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Head-to-head · Enterprise IT Management Software

ServiceNow ITSM vs Puppet

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score ServiceNow ITSM #1 in Enterprise IT Management Software 9.4/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 6 features Visit ServiceNow
Puppet #6 in Enterprise IT Management Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 6 features Visit Puppet

ServiceNow ITSM leads on 0 checks, Puppet on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreServiceNow ITSM · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly Puppet
  • Most featuresPuppet · 1 of 6

ServiceNow ITSM scores higher on our rubric for enterprise it management software: 9.4 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #6.

Puppet offers free plan; ServiceNow ITSM doesn't.

ServiceNow ITSM is the better fit for enterprises prioritizing incident and ITSM workflows. Puppet is the better fit for enterprises automating infrastructure configuration.

  • ServiceNow ITSM fits best

    Enterprises prioritizing incident and ITSM workflows

  • Puppet fits best

    Enterprises automating infrastructure configuration

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Side by side

Feature ServiceNow ITSM 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Puppet 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.8
Ranking #1 in Enterprise IT Management Software #6 in Enterprise IT Management Software
Best for Enterprises prioritizing incident and ITSM workflows Enterprises automating infrastructure configuration
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — —
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Docs
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Enterprise
Features ServiceNow ITSM 0/6 · Puppet 1/6
Endpoint management Not checked yet Not checked yet
Patch management Not checked yet ✓ (best)
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
  • Enforces desired state and detects and remediates configuration drift
  • Combines patch workflows with policy-as-code and compliance reporting
  • Offers both agent-based and agentless automation across supported operating systems
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
  • Deployment is self-hosted
  • The free Developer plan is limited to fewer than 25 nodes
  • Commercial plan pricing is custom or handled through sales
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 →

Puppet is infrastructure configuration management and automation software for infrastructure and platform teams, particularly enterprises that need to define system state as code and apply it across servers and other infrastructure. It can…

Read the review →
  1. ServiceNow ITSMEnterprise IT Management Software 9.4Pricing on request
  2. PuppetEnterprise IT Management Software 8.8Free plan

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

  • Puppet — where it wins

    • Enforces desired state and detects and remediates configuration drift
    • Combines patch workflows with policy-as-code and compliance reporting
    • Offers both agent-based and agentless automation across supported operating systems

    Where it doesn't

    • Deployment is self-hosted
    • The free Developer plan is limited to fewer than 25 nodes
    • Commercial plan pricing is custom or handled through sales
  • ServiceNow ITSM9.4/10 · Pricing on request

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

    Visit ServiceNowFull verdict →
  • Puppet8.8/10 · Free plan

    Puppet enforces desired state, remediates drift, and supports compliance across infrastructure.

    Visit PuppetFull verdict →

More comparisons

All enterprise IT management software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update