Overview

Nova-Suite is an IT service management platform that brings service requests, incident and problem management, a knowledge base, change management, and CMDB functions together. It suits teams that want a self-hosted, full-featured system without per-agent charges, especially when they can manage deployment themselves. Its free Standard plan is unusually broad, but private-source licensing and priority support require a custom-priced commercial arrangement.

Key features

The employee portal combines a service catalogue with request submission, status checks, and knowledge articles. A contextual AI assistant can recommend articles, help create incidents, and autofill forms for employees and fulfillers. That mix can reduce routine friction on both sides of the service desk, though teams should weigh it against the effort of operating a self-hosted system.

For operations teams, incident classification, prioritization, routing, escalation policies, and real-time SLA breach predictions provide a connected workflow from intake to response. Reporting includes dashboards and workload views, with CSV export and API access for BI. The CMDB supports configurable CI classes, attributes, relationships, and impact visibility; change management adds CAB approvals and planning windows. These capabilities make Nova-Suite a plausible fit for teams that need service management tied to configuration and change control, rather than a request portal alone.

Integration is through a REST API with Swagger documentation and scheduled data-source imports. Deployment can be on the customer’s infrastructure using Docker or Kubernetes, or as managed cloud. The platform supports local authentication and OIDC single sign-on, including Google and Microsoft Entra ID. Its stated controls include PostgreSQL Row-Level Security for tenant boundaries, role controls, and audit logs. Bug reports and feature requests go through GitHub issues; licensing and deployment guidance can be requested through the site contact form.

Pricing

Plan	Price	What it includes
Standard	0.00 USD per free (billed Free forever)	Self-hosted full feature set, unlimited agents, employee portal, incident and problem management, knowledge base, change management, CMDB, REST API, SSO (Google / Entra ID), and community support.
Commercial	Custom pricing	Private-source licensing terms, deployment guidance, priority support options, and roadmap and integration discussions.

Standard’s no-cost, unlimited-agent model is a strong fit for teams able to host and maintain the platform; it does not impose a published seat cap or feature downgrade. The trade-off is community support rather than priority assistance. Commercial is for organizations seeking private-source modifications or a more direct support and planning relationship, but its price is custom.

Platforms

Nova-Suite supports web and API access, with self-hosted deployment on user infrastructure via Docker or Kubernetes; managed cloud deployment is also an option. This flexibility favors teams with deployment choice or infrastructure requirements, while self-hosting brings operational responsibility.

Who it's for

Small IT teams can start with the free plan and use the full feature set without agent limits. Larger rollouts may value its change approvals, CMDB impact visibility, and SLA controls, while organizations modifying the source privately should consider Commercial. It is less compelling for teams that need paid, priority support without negotiating custom terms, or that do not want to operate a self-hosted deployment.

Pros and cons

Pros

Broad free plan: Unlimited agents and the full feature set include CMDB, change management, SSO, and REST API access.
Connected ITSM workflows: Service requests, incidents, SLA escalation, configuration relationships, and change approvals sit within one platform.
Deployment choice: Teams can use Docker or Kubernetes on their own infrastructure or choose managed cloud.
Useful reporting paths: Dashboards and workload views are complemented by CSV export and API access for BI.

Cons

Self-hosting is the free-plan model: Teams need to take responsibility for running the system on their infrastructure.
Free support is community-based: Priority support options are part of the custom-priced Commercial offering.
Private-source licensing is not a standard free-plan right: Teams that need private modifications must consider Commercial.

Alternatives

Consider IT Change Management Software if change control is your primary buying criterion, AI IT Service Desk Software if AI-led service desk selection is the focus, or IT SLA Management Software if SLA management is the main requirement.

FreeITSM is another free option with no free trial and support for Linux, Windows, web, API, and self-hosting.
iSupport Service Desk is a paid alternative with a free trial and Android and iOS support; its Service Desk Edition includes mySupport free and unlimited branded portals and end users.
Giva ChangeManager is a paid option with a free trial; its Professional plan is 76.00 USD per year and supports up to 10 agents, 1,500 end users or customers, three service desks, and three email inboxes, with a five-seat minimum.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus has a free plan and a broader platform footprint, with monthly Standard and Professional plans at 13.00 USD per month and 27.00 USD per month respectively.
Freshservice is a paid option with a free trial; its Starter plan is 19.00 USD per month, billed annually, and includes knowledge management, task management, a support portal, and omnichannel support.
Vivantio is a paid alternative available on web, API, and self-hosted platforms.
GLPI offers a free plan and free trial, and its Public Cloud plan starts at 19.00 EUR per month per IT agent.
HaloITSM is a paid alternative with a free trial and options for large organizations.

Verdict

Choose Nova-Suite if you want a substantial ITSM suite with unlimited agents at no software charge and can take on self-hosting or use managed cloud. Its strongest case is the combination of service workflows, CMDB, change control, and SLA tooling in the free Standard plan. Look elsewhere if priority support or private-source licensing is essential but a custom-priced commercial arrangement is not a fit.

	Nova-Suite	USU Knowledge Management
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	api, Linux, self-hosted, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	—

Nova-Suite vs USU Knowledge Management

Nova-Suite

USU Knowledge Management