ServiceNow ITSM vs OpenText SMAX

ServiceNow ITSM9.4Visit OSOpenText SMAX9.1Visit

Higher score ServiceNow ITSM #1 in Enterprise IT Management Software 9.4/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 6 features Visit ServiceNow

vs

OS OpenText SMAX #3 in Enterprise IT Management Software 9.1/10 Pricing on request · 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 6 features Visit OpenText

• ServiceNow ITSM fits best

  Enterprises prioritizing incident and ITSM workflows

• OpenText SMAX fits best

  Enterprises needing configurable ITIL service management

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Side by side

Feature	ServiceNow ITSM 9.4/10 Visit ↗	OSOpenText SMAX 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.1
Ranking	#1 in Enterprise IT Management Software	#3 in Enterprise IT Management Software
Best for	Enterprises prioritizing incident and ITSM workflows	Enterprises needing configurable ITIL service management
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Docs	Docs
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features ServiceNow ITSM 0/6 · OpenText SMAX 0/6
Endpoint management	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Patch management	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Asset discovery	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Service desk	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Identity and access	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Automation workflows	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Routes incidents through intake, assignment, prioritization, and resolution workflows Advanced adds major incident, on-call, change, and problem management Connects employee self-service across portal, chat, and mobile channels	Covers core ITIL processes, including incident, change, problem, and release management Codeless workflow configuration, automation, and native CMDB support Cloud or self-hosted deployment with Android and iOS apps
Cons	Pricing requires a custom quote through sales On-call management is not included in ITSM Foundation Its focus is ITSM rather than broad endpoint operations	Pricing requires contacting sales No permanent free plan; the hosted trial lasts 14 days The documented support channel is limited to documentation
Our verdict	ServiceNow ITSM brings incidents, service requests, changes, and problems into shared IT workflows. It is aimed at mid-market and enterprise IT organizations that want to coordinate service delivery, employee self-service, and incident… Read the review →	OpenText SMAX, now presented as OpenText Service Management, brings IT service workflows, configuration management, and related enterprise service processes into one suite. Its ITIL-aligned scope includes incident, problem, change,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• ServiceNow ITSM — where it wins

  • Routes incidents through intake, assignment, prioritization, and resolution workflows
  • Advanced adds major incident, on-call, change, and problem management
  • Connects employee self-service across portal, chat, and mobile channels

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires a custom quote through sales
  • On-call management is not included in ITSM Foundation
  • Its focus is ITSM rather than broad endpoint operations

• OpenText SMAX — where it wins

  • Covers core ITIL processes, including incident, change, problem, and release management
  • Codeless workflow configuration, automation, and native CMDB support
  • Cloud or self-hosted deployment with Android and iOS apps

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting sales
  • No permanent free plan; the hosted trial lasts 14 days
  • The documented support channel is limited to documentation

• ServiceNow ITSM9.4/10 · Pricing on request

  A workflow-based ITSM suite for organizations focused on service delivery and incident response.

  Visit ServiceNowFull verdict →
• OSOpenText SMAX9.1/10 · Pricing on request · 14-day trial

  A configurable ITIL-aligned suite for teams managing service, change, and asset workflows.

  Visit OpenTextFull verdict →