ServiceNow is quickly becoming more than just a software option – it’s becoming a platform for tech professionals to prosper on and for a community to grow around.
But how does it currently fare as a career option? And how can existing tech professionals working on other platforms transition over?
The State of ServiceNow in 2025
Last month, ServiceNow’s flagship conference, Knowledge, delivered key insights into how ServiceNow is performing as a company and what professionals and customers can look forward to in the near future.
Like many other organizations in the tech space, the ITSM leader is moving full steam ahead in the world of AI, announcing revolutionary tools such as AI Control Tower, AI Agent Fabric, and Apriel Nemotron 15B.
There’s also a lot of focus on training newcomers to the platform through the newly introduced ServiceNow University. This resource is an easy-to-navigate learning platform aimed at upskilling through the “science play of learning,” according to Jacqui Canney, Chief People and AI Enablement Officer at ServiceNow.
Financial Performance
As good as these developments may be, the crux of a platform’s success will always lie in its financial performance. Fortunately for ServiceNow, the outlook currently looks promising.
At this year’s Knowledge, ServiceNow announced that it is aiming to hit and exceed $1B in annual contracted revenue (revenue for ServiceNow’s AI product) by next year. This particular target relates to the generative AI product Now Assist, which currently has more than $250M in annual contract value, as reported by Bloomberg.
Evidently – much like ServiceNow’s competitors, Salesforce and Microsoft – AI is the way forward, and now that the company is firmly situated in the CRM space, the possibilities for further growth are aplenty.
How Is ServiceNow Performing Against Competitors?
Although ServiceNow isn’t a behemoth like Microsoft and Salesforce, its market cap and loyal customer base speak for themselves. Additionally, their latest results reflect rapid progression in the market.
The platform also has some key smaller competitors primarily in the IT space, including ITSM company BMC Software (Helix), IT asset management company Ivanti, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) company UiPath.
| Company | FY 2025 Revenue | Annual Growth Rate | Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) | Profit | Key Notes |
| ServiceNow | $11.47B | 21% | $22.1B RPO | Profitable | Strong AI-driven growth; expanding enterprise deals |
| BMC Software | Not disclosed | 18 consecutive quarters of ARR growth | Not disclosed | Private Company | Split into BMC and BMC Helix to focus on distinct markets |
| Ivanti | Estimated $5B | Transitioning revenue model | Not disclosed | Facing liquidity challenges | Undergoing restructuring; recent capital infusion |
| UiPath | $1.43B | 9% | $1.693B | Narrowing losses | Focused on agentic AI; recent acquisition of Peak AI |
ServiceNow continues to lead the way in enterprise workflow automation, with significant investments in AI and strategic partnerships enhancing its platform capabilities.
BMC Software, which has recently undergone a split into two entities (BMC and BMC Helix), is now focusing on more specific solutions in IT service management and operations, potentially accelerating innovation and delivering greater customer value.
Ivanti, like many other tech companies this year, is having to navigate financial restructuring, with efforts to stabilize operations and improve liquidity. Despite the struggles, the company’s focus remains on IT security and systems management software.
Lastly, UiPath is currently emphasizing growth in robotic process automation and agentic AI, expanding its offerings through strategic acquisitions and product development, with a keen focus on becoming an established player in the automation sector.
Enterprise Competitor Performance
When it comes to its larger enterprise competitors, ServiceNow finds itself in a unique position: it dominates its own market share (ITSM), but it still has to work to make a name for itself in the sectors it moves into, primarily Salesforce.
Salesforce currently holds 20.7% of the CRM market – far beyond the share of its competitors – so ServiceNow has a lot of work to do in that department. However, if the ITSM giant’s financial progress is anything to go by, then the future does look bright for it.
ServiceNow’s Q4 2024 revenue amounted to $2.9M, representing 21% year‑over‑year growth – an incredibly respectable number, especially for a less established company. Salesforce is a giant in its space, securing over $34B in revenue (FY25), but is now experiencing slower growth as it matures.
How Do Salaries Compare?
If we take a look at how salaries compare between ServiceNow and its biggest direct competitor, Salesforce, then it looks like this:
Note: These are averages for mid-level positions in these roles for the US, and can vary by location, company size, and more.
| Role | ServiceNow | Salesforce |
| Developer | $125,500 | $110,000 |
| Architect | $106,000-$152,000 | $125,000 |
| Engineer | $92,400-$147,000 | $108,000 |
| Business Analyst | $73,000-$109,000 | $102,000 |
Salaries between the two companies in these particular roles are similar, but ServiceNow does seem to offer at the top end of roles, which is something to consider when making switchover decisions.
What Do Public Opinions Look Like?
Although valuable, financial assessments only paints half of the picture, and ServiceNow is only successful if their customers believe it. For professionals curious about making the switch, they will be asking a few key questions: How does the technology compare to other platforms? What is the working culture like? What is the difference in job markets like?
One of the most popular platform switch-over routes is the Salesforce to ServiceNow pipeline, and on the r/servicenow subreddit, opinions on making the move from Salesforce to ServiceNow indicate that working with Salesforce was much more difficult to navigate than working with ServiceNow.
One user said that they had worked at Salesforce for nearly ten years, but admitted that the “grass [was] greener” over on the ServiceNow side.
“I was with Salesforce for approximately three years. Part of the Marketing Cloud team, especially worked extensively with Interaction Studio and Email Studio,” another user wrote. “Then moved away completely from it to ServiceNow.”
“In my experience, I’m enjoying the ServiceNow platform and its technology more than Salesforce. The UI experience is everything that is brand new. Also, market demand is great. I know Salesforce was focusing more on Data Cloud and AI stuff. The same is true with ServiceNow. Now Assist features are promising, and customers love its features.”
Another user explained the usefulness of knowing both technologies, saying that they were trained on generative AI Agents and administration for Salesforce and CSA for ServiceNow, working mainly on ServiceNow but able to easily switch between when needed.
Should You Make the Transition?
So, should you transition to ServiceNow from another platform? The short answer is that that decision should be made by the individual, and circumstances will be different for everyone, but Mark Orsborn, the SVP of Products and Solutions at The Whole Group, is someone who has made the switch, and says he’s really glad he did.
Mark, who had worked for Salesforce for 11 years and had been in their ecosystem for close to 17 years, worked his way up from a Principal Solution Consultant role to working as an Outbound Product Manager for Service Cloud. He was, unfortunately, one of the nearly 8,000 employees laid off in 2023.
“It was a tough time,” he told NowBen. “[It felt as if] there was no rhyme or reason to anything.”
Although Mark was quick to say that he couldn’t fault Salesforce and appreciated the way they treated him over the course of his career with them, he reflected that the situation forced a decision he had been contemplating anyway, as he needed a new challenge.
Mark’s transition into ServiceNow was thanks to networking and connections made in the Salesforce, SI, and wider tech space. He immediately joined The Whole Group, working for two serial entrepreneurs with a vision to grow a business focused on being the number one CRM and AI partner to take ServiceNow into business teams and outside the IT department.
Despite their collective Salesforce knowledge and expertise (one co-founder had built two Salesforce SIs and the other had sold them a product), they chose to focus entirely on ServiceNow as a pure-play partner because of a key USP. Everything is on one platform, one architecture, is underpinned by one data model and has one user experience – very different from Salesforce.
Understanding Different Technologies and Cultures
When asked about whether it was challenging to transition to a new technology like ServiceNow, Mark explained that ServiceNow felt intuitive and he was able to “quickly gain new certifications.”
“Fundamentally, they’re different platforms to configure and build on,” he said. “But if you’ve got the industry knowledge and understand the business process, the work is faster and more straightforward.”
On the culture side, Mark explained he felt something different and fresh with ServiceNow due to their lifecycle stage, stating that for ServiceNow, there is “such a runway ahead.”
“It feels to me like Salesforce 10-12 years ago when it was exciting – when it was really emerging into the enterprise,” he said. “I think for me, it feels like that journey all over again.”
Now, the biggest battle is finding others to make the same move.
“We need people,” Mark said. “Part of our challenge is finding good people – I can find people, but good people are hard to find.”
“If people want the change or fancy the change, I think it’s a great space to jump into. There are other companies that are doing really well – most of the AI companies are taking off – but at least with ServiceNow, there’s a real heartland to build upon. So it’s probably a safer bet than some others whilst also being a great time to ride the wave of explosive growth they are seeing.”
Final Thoughts
It’s clear that ServiceNow is a platform and a technology that has a lot of growth potential. Their community is building, and curiosity about making the move continues to spread day by day.
For many, the conclusion is that although there is no perfect time to transition into a new tech sector, and that circumstances vary greatly, ServiceNow is currently in both a healthy and exciting position. The road ahead is embryonic, job prospects seem strong, and there is a lot to learn – now may be the best time to really give it some consideration.