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No-Code · head to head

OutSystems vs ServiceNow

OutSystems logo

OutSystems

No-Code

Enterprise low-code platform priced by application complexity units, not just users

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ServiceNow logo

ServiceNow

Customer Support

The world works with ServiceNow

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OutSystems application Objects grow with every screen, table and API an app gains, so a successful app that keeps adding features can push the account into AO overage charges that were not modelled at initial budget time.; ServiceNow listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller UP3 Services Ltd at £81.00 per licence per month for ServiceNow
  • They diverge on capability: OutSystems covers Visual application modelling, ServiceNow covers ITSM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OutSystems and ServiceNow actually diverge.

Attributes where OutSystems and ServiceNow differ
AttributeOutSystemsServiceNow
Pricing modelApplication Object consumption plus internal and external user packsquote
CategoryNo-CodeCustomer Support
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 OutSystems

  • Visual application modelling
  • Generated deployable code
  • One-click deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Application Object governance
  • Prebuilt integrations

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.

OutSystems

  • An enterprise replacing custom .NET or Java application development with a governed low-code platform at scalenot ServiceNow
  • A company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal usersnot ServiceNow
  • An IT department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtimenot ServiceNow
  • An organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teamsnot ServiceNow

ServiceNow

  • Enterprise IT managementnot OutSystems
  • Digital transformationnot OutSystems
  • Workflow automationnot OutSystems

Where each one falls short

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

OutSystems

  • Application Objects grow with every screen, table and API an app gains, so a successful app that keeps adding features can push the account into AO overage charges that were not modelled at initial budget time.
  • Internal users are sold in packs of 100 and external users in packs of 10,000, so a company just over a pack boundary in either category pays for a full additional pack rather than a handful of extra seats.
  • Entry-level ODC pricing starts around 36,300 US dollars a year before any AO overage or extra user packs, which puts it out of reach for smaller teams evaluating low-code options.
  • Cloud infrastructure and hosting costs are frequently separate from the platform licence, so the all-in bill is higher than the headline subscription figure suggests.
  • Migrating a large application portfolio off OutSystems once built is difficult, since the generated code and platform-specific patterns are not designed for a clean export to standard frameworks.

ServiceNow

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

Pricing, plan by plan

OutSystems

On request
  • ODC Entry$undefined/year
    • Entry-level Application Object allowance included
    • Internal users sold in packs of 100
    • External users sold in packs of 10,000
  • ODC Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Custom AO, user pack and environment volumes
    • Negotiated multi-year enterprise agreements
    • Premium support and dedicated infrastructure options

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 OutSystems if

  • You need visual application modelling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want generated deployable code.
OutSystems review

Choose ServiceNow if

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

Questions people ask

Is OutSystems or ServiceNow better?
Neither clearly leads. OutSystems starts at On request and ServiceNow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OutSystems or ServiceNow?
OutSystems starts at On request and ServiceNow at On request.
Does OutSystems or ServiceNow run on more platforms?
OutSystems runs on Web, iOS, Android. ServiceNow runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is OutSystems best used for?
OutSystems is most often used for an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale, a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users, an it department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtime, an organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teams. Of those, an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale and a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users are not what ServiceNow is typically brought in for.
What can OutSystems do that ServiceNow cannot?
OutSystems covers Visual application modelling, Generated deployable code, One-click deployment, AI-assisted development. ServiceNow covers ITSM, IT Operations, Customer workflows, Employee workflows.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OutSystems: What is an Application Object?

A unit OutSystems uses to measure application complexity, counting elements such as screens, database tables and exposed APIs; more AOs mean a bigger licence requirement.

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
OutSystems: Is there a free tier?

OutSystems has offered free or trial tiers historically for evaluation, but production use at any scale runs on paid ODC plans.

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
OutSystems: How does external user pricing work?

External users, typically customers or partners, are sold in packs of 10,000 at roughly a hundredth of the per-seat cost of internal (employee) user packs.

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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