Finding software can be overwhelming. We've helped many businesses find ITSM software so they can streamline management of their IT devices and the networks that connect them.
Showing 1-20 of 88 products
SysAid
SysAid
SysAid is a cloud-based IT Service Management, service desk and help desk solution that helps users in businesses of all sizes across various industries resolve technology relates issues. Key features include help desk automation,... Read more
ConnectWise Manage
ConnectWise Manage
ConnectWise Manage is a managed service provider (MSP) solution that caters to businesses of all sizes across various industries such as marketing and advertising, finance, sales, hospitality and more. Key features include backup ... Read more
SolarWinds Service Desk FrontRunners 2020
SolarWinds Service Desk FrontRunners 2020
SolarWinds Service Desk is suitable for companies seeking a help desk solution that offers IT service management (ITSM) functionalities. SolarWinds Service Desk offers comprehensive service desk functionality that helps businesses... Read more
Zendesk FrontRunners 2020
Zendesk FrontRunners 2020
Zendesk is a cloud-based help desk management solution offering customizable tools to build customer service portal, knowledge base and online communities. The solution offers a customizable front-end portal, live chat features an... Read more
N-central
N-central
SolarWinds N-central is an IT management solution that enables organizations to manage and track IT devices. The solution comes with key features that include patch management, antivirus protection, backup and disaster recovery. ... Read more
BOSS Solutions Suite FrontRunners 2020
BOSS Solutions Suite FrontRunners 2020
The BOSS Solutions Suite is a fully integrated ITIL based Service Desk/Help Desk and IT Asset Management solution available on-premise or on the cloud. It incorporates an award winning user-friendly interface and a powerful Servic... Read more
HaloITSM
HaloITSM
HaloITSM is a cloud-based platform designed for ITIL-aligned service delivery. This solution can be used by organizations of all sizes in a variety of industries. With features like incident management, a customizable knowledge ba... Read more
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus FrontRunners 2020
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus FrontRunners 2020
ServiceDesk Plus is a help desk management platform. It includes core help desk and IT management applications, as well as project management, contract management and features for ITIL (information technology infrastructure librar... Read more
InvGate Service Desk FrontRunners 2020
InvGate Service Desk FrontRunners 2020
InvGate Service Desk is an IT service management platform that offers help desk request fulfillment, customer service and support and self-service knowledge management. The system is compatible with Mac, Windows, and iPad (or othe... Read more
JIRA Service Management
JIRA Service Management
Formerly known as Jira Service Desk, Jira Service Management is an IT service management solution that unlocks high-velocity teams. IT is in the midst of rapid transformation to build capabilities that enable quick delivery ... Read more
NinjaRMM
NinjaRMM
NinjaRMM is an ITSM solution for small and midsize businesses in education, health care, manufacturing, IT and more. Key features include network monitoring and task automation tools, remote controls, background management, patch ... Read more
Intelligent Service Management
Intelligent Service Management
Cloud Service Management, by ServiceAide, is a cloud-based IT service management tool offering support in 9 ITIL processes including Help Desk, IT Asset Management and Knowledge Management. Cloud Service Management is used in a va... Read more
Freshservice FrontRunners 2020
Freshservice FrontRunners 2020
Freshservice is a cloud-based IT Help Desk and service management solution that enables organizations to simplify their IT operations. The solution offers features that include a ticketing system, self-service portal and knowledge... Read more
TOPdesk FrontRunners 2020
TOPdesk FrontRunners 2020
TOPdesk is cloud-based computer-aided facility management (CAFM) and ITSM solution designed to help small and midsize businesses manage a facilities' work orders, maintenance schedules, assets and on-site guest visits. TOPdes... Read more
Vivantio
Vivantio
Vivantio is a service management solution that allows users to create custom processes that align with internal business operations. Key features of the solution include dashboards, charts and reports, routing, assignments and for... Read more
OTRS FrontRunners 2020
OTRS FrontRunners 2020
OTRS is an ISO/IEC 27001 standard compliant Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) solution for help desks, customer service centers and corporate security teams. The solution offers users features that allow them to cre... Read more
OpsGenie
OpsGenie
Opsgenie is a cloud-based ITSM and issue tracking solution that helps development and operational teams make strategies for service disruptions and remain in control at the time of incidents. It comes with native applications for ... Read more
Vision Helpdesk
Vision Helpdesk
Vision Helpdesk is a cloud-based ticket management solution for businesses of all sizes across multiple industry segments. This software allows businesses to automate ticket workflow using rule-based criteria and centralize t... Read more
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The term IT, short for “information technology,” is nearly sixty years old. It first appeared in a 1958 edition of the Harvard Business Review. Technology has evolved considerably since then, and today, both the term and the technology it describes are central to the operations of nearly all businesses.
Businesses use IT services management software, or ITSM software, to manage all of their IT devices along with the networks and services those devices need. As you may already know, this is a widely inclusive term. We created this Buyer’s Guide to more narrowly define ITSM software as it pertains to your business. We address the following questions and points:
What Is ITSM Software?
Common Features of ITSM Software
The ITSM Vendor Landscape
What Is ITSM Software?
Many of us think of IT as the physical computing devices we use for work, such as computers, telephones and servers. But, these devices must be connected to function at full capacity. That’s where the “services” part of ITSM enters the picture. ITSM includes not only the IT devices themselves, but also the networks, applications and services that connect and empower them.
A challenge when selecting ITSM software is that not all buyers use the same technology, and they don’t all take the same approach to managing IT applications and services. As a result, ITSM software vendors face the challenge of describing their products accurately and specifically, without excluding potential buyers. This creates an ITSM product landscape with some complex selection difficulties.
As with most complex challenges, ITSM software selection is easier when it’s broken down into parts. In the next section, we break down the most common applications and features of ITSM.
Common Features of ITSM Software
ITSM is a large category of software. So large, in fact, that it encompasses other software categories, some of which you may have thought existed on their own. The help desk and service desk categories are one example of this. While they both provide ITSM functionality and are considered ITSM applications, they don’t typically contain all of the functionality of full-fledged ITSM platforms.
| Help desk/service desk | The core ticket management application at the center of many ITSM platforms. Depending on how comprehensive the solution is, it might contain some of the additional features listed below, such as network and knowledge management. |
| IT asset management | Tracks and accounts for all physical IT hardware owned or used by a business. |
| Configuration management | Assists in managing the settings and permissions configured on individual devices. Lets administrators apply configuration or settings changes to multiple devices at once. |
| Service catalog management | Larger organizations offer IT services to employees through a service catalog. Service catalog management functions help administrators create and maintain these catalogs. |
| License management | Software licenses sometimes come with limitations on the number of times it may be installed or the number of user logins. License management applications help companies track and make the best use of their licenses. |
| Network management | These tools help administrators control and configure networks and network access. |
| Knowledge management | A system for organizing the information, or knowledge, used by IT department employees which can organize information into a self-service resource for employees. |
Context is an important consideration for ITSM software buyers—it helps set expectations and goals for a new system. Context also matters when businesses consider whether potential systems will scale with company expansion and changing IT needs.
For example, at the present moment, your company might only need a basic help desk application. But, if you have plans to eventually offer a service catalog, then service catalog functionality should factor into the purchase decision, even if it’s not an immediate need.
The ITSM Vendor Landscape
ITSM software is used to manage IT—that sounds simple. The complications arise from the facts that:
- Businesses rely on IT—and creative new uses of it—to establish competitive advantage and,
- IT devices, networks and implementation strategies are themselves constantly evolving.
As a result, managing IT can feel like taking aim at a quickly moving target. In addition, ITSM buyers make purchase decisions based on a wide variety of priorities and expectations. (To learn more about trends in help desk buyer behavior, read our 2015 Help Desk User Report.)
Given this, it should be no surprise to learn that the market for ITSM software is itself very dynamic. From startups with clever new applications to the stalwart blue chips of software, ITSM software buyers have no shortage of options.
As a starting point for your purchase decision, you might consider which of the two following general categories best fits your current and expected situation:
For smaller businesses or those with limited ITSM needs, there is a wide variety of mid-market ITSM solutions. These are often cloud-based services and, as such, are easier for smaller IT teams to deploy and manage.
Larger companies with IT networks spanning multiple locations and more complex ITSM requirements may begin their selection process by looking at the big names in the software world. These solutions often have on-premise deployment options and more robust functionality, but can require more advanced technical know-how to implement, integrate (with other software) and manage.
The ultimate goal of the ITSM software selection process should be to find the solution that will allow an IT department—regardless of size—to manage a company’s critical IT resources and infrastructure efficiently. It should align with a company’s chosen IT strategy, compliment the workflow of support staff and be able to scale and adapt to the company’s growth trajectory and targets.
For many businesses, selection of an ITSM platform is the most important software decision they can make: IT is at the heart of most modern businesses, and without a system to efficiently manage it, many day-to-day operations can suffer.
Your Guide to Top ITSM Software, August 2020
Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated ITSM Software products in North America.
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“Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use.“Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money.Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends on the 15th of the month prior to publication.