Freshservice
Gains: published prices, Pro plan with problem, change and release, agentless discovery.
Gives up: Service Mapping depth and some AI breadth.
Read the Freshservice reviewRank
1
8.3 / 10 vs 7.2
ALTERNATIVES · RATED SEPTEMBER 2026
ServiceNow alternatives in 2026: 8 ITSM tools compared for mid-size IT teams
Last reviewed 27 September 2026 · Service Desk Compare reviewers
This page uses the full ITSM weights, including ITIL and CMDB, because teams leaving ServiceNow usually run those processes. For teams without them, see the business-teams ranking.
Why do mid-size teams look for ServiceNow alternatives?
Three reasons recur in public sources. ServiceNow does not publish ITSM prices [G2 compare page]. 'High licensing and implementation costs' and 'Steep learning curve' are among the most cited cons in its G2 reviews [G2 ServiceNow reviews]. And 72.8% of its G2 reviews come from enterprise companies [G2 compare page], which suggests where it is most often deployed. Against that, ServiceNow documents the deepest CMDB and the broadest ITIL coverage in this set [ServiceNow ITSM page] [ServiceNow CMDB page].
Which ServiceNow alternatives score highest?
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| Alternative | Total (vs 7.2) | Beats ServiceNow on | ServiceNow beats it on | Starting price | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshservice | 8.3 | Time to value, Requesters, Pricing | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Integrations | $19 per agent per month (annual) | Read review |
| Halo | 7.8 | Time to value, PricingTied on: Requesters | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Integrations | £66 per agent per month (UK list, annual) | Read review |
| Jira Service Management | 7.8 | Time to value, PricingTied on: Requesters, Integrations | ITIL, AI, CMDB | Free for 3 agents; Standard $20 per agent per month | Read review |
| ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus | 7.4 | Time to value, Pricing | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Requesters, Integrations | Free for 2 technicians; Standard from $13 per technician per month | Read review |
| SysAid | 7.1 | Time to value, PricingTied on: Requesters | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Integrations | $89 per agent per month (Professional) | Read review |
| Zendesk for IT (Employee Service) | 7.0 | Time to value, Requesters, Pricing | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Integrations | $29 per agent per month (Suite Team, annual) | Read review |
| monday service | 7.0 | Time to value, Requesters, PricingTied on: AI | ITIL, CMDB, Integrations | $31 per seat per month (Standard, annual; 3-seat minimum) | Read review |
| Ivanti Neurons for ITSM | 6.4 | Time to valueTied on: Pricing | ITIL, AI, CMDB, Requesters, Integrations | Not published | Read review |
What does each alternative give up and gain?
Halo (formerly HaloITSM)
Gains: one all-inclusive per-agent price and automation documented at every ticket stage.
Gives up: CMDB and ITIL depth at ServiceNow's level, and a published US dollar price.
Read the Halo reviewRank
2=
7.8 / 10 vs 7.2
Jira Service Management
Gains: a free tier and native Jira links for engineering.
Gives up: change management below Premium and CMDB discovery.
Read the Jira Service Management reviewRank
2=
7.8 / 10 vs 7.2
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
Gains: published edition prices and an on-premises option.
Gives up: AI assistance and requester experience.
Read the ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus reviewRank
4
7.4 / 10 vs 7.2
SysAid
Gains: change and problem management on both plans and an AI Agent Builder.
Gives up: integration breadth and a published Enterprise price.
Read the SysAid reviewRank
6
7.1 / 10 vs 7.2
Zendesk for IT (Employee Service)
Gains: strong AI agents and portal, one vendor for customer and employee service.
Gives up: change, problem and CMDB.
Read the Zendesk for IT (Employee Service) reviewRank
7=
7.0 / 10 vs 7.2
monday service
Gains: AI triage and named IT agents on every plan, a tied-highest time-to-value score, published prices.
Gives up: CMDB, change and problem management, which are not documented.
Read the monday service reviewRank
7=
7.0 / 10 vs 7.2
Ivanti Neurons for ITSM
Gains: cloud, on-premises or hybrid with 14 ITIL 4-certified practices.
Gives up: public pricing, like ServiceNow.
Read the Ivanti Neurons for ITSM reviewRank
9
6.4 / 10 vs 7.2
Which alternative fits which reason for leaving?
| Reason | Best-scoring alternative on that criterion |
|---|---|
| ITIL practice coverage | ServiceDesk Plus, Ivanti (9) |
| Automation and AI assistance | monday service (9) |
| Time to value | Freshservice, monday service (8.5) |
| Configuration management (CMDB) | Ivanti (8.5) |
| Usability for non-IT requesters | Freshservice, Zendesk, monday service (8.5) |
| Integrations | JSM (9) |
| Pricing transparency | Halo, JSM, ServiceDesk Plus (9) |
When should you stay on ServiceNow?
Stay if your change process, impact analysis or audit depends on ServiceNow's CMDB, Discovery and Service Mapping, or if you already run other workflows on the ServiceNow AI Platform. No alternative here scores 10 on configuration management.
What do buyers ask about ServiceNow alternatives?
What is the best alternative to ServiceNow for a mid-size company?
Freshservice scores highest on our rubric at 8.3, ahead of ServiceNow's 7.2, winning on time to value, requester experience and pricing transparency.
What is the cheapest ServiceNow alternative?
Jira Service Management is free for three agents and ServiceDesk Plus has a free edition for two technicians. Among paid entry plans, ServiceDesk Plus Standard starts at $13 per technician per month.
Is there a ServiceNow alternative with a comparable CMDB?
Ivanti (8.5), Freshservice, Halo and ServiceDesk Plus (8 each) score closest, against ServiceNow's 10.