Best Alternatives to SolarWinds
SolarWinds offers a comprehensive suite of tools for IT professionals to manage their environments, with its flagship product, SolarWinds Service Desk, combining service request handling, asset management, and incident resolution. SolarWinds offers a range of capabilities, from network performance monitoring and systems management to IT security, database management, and help desk support. However, there are numerous SolarWinds alternatives available for IT teams seeking a different solution.
After reviewing customer feedback from platforms like G2, Capterra, and Gartner, several limitations emerged. Here's a closer look:
1. Lack of Advanced Features
While SolarWinds is great for entry-level IT management, it falls short on advanced features. Gartner users note this can be disruptive for teams managing complex workflows, especially managed service providers (MSPs).
2. Steep Learning Curve
G2 users often mention SolarWinds' unintuitive interface, making it difficult to navigate. The time spent searching for features can reduce IT team effectiveness, especially for those new to ITSM platforms.
3. Subpar Reporting
G2 reviews point to sluggish and overly complex reporting, with some users resorting to third-party software for usable data. This is a drawback for IT teams needing quick insights to showcase value to clients or stakeholders.
Because of these issues, many users have started looking for alternatives to SolarWinds. However, it can be hard to find reliable options, as not every alternative meets the same standard.
Several SolarWinds competitors feature robust security measures and superior integration capabilities, essential for teams managing sensitive data across diverse tools. Others are designed to scale with growing businesses and offer more intuitive interfaces, making them easier to navigate for less technical teams.
Let’s now review the best SolarWinds alternatives for IT service management. We’ll explore each alternative’s key features, its advantages over SolarWinds, ratings, reviews, and pricing so you can make a more informed decision on the solution that’s right for you.
6 Best Alternatives to SolarWinds
1. Rezolve.ai
Rezolve.ai is an ITSM platform that uses GenAI to improve support teams' ability to become AITSM leaders. It integrates directly with MS Teams and helps businesses move beyond older systems.Rezolve.ai auto-resolves up to 65% of employee queries and tickets using documented knowledge, task & process orchestration, live agent chat, and real-time notifications. With Rezolve.ai, employees can get access to self-help and ‘talk’ to the organization’s knowledge via an intuitive chat interface. Any employee anywhere can get answers to their questions, create new incident/service requests, check the status of existing tickets or automate repetitive tasks or processes just by interacting with Rezolve.ai within MS Teams.Rezolve.ai Key Features
- Integration with Microsoft Teams and Slack for seamless IT support
- AI-powered ticket auto-resolution and triaging to reduce workload
- Advanced L1 triaging & troubleshooting, resolving up to 65% of tickets
- Conversational enterprise search for easy access to knowledge
- Automated password resets and user provisioning
- No-code automation studio for creating workflows
Why Rezolve.ai is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- Customizable ticketing system tailored to specific business needs (Source)
- Responsive and knowledgeable customer support with active feedback implementation (Source)
- Easy deployment through seamless integration with Microsoft Teams (Source)
- Efficient self-service capabilities that enhance over time (Source)
- Real-time analytics for tracking ticket status and resolution (Source)
- Quickly evolving product with regular feature improvements (Source)
Rezolve.ai Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.9/5 (34 reviews)
- TrustRadius: Not Available
Rezolve.ai Pricing
- Starts at $3 per user per month
- Two-week free trial for qualified customers
2. ServiceNow
ServiceNow ITSM is a cloud-based platform that simplifies and automates IT workflows, providing a unified system for managing incidents, problems, and changes. It integrates seamlessly with business systems, ensuring a centralized approach to IT management. ServiceNow also enhances efficiency with AI-powered tools, allowing organizations to optimize IT services.Widely adopted by Fortune 500 companies, and with built-in AI capabilities, ServiceNow ITSM enhances the efficiency and control of IT services, allowing organizations to modernize and simplify their IT processes.ServiceNow Key Features
- Unified data model for a single source of truth, breaking down information silos
- Self-service portal for users to resolve issues independently, reducing ticket volume
- Predictive intelligence to proactively address issues before they impact users
- Knowledge management to centralize information and improve accessibility for employees
- Performance analytics offer insights into key metrics, helping to identify trends and make data-driven decisions
Why ServiceNow is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- IT infrastructure library (ITIL) process support out-of-the-box, offering flexibility for customization in standard processes (Source)
- Extensive plugin availability that covers all aspects of service management with minimal customization (Source)
- Full support for the software development lifecycle, including Agile methodologies (Source)
- Scalable licensing allows businesses to purchase only what they need (Source)
- User-friendly dashboards and reports, accessible even for non-technical stakeholders to track KPIs (Source)
- Strong customer support, with frequent updates and the ability to integrate with various third-party tools and systems (Source)
ServiceNow Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (832 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 8.4/10 (511 reviews)
ServiceNow Pricing
- Pricing is not publicly available. Contact the sales team for a customized quote.
3. BMC Helix ITSM
BMC Helix ITSM is a modern, AI-powered IT service management solution that automates and optimizes IT operations. It replaces the legacy Remedy platform, offering a comprehensive suite of ITSM tools with strong integrations to other BMC products and built-in IT asset management (ITAM). Global enterprises favor this solution and is available in both on-premise and SaaS configurations. With its intelligent automation and support for ITIL best practices, BMC Helix ITSM helps organizations streamline service delivery and manage complex IT environments effectively.BMC Helix ITSM Key Features
- Multi-cloud support enables seamless operations across hybrid and cloud environments
- Service-centric monitoring to ensure end-to-end visibility of IT services
- Built-in IT asset management (ITAM) for managing enterprise assets
- Flexible deployment options with both on-premise and SaaS configurations
- Seamless integration with other BMC products and third-party tools
Why BMC Helix ITSM is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- Modernized toolset for automating and managing IT operations (Source)
- Enterprise-level solution offering integrations with DevOps tools and built-in knowledge management (Source)
- Customizable and integration-friendly for tailored workflows and third-party tool compatibility (Source)
- Excellent support team known for responsiveness and expertise (Source)
- Improved service efficiencies, delivering significant cost savings and operational improvements (Source)
- Global usage across large enterprises, making it ideal for complex IT environments (Source)
BMC Helix ITSM Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 3.7/5 (284 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 7.6/10 (211 reviews)
BMC Helix ITSM Pricing
- Pricing is not publicly available. Contact the sales team for a customized quote.
4. Freshservice
Freshworks offers Freshservice, a cloud-based ITSM tool designed to streamline IT operations. It helps businesses manage incidents, service requests, changes, and assets through an easy-to-use platform. Freshservice leverages automation, AI, and a user-friendly interface to reduce manual tasks and enhance service delivery. It integrates smoothly with various business systems, making it suitable for modern organizations seeking efficient IT support solutions.Freshservice Key Features
- Strong API support for smooth data migration from on-premise systems
- Simple, web-based interface for easy setup and ongoing configuration
- Unified portal to manage requests across different business functions
- Cloud-based SaaS deployment with enhanced security, making it accessible anywhere
- Well-organized service catalog allowing users to easily find and request IT services
- Customizable workflows to automate processes and improve productivity
- Comprehensive ticket and asset management for tracking tasks and resources
Why Freshservice is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- Integration with other applications to streamline operations across platforms (Source)
- Fast setup and configuration for quick deployment (Source)
- Flexible licensing options that grow with business needs (Source)
- Automated workflows and event-triggered automation to streamline repetitive tasks and speed up ticket resolution times (Source)
- Robust ticket and asset management to effectively handle service requests and track company assets (Source)
Freshservice Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (1226 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 8.7/10 (261 reviews)
Freshservice Pricing
- Starter: $19 per user per month
- Growth: $49 per user per month
- Pro: $95 per user per month
- Enterprise: $119 per user per month (Source)
5. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
ManageEngine offers a comprehensive suite of IT management solutions, helping businesses optimize their IT operations, from network monitoring to IT security and help desk management. One of its standout products, ServiceDesk Plus, is an ITIL-ready help desk software that integrates asset and project management capabilities. It combines advanced ITSM functionality with an easy-to-use interface, helping IT support teams deliver high-quality service while reducing costs and complexity.ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus Key Features
- Incident management to automate ticket workflows and manage the incident lifecycle
- Problem management for root cause analysis and linking related incidents
- Change management with automated workflows for decision-making
- Asset management to track and manage IT hardware and software
- IT project management for planning, tracking, and managing projects with Gantt charts
- Service catalog to customize service request workflows
- CMDB for tracking configuration items and their dependencies
- SLA management to ensure timely service delivery with proactive escalations
- Reports and dashboards to generate over 150+ reports for data-driven decisions
- Extensions and integrations for collaboration with other IT systems
Why ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- User-friendly interface that makes ticket management and IT operations easy to navigate (Source)
- Flexible deployment options available in different editions (Enterprise, Professional, Standard) for various business needs (Source)
- Seamless integration with other ManageEngine products and third-party applications, offering a more comprehensive IT management solution (Source)
- All-in-one platform that includes modules like incident, problem, change, and asset management, covering IT and non-IT assets (Source)
- Excellent customer support for implementation, ongoing support, and customization needs (Source)
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (229 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 9.6/10 (106 reviews)
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus Pricing
- Pricing is not publicly available. Contact the sales team for a customized quote.
6. Atlassian Jira Service Management
Jira Service Management by Atlassian is an ITSM tool designed to help teams manage service requests, incidents, problems, and changes. Built on the Jira platform, it allows IT teams to collaborate and streamline operations. It integrates with development workflows to connect IT support and DevOps teams. The platform supports automation and offers flexible workflows, making it suitable for managing both IT and business service requests. Jira Service Management offers broad functionality across multiple industries, which may feel too generalized for IT professionals looking for more specialized IT management features.Atlassian Jira Service Management Key Features
- Content gap identification for improving knowledge base articles and enhancing self-service
- Multi-department service desk setup enabling quick implementation for IT, HR, legal, and more
- Ticket escalations to prioritize and resolve critical issues faster
- Multi-channel ticket updates shared via SMS, email, or mobile push notifications for real-time communication
- Rich integrations with Atlassian tools like Confluence and Bitbucket, as well as third-party systems
- DevOps and ITSM collaboration to connect IT support with software development workflows
Why Atlassian Jira Service Management is a Better SolarWinds Alternative
- Customizable workflows and automation that simplify ticket management and administration (Source)
- User-friendly customer portal allowing users to easily create and track tickets across departments (IT, HR, Engineering, etc.) (Source)
- Robust collaboration features, like adding multiple participants to a ticket and referencing related tickets for faster resolutions (Source)
- Flexible ticket escalation and SLA tracking to ensure critical issues are prioritized and resolved efficiently (Source)
Atlassian Jira Service Management Ratings and Reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (769 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 8.2/10 (656 reviews)
Atlassian Jira Service Management Pricing
- Free: $0 (Free forever for 3 agents)
- Standard: $17.65 per agent per month
- Premium: $44.27 per agent per month
- Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing
- Free trial available for Standard and Premium
Criteria for Evaluating Service Desk Alternatives
When choosing a service desk, it's important to focus on several key factors impacting your IT operations. Below, we'll break down some of the most important criteria to consider when comparing alternate solutions.
Rezolve.ai: The Best SolarWinds Alternative
When searching for the best IT management tools, organizations are often looking for solutions that offer improved integration, enhanced automation, and better value for their IT operations.
Compared to traditional tools like SolarWinds, Rezolve.ai provides a modern, Gen AI-driven approach to IT management, bringing unique advantages that can truly enhance your operations:
- Seamless integration with platforms like Microsoft Teams for streamlined communication and collaboration across teams.
- AI-powered automation to handle repetitive tasks, enabling your team to focus on strategic priorities.
- Real-time monitoring and advanced reporting to provide complete visibility and better decision-making.
- Streamlined ticket management to reduce response times and improve user satisfaction.
- Live chat with a service desk agent at any time when human assistance is required. This live chat feature makes Rezolve.ai a true 360-degree modern service desk. Many traditional service desk solutions do not offer live agent chat, while Rezolve.ai provides the best of both AI and human support worlds.
- Customizable dashboards that give your IT team quick access to the most important metrics.
- Agile knowledge management to provide support to employees, anytime, anywhere. Imagine an intelligent bot that learns from organizational knowledge stored in websites, SharePoint folders, PDFs, URLs, and many offline documents. Rezolve.ai learns from all this knowledge (while keeping the data safe & secure). Rezolve.ai helps create agile knowledge bases for organizations, and essentially helps employees and leaders ‘talk’ to their stored data/knowledge.
- Incident management that gives your IT team an edge. With this modern GenAI service desk, every ticket is auditable. It can be traced back to its origin, mapped on the dashboard with powerful analytics, and reveal insights for the IT personnel to identify and manage incidents.
By adopting Rezolve.ai’s modern GenAI service desk, you're not just optimizing IT workflows—you're empowering your organization to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
Book a personalized demo today and discover how Rezolve.ai can transform your IT management, drive better outcomes, and help your team reach new productivity levels.
FAQ
What should enterprises consider when choosing a service desk alternative to SolarWinds?
When selecting service desk alternatives to SolarWinds, enterprises should focus on scalability, ease of integration with existing systems, and advanced AI-driven features for automation and efficiency. They should also focus on platforms with transparent pricing models that minimize hidden costs. It's also essential to consider long-term factors like support, maintenance, and how well the solution aligns with business growth, ensuring reduced total cost of ownership over time.
What are the top SolarWinds competitors that offer integrated service desk solutions?
Top SolarWinds competitors with integrated service desk solutions include Rezolve.ai, ServiceNow, Freshservice, and Jira. These platforms offer comprehensive service desk functionalities, with some providing enhanced AI capabilities, more flexible pricing models, and stronger customer support—potentially lowering the total cost of ownership over time.
What should I look for in SolarWinds alternatives regarding AI capabilities?
When evaluating SolarWinds alternatives for AI capabilities, look for platforms that offer automated ticketing, advanced automation, predictive analytics, a GenAI-enabled chat system, and intelligent routing to reduce manual workloads. AI-driven features should seamlessly integrate with your workflow to boost productivity and enhance the overall customer experience. Also, consider how these capabilities can lower operational costs by streamlining processes.
How can switching to SolarWinds alternatives impact the total cost of ownership?
Switching to SolarWinds alternatives can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership through more competitive pricing models, fewer hidden fees, and scalable solutions that grow with your business. Many alternatives offer transparent maintenance and support costs, which can lead to substantial savings in the long term, making them more cost-effective over time. It's essential to evaluate not just the initial costs but also ongoing maintenance and support expenses when considering alternatives to SolarWinds.