BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management vs IFS Cloud Platform comparison

BMC and IFS are both solutions in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category. BMC is ranked #24 with an average rating of 7.0, while IFS is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.0. Additionally, 100% of BMC users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of IFS users who would recommend it.

BMC Helix Enterprise Servic...

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100% willing to recommend

IFS Cloud Platform

Read 30 IFS Cloud Platform reviews

4,136 Views
496 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

BMC Helix Enterprise Servic...

IFS Cloud Platform

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 2025

IFS Cloud Platform and BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management compete in the cloud enterprise solutions domain. IFS Cloud Platform may have the upper hand in customer support while BMC Helix is appealing with its broader feature set despite higher pricing.

Features: IFS Cloud Platform offers robust asset management, flexible configuration capabilities, and a focus on infrastructure versatility. BMC Helix is recognized for advanced IT service management, integration capabilities, and AI-driven service insights, offering superior scalability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: BMC Helix supports predominantly cloud-based deployment, simplifying scalability and maintenance with commendable support. IFS Cloud provides cloud and on-premises options, catering to more varied infrastructure needs, with support noted for its responsiveness, enhancing user satisfaction.

Pricing and ROI: IFS Cloud Platform generally offers more budget-friendly setup costs, with quicker deployment promising faster ROI. In contrast, BMC Helix, despite a higher initial investment, provides comprehensive functionalities yielding significant long-term value which can justify expenses for organizations focusing on advanced service management features.

To learn more, read our detailed IT Service Management (ITSM) Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

BMC Helix Enterprise Servic...

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

24th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

4.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IFS Cloud Platform

Ranking in IT Service Management (ITSM)

11th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

CRM (20th), Customer Experience Management (7th), Field Service Management (1st), Help Desk Software (12th), ERP (13th), Activity Based Costing Software (7th), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) (2nd), Local Government CRM (8th), IT Asset Management (10th), License Management (2nd)

Featured Reviews

Krishna Varchagall

Service Management Consultant at Tiberone

Utilize comprehensive IT service modules while addressing configuration database issues

There are several areas where BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management could be improved. Currently, ServiceNow has an edge when it comes to the ease of discovering Configuration Items (CIs). In BMC Helix, there are issues with the Configuration Management ( /categories/configuration-management ) Database (CMDB ( /categories/configuration-management-databases )), such as duplicate entries and problems with reconciliation. The recently introduced dashboard tool in Helix, which replaced Smart Reporting ( /categories/reporting ), has several issues. Reporting ( /categories/reporting ) has been a consistent problem in BMC, and it would greatly benefit from enhancements.

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Brendan Fisher

IFS Applications Consultant at Zest Business Process Management Ltd

Robust, customizable, and modern

IFS is a very large and complex software, and implementation of IFS can be challenging and may lead to a difficult lengthy project. It can take between 12 and 24 months in some cases to deploy. I have found that not all clients are fully aware of how big the task is that they're undertaking when they make a decision to move to software like this. Companies need to be more aware of the complexity of an ERP implementation project and while I fully recommend moving to IFS, it is not easy and does require business change when adopting an ERP solution. New features are a difficult ask - I work across multiple industries and everyone would probably choose a different feature. Maybe BIM in Construction or Customs link-ups for importers/exporters.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The support of BMC is generally good and better compared to some competitors."

"Some of the strengths are Enterprise Management Solutions and the series of Management solutions which is number one in Gartner's report and has been for the last five years."

"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine or ten out of ten since it is an extremely scalable solution that can be used for various use cases with thousands of users."

"The product is quite flexible."

"The most valuable features of IFS Applications in the latest version are the new user Arena interface. It's from Apps 9, but it brings more flexibility in usage, especially around different devices, such as mobile usage, which doesn't restrict you from using a computer. We are it for the HR side, and it's proving quite good. It has a new modern feel to it similar to a standard cloud application which enhances the user experience."

"I like the connectivity and interfaces. In V10, it's easy to modify the interfaces and layouts, but it's becoming more complicated in the cloud. IFS is excellent at asset maintenance and incident management. They have specialized modules for IFS that cover incident and asset management and everything else connected to finance. The reporting in IFS is also easy to use."

"IFS has been completely rebuilt, modernized, and cloud-based so we don't need bulky software installations."

"The most valuable features of IFS Applications are their intuitiveness and ease of use. The navigations are also straightforward, which makes it easy to train users. The feedback I always receive is that it is very user-friendly."

"One of our favorite features is the "Info-Zone", which provides operational intelligence in flight and in context to guide both business users and support teams to productivity."

More IFS Cloud Platform pros

Cons

"There are several areas where BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management could be improved. Currently, ServiceNow has an edge when it comes to the ease of discovering Configuration Items (CIs)."

"I have seen that one of the areas that my company has identified for improvement might be the rental management capabilities within the solution."

"We have upgraded to the latest version right now. We have issues with the quality. We tried to enroll in their Evergreen program which was meant to help us adopt any service update or anything that the tool’s providers come up with."

"The solution needs to improve its documentation and user-friendliness."

"Some kind of bot assistance, some kind of artificial intelligence to help people solve the problems, would be interesting."

"The integration is a bit complex, and post-implementation support services need to be improved. They have a service center based out of Sri Lanka. The support aspect is good, but the response time is a little slower than we anticipated. In the next release, it would be better if Warehouse Management could be improvised. They have a product line that's a data warehouse management system, but it's still premature and requires a bit of enhancement."

"The next version has already been released, and some of the technical things are a little bit behind the curve in development. This is specifically security, maintenance, security role maintenance, and creation. This is in their new product, called IFS Cloud."

"Technical support could be improved."

"The support provided by IFS Applications has room for improvement. I'm based in Poland, and when my company had an issue, finding people from IFS to give my company the support it needed was difficult."

More IFS Cloud Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The product is reasonably priced."

"We pay for a license to use the solution, which is not very expensive."

"Ask for all-inclusive pricing, as they are pretty flexible if you ask for custom models."

"Compared to SAP, the pricing for IFS Applications was very affordable. People using the solution would find that it's worth the money."

"Licensing is on an annual basis, with no additional costs."

"I consider it to be a well-priced solution compared to other mid-range or high-end ERP solutions."

"It is better to buy implementation services from IFS than from partners"

"There are varying license levels that you can purchase."

More IFS Cloud Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management?

While I am not very sure about the pricing, I have heard that the license cost of BMC is relatively lower than its competitors.

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What needs improvement with BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management?

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What is your primary use case for BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management?

I use BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management ( /products/bmc-helix-enterprise-service-management-reviews ) primarily for IT service management. It supports modules like incident management, change...

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What do you like most about IFS Applications?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine or ten out of ten since it is an extremely scalable solution that can be used for various use cases with thousands of users.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IFS Applications?

The product is reasonably priced. The costs are justified by the value provided, considering the comprehensive features and minimal need for customization. I rate the pricing a seven out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IFS Applications?

I am not able to recall much about batch. Documentation-wise, they need more. There is not much available online, and the documentation availability is on the lower side compared to other products,...

See all answers

Comparisons

No data available

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Compared 10% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

June 2025

BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management report

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Buyer's Guide

IFS Cloud Platform

July 2025

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Also Known As

No data available

IFS Applications, Assyst, IFS Cloud

Overview

BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management is a comprehensive platform designed to deliver advanced service management capabilities, enabling businesses to transform their operations with intelligent automation and robust integration features.

Companies looking to streamline their service processes will find BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management an invaluable tool. It offers innovative solutions to common challenges with capabilities that span multiple domains. The system fosters efficiency through AI-driven insights and integrates smoothly into existing IT environments, enhancing service delivery and customer satisfaction. This powerful combination of tools supports a proactive approach to service management, helping organizations to remain agile and responsive in a fast-paced business environment.

What are the standout features of BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management?

AI-Powered Automation: Enhances process efficiency and reduces manual intervention.
Multi-Cloud Management: Provides seamless integration and management across cloud platforms.
Service Catalog: Offers a comprehensive catalog to streamline service requests.
Intuitive Reporting: Delivers actionable insights through advanced analytics.
Collaboration Tools: Facilitates easier communication among teams.

What benefits and ROI should users expect?

Cost Efficiency: Reduces operational costs through automation and efficient resource management.
Improved Productivity: Enhances user productivity by automating repetitive tasks.
Faster Service Delivery: Increases speed and quality of service delivery.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Delivers better customer experiences through streamlined processes.
Scalability: Supports growth with adaptable solutions.

BMC Helix Enterprise Service Management is implemented across industries such as finance, healthcare, and retail. In finance, it enhances regulatory compliance and security. Healthcare organizations use it to improve patient service management, while retail companies benefit from streamlined logistics and inventory management.

BMC

IFS is the world’s leading provider of Industrial AI and enterprise software for hardcore businesses that make, service, and power our planet. Our technology enables businesses which manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused operations to unlock the transformative power of Industrial AI™ to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Industrial AI is IFS.ai.

IFS Cloud is a fully composable AI-powered platform, designed for ultimate flexibility and adaptability to our customers’ specific requirements and business evolution. It spans the needs of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Information Technology Service Management (ITSM), and Field Service Management (FSM). IFS technology leverages AI, machine learning, real-time data and analytics to empower our customers to make informed strategic decisions and excel at their Moment of Service™.

IFS

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

China Airlines, Electrolux Group, Babcock, Cimcorp, Sky, Multiplex, Veolia.

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

June 2025

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