We’ve compared top 10 IT service management tools, along with their key features, pricing and deployment options to help you find the best solutions for your organization’s needs. See our rationale for these recommendations by following the links on product names:
| IT Service Management (ITSM) Tools | Best for | |
|---|---|---|
1. | SMEs with its user-friendly interface and ease of setup | |
2. | MSPs with RMM capabilities | |
3. | Atlassian users | |
4. | Customization and advanced IT support | |
5. | Remote monitoring | |
| Show More (5) | ||
6. | AI-powered features for enterprises | |
7. | SMEs with automation needs | |
8. | Integration with third-party products for SMEs | |
9. | Automatical change identification | |
10. | Enterprises requiring cloud-based IT solutions | |
Overview of top 10 ITSM tools
| Vendor | Average rating | Starting price/month* | Free trial | Deployment type | AI chat for ticketing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshservice | 4.5 based on 1,869 reviews | $19 | 14-day | SaaS | ✅ |
| NinjaOne | 4.7 based on 1,428 reviews | N/A | 14-day | SaaS | ❌ |
| Jira Service Management | 4.3 based on 1,506 reviews | $18 | 7-day | SaaS, On-premises | ✅ |
| SysAid | 4.4 based on 1,256 reviews | N/A | 30-day | SaaS, On-premises | ✅ |
| Atera | 4.7 based on 1,099 reviews | $159 | 30-day | SaaS | ✅ |
| ServiceNow | 4.3 based on 897 reviews | N/A | 30-day | SaaS, On-premises | ✅ |
| SolarWinds Service Desk | 4.2 based on 843 reviews | $39 | 30-day | SaaS | ✅ |
| ManageEngine ServiceDesk | 4.6 based on 446 reviews | N/A | N/A | SaaS, On-premises | ✅ |
| BMC Helix ITSM | 3.7 based on 54 reviews | N/A | 14-day | SaaS | ❌ |
| Ivanti Neurons for ITSM | 4.5 based on 38 reviews | N/A | N/A | SaaS, On-premises | ✅ |
Sorting in the above table: Sponsors are listed at the top with their links. The rest of the table is sorted based on the number of reviews.
Vendor selection criteria: We included vendors with at least 200 employees as stated by LinkedIn.
Number of reviews and average ratings are based on the user reviews obtained from G2 and Gartner.
*For vendors without pricing listed on their websites, the price is indicated as N/A. You may need to request a demo for pricing details.
Detailed evaluation of ITSM tools
Freshservice
Freshservice is a cloud-based ITSM software. Freddy AI provides automated support by handling routine queries, guiding users through self-service options, and offering instant resolutions from a knowledge base. Freddy can also interact with users via chat on Microsoft Teams and Slack and deliver timely responses.
Figure 1: Freshservice self service portal dashboard.
Insights from user assessments
Note: Statements provided in the pros and cons sections are based on reviews from real users obtained from B2B review platforms including G2,1 and Capterra.2
Pros
- Users praised Freshservice for its secure SaaS-based deployment, comprehensive features, and ease of use.
- The tool’s advanced automation, asset management, and customization capabilities were appreciated.
- Users noted the benefits of Freshservice’s consistent updates, efficient support, and effective API for data transfer.
Cons
- Users expressed dissatisfaction with the level of L1 support and the perceived lack of continual education for support staff.
- Customers have mentioned issues with the tool’s backup and restore features, file management, and the quality of the Slack/Freddy integration.
- Some users reported limitations in customization, problems with the alert management system, and frustrations with the analytics and reporting capabilities.
NinjaOne
NinjaOne offers a unified platform for remote monitoring and management (RMM), patch management, and endpoint management.
Figure 2: NinjaOne ticketing platform overview.3
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Users appreciate NinjaOne’s automation capabilities, including patching, scripting, and policies that aid in tasks like onboarding and software installation.
- The platform’s ease of use and integrative features, coupled with a responsive customer support and proactive community, are highly valued by users.
- Users find NinjaOne’s remote management, monitoring capabilities, and the ease of deployment on new devices beneficial, and also commend its scalability and the variety of available features.
Cons
- Users have reported issues with reaching NinjaOne’s technical support independently and found the communication with support to be sometimes complicated.
- Features such as scheduling tasks, reporting of windows updates, ticket notifications, and dashboard customization were found to be lacking or not user-friendly.
- Users experienced issues with the software’s handling of tasks and updates, as well as the absence of a retire feature for assets, and the necessity for admin rights for client installation.
Jira Service Management
With Jira Service Management Connect, users can create custom add-ons with the REST API and integrate various software for incident resolution and change management.
Figure 3: Jira Service Management solution help center dashboard.4
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Jira Service Management is praised for its easy navigation, integration with other project management tools, and the ability to track and monitor tasks.
- Users find the product’s ticketing system user-friendly, with features like customizable dashboards and automated notifications adding to its appeal.
- The software’s compatibility with other Atlassian products, its ability to adapt to customer needs, and its comprehensive alert notification system were also highlighted positively.
Cons
- There are limitations in functionality, such as inability to copy request types’ configuration, bulk close tickets, hide forms, and change start of week from Sunday.
- Users mentioned issues with cost, unsatisfactory notification system, and limited mobile functionality.
SysAid
SysAid IT service management platform allows IT operations teams to remotely access and control end-user devices directly from their platform.
Figure 4: SysAid AI powered chatbot for service management.5
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- SysAid offers simple implementation, user-friendly interfaces, and customizable features, including a Self-Service Portal for creating tickets.
- Special features such as email integration, remote access, and workflow automation are appreciated, along with intuitive ticket management and report generation capabilities.
- SysAid provides advanced support services, asset management, and mobile app compatibility, along with a customizable user portal and training workshops.
Cons
- SysAid’s email formatting and organization can be problematic and its category selection for issues is less intuitive.
- The customization of SysAid, while extensive, can disrupt page flow and be challenging to implement, with limited in-system reporting and notification options.
- Despite its advanced features, SysAid can be costly, its upgrade process can be time-consuming, certain features can be outdated and buggy, and additional services often incur extra fees.
Atera
Atera serves as an all-in-one solution for service management providing remote monitoring, reporting and help desk functionalities. Atera also includes an AI-powered auto summary feature for its ticketing system, ticket solution suggestions and automated script generator.
Figure 5: Atera ticket summarizer feature.6
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Atera provides reliable remote access with simple onboarding for new devices and users, alongside valuable real-time ticket monitoring.
- Users appreciate the integrated tools for hardware monitoring, AI-assisted ticket summaries, and the ability to save drafts.
- Atera’s visibility, prompt response to issues, control over Windows updates, and ease of agent installation are also highlighted.
Cons
- There are limitations in basic features like creating groups, assigning tasks within a ticket, and inconsistent keyword search functionality.
- Users find Atera’s mobile application unintuitive, requiring frequent sign-ins, and with frequent double notifications bug.
ServiceNow
ServiceNow is a cloud-based enterprise service management solution includes capabilities for IT operations management, IT business management, and HR service delivery.
Figure 6: ServiceNow incident management workflows.7
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- ServiceNow ITSM offers easy-to-use dashboards, intuitive user interface, and straightforward integration capabilities with other solutions via APIs.
- The system provides effective workflow management, ticketing, and change management features, along with customizable dashboards, aiding in enterprise level IT management.
- ServiceNow ITSM is a cloud-based platform, allowing easy accessibility and proficient handling of tasks, incident management, and report generation.
Cons
- Users report dissatisfaction with ServiceNow ITSM’s customer support, asset management, and software licensing compliance systems, which can malfunction after product upgrades.
- The user interface is criticized for requiring extensive navigation and exact search terms, and not being user-friendly for beginners or non-technical staff.
- Performance issues with loading tables and advanced reporting capabilities, as well as difficulties with automation and customization, are mentioned as cons by users.
SolarWinds Service Desk
SolarWinds Service Desk offers customizable reports and customer satisfaction scores for detailed operational insights. In addition, Service Desk provides integrations with SolarWinds observability solutions and ChatOps tools.
Figure 7: SolarWinds Service Desk incident management dashboard.8
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Users state that SolarWinds Service Desk is a good fit for small businesses with its integration capabilities with other tools and automation features.
Cons
- Users suggest improvements on customization and analytics functions.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk
ManageEngine ServiceDesk ITSM solution allows users to automatically convert email requests into tickets.
Figure 8: ManageEngine ServiceDesk incident management dashboard.9
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Users appreciate the user-friendly interface of ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and its easy integration with other ManageEngine and third-party products.
- Users value the customizable features and comprehensive modules that ensure smooth ticket management and incident resolution.
- The software’s ability to provide detailed reports, automate processes, and manage assets effectively is highly regarded, and the flexibility of on-prem or cloud deployment is appreciated.
Cons
- Users find the pricing structure of ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus high and its functionalities limited compared to other market leaders.
- The administrative aspect and the initial setup requires significant effort due to its complexity.
- Users express dissatisfaction with the level zero support processing, reporting a lack of responsiveness and difficulty in resolving basic issues.
BMC Helix ITSM
BMC Helix ITSM is a cloud-based IT service management solution that integrates with GitHub and Bitbucket to automatically identify changes and offer risk assessments throughout the service framework.
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- BMC Helix ITSM’s Service Asset and Configuration Management capabilities are appreciated, along with its certified ITIL process modules and customization options.
- Users find the user-interface customizable, appreciate the fast request/response time, and highlight the ability to track tickets effectively.
- The product is praised for its integration capabilities, extensive customization, scalability, and its alignment with ITIL processes.
Cons
- Users report that BMC Helix ITSM can be time-consuming to configure, particularly with respect to Service Level Management and templates, and that its documentation can sometimes be confusing.
- The product’s performance is sometimes slow, some features are outdated, and there is a lack of advanced case management and easy customization features.
- Users found the product’s upgrade process, particularly with customizations, to be complex, and report that the system lacks effective bulk management.
Ivanti Neurons for ITSM
Ivanti Neurons for ITSM includes 4 modules: Foundational, Intermediate, Comprehensive and Advanced to serve various IT service management needs.
Figure 9: Ivanti Neurons self service catalog dashboard.10
Insights from user assessments
Pros
- Users appreciate Ivanti’s self-service, dashboard, reporting, and its developed cloud deployment.
- The product is appreciated for its ticketing system and communication features.
- Users find value in its device management, deployment, security features, and its ability to assist users off-campus.
Cons
- Ivanti Neurons ITSM does not support non-Microsoft technologies or container technologies like Docker.
- Users find it challenging to navigate the help desk support and add multiple computers in query due to UI issues.
- The product’s proprietary coding language for custom processes can be tedious and its admin console could present information more intuitively.
What is IT Service Management (ITSM)?
IT service management focuses on managing and improving end-to-end IT processes from a customer perspective rather than solely managing IT systems.
ITSM encompasses various processes such as incident management, problem management, change management, and configuration management to provide consistent and efficient IT services.
The aim of ITSM is to increase productivity of an IT team by resolving incidents and taking precautionary measures to overcome future problems while meeting service level agreements on time.
What are ITSM processes?
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) provides a standardized process for ITSM by helping businesses to deliver consistent and reliable IT services. This standardization is essential for ensuring that IT services meet business objectives and customer expectations.
By following ITIL guidelines, businesses can streamline their service delivery processes, resolve incidents efficiently, and manage service requests. This would lead to improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Here are the stages of ITIL for ITSM:
Service strategy: Defines the perspective, plans, and policies that a service provider needs to execute to meet business outcomes. It helps organizations understand and prioritize their IT services.
Service design: Provides guidance for the design and development of services and service management practices. It covers aspects like service catalogs, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and capacity management to ensure that IT services are designed effectively to meet customer needs.
Service transition: Focuses on the delivery of services required by a business into operational use. It includes change management, service asset and configuration management, and release and deployment management to ensure that new or changed services are transitioned smoothly.
Service operation: Deals with the management of day-to-day operations of IT services. This includes incident management, problem management, event management, and access management to ensure that services are delivered effectively.
Continual service improvement (CSI): Provides guidance on how to continually improve the quality of services, in line with business needs. It focuses on learning from past successes and failures to drive improvements.
Key features of ITSM tools
Incident management
Incident management involves identifying, recording, and resolving incidents. These incidents are identified as unplanned interruptions or reductions in service quality.
The aim of incident management is to restore normal service operation as quickly as possible. The process includes using a ticketing system to track incidents, prioritizing them based on severity, and automating the routing and escalation to appropriate teams to ensure timely incident resolution.
ITSM ticketing system
The ITSM ticketing system is designed to track and manage incidents and service requests. It allows users to submit tickets for issues they encounter, which are then categorized, prioritized, and assigned to appropriate teams for resolution.
Problem management
Problem management focuses on identifying and managing the root causes of recurring incidents. The aim of problem management is to prevent these incidents from happening in the future and create pre-designed solutions.
This process includes conducting root cause analysis, tracking problems from identification through resolution, and implementing workflows for problem resolution to mitigate their impact on the IT environment.
Here is a detailed explanation on problem management by Jira Service Management:
Workflow management
Workflow management involves the design, execution, and automation of workflows to streamline IT service management processes.
Workflow management processes ensure that tasks and processes are completed efficiently and consistently, from incident resolution to change approvals.
Change management
Change management involves controlling and visually tracking the lifecycle of all changes to minimize the impact on IT services.
By submitting and tracking change requests, conducting impact analysis, automating approval workflows, and scheduling changes, change management ensures that these changes are implemented with minimal disruption to service delivery.
Figure 10: Change management tracking dashboard by Freshservice.
Service asset and configuration management
Service asset and configuration management (SACM) is the process of managing and maintaining information about configuration items (CIs) required to deliver IT services.
This includes tracking the relationships and dependencies between these items and a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is used to store this information to ensure that all assets and configurations are accurately documented and managed throughout their lifecycle.
IT asset management and tracking
IT asset management and tracking involve managing the lifecycle of IT assets, including hardware and software, from procurement to retirement.
It includes asset tracking, maintaining an inventory of assets, managing asset usage and performance, and ensuring compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements to optimize asset utilization and reduce costs.
Knowledge management
Knowledge management includes creating and maintaining a comprehensive knowledge base to provide solutions for problems and incidents.
This knowledge base can be accessed through a self-service portal and provides a base of articles, guides, and troubleshooting steps for users.
More key features of ITSM tools
Single sign on (SSO)
Single Sign-On (SSO) for ITSM tools is a user authentication process to access multiple applications and services with a single set of login credentials.
This feature supports security procedures by reducing the need for multiple usernames and passwords, streamlining the login process, and providing easier access to various ITSM functionalities.
Mobile support
Mobile support enables users to access and manage IT service management functionalities via mobile devices. This feature is crucial since it allows IT staff to respond to incidents, service requests, and changes anytime and from anywhere which would improve efficiency and responsiveness of an IT team.
Selecting the right ITSM tool for your business
Deployment type
An IT service management tool can be on prem or cloud based, and these are the differences you should be look out for:
Cost and budget: On-premises solutions often involve higher upfront costs for hardware and maintenance, whereas cloud solutions usually follow a subscription model with more predictable expenses.
Scalability: Cloud-based ITSM tools offer more flexibility and scalability which would allow businesses to easily adjust resources as needs change.
Control and customization: On-premises deployments offer more control and customization options, which can be critical for organizations with specific regulatory or security requirements.
Accessibility: Cloud-based tools provide easier remote access that can be essential for a mobile or multi-location enterprises.
Implementation and maintenance: Cloud solutions are typically quicker to deploy and require less internal IT support for ongoing maintenance and updates compared to on-premises systems.
On-premises ITSM solutions are often better suited for industries with higher security, compliance, and regulatory requirements. These industries can include:
- Healthcare: Requires strict adherence to privacy laws.
- Finance and banking: Higher security to protect sensitive financial data and comply with regulations.
- Government and defense: Demands high security and control over data and systems.
- Manufacturing: May require customized solutions integrated with proprietary systems and machinery.
- Legal: Involves handling sensitive client information and adherence to privacy laws.
On the other hand, cloud-based ITSM solutions are typically better suited for industries that prioritize scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. These industries can include:
- Technology and software development: Needs rapid deployment and scalability to support fast-paced innovation.
- Retail and eCommerce: Benefits from the flexibility to scale resources based on demand fluctuations.
- Education: Enables easy access and collaboration for remote learning environments.
- Startups and small businesses: Offers lower initial costs and less maintenance overhead.
Built-in FAQ
Some ITSM tools provide a built-in FAQ functionality to reduce the workload on IT support. By enabling users to resolve common issues on their own, a built-in FAQ function can increase efficiency and user satisfaction.
Community plug-ins
Community plug-ins are add-ons or extensions developed by the user community. For example, ServiceNow has a Zoom Plugin, allowing its users to integrate Zoom for video conferencing directly from ServiceNow.
By leveraging community innovations, these plug-ins support the tool’s functionality and allow for greater customization to meet specific business needs.
Team support and customization
Team support and customization refer to the features that support collaborative work environments and tailor the system to fit specific organizational needs. Team support features include tools for efficient communication, task assignment, and workflow management which would ensure that IT teams can work cohesively and effectively.
Customization capabilities allow organizations to adapt the ITSM tool to their unique processes, including creating custom fields, workflows, and automation rules. Custom email templates are an example of customization that ensures consistent and efficient communication by providing predefined responses for common inquiries.
Pricing
Pricing for ITSM tools encompasses various cost components, including subscription fees, setup costs, and additional charges for premium features or support. When choosing the right tool, businesses should compare various pricing plans and decide whether they want to invest in advanced features such as AI supported features and customization options, or, only core features that would be provided in starter plans.
Integrations
Integrations with other software applications and systems are essential for ITSM tools to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. Here are some of the integrations that an ITSM tool should have:
Communication tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams): Teams can receive notifications, discuss incidents, and coordinate tasks directly within the communication tool which would reduce the need to switch between applications.
Version control systems (e.g., GitHub): Developers can link code commits and pull requests to specific incidents or service requests to ensure that all changes are tracked and associated with relevant incidents.
CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce): Integrations with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems provide a comprehensive view of customer interactions and history.
Project management tools (e.g., Trello): Teams can track project progress, assign tasks, and ensure alignment between service management activities.
What is IT service management software?
ITSM tools typically follow a structured ITSM framework and offer a wide array of features, including service desk elements, support ticket management, asset management and asset tracking, incident management, change management, and knowledge base management.
External Links
- 1. Best IT Service Management Tools: User Reviews from May 2025.
- 2. Best ITSM Software 2025 | Capterra.
- 3. Endpoint visibility & control for better helpdesk operations | NinjaOne. NinjaOne
- 4. Revolutionize IT Support with Jira Service Management | Atlassian.
- 5. AI Chatbot - IT Service Redefined by SysAid. SysAid
- 6. Atera's Action AI™: for organizations who aim to overachieve. Atera
- 7. Incident Management - ITSM - ServiceNow.
- 8. Incident Management Software - Reporting & Tracking ITIL System.
- 9. ITIL incident management software - ServiceDesk Plus.
- 10. Ivanti Neurons for ITSM Reviews, Ratings & Features 2025 | Gartner Peer Insights.
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