including process automations for ITSM such as ticketing and issue resolution.
With OMNINET, you can tap into a white-glove onboarding service to take advantage of the software’s deep customization opportunities. Plus, it’s a flexible system that can adjust to many industries and network types, making it a solid choice for companies using on-prem, hybrid, or cloud-only solutions.
Key Features of OMNINET
- Integrated time recording
- Service catalog
- Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
- License administration
- Third-party monitoring
What OMNINET Users Say
“Interface can be buggy, especially trying to upload documentation remotely, but when it works well, it is effective and satisfactory.” — Gartner
OMNINET Pricing
OMNINET doesn’t list its pricing online. If you want a custom quote, you’ll need to contact OMNINET directly.
OTRS Group: Best for UX Management
OTRS Group (now part of EasyVista) offers a flexible ITSM platform to help manage service requests, incidents, and changes. It’s probably best known for its customizable workflow options, which allows teams to build automated workflows, set up custom alerts, and generate real-time reports for important stakeholders (AKA your boss).
OTRS also supports multiple communication channels, including email, phone, and chat, ensuring tickets are captured from every direction. It also commands a fairly modern-looking interface, which many reviewers say gives it an edge over competitors.
Key Features of OTRS
- Centralized help desk
- Ticket creation UX support
- Ticket collaboration
- Asset management
- Attachments/screencasts
What OTRS Users Say
“It's a great daily ticket email system. I love the ticket handling and speed of the interface. Its basic layout offers the basics you need to get up and running with a ticketing system. The support is little to non-existent but that is expected with the tier I’m on.” — Capterra
OTRS Pricing
OTRS only offers customized quotes. For specific pricing details, contact OTRS directly.
Serviceaide: Best for AI Integration
Serviceaide stands out from the ITSM crowd by weaving artificial intelligence directly into its platform. With its intelligent virtual agents and AI-driven workflows, you can use it to help IT teams automate routine tasks, resolve issues faster, and ultimately deliver a smoother service experience.
Serviceaide’s AI-powered capabilities can make life easier for everyone: customers will be happier with more self-service options, and your team can take a breather with fewer people waiting in ticket queues. Just keep in mind this is reflected in the price (which isn’t, unfortunately, available online).
Key Features of Serviceaide
- AI-powered virtual agents
- Intelligent automation workflows
- Self-service knowledge management
- Multi-channel support options
- Real-time analytics and reporting
What Serviceaide Users are Saying
“The usability of Serviceaide ChangeGear is probably my favorite feature in this software. The home screen is so intuitive that even the newbies start easily navigating its menu quite soon. But although Serviceaide ChangeGears is strong in many other respects, its customer support is inferior. We experienced difficult technical issues that led to serious delays especially when it comes to fixing those problems and subsequent disturbance to our project time plans.” — G2
Serviceaide Pricing
Like many other ServiceNow alternatives, Serviceaide doesn’t offer public pricing. The only way to receive a custom quote is to submit a form on their website.
TeamDynamix: Best for Low and No-Code Features
TeamDynamix (called the TDX Platform for short) is an IT service management platform for users of any skill level. With the power of low-code and no-code tools, you can use TDX to quickly configure and customize workflows, automate processes, and manage IT and project services without deep coding expertise.
Need to scale without hiring external IT resources? Just use the drag-and-drop interface and automation tools to get more work done in a sinch. Plus, with integrated features like Project Portfolio Management (PPM) you can easily keep cross-department teams in the loop.
Key Features of TeamDynamix
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Customizable dashboards and reporting
- Self-service knowledge base for end-users
- Low-code and no-code workflow automation
- Flexible resource and capacity planning tools
- IT service management and project portfolio management integration
What TeamDynamix Users are Saying
“I absolutely love how TeamDynamix lives and breathes efficiency. This product has helped improve the time my techs take to resolve end users' tickets. Another thing I love about TeamDynamix is their support personnel. Every time I have had to reach out to their support, they are always so nice and help resolve the issue promptly. But sometimes I can get a bit overwhelmed with everything I can do in TeamDynamix. While it is not necessarily a bad thing that we can customize so many things, it has been a little bit of a learning curve.” — G2
TeamDynamix Pricing
At this point in time, TeamDynamix does not provide public pricing. To get a personalized quote, you’ll need to contact their sales team directly.
BMC: Best for Enterprise Volume
Otherwise known as Helix ITSM, BMC is one of the best-known alternatives to ServiceNow. It’s also got the stats to back it up. Users reportedly enjoy:
- 90% successful root cause identification
- 60% faster incident resolution
- 75% better operational efficiency
You should know that BMC was built to handle high-volume service environments, which means it’s ideal for enterprises with hundreds or even thousands of tickets per day. That said, its complexity may also require a steeper learning curve, as well as dedicated IT resources for setup and maintenance.
Key Features of BMC
- Generative AI
- Dynamic service models
- ServiceOps integrations
- AI risk analysis
- Proactive problem resolutiono
What BMC Users are Saying
“Very modernized tool to automate and manage your operations. It helps in tracking tickets, tasks, changes, and data. Great support team. Integration friendly and gives options to customise as per your need. But expensive compared to other ITSM tools. Not easy to maintain, sometimes causes troubles like performance issues.” — G2
BMC Pricing
Since it’s geared towards enterprise businesses, BMC’s pricing depends on the size and needs of each organization. Translation? Hard numbers aren’t publicly available. If you’re interested in a quote, contact BMC directly.
How We Chose the Best ServiceNow Alternatives
First, we collected a list of 100 ITSM providers offering similar services to ServiceNow. Then, we evaluated each platform based on the following criteria:
- Feature set: We prioritized platforms offering core ITSM functionalities like incident management, change management, asset tracking, and automation workflows. Bonus points went to platforms with value-added features (think identity management and automated ticketing flows).
- Intuitive interface: We only included platforms with user-friendly dashboards, easy navigation features, and plenty of customization options. This helps with quicker onboarding and reduces the learning curve for teams, which means less time on the phone and more time actually using the platform.
- User reviews: We analyzed verified customer feedback from platforms like G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot to get a pulse on user satisfaction, product performance, and common pain points that might be worth a red flag.
- Pricing options: This isn’t to say that pricing is everything, but we did look for providers offering flexible (and at least transparent) pricing models. We were specifically hunting for accessible brands supporting smaller, growing businesses and were transparent about additional costs.
- Security compliance: We focused on providers that meet industry standards for data protection, including ISO certifications, GDPR compliance, data encryption, and more.
- Customer support: When problems arise (which they always do), you need a responsive customer success team with multiple points of content. We looked for platforms offering 24/7 support, dedicated account managers, and/or helpful knowledge bases.
Getting Your Data Where It Needs to Go
ITSM platforms are awesome at managing service workflows and keeping operations on track — but they’re not always so awesome at getting that critical information to the right people at the right time.
Think about all the live data flowing through your ITSM tools: open tickets, incident updates, system statuses, and service metrics. Now, think about where that information needs to be seen to help agents get more work done and otherwise improve responsiveness.
Instead of letting updates get buried in emails or hidden inside dashboards that only a few people check, you can set up integrations with digital signage to make said information instantly visible across your organization.
For example:
- IT teams can display live ticket statuses on office screens to cut down on redundant inquiries and improve response times.
- Operations managers can broadcast system maintenance updates in shared spaces to keep teams in the loop.
- Supervisors can put your KPIs on digital displays to keep everyone on your team in the know.
- Internal help desk teams can put resources in high-traffic areas to help employees accomplish more tasks on their own.
Curious about bridging the gap between ITSM data and visual communication?
Sign up today for a free trial at Fugo and see how we’re breaking barriers with digital signage.
