Generate summary with AI

ServiceNow is a powerhouse in IT Service Management (ITSM), but it’s not always the perfect fit for every organization. ServiceNow is mainly used by IT teams for IT service management (ITSM) and comes with key features like incident management, change management, problem management, and a self-service portal. 

Whether it’s pricing, complexity, or customization limitations, many IT teams are looking for alternatives that offer streamlined workflows, better automation, and more cost-effective solutions.

To help you find an alternative, we have reviewed the top ServiceNow alternatives below. Before that, let’s start by looking into ServiceNow and its limitations and strengths!

What is ServiceNow?

ServiceNow  Screenshot. It says, "IT Service Management (ITSM)"

ServiceNow is an IT service platform widely used by IT teams across many industries. It offers various products for different business needs, such as ITSM, ITOM, HR workflows, asset management, and more.

Why look for a ServiceNow alternative?

While many people love ServiceNow’s offerings and pricing, it’s not a great fit for everyone. After analyzing customer reviews from G2, Reddit, Capterra, and Gartner, we quickly found out that many users of ServiceNow have reported a steep learning curve, non-transparent pricing, and declining customer support.

We collected customer reviews related to these below:

1. Product learning curve

ServiceNow is known to be capable of a lot, which in their case, comes with a steep learning curve.

One G2 user said, “The disadvantage of ServiceNow is the user interface is very complicated, and it takes time to understand all the filters and features.”

Another G2 user said that “prior IT service knowledge is a must in order to navigate around ServiceNow.”

2. Non-transparent pricing

ServiceNow’s pricing isn’t publicly listed, and you need to contact their sales team to get it. In our opinion (and that of many ServiceNow customers), this is not transparent and makes it difficult for IT teams to compare different options.

Related to the pricing, one Reddit user said, “ServiceNow’s licensing is full of unnecessary complexity just to make it hard to know what you’re actually getting.”

ServiceNow review via Reddit. It says, "
u/TakeaBow1877 avatar
TakeaBow1877
u/TakeaBow1877
Account suspended
Reddit has suspended this account. Mod notes and previous actions are preserved, but other data is inaccessible.
TakeaBow1877
•
9mo ago
•
Edited 9mo ago
Probably not uncommon, ServiceNow’s licensing is full of unnecessary complexity just to make it hard to know what you’re actually getting.I doubt my company will even be on the platform within the next 2-3 years because ServiceNow makes it damn near impossible to get what we need for a reasonable price, or will even flat out refuse to sell you licenses unless you’re paying for 2-3x what you actually need.The longer I’ve worked with the platform the more it’s absolutely clear that ServiceNow doesn’t give two shits about existing customers and only cares about getting new subs (and don’t get me started on how bad Support has gotten)."

ServiceNow review via Reddit

Plus, users on Reddit mention that ServiceNow has a minimum threshold, which according to them, is $50,000 annually:

ServiceNow review via Reddit. It says,"
There will be a minimum deal size and you won't meet that threshold. Don't waste your time, look for other solutions.Upvote
25DownvoteReply
replyAwardShare
ShareInteresting-Ad-5211
•
2mo ago
Minimum is around 30k usd annually for most productsUpvote
7DownvoteReply
replyAwardShare
Shareu/wigganation avatar
wigganation
•
2mo ago
It’s actually 50k total"

ServiceNow review via Reddit

Many users in the same Reddit thread also mention that the pricing ends up being “1-5X what you estimate for the first year” because ServiceNow adds other costs like onboarding.

In our opinion, these points emphasize ServiceNow’s lack of transparent pricing, which is a notable drawback, as ServiceNow competitors, like Atera, offer fully transparent pricing.

3. Customer support has decreased

Many ServiceNow customers agree that the available customer support has decreased in the past years.

In a Reddit thread, one user asked how the ServiceNow level support is, and one user replied, “It used to be a lot better. For the past few years, I have gotten a big-time level 1 vibe on every ticket.”

ServiceNow review via Reddit. It says, "I am wondering how good is Support provided by ServiceNow. I come from BMC Remedy world and Support is not so bad here. So this is essentially a question for people who have dabbled in both BMC Remedy and ServiceNow - how good is ServiceNow support as compared to BMC? -
It used to be a lot better. Past few years I get bigtime level 1 vibes on every ticketUpvote
11DownvoteReply
replyAwardShare
Shareu/jmk5151 avatar
jmk5151
•
1y ago
it's gotten a lot worse. repeat the question, here's a KB that is in no way relevant, let's have a call to demonstrate, if yeah that's broke no timetable to resolve."

ServiceNow review via Reddit

A reliable customer support service should be a key feature of any IT management software, and many customers say ServiceNow fails to deliver on this front specifically. Again, this is a notable drawback, since many ServiceNow competitors offer 24/7 customer support.

What are ServiceNow’s strengths?

Below, we have summarized a few of ServiceNow’s strengths.

1. ITSM features

ServiceNow is mainly used as an ITSM software and includes incident, change, and request management capabilities, which a G2 user mentioned liking. Although customers appreciate this, ServiceNow competitors offer similar capabilities.

2. Integrations with third-party tools

ServiceNow integrates with third-party tools, such as Microsoft SCCM and Jira, which is something a G2 user appreciates, as it helps to extend the software’s functionality. 

ServiceNow pros and cons: Takeaways

Below, we have summarized the two previous sections into the pros and cons of ServiceNow.

The pros, according to customer reviews:

  • ITSM features, such as incident and change management, are available
  • The available integrations with third-party tools are extensive

The cons, according to customer reviews:

  • The product has a steep learning curve
  • The ServiceNow pricing lacks transparency
  • The quality of customer support has decreased

The 11 top ServiceNow alternatives in 2025

Next, let’s look at the best alternatives to ServiceNow for 2025.

1. Atera

Atera is an AI-powered, all-in-one IT management solution that allows IT teams to monitor and manage endpoints, automate tasks such as patching and updates, handle tickets, generate customized reports, and remotely troubleshoot issues. While ServiceNow mainly focuses on the ITSM aspect of IT management, Atera offers a unified solution for IT teams.

In addition to its features, Atera offers dozens of integrations that allow you to conveniently manage security, backups, and more.

One of Atera’s unique features is its AI Copilot, which distinguishes it from other ServiceNow competitors. Atera’s AI Copilot is like your personal assistant, which helps troubleshoot device issues, summarize and respond to tickets, generate scripts, and much more.

Atera’s strong feature set, accompanied by transparent pay-per-technician pricing and Action AI™, supports enterprises in automating and optimizing their IT processes.

Atera customer reviews 

Atera’s G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (700+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on G2:

  • “I recently joined an IT group as 1st/2nd line support. Atera’s AI Copilot helps solve issues and create knowledge base articles for future reference,” a G2 user says.
  • “Atera’s cost is unbeatable compared to other RMM software. The amount of features is amazing,” a G2 user says.

Atera’s Capterra Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (400+ reviews)

What Atera users are saying on Capterra:

  • “I have had a great experience with Atera in the past 6 years. It is easy to use, customer service is responsive, and it’s always growing,” a Capterra user says.
  • “I like Atera’s RMM functionality, which lets us monitor and manage computer systems remotely,” a Capterra user says.

Atera pricing plans

Atera pricing plans for IT departments

  • Professional: $149 per month, per technician
  • Expert: $189 per month, per technician
  • Master: $219 per month, per technician
  • Enterprise: Custom quotation; contact sales to get pricing

Atera pricing plans for MSPs:

  • Pro: $129 per month, per technician
  • Growth: $179 per month, per technician
  • Power: $209 per month, per technician
  • Superpower (Enterprise): Custom quotation; contact sales to get pricing

2. Freshservice

Freshservice screenshot, It says, "Enterprise-grade ITSM, for every business."

Freshservice is an ITSM solution for IT departments. It helps with automatically routing and responding to incidents, setting SLA policies, and creating knowledge base articles for future reference. The available automation feature helps automate tasks like employee offboarding and multi-department approvals. 

Freshservice’s sheer focus on ITSM means that it needs to be integrated with third-party tools for capabilities like RMM.

G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (1,200+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (500+ reviews)

Freshservice Pricing:

  • Starter: $19/month/agent
  • Growth: $49/month/agent
  • Pro: $95/month/agent
  • Enterprise: Based on a custom quotation

3. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

ManageEngine Service Desk Plus Screenshot. It says, "AI-driven unified service management platform for the digital enterprise."

One of ManageEngine’s products, ServiceDesk Plus offers key ITSM capabilities, like incident management, SLA management, self-service portals, and customizable reports. Enterprises get access to more features, like project management and change and release workflow builders.

ServiceDesk Plus can be integrated with other ManageEngine products for more IT management functionality, although this comes at an extra cost.

G2 Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 stars (200+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars (200+ reviews)

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus Pricing:

  • Standard: Starts from $16 per month, per technician
  • Professional: Starts from $33 per month, per technician
  • Enterprise: Starts from $78 per month, per technician

In addition, ServiceDesk Plus add-ons, such as live chat support, add to the total cost.

4. Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management. It says,"Unlock high-velocity teams with AI-powered service management."

Jira Service Management lets you set up alerts, manage incidents, and resolve them by displaying knowledge-base articles for customers. You can set up basic automation workflows for investigating incidents, which reduces the need for repetitive tasks.

Jira Service Management can be a suitable ServiceNow competitor for basic end-user support, although it lacks more advanced features like RMM, patch management, and remote access.

G2 Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 stars (750+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (600+ reviews)

Jira Service Management Pricing:

  • Free: Free for up to 3 technicians
  • Standard: $22 per month, per technician
  • Premium: $49 per month, per technician
  • Enterprise: Pricing based on custom quotation. Visit their website to learn more.

5. Pulseway

Pulseway screenshot. It says, "An It Management Solution That You Can Take Anywhere."

Pulseway is an IT management solution with RMM, PSA, patch management, remote access, and IT automation features. It offers similar capabilities to Atera, although it falls short on standout offerings, like what Atera offers with its Action AI™.

Pulseway’s RMM pricing is pay-per-endpoint, which can be a drawback if you need to manage dozens of devices or are trying to grow your business or team.

G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars (100+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (300+ reviews)

Pulseway Pricing:

  • The prices start from $67 per month for 20 endpoints

6. Datto Autotask PSA

Datto screenshot. It says, "Autodesk PSA Software to Grow Your IT Organization."

Datto Autotask PSA is a PSA software for MSPs. It offers the key features you need in a PSA tool, including a ticketing system, SLA management, contracts and billing, and automation workflows. Datto recently added an AI assistant, which helps to summarize and respond to tickets.

Autotask PSA integrates with Datto RMM for RMM, patch management, and remote access capabilities. 

G2 Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 stars (400+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars (150+ reviews)

Datto Autotask PSA Pricing:

  • To find out the pricing, you need to request it from Datto’s website.

7. SysAid

SysAid screenshot. It says, "Next-Gen Help Desk and ITSM"

SysAid is mainly used by MSPs to manage end-user support requests. It categorizes, prioritizes, and assigns tickets automatically, generates AI responses, and allows you to create knowledge-base articles, so customers can help themselves. SysAid is a relatively simple tool for managing your IT assets.

The platform has integrations with Microsoft Intune, Zapier, Jira, and more.

G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (700+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (480+ reviews)

SysAid Pricing: 

  • Pricing is based on custom quotation. To get it, request an estimation from SysAid’s website.

8. Zendesk

Zendesk screenshot. It says, "AI-first service. Catered to humans."

Zendesk is mostly used by small businesses for simple customer support. Its users can create chatbots and help center articles for future reference. The platform helps users manage high support demand through AI-powered agents who automatically reply to customer inquiries.

While Zendesk can be useful for basic IT support, it is not a suitable choice for IT teams that require an all-in-one solution for managing all aspects of IT.

G2 Rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 stars (6,000+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars (4,000+ reviews)

Zendesk Pricing:

  • Suite Team: $55/month/agent (billed annually).
  • Suite Growth: $89/month/agent (billed annually).
  • Suite Professional: $115/month/agent (billed annually).
  • Suite Enterprise: Talk to sales for a customized quote.

9. BMC Helix

BMC Helix screenshot. It says, "Make your data the catalyst for clarity and action."

BMS Helix is used by enterprises for service management. Its key features include AI-driven automation, incident and problem management, change management, asset management, and customizable reports and analytics.

Service desk leaders use it to investigate incidents and identify root causes, track resolution progress, and improve collaboration.

G2 Rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 stars (10+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 stars (100+ reviews)

BMC Helix Pricing:

  • To get the pricing, you need to request a form on BMC’s website.

10. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk screenshot. It says, "For customer service that never stops."

Similarly to Zendesk and Freshservice, Zoho Desk is mainly used for basic omnichannel support as a ServiceNow competitor. It helps with that through capabilities for email, ticketing, live chat, phone, and social media support. You can also generate knowledge base articles, so users can assist themselves.

Zoho Desk integrates with other Zoho products, like Zoho Assist and CRM. 

G2 Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars (6,000+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (2,000+ reviews)

Zoho Desk Pricing:

  • Express: $9/agent/month
  • Standard: $20/agent/month 
  • Professional: $23/agent/month
  • Enterprise: $40/agent/month

11. HaloITSM

Halo ITSM screenshot. It says, "Intuitive ITSM Software, Delivered by Experts."

HaloITSM’s four key capabilities are incident management, SLA management, self-service portal, and IT automation. You can automatically group related tickets, generate summaries, and prioritize tasks based on their severity.

It integrates with Office 365, Active Directory, Lansweeper, and more.

G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars (10+ reviews)

Capterra Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (30+ reviews)

HaloITSM Pricing:

  • To get the pricing, you need to schedule a demo from Halo’s website. 

Choosing the best ServiceNow alternative

The best ServiceNow alternative ultimately depends on your IT team’s needs.

Looking to manage end-user support requests? A basic IT ticketing system might be enough. Need robust IT management software to oversee all aspects of your IT environment? An all-in-one IT management software, such as Atera, is the right choice.

Atera’s all-in-one IT management platform lets you manage your entire IT infrastructure from one unified platform. This will not only save you money but also make your entire IT department more efficient.

IT teams are switching to Atera for AI-powered IT management, and the 30-day free trial makes it extremely easy.

You can try it yourself for free; no credit card is required!

Was this helpful?

Related Articles

Fortify your enterprise: The top CEM security platforms of 2025

Read now

The best Ivanti alternatives for smarter IT management in 2025

Read now

The best SSPM tools to secure SaaS applications in 2025

Read now

Choosing the best smart board for your business: A buyer’s guide

Read now

Endless IT possibilities

Boost your productivity with Atera’s intuitive, centralized all-in-one platform