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OTRS ITSM VS ServiceNow

Compare OTRS ITSM VS ServiceNow and see what are their differences

OTRS ITSM logo OTRS ITSM

OTRS ITSM is a fundamental solution for IT Service Management organizations.

ServiceNow logo ServiceNow

ServiceNow automates and manages global enterprise service relationships. Create a single system of record for enterprise services, automate manual tasks, consolidate legacy ITIL systems.
  • OTRS ITSM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
  • ServiceNow Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-12

OTRS ITSM features and specs

  • Customizability
    OTRS ITSM is highly customizable, allowing organizations to tailor the software to their specific processes and workflows. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of IT service management needs.
  • Comprehensive ITIL Support
    The system supports numerous ITIL processes, including incident management, problem management, and change management, helping organizations to implement ITIL-based best practices effectively.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    OTRS ITSM features a user-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation and operation, which can enhance user satisfaction and productivity.
  • Strong Community Support
    Being open-source software, OTRS enjoys strong community support, which can be a valuable resource for troubleshooting and finding customized solutions.
  • Cost-Effective
    The open-source nature of OTRS means that it can be a more cost-effective solution compared to proprietary ITSM tools, especially for organizations with limited budgets.

Possible disadvantages of OTRS ITSM

  • Complexity in Setup
    Due to its high level of customizability, setting up OTRS ITSM can be complex and may require a significant time investment to configure it according to organizational requirements.
  • Need for Technical Expertise
    Implementing and maintaining OTRS ITSM can require technical expertise, which might necessitate hiring specialized staff or investing in training.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Features
    While OTRS ITSM supports many ITIL processes, it may have fewer out-of-the-box features compared to other ITSM solutions, requiring additional customization to meet all organizational needs.
  • Performance Issues with Large Data
    Some users report performance issues when handling large volumes of data, which can impact the efficiency of the system, especially in large organizations.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    Compared to some other ITSM tools, the updates and new feature rollouts for OTRS may be less frequent, potentially leaving users waiting for needed enhancements.

ServiceNow features and specs

  • Comprehensive IT Service Management
    ServiceNow provides a wide range of ITSM functionalities like incident management, problem management, change management, and asset management, making it a robust tool for IT operations.
  • Customizable
    The platform is highly customizable, allowing organizations to tailor workflows, reports, and dashboards to meet specific business needs.
  • Integration Capabilities
    ServiceNow integrates easily with other enterprise systems like ERP, CRM, and monitoring tools, facilitating cross-departmental collaboration and data sharing.
  • Scalability
    The platform is scalable and can grow with your organization, making it suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
  • Automation
    ServiceNow offers powerful automation features that can streamline routine tasks and processes, reducing manual effort and errors.
  • Cloud-Based
    As a SaaS platform, ServiceNow delivers regular updates and patches, ensures uptime, and offers high availability, eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure.

Possible disadvantages of ServiceNow

  • Cost
    ServiceNow can be expensive, particularly for small to mid-sized businesses, given its licensing and implementation costs.
  • Complexity
    The platform can be complex to implement and configure, requiring specialized skills and potentially leading to a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Performance
    There can be performance issues during peak times if the system is not properly tuned, which can affect usability.
  • Customization Challenges
    While highly customizable, extensive changes can lead to difficulties with future updates and maintenance, as customizations may need to be re-applied or re-configured.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    Being deeply tied into ServiceNow's ecosystem can make it difficult to switch vendors or platforms without substantial cost and effort.
  • User Interface
    While powerful, the user interface can sometimes be seen as less intuitive compared to more modern, lightweight solutions.

OTRS ITSM videos

OTRS 3: Installing OTRS ITSM

ServiceNow videos

User Experience | What is ServiceNow and How Can It Help Me Do My Job?

More videos:

  • Review - ServiceNow Product Review
  • Tutorial - ServiceNow Application Review - How to Disable All Mandatory Form Fields Simultaneously in Madrid

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OTRS ITSM and ServiceNow)
Help Desk
12 12%
88% 88
Customer Support
25 25%
75% 75
Service Desk
0 0%
100% 100
Customer Service
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OTRS ITSM and ServiceNow

OTRS ITSM Reviews

We have no reviews of OTRS ITSM yet.
Be the first one to post

ServiceNow Reviews

TOP RPA tools you should never miss | Octoparse RPA
ServiceNow RPA allows customers to build and run unattended automation natively within the ServiceNow platform. Its out-of-the-box connectors to over 50 apps that are commonly used alongside ServiceNow, such as Salesforce, Office 365, ZenDesk, and more. This enables easy automation of workflows across systems. It also has a visual interface for creating automation without...
13 tools to use for DevSecOps automation
💰 ServiceNow is a cloud computing platform to help companies manage digital workflows for their operations. The ServiceNow node allows you to manage, among others, incidents, business services, and user roles.
Source: n8n.io
The Best Asset Management Software of 2017
Bottom Line: ServiceNow asset management is usable from a features perspective, but is burdened by a complex user interface that's mostly the result of it being part of a much larger business application framework.
Source: au.pcmag.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ServiceNow seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OTRS ITSM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OTRS ITSM yet. Tracking of OTRS ITSM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

ServiceNow mentions (2)

  • Case creation via email
    The instance email address is tied to the instance name. Rename the instance and the email address also changes. You cannot change the email address otherwise. However, as mentioned, you can have a custom email address [something@yourdomain.com](mailto:something@yourdomain.com) forward to the instance email address. From a user perspective, they wouldn't be using a servicenow.com email address and you have to... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is there a payment service that can be used in the Caribbean?
    Wrong sub, friend. This is for the product servicenow. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OTRS ITSM and ServiceNow, you can also consider the following products

Zendesk - Zendesk is a beautiful, lightweight help-desk solution.

OpenSupports - Simple open source ticket system with user system and modern design.

Freshservice - Freshservice: the one-stop cloud solution for all your IT management needs.

Freshdesk - Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer support software that lets you support customers through traditional channels like phone and email, social channels like Facebook and Twitter, and your own branded community

Jira Service Desk - IT service desk and customer service software by Jira Service Desk. Powerful ticketing system used by 25,000+ organizations. Try it free today.

osTicket - osTicket is a widely-used open source support ticket system.