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Customer Support · head to head

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs Plivo

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus logo

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Customer Support

IT help desk and ITSM software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Plivo logo

Plivo

Telecommunications

SMS and voice APIs priced to undercut the larger aggregators

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams; Plivo the headline per-message saving does not apply to US 10DLC registration fees or carrier surcharges, which are pass-through costs and identical across vendors.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and Plivo actually diverge.

Attributes where ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and Plivo differ
AttributeManageEngine ServiceDesk PlusPlivo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer message and per minute, priced by destination country
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, PHP, Ruby, Go
CategoryCustomer SupportTelecommunications

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Nothing recorded that Plivo does not also cover.

Only in Plivo

  • Published country rate card
  • Programmable SMS and MMS
  • Programmable voice
  • Contact centre product
  • 10DLC registration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • IT service desk for small to enterprise organizationsnot Plivo
  • IT asset management and change managementnot Plivo

Plivo

  • Products sending high volumes of transactional SMS where unit price determines channel viabilitynot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Teams migrating from a more expensive aggregator without changing their architecturenot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Notification and alerting systems with predictable, steady message volumenot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Businesses wanting voice and messaging from one supplier with published ratesnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • Pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams
  • Asset management requires Professional tier or above, increasing costs for enterprises needing full inventory control
  • No explicit limit published for number of technicians, making cost projections difficult for scaling teams

Plivo

  • The headline per-message saving does not apply to US 10DLC registration fees or carrier surcharges, which are pass-through costs and identical across vendors.
  • The feature surface is narrower than the market leader, so products needing video, email or richer verification will need a second supplier.
  • Support is tiered and the entry tier is not appropriate for traffic that a business depends on commercially.
  • Deliverability on some international routes depends on an underlying carrier mix that can change without the customer being informed.
  • Its price advantage is smaller on US A2P traffic than on international routes, so a US-only sender may save considerably less than a headline comparison suggested.

Pricing, plan by plan

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Free
  • Standard$13/monthly
    • IT help desk functionality
    • Per technician or administrator pricing
    • Unlimited IT end users
  • Professional$27/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Per technician pricing
  • Enterprise$67/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Change management

Plivo

On request
  • Pay as you go$undefined/month
    • Published per-country rate card for SMS and voice
    • Volume discounts negotiated above published tiers
    • US 10DLC registration fees and carrier surcharges billed separately

Which should you pick?

Choose ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus if

  • You want to start without paying.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus review

Choose Plivo if

  • You need published country rate card.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, PHP, Ruby, Go.
  • You also want programmable sms and mms.
Plivo review

Questions people ask

Is ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or Plivo better?
Neither clearly leads. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus starts at Free and Plivo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or Plivo?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and On request for Plivo.
Does ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or Plivo run on more platforms?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus runs on Web. Plivo runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Java, PHP, Ruby, Go.
Can I use ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus for free?
Yes. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plivo starts at On request.
What is ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus best used for?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is most often used for it service desk for small to enterprise organizations, it asset management and change management. Of those, it service desk for small to enterprise organizations and it asset management and change management are not what Plivo is typically brought in for.
What can ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus do that Plivo cannot?
Plivo covers Published country rate card, Programmable SMS and MMS, Programmable voice, Contact centre product.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: How is pricing calculated for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus?

Pricing is based on the number of administrators and technicians using the platform. There is no restriction on the number of IT end users. If you use IT asset management, you pay for the number of IT assets managed.

Source
Plivo: Will switching to Plivo cut our US messaging bill?

Partly. The per-message rate may fall, but 10DLC brand and campaign fees and the per-segment carrier surcharges are pass-through costs that are the same whichever provider you use.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: Is there a free tier available?

Yes, the Standard edition is available free for up to 5 technicians. Free tier includes 250 IT assets managed and basic IT help desk features.

Source
Plivo: Does Plivo publish pricing?

Yes, as a per-destination rate card covering SMS and voice by country, so you can model your own destination mix before contacting sales.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: What are the billing options?

ManageEngine offers both monthly and yearly billing options. Annual billing provides discounted rates compared to monthly. You can deploy on-premises or use cloud-based SaaS deployment.

Source
Plivo: How does it compare with Twilio?

Generally cheaper per unit on the same routes and narrower in scope. Twilio wins on ecosystem, channel breadth and documentation.

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