ServiceNow alternatives: top competitors compared
Named alongside ServiceNow
SalesforceBest forBusinesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform89% of ServiceNow answersZendeskBest forSupport teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation40% of ServiceNow answersFreshworks28% of ServiceNow answersZohoBest forBusinesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, wanting one suite for sales, support, finance and HR26% of ServiceNow answers
Data from SlateIndex weekly runs
ServiceNow has a visibility score of 15.8 in Field Service Management, #7 of 39. AI answers that name ServiceNow most often also name these 4.
What AI answers fault ServiceNow for
Long implementation times
Raised in 1 collected answer.
Quick reference
| Alternative | Best for | Starting price | Visibility | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | Businesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform | — | 46.2% | One unified platform combining CRM apps, data, and AI agents |
| Zendesk | Support teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation | $19 per seat / mo | 49.3% | AI agents priced per automated resolution, built into a unified ticketing, messaging and voice platform |
| Freshworks | — | — | 61.5% | — |
| Zoho | Businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, wanting one suite for sales, support, finance and HR | — | 44.8% | A broad suite of 60+ in-house products on a technology stack and data centers Zoho owns, with no ad-based revenue |
Alternative 1
Salesforce vs ServiceNow →Salesforce
Salesforce suits businesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 46.2% visibility score · #1 in Field Service Management
Key features
- Agentforce — Platform for building, deploying and running AI agents for customers and employees.
- Sales Cloud — Sales pipeline, forecasting and sales process management.
- Service Cloud — Customer support case management across channels.
- Marketing Cloud — Building and personalizing campaigns and customer journeys.
Salesforce vs ServiceNow
| Dimension | Salesforce | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 46.2% | 15.8% |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Entry price | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Powerful reporting, automation and customisation
- Market leader and gold standard CRM
- Deep ecosystem and strong CRM integrations
- Built for large enterprises and scaling
- Free trial to test its features
Cons
- Requires a dedicated administrator to manage
- High enterprise pricing
- Heavy, slow implementation that suits large budgets
Alternative 2
Zendesk vs ServiceNow →Zendesk
Zendesk suits support teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation.
Quick facts
- $19 per seat / mo · per seat
- 49.3% visibility score · #1 in Live Chat & AI Support
- 1800+ native integrations
Key features
- Customer Service — Omnichannel ticketing, messaging, live chat, voice and help center for resolving customer inquiries.
- Employee Service — Service management for internal requests, including IT service management.
- Contact Center — AI-powered contact center across voice and digital channels.
- AI agents — Autonomous agents that resolve issues on any channel, billed per automated resolution.
Zendesk vs ServiceNow
| Dimension | Zendesk | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 49.3% | 15.8% |
| Pricing model | Per seat | — |
| Entry price | $19 per seat / mo | — |
| Free plan | No | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Industry leader in omnichannel customer support
- Scalable platform for large enterprise teams
- Mature ticketing operations and SLA management
- Extensive marketplace and broad integrations
- Free trial available for 14 days
Cons
- Heavy, slow deployment compared with lighter tools
- High per-agent costs
- AI add-ons billed separately on top of base fee
Alternative 3
Freshworks vs ServiceNow →Freshworks
Freshworks is ranked #1 in Help Desk.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 61.5% visibility score · #1 in Help Desk
Key features
- Freshservice — AI-powered service operations platform for IT service management.
- Freshdesk — Cloud-based help desk software for customer support.
- Freshsales — CRM with built-in phone, email and chat, workflows and sales sequences.
- Freshdesk Contact Center — Contact center product in the Freshdesk line.
Freshworks vs ServiceNow
| Dimension | Freshworks | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 61.5% | 15.8% |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Entry price | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Affordable pricing and good value
- Free tier or free trial available
- Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Fast deployment and quick time-to-value
- Strong AI and automation features
Cons
- Per-minute charges for advanced calling features
Alternative 4
Zoho vs ServiceNow →Zoho
Zoho suits businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, wanting one suite for sales, support, finance and HR.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 44.8% visibility score · #3 in CRM
Key features
- Zoho CRM — Manage sales, marketing and support in one CRM platform.
- Zoho Desk — Customer service software for support teams.
- Zoho Creator — Low-code platform to build custom business apps.
- Zoho One — Unified suite of 50+ business applications.
Zoho vs ServiceNow
| Dimension | Zoho | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 44.8% | 15.8% |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Entry price | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Strong value for money and low cost
- Free tier for small teams
- Broad functionality and integrated app ecosystem
- Good customization options
- Scales well as businesses grow
Cons
- Less premium user experience
- Pricing varies dramatically across products
How to choose
Match the pricing model to your cost driver: headcount, usage or features.
| Platform | Pricing model | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| ServiceNow | — | — |
| Salesforce | — | — |
| Zendesk | Per seat | $19 per seat / mo |
| Freshworks | — | — |
| Zoho | — | — |
More alternatives
Ranked by how often AI answers name them alongside ServiceNow in the latest weekly run.