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Customer Support · head to head

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs ServiceNow

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus logo

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Customer Support

IT help desk and ITSM software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ServiceNow logo

ServiceNow

Customer Support

The world works with ServiceNow

From
On request
Rated
-
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; ServiceNow listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller UP3 Services Ltd at £81.00 per licence per month for ServiceNow
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and ServiceNow differ
AttributeManageEngine ServiceDesk PlusServiceNow
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

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 ServiceNow does not also cover.

Only in ServiceNow

  • ITSM
  • IT Operations
  • Customer workflows
  • Employee workflows
  • App development
  • AI/ML capabilities
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

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 ServiceNow
  • IT asset management and change managementnot ServiceNow

ServiceNow

  • Enterprise IT managementnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Digital transformationnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Workflow automationnot 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

ServiceNow

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller UP3 Services Ltd at £81.00 per licence per month for ServiceNow

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

ServiceNow

On request
  • IT Service Management$undefined/month
    • Incident management
    • Problem management
    • Change management
  • IT Operations Management$undefined/month
    • Discovery
    • Service mapping
    • Event management
  • Customer Service Management$undefined/month
    • Omnichannel engagement
    • Self-service
    • Case management

Which should you pick?

Choose ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus if

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

Choose ServiceNow if

  • You need itsm.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want it operations.
ServiceNow review

Questions people ask

Is ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or ServiceNow better?
Neither clearly leads. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus starts at Free and ServiceNow 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 ServiceNow?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and On request for ServiceNow.
Does ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or ServiceNow run on more platforms?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus runs on Web. ServiceNow runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus for free?
Yes. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ServiceNow 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 ServiceNow is typically brought in for.
What can ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus do that ServiceNow cannot?
ServiceNow covers ITSM, IT Operations, Customer workflows, Employee workflows.

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
ServiceNow: Does ServiceNow offer a free trial?

ServiceNow provides product trials and demos for prospects. Organizations can request a demo to see the platform capabilities for IT service management, customer service management, and business workflows.

Source
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
ServiceNow: How is ServiceNow priced?

ServiceNow uses subscription-based pricing with custom quotes based on the number of users and modules selected. Organizations must contact ServiceNow directly to receive pricing for their specific deployment needs.

Source
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
ServiceNow: What implementation support does ServiceNow provide?

ServiceNow offers professional services, customer success management, and training programs to help organizations maximize value from the platform. Implementation support is available through direct services teams and certified implementation partners.

Source
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