9 Top Spiceworks Alternatives: Features, Pricing, And User Opinions

Are you looking for a Spiceworks alternative that offers a more streamlined help desk experience, robust support, and features that cater to your organization's unique needs? Your search is over! We've compiled a list of top help desk software contenders that can help you improve your ITSM strategy.

As companies strive to enhance their IT support operations, they often evaluate various help desk software options. With a crowded market and numerous choices available, it can be challenging to identify the perfect fit for their specific requirements.

To help you decide, we'll look at the key features and benefits of Spiceworks and introduce alternatives.

Let's explore your options!

TL;DR

Here’s a quick overview of the top Spiceworks alternatives available. Use the links below to jump to a detailed breakdown of each one.

InvGate Service Management – A modern, ITIL-ready service management solution built for usability and fast implementation. Strong option for mid-size to large organizations. Available in the cloud with on-premise deployments on request.
ServiceNow – A large-scale ITSM platform widely used in enterprises. Offers advanced customization and integrations, but it comes with a steeper learning curve and higher cost.
Zendesk – Originally a customer service tool, now expanded to ITSM with Zendesk for Service. Cloud-based and easy to use, but IT-specific features are more limited.
Freshdesk – A flexible, user-friendly cloud solution by Freshworks with both IT and customer support use cases.
Jira Service Management – A flexible, user-friendly cloud solution by Freshworks with both IT and customer support use cases. Good for smaller teams or organizations starting with ITSM.
Zoho Desk – Cloud-based help desk software that fits well with other Zoho apps. Simple, better suited for basic service operations.
JitBit – Lightweight IT help desk with both cloud and on-premise versions. Fast to set up, but may lack some advanced ITSM capabilities.
SysAid – Offers ITSM tools and Asset Management. Used by IT teams that want flexibility with deployment and automation features.
LiveAgent – Primarily designed for customer support, but includes a ticketing system that can be adapted for internal IT use. Affordable, with basic ITSM capabilities.

What is Spiceworks?

spiceworks-interface

Spiceworks is a cloud-based IT Service Management (ITSM) platform geared toward small to mid-sized teams. Originally, it gained popularity through its free, self-hosted help desk solution, which offered high configurability and local data control. That product has been officially discontinued — support and development ended in early 2024 — and the company now exclusively maintains the Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk (CHD).

The current cloud version supports core ticketing features, including ticket assignment, SLA tracking, canned responses, and basic reporting.

Spiceworks CHD is available in two tiers: a free “Core” version, capped at five admin or technician users, and a “Premium” plan at $6 per seat/month. The Premium tier includes additional functionality such as bulk actions, private ticket groups, and ad-free usage.

The user base remains active through the Spiceworks Community, which hosts a large knowledge base, product discussions, and vendor support forums.

Disadvantages of Spiceworks

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk (CHD) has significant limitations compared to the now-discontinued on-premise version. While it covers basic ticketing needs, many features that once made the platform appealing are no longer available. For teams that relied on scripting, custom fields, or API-level control, CHD is a downgrade in both flexibility and functionality.

The discontinuation of the on-premise version means no further patches, updates, or official documentation. Users continuing to run older installs face potential security exposure and compatibility issues with modern systems.

Other constraints include:

Ad-supported free tier: The free version displays ads for IT vendors within the interface. These can't be disabled unless you move to the paid Premium plan.
Limited to five tech/admin users on free plan: Any additional users require a subscription.
Fewer customization options: Compared to the self-hosted tool, the cloud interface offers less control over form layouts, automation, and configuration.
Slower feature development: Updates roll out incrementally and often lack depth, leaving common requests unaddressed.

Spiceworks still appeals to small IT teams with straightforward needs and no budget. However, for growing environments, or those needing a self-managed or more configurable help desk, it no longer meets the mark.

9 best Spiceworks Alternatives

	Hosting	Free Trial	Pricing
InvGate Service Management	Cloud and on-premise	Yes (30 days)	Starts at $17/agent/month
ServiceNow	Cloud	No	Custom pricing only
Zendesk	Cloud	Yes (14 days)	$55/agent/month (Suite Team)
Freshdesk	Cloud	Yes (14 days)	$15/agent/month (Growth)
Jira Service Mgmt	Cloud and on-premise	Yes (7 days)	$22.05/agent/month (Standard)
Zoho Desk	Cloud	Yes (15 days)	$14/agent/month (Standard)
JitBit	Cloud, On-premise	Yes (21 days)	$29/agent/month (Cloud), $1699 one-time (Self-hosted)
SysAid	Cloud	No	Custom pricing only
LiveAgent	Cloud	Yes (14 days)	Starts at $9/agent/month (Small business)

InvGate Service Management

InvGate Service Management is a modern ITSM solution built for mid-size to large organizations that need more control over their service delivery. Developed by InvGate, it supports both cloud and on-premise deployments and integrates seamlessly with InvGate Asset Management.

Teams at organizations like NASA, KPMG, Motorola, Collins Aerospace, and Allianz use it. Its focus is on usability, scalability, and automation, making it a reliable step up from basic or free tools.

InvGate Service Management features

Request and incident management with clear SLAs and automation.
Powerful workflow builder for service requests, approvals, and escalations.
AI-based features like major incident detection and suggested solutions.
Integration with Asset Management to link tickets with hardware and software assets.

InvGate Service Management pros and cons

Pros

Available in both cloud and on-premise.
Polished UI that’s easy for both agents and end-users
Excellent customer support.
Strong reporting and analytics.

Cons

Requires configuration to make full use of its capabilities (but it’s low-code).

InvGate Service Management pricing details

You can get started with InvGate Service Management for $17 per agent per month. There’s also a 30-day free trial available, with no limitations on features during that period.

InvGate Service Management user reviews and ratings

Users consistently mention the clean interface, responsive support, and solid performance. According to Peer Insights, most reviewers highlight the ease of configuration and the fast onboarding. It’s a go-to option for companies wanting more than a basic ticketing system, without the overhead of large enterprise suites.

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.6
G2 score: 4.6/5

"The InvGate team has truly been wonderful. They are very communicative and helpful. The product has worked exactly as we needed it to, and the team helped walk us through any additional configurations that we may have needed to make. They are always on standby to help!"

User review from Gartner, Head of IT

ServiceNow

servicenow-interface

ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform known for its extensive ITSM capabilities. It's widely adopted by large enterprises to support IT workflows, business processes, and automation across departments.

ServiceNow features

Full ITIL-aligned IT Service Management suite.
AI-based analytics and virtual agents.
Integration with HR, security, and operations tools.
Custom app development framework.

ServiceNow pros and cons

Pros:

Scalable for large, complex environments.
Robust ecosystem and third-party integrations.

Cons:

Expensive and complex to implement.
May require full-time administrators.

ServiceNow pricing details

Pricing is not public and varies by scope and modules. Typically among the higher-priced solutions.

ServiceNow user reviews and ratings

Praised for power and scalability, but ease of use can be a drawback.

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.8
G2 score: 4.4

"I like how it offers a unified platform for managing incident, change and request management. I use it everyday and tools like flow designer make it easy for us to create and implement complex work flows with low or almost no code. The one aspect that I dont like about ServiceNow ITSM is the steep learning curve. When we aboard new member, they take a long time to adapt. More training materials on the revelant modules are needed."

User review from G2

Zendesk

Example of Zendesk's interface.

Zendesk started as a customer support platform but has grown into a broader service solution for sales and IT teams. It’s cloud-based, easy to set up, and integrates with tools like Slack, Jira, and Salesforce. Thanks to its multi-channel ticketing (email, chat, phone, social), the platform is most commonly used in customer-facing environments. While not a full ITSM tool out of the box, it can be extended for internal support use cases through add-ons and integrations.

Zendesk features

Multi-channel ticketing (email, chat, social).
Automation rules and macros.
Knowledge base and help center.
Reporting and analytics.

Zendesk pros and cons

Pros:

Easy to use and quick to set up.
Strong for customer-facing teams.

Cons:

Limited ITIL alignment.
Not ideal for IT Asset Management.

Zendesk pricing details

Starts at $55/user/month for basic plans. Free trial available.

Zendesk user reviews and ratings

Users like its simplicity and integrations.

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.4
G2 score: 4.3

"Zendesk is a solid platform for managing our customer interactions across multiple channels. It helped centralize support requests and improve internal collaboration. The admin interface can feel unintuitive at times, especially when setting up advanced workflows. Performance can occasionally lag when handling a high volume of tickets"

User review from Gartner, Product Support

Freshdesk

freshdesk-interface

Freshdesk, developed by Freshworks, is a cloud-based customer service platform aimed at fast-growing businesses. It’s commonly used in customer support teams thanks to features like omnichannel ticketing, collaboration tools, and AI-powered response suggestions. Though not a native ITSM tool, it can be adapted for internal service desks. Freshdesk is part of the larger Freshworks ecosystem.

Freshdesk features

Omnichannel support.
Ticket workflows and automation.
SLA policies.
Self-service portal.

Freshdesk pros and cons

Pros:

Easy to set up and use.
Good for growing teams.

Cons:

Limited on-premise options.
Basic reporting in lower tiers.

Freshdesk pricing details

Growth Plan: Starting at $15 USD.
Pro Plan: Priced $49 USD per agent per month.
Enterprise Plan: $79 USD per agent per month.

Freshdesk provides a free plan with basic features up to two agents.

Freshdesk user reviews and ratings

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.3
G2 score: 4.4

"I like how you have a lot of tools to view analytics as well as organize your canned responses in a hierarchy so that you can keep things as organized as possible. It was quite a hassle to switch over from our previous support system and so the experience felt a bit uphill from the start."

User review from Gartner

Jira Service Management

Example of Jira Service Management's interface.

Jira Service Management (JSM) is Atlassian’s ITSM solution built on top of Jira. It’s tailored for technical teams and offers tight integration with development tools like Bitbucket and Confluence. JSM is known for its flexibility in setting up request types, workflows, and automation rules, with support for ITIL practices like change and incident management.

Jira Service Management features

ITIL-aligned workflows.
Asset and configuration management.
Change and incident tracking.
Atlassian ecosystem integration.

Jira Service Management pros and cons

Pros:

Strong integration with Jira and Confluence.
Good for agile teams.

Cons:

Steep learning curve.
Customization may require technical skills.

Jira Service Management pricing details

Starts at $22.05/agent/month. Free tier for up to 3 agents.

Jira Service Management user reviews and ratings

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.5
G2 score: 4.2

“What I like most about Jira Service Management would be the possibility of being able to use the workflow designer that is included in the tool and being able to design the workflows that I need according to the area of my company. I think Jira's weak point is ease of use. It is a tool that has a fairly slow learning curve and is not as intuitive for users who are not in the Technology environment. Added to that, their IT asset manager is not that good.”

User review from G2, Account Executive

Zoho Desk

zoho-desk-interface

Zoho Desk is part of the broader Zoho suite, offering cloud-based help desk capabilities focused on customer service. It’s often used by SMBs that need ticketing, automation, and a customizable self-service portal. Integration with other Zoho apps like CRM, Projects, and Analytics makes it appealing for teams already invested in that ecosystem. Although it can be used for internal support, its features are more tailored to external customer interaction.

Zoho Desk features

Omnichannel ticketing.
Context-aware helpdesk.
Workflow automation.
Reporting and dashboards.

Zoho Desk pros and cons

Pros:

Affordable plans.
Integrates well with other Zoho tools.

Cons:

Some UI limitations.
Occasional performance issues.

Zoho Desk pricing details

The price ranges from $7 to $40 per user per month when billed annually. A free plan is available, with a limit of three user licenses.

Zoho Desk user reviews and ratings

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.4
G2 score: 4.3

"Overall Zoho Desk works perfectly within our workflows. Helps in a big way in efficiently managing and streamlining customer service operations. Zoho Desk has some advanced features that can be difficult to set up without prior experience and also most of them are available in more expensive price plans."

User review from Gartner, Senior Software Engineer

JitBit

JitBit Helpdesk is a straightforward ticketing system available in both cloud and on-premise versions. It's developed with simplicity and speed in mind, making it a solid choice for small IT teams or internal service desks.

While it doesn’t aim for full ITIL compliance, it covers core needs like email-based ticketing, automation rules, and reporting. It integrates with common tools like Active Directory, MS Teams, and Zapier, which makes it easy to plug into existing setups without extra overhead.

JitBit features

Email-based ticketing.
Automation rules.
Asset tracking.
Knowledge base.

JitBit pros and cons

Pros:

Lightweight and fast.
Affordable on-premise option.

Cons:

Limited advanced features.
Basic reporting.

JitBit pricing details

Starts at $29/month for SaaS. On-premise starts at $1699 (one-time).

JitBit user reviews and ratings

Appreciated for simplicity and speed. Typical scores range 4.2–4.6/5.

"JitBit is awesome for a smaller business. Likes: Analytics, customization of ticketing system. Dislikes: Old school design, less features than the more expensive vendors out there, scalability"

User review from G2, IT Systems Analyst

SysAid

Example of SysAid's interface.

SysAid is an ITSM and asset management platform designed for mid-sized businesses. It includes a built-in CMDB, remote control, and automation tools to reduce manual ticket handling.

Offered both on-premise and in the cloud, SysAid is often used by IT departments looking for an all-in-one solution that includes asset discovery and Service Management. It's built to be self-managed, and while it offers good coverage of ITIL practices, some users note that the UI can feel outdated.

SysAid features

Ticketing and workflow automation.
Asset Management and CMDB.
Remote desktop.
Knowledge management.

SysAid pros and cons

Pros:

Full suite in one tool.
On-prem and cloud options.

Cons:

UI feels dated to some users.
Setup can take time.

SysAid pricing details

Quote-based depending on features and deployment. Free trial available.

SysAid user reviews and ratings

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.6
G2 score: 4.5

"It does a great job of helping us build efficiency and tracking support for the team that is always facing capacity restraints due to number of requests. The only minimal downside I’ve experienced with SysAid is the email notification and response function can be duplicative and a bit clunky."

User review from G2, Director of Marketing

LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a customer service software designed for multichannel support, with a focus on live chat, email ticketing, and social media integration. It’s primarily used in B2C environments where quick response times are essential. While not aimed at IT service desks, it can be configured for internal support with some limitations.

LiveAgent is available only as a cloud solution and is often adopted by support teams looking to manage high volumes of customer interactions across multiple platforms.

LiveAgent features

Ticket management
Live chat and call center support
Customer portal
Automation rules

LiveAgent pros and cons

Pros:

Great value for money.
Multi-channel support.

Cons:

Not purpose-built for IT teams.
Some UI clutter.

LiveAgent pricing details

Pricing plans (billed annually):

Small Business Plan: $15 per agent per month.
Medium business: $24 per agent per month.
Large businesses: $39 per agent per month.
Enterprise: $59 per agent per month.

LiveAgent user reviews and ratings

Highly rated for affordability and chat support.

Gartner Peer Reviews score: 4.9
G2 score: 4.5

"Easy to use customer care tool with a few added bells and whistles. Likes: Ease of use of the plaform. Ability to segment data based and add tags as needed. UX is a bit dissapointing and not up to industry standard. Also the tool is a jack of all trades, but master of none in our experience."

User review from G2, Digital lead

Drawbacks of free ITSM software

When considering free help desk software, there are several privacy and security concerns that users should be aware of. These concerns are particularly relevant given that many organizations handle sensitive customer data through these platforms.

Data privacy concerns

Data collection: Free tools often collect personal identifiable information (PII) and usage data, raising concerns about data storage and access.
Third-party access: Many platforms share data with third-party vendors for advertising or analytics, which can lead to potential misuse of sensitive information.

Security limitations

Inadequate security features: Free solutions may lack robust security measures, such as encryption and compliance with industry standards, leaving organizations vulnerable to breaches.
Vulnerability to attacks: Help desk systems can be targets for hackers, particularly if security is not prioritized.

When evaluating free help desk software, conducting thorough due diligence is essential to ensure that the chosen solution aligns with your organization’s privacy and security needs.

Conclusion

For smaller teams or organizations with minimal IT needs, Spiceworks could be a good starting point. However, businesses looking for a professional-grade solution with advanced features and customization options will benefit greatly from InvGate Service Management. It’s a future-ready tool designed to meet the needs of modern IT departments.

With InvGate Service Management, you can simplify your IT support tasks, work more efficiently, and provide top-notch service to your users. Our solution is designed to scale with your business, and our supportive team of experts is always ready to help you. Try it free for 30 days, or schedule a meeting with our specialists to learn more!