Freshservice vs SolarWinds Service Desk

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Our analysts compared Freshservice vs SolarWinds Service Desk based on data from our 400+ point analysis of ITSM Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Freshservice is a sophisticated IT Service Management software designed to streamline and automate various IT-related tasks. It is particularly well-suited for organizations in industries such as technology, education, and healthcare, where efficient IT service management is crucial. The platform offers unique benefits like an intuitive user interface, robust automation capabilities, and seamless integration with other tools, enhancing productivity and reducing downtime. Popular features include incident management, change management, and a self-service portal, which empower users to resolve issues independently. Users often praise its ease of use and comprehensive functionality compared to similar products. Pricing details can vary based on factors like the number of users and specific needs, so it's advisable to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote. Freshservice stands out for its ability to adapt to diverse organizational needs, making it a versatile choice for businesses seeking reliable IT service management solutions.
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SolarWinds Service Desk is a comprehensive IT Service Management (ITSM) solution designed to streamline and automate various IT processes. It is particularly well-suited for organizations in industries such as healthcare, education, and finance, where efficient IT operations are crucial. The platform offers a range of powerful features, including incident management, change management, and asset management, which help improve service delivery and enhance user satisfaction. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and robust reporting capabilities, which provide valuable insights into IT performance. Compared to similar products, SolarWinds Service Desk is praised for its ease of use and flexibility. Pricing details are not readily available, so it is advisable to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote based on specific requirements. Overall, SolarWinds Service Desk stands out for its ability to effectively manage IT services, making it a valuable tool for businesses seeking to optimize their IT operations.
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$19/Agent, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$39/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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Videos
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Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Streamlined Ticketing: Freshservice automates ticket management, reducing manual workload and ensuring faster resolution times by categorizing and prioritizing requests efficiently.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: The platform facilitates seamless communication among IT teams, allowing for shared insights and quicker problem-solving through integrated chat and discussion features.
  • Improved Asset Management: With Freshservice, organizations can track and manage IT assets throughout their lifecycle, ensuring optimal utilization and minimizing downtime.
  • Data-Driven Insights: The software provides comprehensive analytics and reporting tools, enabling IT departments to make informed decisions based on real-time data and trends.
  • Scalability: Freshservice is designed to grow with your organization, offering customizable workflows and integrations that adapt to changing business needs without disruption.
  • Increased Productivity: By automating routine tasks and providing a centralized platform for IT operations, Freshservice allows teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than administrative duties.
  • Enhanced User Experience: The intuitive interface and self-service portal empower end-users to resolve common issues independently, reducing the burden on IT staff and improving satisfaction.
  • Compliance and Security: Freshservice ensures adherence to industry standards and regulations, providing robust security features to protect sensitive data and maintain compliance.
  • Cost Efficiency: By optimizing resource allocation and reducing the need for manual intervention, Freshservice helps organizations lower operational costs and improve ROI.
  • Seamless Integration: The platform easily integrates with existing tools and systems, ensuring a cohesive IT ecosystem and eliminating data silos.
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  • Streamlined Ticket Management: SolarWinds Service Desk automates ticket routing and prioritization, reducing manual workload and ensuring that issues are addressed promptly and efficiently.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: The platform facilitates seamless communication among IT teams and end-users, enabling quicker resolution of incidents through shared insights and updates.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: With robust analytics tools, users can generate detailed reports on service desk performance, helping identify trends and areas for improvement.
  • Improved User Satisfaction: By providing a user-friendly interface and self-service options, the service desk enhances the end-user experience, leading to higher satisfaction rates.
  • Cost Efficiency: Automating routine tasks and optimizing resource allocation reduces operational costs, allowing IT departments to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Scalability: SolarWinds Service Desk can easily scale to accommodate growing organizations, ensuring that IT service management remains effective as business needs evolve.
  • Compliance and Security: The platform supports compliance with industry standards and regulations, offering features like audit trails and data encryption to protect sensitive information.
  • Customizable Workflows: Users can tailor workflows to match specific business processes, enhancing operational efficiency and aligning IT services with organizational goals.
  • Knowledge Management: A centralized knowledge base empowers users to find solutions independently, reducing the volume of support requests and accelerating problem resolution.
  • Integration Capabilities: SolarWinds Service Desk integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, enabling seamless data exchange and enhancing overall IT ecosystem functionality.
  • Proactive Problem Management: By identifying and addressing potential issues before they escalate, the service desk minimizes downtime and maintains business continuity.
  • Resource Optimization: The platform provides insights into resource utilization, helping IT managers allocate personnel and assets more effectively to meet service demands.
  • Continuous Improvement: Feedback loops and performance metrics support ongoing refinement of IT service delivery, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.
  • Time-Saving Automation: Automated workflows and processes reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing IT staff to focus on more complex and value-added activities.
  • Incident and Change Management: The service desk offers structured processes for managing incidents and changes, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring smooth transitions.
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  • Incident Management: Streamline ticketing processes with automated workflows and a user-friendly interface to efficiently handle IT incidents.
  • Service Catalog: Offer a customizable service catalog that allows users to request services and track their status with ease.
  • Change Management: Implement structured change processes with approval workflows and risk assessment tools to minimize disruptions.
  • Asset Management: Track and manage IT assets throughout their lifecycle, from procurement to retirement, with detailed asset information.
  • Problem Management: Identify and resolve the root causes of incidents to prevent future occurrences, using a systematic approach.
  • Release Management: Plan, schedule, and control software releases to ensure smooth transitions and minimal impact on users.
  • Knowledge Base: Create and maintain a centralized repository of articles and FAQs to empower users with self-service options.
  • Self-Service Portal: Provide users with a branded portal to submit tickets, access the knowledge base, and request services independently.
  • Automated Workflows: Design and implement automated workflows to reduce manual tasks and improve efficiency across IT operations.
  • Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Define and monitor SLAs to ensure timely resolution of incidents and adherence to service commitments.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate insightful reports and dashboards to track performance metrics and make data-driven decisions.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with other tools and platforms, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Jira, to enhance collaboration.
  • Mobile App: Access Freshservice on-the-go with a mobile app that allows IT teams to manage requests and incidents from anywhere.
  • Gamification: Motivate and engage IT teams by incorporating game-like elements, such as leaderboards and rewards, into daily tasks.
  • Customizable Workflows: Tailor workflows to meet specific organizational needs with a flexible and intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
  • AI-Powered Features: Leverage AI to predict ticket trends, automate responses, and provide intelligent suggestions for faster resolutions.
  • Multilingual Support: Cater to a global workforce with support for multiple languages, ensuring accessibility for diverse user bases.
  • Security and Compliance: Ensure data protection and compliance with industry standards through robust security features and regular audits.
  • Collaboration Tools: Facilitate team collaboration with integrated communication tools, enabling seamless interaction among IT staff.
  • Custom Fields and Forms: Capture specific information by creating custom fields and forms tailored to unique business requirements.
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  • Incident Management: Streamlines the process of logging, tracking, and resolving IT incidents with automated workflows and customizable templates.
  • Service Catalog: Offers a centralized repository for all IT services, allowing users to easily request and track services through a user-friendly interface.
  • Change Management: Facilitates the planning, approval, and implementation of IT changes with a structured approach to minimize risk and disruption.
  • Problem Management: Identifies and manages the root causes of incidents to prevent future occurrences, using detailed analytics and reporting tools.
  • Asset Management: Provides comprehensive tracking and management of IT assets, including hardware and software, with real-time updates and lifecycle management.
  • Knowledge Base: Empowers users and IT staff with a searchable repository of articles and solutions to common issues, enhancing self-service capabilities.
  • Service Level Management: Monitors and manages service level agreements (SLAs) to ensure compliance and improve service delivery through detailed performance metrics.
  • Self-Service Portal: Offers an intuitive platform for users to submit requests, report incidents, and access the knowledge base, reducing the burden on IT staff.
  • Automation and AI: Utilizes AI-driven automation to streamline repetitive tasks, such as ticket routing and prioritization, improving efficiency and response times.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Delivers in-depth insights into service desk performance with customizable dashboards and reports, enabling data-driven decision-making.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with a wide range of third-party applications and tools, enhancing functionality and interoperability within the IT ecosystem.
  • Mobile Access: Provides mobile-friendly access to the service desk, allowing IT staff and users to manage requests and incidents on-the-go.
  • Customizable Workflows: Allows organizations to tailor workflows to their specific processes and requirements, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
  • Multi-Language Support: Supports multiple languages, making it accessible to global teams and enhancing user experience across diverse regions.
  • Security and Compliance: Ensures data protection and compliance with industry standards through robust security features and regular audits.
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Product Ranking

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#3

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ITSM Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 2668 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 536 reviews
91%
of users recommend this product

Freshservice has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 2668 user reviews from 6 recognized software review sites.

92%
of users recommend this product

SolarWinds Service Desk has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 536 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (11)
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4.6 (917)
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4.51 (477)
4.59 (536)
4.5 (483)
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4.6 (685)
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4.4 (95)
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Awards

Freshservice stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

SolarWinds Service Desk stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive Interface: Freshservice is known for its user-friendly design, making it easy for both technical and non-technical staff to navigate and utilize its features effectively.
Robust Automation: The platform offers strong automation capabilities, allowing businesses to streamline repetitive IT tasks, such as ticket routing and notifications, which can free up IT staff for more strategic initiatives.
Comprehensive Asset Management: Freshservice provides a centralized system for tracking and managing IT assets, including hardware and software, enabling businesses to optimize asset utilization and ensure compliance.
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Ease of Use: Users praise the intuitive interface, which makes submitting and managing tickets, tracking assets, and generating reports straightforward.
Customization: The platform offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor dashboards and workflows to their specific needs. This flexibility ensures a personalized experience that aligns with unique business processes.
Asset Management: SolarWinds Service Desk excels in asset management, providing a centralized repository for tracking IT assets, including devices and software licenses. This comprehensive view simplifies asset management tasks and ensures accurate inventory.
Automation: The software's robust automation capabilities streamline IT processes, such as automatically routing tickets to the appropriate personnel and escalating issues based on predefined rules. This automation reduces manual effort and improves overall efficiency.
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Reporting Limitations: Users seeking highly granular and tailored reporting may find the customization options somewhat restricted.
Mobile App Refinement Areas: While functional, there are opportunities to enhance the mobile app's user experience and feature set for greater efficiency and user satisfaction.
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Slow Reporting: Users have reported that generating reports can be slow, especially when dealing with a large number of entries.
Limited Data Export: The software is limited in its ability to export data, which can be a problem for businesses that rely on in-depth data analysis.
Customization Limitations: While the software offers some customization, users have expressed a desire for more flexibility in renaming fields and sections to better suit their specific needs.
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User reviews from the last year reveal that Freshservice is a breath of fresh air in the IT Service Management (ITSM) space, especially for its intuitive design and automation capabilities, which users say make it a breeze to use, even for non-techy folks. Users rave about its clean interface and find it easy to navigate, unlike some other tools that feel like they were designed by engineers for engineers. They also appreciate the automation features, which help streamline tasks like ticket routing and incident resolution, freeing up IT teams to tackle more strategic projects. One user even compared it favorably to ServiceNow, saying Freshservice delivers similar functionality at a fraction of the cost. However, it's not all sunshine and roses. Some users point out that Freshservice's reporting customization could use some work, limiting their ability to perform in-depth analysis. The mobile app's functionality has also been a source of frustration for some, with users describing it as "clunky" and in need of improvement. Think of it like a really nice car with a frustratingly bad navigation system - it gets the job done, but not without some bumps along the way.Overall, Freshservice seems to hit the sweet spot for organizations, particularly small to medium-sized businesses, looking for a robust yet affordable ITSM solution. It's like the reliable, affordable car of ITSM solutions - it may not have all the bells and whistles of the luxury models, but it gets you where you need to go without breaking the bank. Its user-friendly design and automation features make it a great choice for teams who are new to ITSM or who are looking to streamline their current processes. However, organizations with complex reporting needs or who rely heavily on mobile functionality may want to consider other options or wait for Freshservice to catch up.

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Is SolarWinds Service Desk the radiant solution to your IT management woes, or will it leave you feeling burned? User reviews from the past year paint a somewhat mixed picture of this popular platform. On the sunny side, SolarWinds Service Desk consistently receives praise for its user-friendly interface, making it a breeze for both seasoned IT professionals and tech-averse users to navigate. Users rave about the platform's automation capabilities, particularly for streamlining workflows and tackling repetitive tasks, saving precious time and boosting efficiency. The seamless integration with other tools, such as Dameware RE, is another major plus, allowing for a centralized IT management experience. However, some shadows do loom over this otherwise bright landscape. A recurring gripe among users is the occasional sluggishness of the web application, which can put a damper on productivity. While the software boasts a wealth of features, some users, particularly those in larger enterprises, find certain aspects better suited for smaller businesses, yearning for more advanced functionalities. For instance, while the reporting feature provides data, users have noted its complexity requires third-party software to make sense of it. In essence, SolarWinds Service Desk is like a reliable but basic car—it gets you where you need to go, but don't expect a luxurious ride. It's a solid choice for small to mid-sized businesses looking for an intuitive and feature-rich ITSM solution without breaking the bank. However, larger organizations with more complex needs might find themselves craving more horsepower and a smoother ride, potentially seeking alternative solutions like ServiceNow or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus that offer more comprehensive and scalable features.

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