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Head-to-head · IT Help Desk Software

SolarWinds Service Desk vs OTOBO

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 8 checks side by side
Higher score SolarWinds Service Desk #3 in IT Help Desk Software 9.1/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 7 of 7 features Visit SolarWinds
OTOBO #14 in IT Help Desk Software 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 7 features Visit OTOBO

SolarWinds Service Desk leads on 0 checks, OTOBO on 1, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 8 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSolarWinds Service Desk · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly OTOBO
  • Free trialonly SolarWinds Service Desk
  • Most featuresSolarWinds Service Desk · 7 of 7

SolarWinds Service Desk scores higher on our rubric for it help desk software: 9.1 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #14.

OTOBO offers free plan; SolarWinds Service Desk doesn't.

SolarWinds Service Desk is the better fit for enterprise ITSM with CMDB depth. OTOBO is the better fit for open-source service management.

  • SolarWinds Service Desk fits best

    Enterprise ITSM with CMDB depth

  • OTOBO fits best

    Open-source service management

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature SolarWinds Service Desk 9.1/10 Visit ↗ OTOBO 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 7.8
Ranking #3 in IT Help Desk Software #14 in IT Help Desk Software
Best for Enterprise ITSM with CMDB depth Open-source service management
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price $39/seat/mo Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Linux
Support Email, Live chat, Phone, Community · 24/7 Email, Phone, Docs · 24/7
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, 2FA GDPR
Integrations 200+ integrations 4 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features SolarWinds Service Desk 7/7 · OTOBO 6/7
SLA management ✓ ✓
Knowledge base ✓ ✓
Employee portal ✓ ✓
Asset management ✓ ✓
Single sign-on ✓ ✓
Approval workflows ✓ ✓
Mobile apps ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Visual CMDB and dependency mapping connect assets with incidents.
  • Incident, SLA, change, asset, and service-catalog workflows cover core ITSM.
  • Web, mobile, API, and integrations support distributed service operations.
  • Covers tickets, portals, knowledge, catalogs, SLAs, workflows and CMDB.
  • Supports self-hosted deployment on Linux with web and API access.
  • Connects with Active Directory, LDAP, REST, SOAP and external databases.
Cons
  • Listed pricing starts at $39 per technician per month with annual billing.
  • There is no free plan for ongoing use.
  • AI incident features are limited to the Premier plan.
  • Requires an organization to manage its own infrastructure and deployment.
  • Verified mobile and AI features are not part of its positioning.
  • Paid support and managed services are separate from the core software.
Our verdict

SolarWinds Service Desk is a cloud-based IT service management platform for IT teams and organizations supporting employees. It combines incident, problem, change, and release management with a service catalog, employee self-service…

Read the review →

OTOBO is a web-based, modular service management platform for IT and business departments, external service providers, and customers. Its scope spans incident and service-request ticketing, self-service request tracking, searchable…

Read the review →
  1. SolarWinds Service DeskIT Help Desk Software 9.130-day trial
  2. OTOBOIT Help Desk Software 7.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • SolarWinds Service Desk — where it wins

    • Visual CMDB and dependency mapping connect assets with incidents.
    • Incident, SLA, change, asset, and service-catalog workflows cover core ITSM.
    • Web, mobile, API, and integrations support distributed service operations.

    Where it doesn't

    • Listed pricing starts at $39 per technician per month with annual billing.
    • There is no free plan for ongoing use.
    • AI incident features are limited to the Premier plan.

  • OTOBO — where it wins

    • Covers tickets, portals, knowledge, catalogs, SLAs, workflows and CMDB.
    • Supports self-hosted deployment on Linux with web and API access.
    • Connects with Active Directory, LDAP, REST, SOAP and external databases.

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires an organization to manage its own infrastructure and deployment.
    • Verified mobile and AI features are not part of its positioning.
    • Paid support and managed services are separate from the core software.
  • SolarWinds Service Desk9.1/10 · 30-day trial

    A mature ITSM suite for teams that need CMDB, asset, SLA, and change-management depth.

    Visit SolarWindsFull verdict →
  • OTOBO7.8/10 · Free plan

    A broad, license-free service management platform for teams that can self-host.

    Visit OTOBOFull verdict →

More comparisons

All IT help desk software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update