7 Best Alternatives to ServiceNow for IT and Business Workflows

Why look beyond ServiceNow

ServiceNow is a platform designed for digitizing and automating enterprise-wide workflows, with a strong foundation in IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Operations Management (ITOM). Its core strength lies in consolidating services across IT, HR, customer service, and other departments onto a single cloud-based platform, often leveraging its low-code App Engine for custom application development. For large enterprises seeking extensive customization and comprehensive, integrated solutions, ServiceNow provides significant value.

However, organizations may explore alternatives for several reasons. Smaller to mid-sized businesses might find ServiceNow's comprehensive feature set and associated enterprise pricing to exceed their requirements or budget. Companies with specific needs, such as a primary focus on customer support without extensive IT infrastructure management, might prefer more specialized tools. Additionally, some organizations may seek platforms with different architectural approaches, a wider range of out-of-the-box integrations, or a developer experience that leans more towards traditional coding paradigms rather than low-code development. Evaluating alternatives allows businesses to align platform capabilities and costs with their specific operational scale and strategic objectives.

Top alternatives ranked

1. 1. Jira Service Management — Integrated IT and business service management

   Jira Service Management, developed by Atlassian, extends the capabilities of Jira for IT service desks and broader business service management. It integrates with other Atlassian products like Jira Software for development teams and Confluence for knowledge management, providing a connected ecosystem for IT, development, and business teams. The platform supports ITSM best practices, including incident management, problem management, change management, and service request fulfillment. Jira Service Management is suitable for organizations already using Jira for project management or software development, offering a familiar interface and strong collaboration features. Its pricing model can be more flexible for growing teams compared to large enterprise suites, making it an option for mid-market companies or enterprises seeking a more modular approach to service management.

   • Best for: Organizations using Jira for development, integrated IT and business service desks, agile teams, mid-market to enterprise companies seeking a flexible ITSM solution.

   See our Jira Service Management profile for more details. Visit the Jira Service Management official site.

2. 2. Freshservice — AI-powered ITSM and ESM for modern businesses

   Freshservice, from Freshworks, is a cloud-based IT Service Management (ITSM) and Enterprise Service Management (ESM) platform designed for ease of use and rapid deployment. It offers features for incident management, problem management, change management, asset management, and a robust service catalog. Freshservice emphasizes AI and automation to streamline IT and business workflows, providing capabilities like intelligent ticket routing, chatbots, and self-service portals. Its user-friendly interface aims to reduce training time and improve agent productivity. Freshservice caters to a broad range of businesses, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to larger organizations, offering tiered pricing plans that can scale with requirements. It is often considered by companies looking for a modern, intuitive, and cost-effective alternative to more complex enterprise solutions.

   • Best for: SMBs to mid-market companies, organizations prioritizing ease of use, AI-driven automation, and a strong focus on ITSM/ESM without extensive customization needs.

   See our Freshservice profile for more details. Visit the Freshservice official site.

3. 3. Zendesk Suite — Customer service and support automation

   Zendesk Suite is a comprehensive customer service platform that includes help desk, live chat, call center, and knowledge base functionalities. While not primarily an ITSM platform in the same vein as ServiceNow, Zendesk offers robust ticket management, self-service options, and automation tools that can be adapted for internal IT support and employee service management. Its strengths lie in its multi-channel support capabilities, allowing organizations to engage with users across various communication channels. Zendesk is widely adopted by businesses of all sizes that prioritize customer experience and efficient support operations. For organizations where IT support functions more closely resemble customer service operations, or where consolidating external and internal support onto a single platform is a priority, Zendesk presents a viable alternative, particularly for its user experience and integration ecosystem.

   • Best for: Organizations prioritizing multi-channel customer and employee support, robust ticketing, self-service, and a user-friendly agent experience; suitable for SMBs to large enterprises with a strong service focus.

   See our Zendesk profile for more details. Visit the Zendesk official site.

4. 4. BMC Helix ITSM — Enterprise-grade ITSM with AI and automation

   BMC Helix ITSM is an enterprise-grade IT Service Management solution that provides capabilities for incident, problem, change, and asset management, alongside a service catalog and knowledge management. It is designed for large organizations with complex IT environments and stringent compliance requirements. BMC Helix ITSM integrates AI and machine learning to automate service desk operations, provide intelligent insights, and enhance the end-user experience. The platform supports multi-cloud environments and offers extensive customization options to align with specific business processes. BMC has a long history in IT management, and its Helix suite is tailored for digital transformation initiatives in large enterprises, offering a robust and scalable alternative to ServiceNow for comprehensive IT operations management.

   • Best for: Large enterprises, organizations with complex IT infrastructures, multi-cloud environments, and those requiring advanced AI-driven automation and deep customization for ITSM.

   See our BMC Helix ITSM profile for more details. Visit the BMC Helix ITSM official site.

5. 5. Oracle NetSuite — Cloud ERP for business process unification

   Oracle NetSuite is a comprehensive cloud-based business management suite that includes Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Professional Services Automation (PSA), and e-commerce functionalities. While not a direct ITSM competitor, NetSuite serves as an alternative for organizations seeking to unify core business processes beyond IT service management, such as financials, inventory, and human resources. For businesses that require a holistic platform to manage operations from a single system of record, NetSuite offers extensive capabilities that can improve efficiency and provide real-time visibility across departments. Its strengths lie in financial management and global business operations, making it suitable for growing mid-market to enterprise companies that need an integrated platform for various business functions, rather than solely IT-focused workflows.

   • Best for: Mid-market to enterprise companies needing a unified cloud ERP suite for financials, operations, CRM, and e-commerce; organizations seeking to consolidate multiple business functions on one platform.

   See our Oracle NetSuite profile for more details. Visit the Oracle NetSuite official site.

6. 6. SAP S/4HANA — Intelligent ERP for large enterprise resource planning

   SAP S/4HANA is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system designed for large enterprises, providing capabilities across finance, supply chain, manufacturing, sales, and human resources. Similar to Oracle NetSuite, SAP S/4HANA is not a direct ITSM platform but offers a comprehensive suite for managing core business processes. It focuses on real-time analytics, in-memory computing, and industry-specific solutions to support complex global operations. For organizations whose primary need is a robust, integrated ERP system to manage a vast array of business functions, SAP S/4HANA presents a powerful alternative that can provide a foundational platform for digital transformation, including elements of service delivery through integration with other SAP modules. It is typically adopted by very large global corporations requiring deep functional breadth and industry-specific best practices.

   • Best for: Large, complex global enterprises requiring a comprehensive, integrated ERP system for core business functions, real-time analytics, and industry-specific solutions.

   See our SAP S/4HANA profile for more details. Visit the SAP S/4HANA official site.

7. 7. Salesforce Service Cloud — AI-powered customer service and field service

   Salesforce Service Cloud is a leading customer service platform built on the Salesforce Customer 360 platform. It provides tools for case management, knowledge management, multi-channel support, service analytics, and field service management. While its primary focus is external customer service, Service Cloud's robust capabilities can be leveraged for internal employee support, similar to an enterprise service desk. Its strengths include a highly customizable platform, extensive integration options through the AppExchange, and AI-powered features like Einstein for service automation and predictive analytics. For organizations that already use Salesforce for CRM or sales and want to extend that platform to cover service operations, or for those prioritizing a highly flexible and scalable customer service solution that can adapt to internal IT needs, Service Cloud is a strong contender.

   • Best for: Organizations already on the Salesforce platform, those needing highly customizable customer and employee service solutions, multi-channel support, and AI-driven service automation.

   See our Salesforce Service Cloud profile for more details. Visit the Salesforce Service Cloud official site.

Side-by-side

How to pick

Selecting an alternative to ServiceNow requires a clear understanding of your organization's specific needs, scale, and strategic objectives. Consider these factors when evaluating platforms:

• Service Management Scope:
  • If your primary need is robust ITSM and ITOM with strong integration into software development lifecycles, Jira Service Management is a strong contender, especially if you already use other Atlassian products.
  • For comprehensive, enterprise-level ITSM and ESM with advanced AI and automation, particularly in complex IT environments, BMC Helix ITSM offers a mature and scalable solution.
  • If you're an SMB or mid-market company looking for an intuitive, modern ITSM/ESM platform with out-of-the-box AI features and a focus on ease of use, Freshservice might be a better fit.
• Customer vs. Employee Focus:
  • If your main driver is enhancing customer service and support across multiple channels, with the potential to extend to internal employee support, Zendesk Suite or Salesforce Service Cloud excel in this area. Salesforce Service Cloud is particularly powerful if you're already invested in the Salesforce ecosystem.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Needs:
  • If your organization is seeking to unify a broader range of business processes beyond service management, such as financials, supply chain, and HR, onto a single platform, then a full-fledged ERP system like Oracle NetSuite (for mid-market to enterprise) or SAP S/4HANA (for large, global enterprises) could be more appropriate. These platforms offer comprehensive business process integration but are not specialized ITSM tools.
• Scale and Budget:
  • Smaller to mid-sized organizations with more constrained budgets may find Jira Service Management or Freshservice to offer more accessible pricing and feature sets compared to the extensive enterprise pricing of ServiceNow or other large ERP systems.
  • Large enterprises with complex requirements and significant budgets will find BMC Helix ITSM, Oracle NetSuite, SAP S/4HANA, or Salesforce Service Cloud capable of meeting their needs, but with varying core competencies.
• Existing Technology Stack:
  • Consider how well a new platform integrates with your existing tools. If you use Jira for development, Jira Service Management offers seamless integration. If you're on Salesforce for CRM, Service Cloud provides a unified experience. This can reduce implementation complexity and improve data consistency.

By carefully evaluating these aspects against the capabilities of each alternative, organizations can identify a platform that best supports their operational requirements and strategic goals.