# ServiceNow IT Service Management vs SolarWinds Service Desk Comparison --- ## AI Generated Summary - **G2 reviewers report** that SolarWinds Service Desk excels in **ease of use** , with users appreciating its user-friendly interface and straightforward ticket management. One user highlighted the ability to sort tickets by priority, which helps in addressing urgent issues effectively. - **Users say** that ServiceNow IT Service Management offers a more comprehensive solution for **incident and change management** , with many praising its ability to centralize support requests. Reviewers noted that it streamlines various IT processes into a single control plane, making it easier to manage everything in one place. - **According to verified reviews** , SolarWinds Service Desk is particularly well-suited for **mid-market organizations** , with its SaaS-based deployment making it easy to implement. Users have mentioned that it supports ITIL processes and includes asset management features, which are beneficial for organizations looking to mature their ITSM practices. - **Reviewers mention** that ServiceNow IT Service Management has a higher overall satisfaction score, reflecting its strong market presence and extensive feature set. Users appreciate the consistency and reliability of the platform, which they find crucial for effective ticket resolution. - **G2 reviewers highlight** that while SolarWinds Service Desk offers a solid **ticketing system** , it may not meet the complex needs of larger enterprises as effectively as ServiceNow. Users have noted that ServiceNow's advanced automation and reporting capabilities provide a significant advantage for organizations with more intricate IT requirements. - **Users report** that both platforms provide good support, but SolarWinds Service Desk has received slightly higher marks for **quality of support**. Reviewers have expressed satisfaction with the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team, which can be a critical factor for organizations during implementation and ongoing use. | | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.3 out of 5 | | **Total Reviews** | 1,935 | 786 | | **Largest Market Segment** | Enterprise (73.1% of reviews) | Mid-Market (68.2% of reviews) | | **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | $39.00 Per Month | --- ## Top Pros & Cons ### ServiceNow IT Service Management Pros: - Ease of Use (168 reviews) - Incident Management (112 reviews) Cons: - Learning Curve (72 reviews) - Expensive (60 reviews) ### SolarWinds Service Desk Pros: - Ticketing System (8 reviews) - Asset Management (7 reviews) Cons: - Missing Features (5 reviews) - Asset Management (4 reviews) --- ## Ratings Comparison | Rating | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (925 reviews) | 8.6 (694 reviews) | | **Ease of Use** | 8.5 (1401 reviews) | 9.0 (712 reviews) | | **Ease of Setup** | 8.2 (775 reviews) | 8.6 (572 reviews) | | **Ease of Admin** | 8.6 (340 reviews) | 8.9 (580 reviews) | | **Quality of Support** | 8.6 (1018 reviews) | 8.9 (681 reviews) | | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.9 (335 reviews) | 9.0 (560 reviews) | | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.9 (926 reviews) | 9.0 (678 reviews) | --- ## Pricing ### ServiceNow IT Service Management #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available ### SolarWinds Service Desk #### Entry-Level Pricing Plan: ESSENTIALS Price: $39.00 Per Month Description: Includes: Key Features: - Incident Management - Knowledge Base - Service Portal [Browse all 3 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/solarwinds-service-desk/pricing) #### Free Trial Yes --- ## Features Comparison By Category ### IT Service Management (ITSM) Tools | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **ServiceNow IT Service Management** | 8.6/10 | 702 | | **SolarWinds Service Desk** | 8.5/10 | 143 | #### Administration | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Change Management** | 9.2 (338 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.7 (106 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Asset Management** | 8.8 (261 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.5 (114 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Reports & Analytics** | 8.8 (328 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.3 (122 reviews) ✓ Verified | #### Service Desk | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Help Desk** | 9.4 (410 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.3 (128 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Incident Reports** | 9.3 (327 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.2 (126 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Process Workflow** | 9.1 (379 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.7 (124 reviews) ✓ Verified | #### Management | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Reporting** | 8.9 (328 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.1 (68 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Administration Console** | 8.6 (247 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (66 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Access Management** | 8.8 (244 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.5 (65 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Asset Management** | 8.9 (242 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.3 (61 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Policy Dictation** | 8.4 (222 reviews) | 7.5 (48 reviews) ✓ Verified | #### Functionality | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Ticketing System** | 9.5 (425 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.2 (74 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Performance Logging** | 8.7 (229 reviews) | 8.2 (55 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Alerting** | 8.7 (235 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.7 (62 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Automation** | 9.1 (353 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.1 (67 reviews) ✓ Verified | #### Agentic AI - IT Service Management (ITSM) Tools | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | 7.6 (56 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Multi-step Planning** | 7.6 (48 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Cross-system Integration** | 8.7 (141 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Adaptive Learning** | 7.5 (47 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Natural Language Interaction** | 7.5 (52 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Proactive Assistance** | 7.3 (51 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Decision Making** | 7.7 (53 reviews) | Feature Not Available | ### Incident Management | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **ServiceNow IT Service Management** | 8.3/10 | 314 | | **SolarWinds Service Desk** | 7.6/10 | 108 | #### Monitoring | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Constant Monitoring** | 8.9 (225 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.4 (76 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Timely Alerts** | 9.1 (243 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.5 (85 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **TIcket Accuracy** | 9.1 (248 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.8 (90 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **AI Monitoring** | 7.7 (33 reviews) | 4.3 (9 reviews) | #### Management Tools | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Ticket Assignment** | 9.2 (253 reviews) ✓ Verified | 9.0 (96 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Standardization** | 9.1 (254 reviews) | 8.7 (99 reviews) ✓ Verified | | **Lifecycle Visualization** | 8.7 (237 reviews) ✓ Verified | 8.4 (85 reviews) ✓ Verified | #### Generative AI | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **AI Text Generation** | 8.3 (108 reviews) | 5.9 (24 reviews) | | **AI Text Summarization** | 8.3 (124 reviews) | 6.5 (24 reviews) | #### Agentic AI - Incident Management | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | 7.3 (27 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Multi-step Planning** | 7.4 (28 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Cross-system Integration** | 8.0 (35 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Adaptive Learning** | 7.6 (28 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Natural Language Interaction** | 7.8 (27 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Proactive Assistance** | 7.8 (29 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Decision Making** | 7.9 (30 reviews) | Feature Not Available | ### IT Asset Management | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **ServiceNow IT Service Management** | N/A | N/A | | **SolarWinds Service Desk** | 8.2/10 | 76 | #### Asset Inventory | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Hardware Asset Inventory** | Not enough data | 8.6 (66 reviews) | | **Software Asset Inventory** | Not enough data | 8.4 (63 reviews) | | **Cloud Asset Inventory** | Not enough data | 8.1 (50 reviews) | | **Mobile Asset Inventory** | Not enough data | 8.0 (50 reviews) | | **Asset Discovery** | Not enough data | 8.0 (60 reviews) | #### Generative AI | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **AI Text Generation** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **AI Text Generation** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Agentic AI - IT Asset Management | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Management | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Central Dashboard** | Not enough data | 8.6 (65 reviews) | | **Asset Policy Management** | Not enough data | 8.0 (9 reviews) | | **Risk Management** | Not enough data | 8.0 (9 reviews) | | **Integrations** | Not enough data | 8.1 (57 reviews) | ### Software Asset Management Tools | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **ServiceNow IT Service Management** | N/A | N/A | | **SolarWinds Service Desk** | N/A | N/A | #### Functionality | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Software inventory and lifecycle management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **License entitlement and usage management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Vendor management and compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Automated end user license provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Approved app catalogue** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Customized alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Agentic AI - Software Asset Management Tools | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Risk assessment | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Shadow IT detection** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Software vulnerability assessment** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Redundant software functionality identification** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | ### Service Desk | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **ServiceNow IT Service Management** | 8.5/10 | 408 | | **SolarWinds Service Desk** | 8.3/10 | 488 | #### Incident Management | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Automate Ticket Routing** | 9.0 (333 reviews) | 8.6 (430 reviews) | | **Ticket Prioritization** | 9.0 (327 reviews) | 8.6 (423 reviews) | | **Ticket Notifications** | 9.1 (334 reviews) | 8.8 (459 reviews) | | **Knowledge Base** | 8.8 (321 reviews) | 8.3 (412 reviews) | | **Knowledge Base/Ticket Integration** | 8.8 (306 reviews) | 8.5 (396 reviews) | #### Reporting | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Dashboards** | 8.8 (330 reviews) | 8.3 (455 reviews) | | **Time Tracking** | 8.8 (290 reviews) | 8.2 (356 reviews) | | **Surveys** | 8.5 (179 reviews) | 8.0 (329 reviews) | #### Access & Usability | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Mobile** | 8.0 (240 reviews) | 7.2 (359 reviews) | | **Self Service** | 8.8 (304 reviews) | 8.5 (401 reviews) | | **Active Directory** | 8.5 (263 reviews) | 8.3 (340 reviews) | | **Multi-Channel Access** | 8.8 (167 reviews) | 8.5 (276 reviews) | #### Agentic AI - Service Desk | Feature | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | 8.1 (23 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Multi-step Planning** | 8.2 (22 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Cross-system Integration** | 8.7 (34 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Adaptive Learning** | 8.0 (20 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Natural Language Interaction** | 8.4 (19 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Proactive Assistance** | 7.8 (20 reviews) | Feature Not Available | | **Decision Making** | 7.9 (20 reviews) | Feature Not Available | --- ## Categories **Shared Categories (3):** [IT Service Management Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/it-service-management-itsm-tools), [Incident Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/incident-management), [Service Desk Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/service-desk) **Unique to ServiceNow IT Service Management (1):** [Configuration Management Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/configuration-management) **Unique to SolarWinds Service Desk (2):** [IT Asset Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/it-asset-management), [Software Asset Management (SAM) Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/software-asset-management-tools) --- ## Reviewer Demographics ### By Company Size | Segment | ServiceNow IT Service Management | SolarWinds Service Desk | |---|---|---| | **Small-Business** | 5.8% | 8.0% | | **Mid-Market** | 21.1% | 68.2% | | **Enterprise** | 73.1% | 23.7% | ### By Industry #### ServiceNow IT Service Management - **Information Technology and Services:** 24.3% - **Hospital & Health Care:** 7.4% - **Computer Software:** 6.6% - **Financial Services:** 5.8% - **Computer & Network Security:** 3.5% - **Insurance:** 3.5% - **Higher Education:** 3.2% - **Banking:** 2.9% - **Manufacturing:** 2.4% - **Retail:** 2.4% - **Other:** 38.0% #### SolarWinds Service Desk - **Information Technology and Services:** 12.5% - **Hospital & Health Care:** 7.5% - **Higher Education:** 4.8% - **Education Management:** 4.8% - **Financial Services:** 4.3% - **Computer Software:** 4.1% - **Construction:** 3.2% - **Retail:** 3.1% - **Insurance:** 3.1% - **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 2.7% - **Other:** 49.8% --- ## Alternatives ### Alternatives to ServiceNow IT Service Management - [Freshservice](https://www.g2.com/products/freshservice/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1345 reviews) - [Jira Service Management](https://www.g2.com/products/jira-service-management/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (989 reviews) - [ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus](https://www.g2.com/products/manageengine-servicedesk-plus/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (249 reviews) - [NinjaOne](https://www.g2.com/products/ninjaone/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (4996 reviews) - [SysAid](https://www.g2.com/products/sysaid/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (752 reviews) - [BMC Helix ITSM](https://www.g2.com/products/bmc-software-bmc-helix-itsm/reviews) — 3.7/5 stars (296 reviews) - [Ivanti Neurons for ITSM](https://www.g2.com/products/ivanti-neurons-for-itsm/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (286 reviews) - [IFS assyst](https://www.g2.com/products/ifs-assyst/reviews) — 3.5/5 stars (14 reviews) - [Autotask](https://www.g2.com/products/autotask/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (629 reviews) - [OpenText Service Management Automation X (SMAX)](https://www.g2.com/products/opentext-service-management-automation-x-smax/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (72 reviews) ### Alternatives to SolarWinds Service Desk - [Freshservice](https://www.g2.com/products/freshservice/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1345 reviews) - [Jira Service Management](https://www.g2.com/products/jira-service-management/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (989 reviews) - [ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus](https://www.g2.com/products/manageengine-servicedesk-plus/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (249 reviews) - [Atera](https://www.g2.com/products/atera/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1241 reviews) - [SysAid](https://www.g2.com/products/sysaid/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (752 reviews) - [BMC Helix ITSM](https://www.g2.com/products/bmc-software-bmc-helix-itsm/reviews) — 3.7/5 stars (296 reviews) - [NinjaOne](https://www.g2.com/products/ninjaone/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (4996 reviews) - [Vivantio](https://www.g2.com/products/vivantio/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (295 reviews) - [Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk](https://www.g2.com/products/spiceworks-cloud-help-desk/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (311 reviews) - [PagerDuty](https://www.g2.com/products/pagerduty/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (970 reviews) --- ## Top Discussions ### ServiceNow IT Service Management - Title: [What is ServiceNow IT Service Management used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-servicenow-it-service-management-used-for) — 3 comments > **Top comment:** "ServiceNow IT Service Management (ITSM) is a cloud-based platform designed to streamline and automate IT service delivery and support within organizations...." - Title: [What is ServiceNow software used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-servicenow-software-used-for) — 2 comments > **Top comment:** "Industries used in Healthcare Financial services Government Manufacturing Telecommunications Education Platform can also be used for..." - Title: [What is the ServiceNow now platform?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-servicenow-now-platform) — 2 comments > **Top comment:** "Service now platform is a crm tool and rh tickets tool used for multiple tasks, use to create incidents of the issue relate to any software or tool employees..." - Title: [What features of ITIL are utilized by the ServiceNow platform?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-features-of-itil-are-utilized-by-the-servicenow-platform) — 1 comment > **Top comment:** "Following are some of the advantages of using ServiceNow ITIL: It allows us to develop an evident capability model that coordinates with enterprise..." - Title: [What are the features of service management?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-features-of-service-management) — 1 comment > **Top comment:** "full life cycle for any ITIL process which is clearly defined in service now." ### SolarWinds Service Desk - Title: [How do I upload a solution article using tablets or phones?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/32754-how-do-i-upload-a-solution-article-using-tablets-or-phones) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "Unfortunately, we can’t create Solutions from the mobile app. " - Title: [Windows Installer](https://www.g2.com/discussions/windows-installer-8d44379e-0179-4f26-9745-c6a388d84665) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "This one is easy. When Samanage became Solarwinds we quit using the product and went elsewhere. Samanage had an EXE and an ISO. I'm none to interested in..." --- **Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/servicenow-it-service-management-vs-solarwinds-service-desk)