Top 10 change management software tools in 2025

Introducing change is essential to your organization's growth, but it also opens the doors to conflicts, disruptions, and risks. The change could involve a system upgrade, cloud migration, or AI integration, but without the proper tools, managing the associated risks can become overwhelming.

That’s where change management software makes all the difference. It provides structure, visibility, and control across every stage of the change process. Change management tools help teams plan, approve, and implement changes efficiently and without conflicts. This results in fewer outages, faster approvals, and stronger alignment with the best practices of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).

Let's explore the 10 best change management software tools of 2025 and help you find the right fit for your team.

What is change management software?

Change management software is a tool or platform that enables organizations to manage the change management process from start to finish in a streamlined, standardized manner. It helps your teams stay in control of change requests across your systems, infrastructure, and applications.

Enterprise change management software streamlines every stage of a change request in the following manner:

1. Request for Change (RFC): The system captures and organizes RFCs from IT Service Management teams, including incident and problem management, detailing the reason, risks, costs, and implementation steps.

2. Change evaluation and planning: Change managers use built-in risk and cost-benefit analysis tools to assess feasibility, prioritize requests, and develop structured rollout and back-out plans to minimize business disruptions.

3. Change approvals: The platform facilitates collaboration with the Change Advisory Board (CAB), gathering stakeholder feedback and securing approvals from decision-makers through automated workflows.

4. Change implementation and review: Integrated with release management, the software ensures smooth testing, deployment, and post-implementation reviews, capturing key insights for continuous improvement and knowledge management.

These tools are typically aligned with the ITIL change management process, the best-practice framework for IT Service Management (ITSM).

Why is change management software essential?

Implementing a formal change management process and supporting it with the right software is critical for maintaining stability and agility in IT operations. Poor change control is the leading cause of major IT failures in many organizations.

Here are some key reasons why change management software is essential:

1. Risk reduction and fewer outages: Change management software helps identify high-risk changes before implementation by analyzing their risks and enabling safety measures such as testing, peer review, and backup plans.

2. Increased success rates: According to research by Prosci, a provider of change management solutions, organizations with excellent change management are six times more likely to meet or exceed their project objectives. An ideal change management software ensures smooth rollouts and higher ROI.

3. Visibility and accountability: Change management software provides a centralized record of all changes, tracking what is being changed, who approved it, and when it occurred. Audit trails and documentation ensure accountability and compliance.

4. Consistency and process enforcement: Change management software ensures that every change goes through the proper steps, standardizing the change request process and implementation.

5. Faster approvals and improved collaboration: Change management platforms streamline the approval process with features like automated notifications and configurable workflows.

6. Knowledge and learning: Over time, the change management system evolves into a repository of past changes and outcomes. Teams can review this history to identify trends. Without a centralized system, such knowledge is often lost or not banked.

Change management software mitigates risk, improves success rates, and provides the governance and tracking needed for continuous improvement. Having a solid change management tool is a first step in any digital transformation.

How to choose the right change management software

Here are some key considerations and features to look for when evaluating change management software for your organization:

1. Risk management and automation: AI-driven risk analysis helps IT teams predict the impact of changes, identify high-risk deployments, and enforce best practices before implementation.

2. Seamless ITSM and DevOps integration: A change management tool must work in sync with ITSM platforms, service desks, and DevOps pipelines. Native integration with ITIL-based ITSM processes ensures that changes are appropriately tracked and linked to their root causes.

3. Ease of use and deployment: Complex tools often slow down adoption and increase dependency on IT specialists. The ideal solution should feature an intuitive interface, customizable drag-and-drop workflow, and a low setup time.

4. Change calendar and collision detection: A robust change scheduling system prevents conflicts and minimizes downtime. The best tools provide a visual change calendar, detect overlapping change windows, and issue collision alerts.

5. Built-in Configuration Management Database (CMDB) for impact analysis: A fully integrated CMDB allows teams to map dependencies, visualize affected assets, and make informed decisions about changes.

6. Speed of implementation and cost efficiency: While large enterprises may require complex, high-cost solutions, many organizations benefit from fast-to-deploy, scalable platforms with flexible pricing models.

Top 10 change management software tools in 2025

The top 10 change management software tools in 2025 provide innovative solutions to streamline change processes, enhance efficiency, and support businesses through seamless transitions.

1. Freshservice

Freshservice is an AI-powered, unified ITSM solution that includes a robust change management module. It’s a cloud-based, ITIL-aligned change management software solution known for its modern interface and AI-powered features.

Freshservice streamlines change control for organizations of all sizes, from fast-growing startups to large enterprises, by combining change, incident, problem, and enterprise asset and release management into a single platform.

Key change management features

1. Visual workflow designer: Freshservice offers a drag-and-drop workflow builder that enables you to design custom change processes without requiring any coding. This tool allows you to create tailored workflows that align with your organization's specific requirements.

2. AI-powered automation and insights: Freshservice’s Freddy AI agent enhances change management by automating routine tasks, providing predictive insights, and streamlining the approval process. Freddy AI also provides contextual insights and performance analysis, enabling teams to assess risks, flag potential issues, and ensure seamless transitions.

3. Integrated CMDB: The built-in CMDB serves as a single source of truth for all assets, simplifying change management while reducing risks.

4. Change calendar and collision detection: A calendar view shows all scheduled changes in a timeline, making it easy to avoid conflicts. The system alerts you if you attempt to schedule a change that overlaps with another on the same asset or if there is a blackout window. This ensures better coordination and minimal downtime.

5. DevOps and collaboration integrations: Freshservice integrates with popular DevOps and IT collaboration tools, including Azure DevOps, GitHub, Jenkins, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Developers can map deployment pipelines to change requests, and stakeholders can receive notifications and approve changes directly from chat platforms. This bridges the gap between traditional change management and agile workflows.

Pros

• Automated ticket routing for incident management - track and manage tickets from multiple channels with one inbox

• ITIL-compliant knowledge base to support agents and self-service

• Agent collision detection to ensure that multiple agents do not work on the same ticket by accident

• Easy-to-use dashboards

• 360-degree reporting and analytics

• Multichannel access

• AI and automation capabilities

Cons

• Limited customization in lower-tiered plans

What customers say

"Freshservice Helpdesk System has transformed our customer support operations and elevated our level of service. Its user-friendly interface, powerful features, and excellent customer support make it a must-have tool for any business seeking to deliver exceptional customer support. We are extremely satisfied with our experience and would highly recommend the Freshservice Helpdesk System to anyone in need of an efficient and reliable solution for managing customer queries." - Source.

2. ServiceNow

ServiceNow is a cloud-based ITSM platform designed for large enterprises seeking robust and scalable change management solutions.

Key change management features

• Automated change workflows to streamline and standardize the change process. This includes automating various process stages, such as approvals and documentation, while reducing the risks associated with manual processes.

• Change your calendar to plan and manage change windows, thus preventing scheduling conflicts visually.

• Customizable workflows to tailor the change management process to specific organizational policies.

Pros

• Enterprise-grade and AI-enhanced solution

• Scalable and customizable

Cons

• High cost and complex implementation make it ideal only for large enterprises

• Steep learning curve

• Overly complex for organizations with basic needs

What customers say

"ServiceNow started as a ticketing tool and has now become a tool for various purposes, from maintaining our assets to ordering multiple services with a single click, which can be tracked under a single portal." - Source.

3. Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management (JSM) by Atlassian is an ITSM solution tailored for fast-moving DevOps and IT teams.

Key change management features

• Configurable approval workflows to define and customize multi-level approval processes.

• Automated approvals to speed up the change lifecycle, introducing faster implementation of necessary changes.

• Change calendar for visual scheduling to prevent conflicts.

• Risk assessment tools for better decision-making.

• DevOps integrations for change automation.

Pros

• DevOps and agile-friendly

• Suitable for teams already using Atlassian tools

Cons

• Limited ITIL features in lower tiers

• Not an out-of-the-box solution; hence, it requires configuration

• Advanced workflows may require scripting or third-party plugins

What customers say

"The interface is straightforward, making it simple for everyone to find what they need without getting lost." - Source.

4. BMC Helix ITSM

BMC Helix ITSM is a cloud-based evolution of BMC Remedy, offering a robust, AI-powered change management solution built for large enterprises with complex IT environments.

Key change management features

• ITIL-compliant workflows for standard, regular, and emergency changes.

• AI-powered risk prediction and approval automation, helping teams implement changes rapidly and safely.

• Change calendar with impact visualization and conflict detection.

• Multi-cloud and DevOps integration to streamline change control across diverse platforms.

Pros

• Enterprise-grade reliability with strong compliance controls but has a Legacy UI

• Deep CMDB integration for impact analysis

Cons

• Steep learning curve

• High cost best suited for organizations using BMC’s full ITSM suite

• Modifications can complicate upgrades and increase maintenance efforts

What customers say

"Very modernized tool to automate and manage your operations. It helps in tracking tickets, tasks, changes, and data." - Source.

5. Ivanti Neurons

Ivanti Neurons (formerly Cherwell) is a highly flexible ITSM platform that offers codeless customization and AI-powered automation, making it a strong choice for organizations seeking an adaptable solution for change management.

Key change management features

• Codeless configuration for workflows, approvals, and risk assessments.

• AI-powered risk analysis for better change decisions.

• Automated CAB and task management to reduce administrative overhead, improve coordination, and accelerate the change lifecycle.

• Security and IT integration for compliance-driven organizations.

Pros

• Customizable without coding, making setup easy

• Strong integration with IT security tools

Cons

• Admins need training to optimize workflows effectively

• A smaller market share compared to competitors such as ServiceNow

What customers say

"Out of the box, Ivanti Neurons for ITSM is a good product. We've found it to be very versatile and highly customizable to our environment. We've built integrations to automate things like employee onboarding and offboarding and other routine tasks." - Source.

6. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is an affordable and easy-to-use ITSM platform, offering ITIL-aligned change management for small to mid-sized organizations and departments within larger enterprises.

Key change management features

• Predefined change workflows with ITIL alignment.

• Configurable CAB and approval workflows to match your organization’s needs.

• Utilizes risk assessment tools to plan changes and minimize disruptions.

• Automated notifications and task sequencing to keep teams in sync.

Pros

• Budget-friendly with easy deployment

• Strong native integrations with other ManageEngine tools

Cons

• Limited advanced automation and analytics

• Scalability concerns for large enterprises

• Outdated user interface

• Not many third-party integrations

What customers say

"The centralized management of applications, patches, and updates makes ManageEngine a good system for our IT team." - Source.

7. SolarWinds Service Desk

SolarWinds Service Desk is a cloud-based ITSM platform offering ITIL-compliant change management in an easy-to-use, cost-effective solution for mid-sized IT teams.

Key change management features

• ITIL-compliant workflows to standardize and streamline change processes.

• CAB and change calendar for scheduling approvals.

• A self-service portal that enables users to request and track changes through an intuitive interface.

• Asset and configuration management for impact tracking and analysis.

Pros

• Quick deployment with an intuitive interface

• Cost-effective ITSM solution

Cons

• Limited advanced change analytics and multi-tier approvals.

• Focused on the SolarWinds ecosystem with fewer third-party integrations.

What customers say

"The tool is well thought out and has improved our helpdesk offering. Our technicians have better visibility of tickets and deadlines, and the reports provide really useful insights that aid in decision-making." - Source.

8. SysAid

SysAid is a cost-effective IT Service Management (ITSM) solution designed for small to mid-sized IT teams, offering flexible change management with both on-premises and cloud-based options.

Key change management features

• Workflow-based change processes with ITIL alignment to standardize and streamline change processes.

• Multi-level approval workflows with CAB support.

• Integrated CMDB for asset and impact tracking to map dependencies and assess impact.

• Automated change notifications for stakeholders

Pros

• Affordable and easy to use

• Available as both on-premises installation and cloud service

Cons

• Limited AI-driven analytics and automation

• Not ideal for large enterprises

• Limited advanced features and outdated UI

• Customization can affect upgrades

What customers say

"Simple easy-to-use interface, excellent customer support, and easy and detailed integration with existing infrastructure." - Source.

9. Serviceaide ChangeGear

ChangeGear by Serviceaide is a specialized ITSM solution with a strong focus on intelligent change management and AI-driven risk assessment, making it ideal for organizations that prioritize process automation and compliance.

Key change management features

• AI-powered risk scoring for change assessments to ensure smooth operations.

• Automated approvals to fast-track low-risk changes.

• Change the console for tracking and filtering requests.

• Preconfigured change templates for process consistency.

Pros

• Best suited for mid-sized enterprises, not large-scale IT environments

• Modern and customizable UI

Cons

• Lower market visibility with fewer third-party resources and trained professionals

• Complex API-based integrations

• Less suited for non-IT change management

• Smaller market presence with fewer third-party integrations

What customers say

"With Serviceaide ChangeGear, Serviceaide requests for IT have become less chaotic, more structured, and more predictable process" - Source.

10. Micro Focus/OpenText SMAX

Service Management Automation X (SMAX) is an enterprise-grade ITSM platform that offers AI-powered automation, ITIL-aligned workflows, and flexible deployment options for large-scale organizations.

Key change management features

• A no-code workflow designer for easy customization, making it easier to create applications.

• AI-driven risk predictions and approval automation.

• CMDB integration for dependency tracking.

• Release and deployment management for DevOps teams.

Pros

• Scalable enterprise ITSM solution

• Integration with DevOps and agile tools

Cons

• High cost, making it best for large enterprises

• Steep learning curve for setup and customization

• Less community support and third-party ecosystem

What customers say

"User-friendly UI with clear service category tags to make navigation easier. Full utilization of AI in IT Service Management and SMAX algorithms has great potential." - Source.

What to look for in change management tools in 2025

While most change management software offers basic tracking and approvals, top-tier solutions provide intelligent automation and deeper ITSM integration to optimize efficiency and reduce risk.

Here are key differentiators that set the best tools apart:

1. AI-Driven Risk Assessment and Smart Automation

Several leading advanced platforms use AI to streamline change management workflows. They offer:

• Automated risk scoring based on historical change success/failure rates.

• AI-powered recommendations for change approvals, flagging high-risk requests.

• Predictive insights on potential failures, suggesting rollback strategies.

• Automated approvals for low-risk, pre-approved standard changes to reduce manual workload.

2. DevOps and CI/CD Pipeline Integration

To bridge the gap between ITSM and agile development, leading platforms offer:

• Auto-creation of change records when a new code deployment is triggered in CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitHub, Azure DevOps).

• Real-time risk assessment for software deployments.

• Deployment pause mechanism for critical infrastructure changes that require additional approvals.

3. Smart Impact Analysis and CMDB integration

Understanding the full scope of change is crucial for preventing service disruptions. Advanced tools simplify this with:

• Automated dependency mapping using a built-in CMDB.

• Impact visualization to see which systems, applications, or services will be affected by a change.

• Auto-populated change records automatically retrieve related assets and incident history for informed decision-making.

4. AI-Powered Change Calendar and Collision Detection

Scheduling conflicts often result in system failures. Intelligent change calendars help avoid this by:

• Identifying conflicting changes on the same asset or service.

• Analyzing past incidents to suggest the safest deployment window.

• Automating change scheduling based on resource availability and blackout periods.

Choosing the right change management software for 2025

Change management is often considered a standardized and structured process, but it's more complex than that. Most organizations misjudge this and staff their change management teams inadequately or adhere rigidly to frameworks without making accommodations for the actual circumstances.

All organizations approach changes differently, and a system that applies strict rules without flexibility can be just as ineffective as having no system at all. That's why change management software must be flexible.

Freshservice combines automation and governance, enabling teams to respond to real-world needs, such as identifying high-risk changes, integrating with DevOps, and streamlining approval processes without delays. With Freshservice, IT teams can automate tedious work, streamline efficiency, and confidently manage changes.

Not sure which tools will work best? Compare key attributes here and embark on your Freshservice journey today.