Asset Panda is a cloud-based IT asset management software platform. It helps businesses track and manage their physical assets from anywhere. Its standout feature is a customizable interface that adapts to your workflows, so you don't have to change your processes. The platform allows unlimited users on any plan, making it great for organizations that want to boost adoption.

During our testing, we were particularly impressed with its mobile features. Asset Panda includes built-in barcode scanning and GPS location tracking for assets. You can customize fields, workflows, and reports easily, even without coding skills. This empowers non-technical users to tailor the system to their needs. However, we noticed that the website lacks clear pricing. New users must request quotes based on the number of assets they want to track.

The software provides real-time visibility into asset status, location, and lifecycle history. This helps organizations make better decisions about maintenance, replacement, and use. We found the reporting tools to be strong, allowing us to create custom reports on asset depreciation and maintenance schedules. While the initial setup has a learning curve, Asset Panda's customer support and onboarding help ease the transition.

All in all, Asset Panda offers great value. It improves accountability, reduces asset loss, and streamlines workflows. The company claims customers see an average 800% ROI, which seems believable based on our observations. Although the mobile app sometimes has syncing issues and lacks full offline functionality, the platform’s strengths make it a solid choice for businesses wanting to modernize their asset management.

Asset Panda: Plans and pricing

Asset Panda does not show pricing on its website. Instead, potential customers must contact sales for a custom quote based on their needs. The pricing mainly depends on the number of assets tracked, not the number of users, which is unlimited for all plans. We found that plans usually start at about $1,500 per year for small businesses tracking fewer than 500 assets. Enterprise pricing increases based on asset volume and custom implementation needs.

The company offers a 14-day free trial that provides full access to the platform's features. This allows organizations to try its capabilities before making a commitment. We like that Asset Panda includes unlimited cloud storage, custom fields, and mobile app users in all plans. This avoids the extra charges seen with some competitors. Customer support, training resources, and regular updates are part of the subscription price. However, organizations needing more help can purchase premium onboarding and dedicated support packages for an extra cost.

Asset Panda: Features

Asset Panda provides a full set of tools for asset management. These tools help organizations track, manage, and optimize their physical assets throughout their lifecycle. The platform is flexible and supports various industries, including IT, facilities management, healthcare, education, and construction. Here are some standout features we found during testing.

Customizable workflows

Asset Panda's flexible workflow engine lets users tailor the platform to fit their processes. We created custom fields, forms, and actions for our test environment without coding skills. The system has role-based permissions that manage what user groups can see and do. This ensures data security while promoting collaboration between departments.

Mobile functionality

The mobile app is one of Asset Panda's best features. It offers almost all the desktop functions in a touch-friendly design. The built-in barcode scanner worked well with different asset tag types. Plus, capturing photos and attaching them to asset records was very helpful for documentation. The GPS tracking feature records location data when assets are scanned or updated. This creates a useful audit trail of asset movements.

Asset lifecycle management

Asset Panda tracks assets from start to finish. It covers procurement, deployment, maintenance, and retirement. The platform lets you schedule maintenance, track warranties, and monitor depreciation in one place. We appreciated the automated alerts for maintenance deadlines and warranty expirations. These alerts help avoid costly mistakes.

Integration capabilities

The platform provides strong integration options via its API and ready-made connectors for popular business systems. We personally tested the integrations with G Suite for user authentication and Zendesk for managing support tickets about asset issues. Plus connecting Asset Panda with accounting systems like QuickBooks and ERP platforms lets asset data move smoothly between key business systems. All of this cuts down on redundant data entry and boosts accuracy.

Asset Panda: Analytics

Asset Panda's reporting tools offer clear insights into asset use, status, and financial performance. You can access both pre-built and custom reports. The dashboard is user-friendly, making it easy to view key metrics, such as asset distribution by location, maintenance status, and upcoming expirations. You can save reports for quick access and set up automated email delivery to stakeholders. This keeps everyone informed without extra work.

The platform’s filtering and grouping options let users analyze asset data in various ways to spot trends and find optimization opportunities. For example, you can create custom reports on depreciation forecasts, maintenance costs by asset type, and utilization rates across departments. The report builder may have a small learning curve for complex analyses, but even simple reports offer valuable insights.

Asset Panda: Ease of use

Asset Panda has a clean and modern interface that's generally easy to use. However, the many customization options can be overwhelming for new users. Still, the platform balances power and usability well. It features logical navigation and helpful tooltips for common tasks. Your team can customize dashboards based on their roles, which helps streamline the experience. That way, team members see only the information relevant to their jobs.

The mobile experience is impressive. It offers almost all the features of the desktop version in a touch-friendly format. During our testing, we liked how easily we could switch between devices while maintaining access to key data and functions. The setup process does take time to customize fields, workflows, and permissions, but the implementation team is there to help new customers.

Asset Panda: Support

Asset Panda provides support through email, phone, and live chat during business hours. We were impressed by their quick response times. Their knowledge base is extensive, with detailed articles, video tutorials, and step-by-step guides for common questions and use cases. We especially appreciated the regular webinars and training sessions. These sessions cover basic functions and advanced features, like custom report building and workflow automation.

Asset Panda: Security

Asset Panda prioritizes data security. They use industry-standard measures like SSL encryption, regular security audits, and role-based access controls to keep customer information safe. And the platform runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS), which offers strong infrastructure security and compliance certifications like SOC 2 Type II.

We particularly liked the detailed permission settings during our evaluation. These settings let administrators manage what information different user groups can access, modify, or report on based on their roles at the company. This helps organizations maintain data integrity while promoting collaboration.

Asset Panda: The Competition

AssetCloud by Wasp is an affordable option for small businesses needing simple asset tracking. However, it doesn’t offer the extensive customization that Asset Panda does. EZOfficeInventory and Snipe-IT have similar core features at competitive prices. Snipe-IT even has an open-source option for groups that can self-host.

For enterprises using ServiceNow or IBM Maximo, their asset management modules integrate well with IT service management. However, they usually come at a much higher cost.

Organizations focused on IT asset management may prefer Lansweeper or ManageEngine AssetExplorer. These tools offer better automated discovery for networked devices. UpKeep and Fiix excel in maintenance management, which is important for groups prioritizing equipment uptime.

Asset Panda is flexible and serves many purposes, but these specialized tools can provide deeper functionality in certain areas. But they may lack the all-in-one appeal that Asset Panda has for managing diverse asset types.

Asset Panda: Final Verdict

Asset Panda offers a strong and customizable asset management solution. It adapts to many tracking needs across various industries. Its unlimited user model, mobile features, and customization options provide great value. However, pricing is not clear, and it has a steep learning curve. For organizations that rely on spreadsheets or outdated systems, Asset Panda brings a mix of flexibility and structure. This can change how assets are managed throughout their lifecycle.

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Ezo is a surprisingly straightforward IT asset management software for inventory across multiple locations. The platform provides clear visibility into asset lifecycles, from acquisition to retirement. Its clean interface avoids overwhelming users with unnecessary complexity. We were impressed with how quickly we could implement the system during testing and start tracking equipment without extensive training.

The software shines in its asset tracking capabilities. It allows you to assign equipment to users and maintain accountability throughout the organization. During our tests, Ezo's QR code scanning worked flawlessly, making check-ins and check-outs a breeze. The reporting tools offered meaningful insights into asset use, though the dashboard could have been more intuitive for first-time users.

Ezo does have some weaknesses in its mobile experience. We noticed a few performance issues during testing. There was lag when processing multiple items at once, but the mobile interface feels less polished than the desktop version in general. Despite these minor drawbacks, the overall value remains strong. Especially for remote businesses with inventory management needs across multiple locations, Ezo could be a keeper.

Ezo's preventive maintenance features were a point of highlight during testing. They help you schedule and track regular equipment upkeep. We appreciated the automated alerts for upcoming maintenance tasks, which could extend the lifespan of assets. Being able to generate custom reports also helps you analyze inventory data on demand. However, we wish there were more advanced filtering options for different scenarios.

Ezo: Plans and pricing

Ezo has a tiered pricing system for businesses of all sizes. The Basic plan starts at $9.99 per user monthly (billed annually). It includes core asset tracking, limited to 500 assets, and basic reporting. But we found that the Professional plan at $19.99 per user monthly offers the best value. It provides unlimited asset tracking, advanced reporting, and maintenance scheduling, which greatly improved our asset management workflow.

Enterprise pricing comes through custom quotes. This includes extra features like API access, dedicated support, and custom integrations with current business systems. Ezo also offers a 14-day free trial for all new users. All plans come with free updates and standard customer support. However, premium support is only available at higher tiers.

Ezo: Features

Ezo offers a complete set of asset management tools that can simplify inventory tracking and maintenance scheduling for any organization. We found the platform's easy-to-use interface very helpful quick implementation across departments. But beyond that, here are the features that stood out to us the most:

Asset tracking

The core asset tracking feature lets you document equipment details, location, and user assignments. We were impressed by how easily we could create and attach QR codes to physical assets. This could make check-ins and check-outs much more efficient. The system also retains a full history of each asset, including maintenance records and location changes.

Maintenance management

Ezo's maintenance scheduling feature was a big hit during our testing. You can set recurring maintenance tasks based on time or usage. The system automatically generates work orders and notifies team members. This could help you avoid costly repairs and extend the life of your assets by addressing issues early on.

Mobile accessibility

Ezo has a mobile app for teams working in the field or from different locations, available on both iOS and Android. It manages basic tasks like asset scanning, status updates, and location changes well in most cases. The option to take photos of assets and link them to inventory records could be helpful during equipment audits. But, we noticed synchronization delays in areas with weak connectivity and the app lacks many features available to desktop users.

User management

The platform has a strong user management system in place. It lets administrators assign specific permissions and access levels to team members. We loved the option to create custom roles that fit different organizations. Plus the audit trail feature tracks changes per user, assisting with compliance.

Ezo: Analytics

Ezo's reporting features offer detailed insights into asset use, maintenance history, and inventory status. In our tests, the pre-built report templates met most of business scenarios. They provided quick access to depreciation schedules, maintenance compliance, and asset allocation metrics. Being able to schedule automated report delivery via email was a nice touch.

A custom report builder lets you create tailored analyses. You can select specific data points and visualization options to answer specific business questions. We liked the easy drag-and-drop interface. It allowed us to build complex reports without any SQL knowledge. However, we found that generating reports with very large datasets sometimes slowed performance. Some optimization here could help organizations with extensive inventory records.

Ezo: Ease of use

We found Ezo's interface very easy to use. We were able to set up quickly and start tracking equipment without much training. QR code scanning worked perfectly during our tests. It made asset check-ins and check-outs much faster than manual methods. However, some user reviews mention an initial learning curve, especially when using the advanced search function.

Ezo's mobile app offers key features for teams in the field, but we noticed some performance issues during testing. We liked being able to take photos of assets and attach them to inventory records during audits. This can be very helpful for keeping accurate documentation.

But despite a few minor UI issues, our overall user experience was intuitive. Most professionals can quickly adapt to the platform's main features, then explore advanced use cases over time.

Ezo: Support

Ezo provides various support options: email, phone, and chat. Their team is available on weekdays from 7 am to 5 pm US Eastern time. They also offer after-hours help for urgent issues.

In our evaluation, we found the customer service team very responsive. They typically reply within the same day and focus on finding solutions to our questions. Each license includes up to 90 minutes of onboarding help. This allowed us to quickly learn key features like asset tracking workflows, reporting capabilities, and best practices to optimize our processes.

Ezo: Security

Ezo shows a strong commitment to security with several key certifications. These include ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, and CSA STAR Level 1 certification. Plus the platform runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS), a top cloud computing service known for its strong security measures.

Ezo: The Competition

There are several alternatives to Ezo, like Asset Panda, Sortly, and GoCodes. Each has similar asset tracking features but with different pricing and capabilities.

Asset Panda is a cloud-based platform that excels in warranty tracking and multi-location management. Sortly specializes in inventory management, offering great expiration date tracking and reminder features. GoCodes stands out for its strong equipment tracking and workflow management, appealing to organizations that want to prevent lost or stolen tools.

Ezo's pricing places it in the mid-range compared to its competitors. But ultimately, choosing the right platform depends on specific needs. Ezo generally offers a good balance of functionality and value for most business asset management needs.

Ezo: Final Verdict

Ezo offers a strong asset management experience. It balances ease of use with effective tracking. The platform shines particularly in showing asset lifecycles. Key features include QR code scanning, maintenance scheduling, and reporting tools that give insights into asset use.

We found some limits in the mobile app, plus some user interface areas could use an upgrade. Still, the overall value is high. Especially for businesses facing inventory challenges across many locations or with remote workers.

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Zluri provides a comprehensive software asset management platform that helps IT teams see and control their SaaS applications from start to finish. We found it great for discovering apps across the organization, even the most elusive shadow IT. During our tests, Zluri's easy-to-use dashboard helped us track usage, manage licenses, and optimize spending on a range of business software.

The platform's main strength is its discovery engine. It uses 9 different methods to ensure 100% SaaS discoverability. We were impressed by how quickly Zluri connected with existing systems like SSO, financial tools, and browser extensions. The automated workflows for onboarding and offboarding employees can save your IT team a lot of time. It automatically manages access based on employee status changes, too.

Cost optimization is another area where Zluri excels. It helps you spot underused subscriptions and duplicate apps. We liked the renewal monitoring feature, which tracks end dates and sends reminders. This prevents missed renewals and opens up chances for negotiation. AI-powered license forecasting helps with budgeting, allowing your team to make informed decisions about software.

Setting up Zluri needs some initial time, but the responsive customer support team makes it easier than you might expect. We found the multi-level access certification workflows very helpful for compliance. They ensure no access issues are missed. While the platform could use more detailed documentation and more integrations for niche apps, Zluri's ongoing improvements suggest these issues will be resolved in future updates.

Zluri: Plans and pricing

Zluri has a flexible pricing model based on employee count. Plans start at about $4-8 per user each month for their core SaaS management platform. The pricing includes Standard, Professional, and Enterprise options. Higher tiers come with extra features like advanced automation, custom integrations, and dedicated support.

In our testing, the Professional plan stood out for mid-sized organizations. It strikes a good balance of features and value. This plan gives access to key tools such as application discovery, license management, and basic workflow automation.

Zluri also offers a free trial. This lets organizations test the platform before subscribing. We liked the clear pricing model — there were no hidden fees or surprises during our evaluation. For larger enterprises, Zluri offers custom pricing. This can be tailored to include specific modules or integration options based on needs.

Zluri: Features

Zluri's complete SaaS management platform has many strong features. During testing, we found it great for spotting shadow IT and improving workflows for IT admins. Here are the key features that stood out during our evaluation:

Application discovery and management

Zluri's discovery engine was very effective at finding SaaS apps used in our testing, even those not approved by IT. We were impressed by how the platform connected with our financial systems, SSO providers, and browser agents to build a complete app inventory. The central dashboard simplified categorizing apps, tracking usage metrics, and spotting security risks. This gave us clear visibility into the whole SaaS landscape.

Automated workflows

The workflow automation features reduce admin work by simplifying onboarding, offboarding, and access management. The pre-built workflows were easy to customize, allowing us to automate license assignments and access revocations.

Another great thing is that the platform integrates with HR software systems, so employee status changes automatically trigger updates to software access. This reduces security risks and keeps you compliant with internal policies.

License optimization

Zluri's license management features uncovered major cost-saving opportunities in our sample portfolio. The platform's analytics showed us underused licenses, duplicate subscriptions, and chances to consolidate or downgrade. We especially liked the renewal calendar, which gave alerts for upcoming renewals. This could help the procurement team negotiate better and avoid unwanted auto-renewals.

Compliance safeguards

The security and compliance features give lots of useful insights into vulnerabilities in a software ecosystem. We found the risk assessment dashboard particularly helpful for spotting applications with poor security practices or compliance issues. The access certification workflows make it easy to review user permissions, so that regulatory requirements can be met even with less administrative work.

Zluri: Analytics

Zluri's analytics offer deep insights via data visualization into SaaS usage, spending, and security. The easy-to-use dashboards provide both broad overviews and detailed views. This helps IT admins spot trends, anomalies, and chances for optimization quickly. We found the spend analytics especially useful. They clearly visualized costs by department, application category, and time period. This helped us find ways to combine redundant tools and renegotiate contracts.

User-level analytics give clear insights into application adoption and engagement across the organization. We were able to track inactive users, find power users, and monitor license usage. This data could help you make smart choices about resource allocation. The customizable reports also generate specific insights for different stakeholders, making it easier to get to the issues you care about.

Zluri: Ease of use

Zluri's user interface balances strong functionality with an easy-to-use design. This makes it friendly for teams new to SaaS management. The dashboard is clean and organized, showing key metrics at a glance. You can navigate it easily to get detailed views for specific applications, departments, or users. During testing, we were able to master the interface quickly, after only a brief orientation. Contextual help features also offer useful guidance for complex tasks.

The platform’s workflow automation cuts down the learning curve even more by simplifying common tasks that usually need several steps. We liked the smart design of the application discovery process, which can integrate with various data sources without coding. Some of the advanced features, like custom integrations and complex workflows, need technical skills however. Still, Zluri offers templates and wizards to make these features easier to access.

Zluri: Support

Zluri provides different support options based on pricing plans. All customers can access email support, knowledge base resources, and regular webinars. In our evaluation, we found the support team to be both responsive and knowledgeable. They usually reply to inquiries within a few hours and offer clear, actionable solutions. The platform's implementation specialists are especially helpful during setup. They give personalized guidance for integrating with your systems and customizing workflows to meet your needs.

Zluri: Security

Zluri shows a strong commitment to security. It has SOC 2 Type II certification, regular penetration testing, and robust data encryption for data both in transit and at rest. The platform's handling of user permissions is also pretty robust. It offers granular role-based access controls, letting organizations define what team members can see and change in the system based on their jobs.

Zluri's clear security documentation was another highlight during our research. But it doesn't just commit to these security standards for its own platform. Zluri can proactively spot security risks in your existing SaaS ecosystem. This includes applications without proper security certifications or those storing sensitive data.

Zluri: The Competition

Zluri has many competitors, including BetterCloud, Torii, and Productiv. Each has its strengths and focus areas.

BetterCloud excels in workflow automation and has been around longer. However, Zluri's discovery engine is better at spotting shadow IT. Its interface is also more user-friendly for daily tasks.

Torii offers similar core features, focusing on automated workflows and a sleek interface. Still, Zluri stands out with stronger financial optimization and vendor management.

Productiv is all about application engagement analytics and benchmarking. This appeals to organizations that value adoption metrics and ROI analysis. For enterprises using ServiceNow, Productiv's SaaS Operations Management module provides integration benefits. However, it lacks the same depth and specialization as Zluri.

While each competitor has unique strengths, Zluri provides the best mix of discovery, cost optimization, workflow automation, and ease of use.

Zluri: Final Verdict

Zluri delivers on its promise of great SaaS management. It offers strong discovery features, an easy-to-use interface, and useful cost optimization tools.

During our evaluation, we found the platform excels at finding shadow IT, improving workflows, and giving insights to optimize software spending.

The initial setup does take time and resources. Some advanced features can be harder to learn. Still, Zluri's ongoing improvements and helpful support team make it a strong option for organizations with a complex tech stack.

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Spiceworks offers a complete IT service management solution that's packed with features — for free. We found it very easy to set up, needing little configuration to manage tickets. The clean interface is very easy to navigate, but the ads can be a bit distracting.

The ticketing system is central to Spiceworks' functions. It lets your team track and manage IT support requests via email and a customizable self-service portal. We liked the automated notifications and response templates. They made the overall workflow smoother and improved communication with users. The platform also has useful asset management tools that work well with the help desk, giving you a full view of our tech setup.

Spiceworks impressed us with its strong reporting tools and customization options. However, we did face some performance issues during testing. Sometimes, the system took longer than expected to restart after shutdowns. We also experienced a few moments where the app became unresponsive. Despite these issues, the overall value is compelling, especially for smaller organizations with tight budgets that don't need enterprise-level features.

The cloud-based version of Spiceworks replaced the desktop app after December 2021. It provides the same core functions with the added benefit of access from anywhere. The mobile apps offered easy access to tickets, though they had limited functionality compared to the full web interface. For organizations looking for a free way into help desk automation, Spiceworks strikes a strong balance of features, usability, and community support. And for those wanting more than that, there's a Premium version at $6 per user per month.

Spiceworks: Plans and pricing

Spiceworks has a unique pricing model. It offers a free tier and a new Premium option for teams needing more features. The Core plan is free for up to 5 seats. There are no limits on tickets, users, or storage. This makes it great for small to medium-sized businesses with limited IT resources. Our testing showed this approach is clear and easy to understand. However, the free version does show ads, which can distract from support tasks.

For teams with 5 or more users who want an ad-free experience, Spiceworks offers a Premium tier. It costs $6 per seat per month. This option includes all the features of the free version without ads. It provides better value than many competitors in the help desk market. We liked that Spiceworks keeps its pricing simple with just two tiers. There are no complex features or hidden costs, making budgeting easy for organizations of any size.

Spiceworks: Features

Spiceworks offers a complete set of help desk tools for IT support teams. In our tests, we found the platform balances functionality and ease of use well. It has intuitive workflows without losing depth. Here are the standout features that impressed us the most.

Ticket management

The ticket management system is key to Spiceworks. It provides flexible options for creating, assigning, and tracking support requests. We found the email integration very useful. It automatically turns incoming messages into tickets while keeping the entire conversation history. The customizable ticket fields and status workflows let our team tailor the system to our needs. However, we sometimes wanted more advanced automation for complex routing scenarios.

Knowledge base

Spiceworks has a strong knowledge base feature. It helped our team cut down on repetitive support requests by offering self-service options. We liked how simple it was to turn resolved tickets into knowledge base articles. These articles included rich formatting, attachments, and internal notes. The platform also provides public and private knowledge base options. This lets us share some information with end users while keeping other documents for internal use only.

Asset management

The integrated asset management tools give clear insights into your IT infrastructure and support activities. In testing, the network scanning tool successfully found and listed our devices. It gathered detailed data on hardware specs, installed software, and warranty status. Linking tickets to specific assets helped our support team understand issues better. However, we noticed that the scanning sometimes missed devices or provided incomplete information.

Community support

Spiceworks has a unique advantage with its large IT community. This community acts as a support resource and a professional network. Our team often found answers to technical issues in the community forums. Thousands of IT professionals share advice and troubleshooting tips there. The link between the help desk and the community lets you search for solutions while working on tickets. This can save you a lot of research time.

Spiceworks: Analytics

Spiceworks offers strong reporting tools that show help desk performance and workload distribution. During testing, we found that the pre-built reports covered most key metrics we needed. These included ticket volume, resolution times, and support team performance. The dashboard gives quick insights through customizable widgets. However, we sometimes wanted more flexibility to create fully custom visualizations.

The platform also has advanced reporting features. You can add filters or mix filters to make reports that fit your needs. We liked generating reports that ranged from simple overviews of open tickets to detailed analyses of pending tickets over specific timeframes. For organizations needing deeper data analysis, Spiceworks provides a custom Power BI Desktop Data Connector. This tool lets you pull data directly from your Cloud Help Desk account and refresh it into your Power BI report template with one click after setup.

Spiceworks: Ease of use

Spiceworks has an easy-to-use interface. Even team members with limited tech skills found it simple to navigate. The dashboard gives a clear view of ticket status, recent activities, and key metrics. The menu structure is logical, making it easy to access different features. During testing, we liked the contextual help tips and the option to customize views. However, we sometimes had to click through multiple screens to finish tasks.

The ticket creation and management process is straightforward. It has clear status indicators and lets users quickly assign, prioritize, and categorize support requests. We found the email integration user-friendly. It allows users to create and respond to tickets without logging into the system. The knowledge base editor feels like a familiar word processor, making it easy to create and format documentation. However, the search function sometimes struggled to return the most relevant articles when using partial keywords.

Spiceworks: Support

Spiceworks offers different support channels, each with varying response times based on your tier. We found the knowledge base and community forums to be the most useful. They often provide solutions faster than direct support. Premium users enjoy priority email support, which has quicker response times. Free users can submit tickets but may wait longer for complex issues. The company also provides regular webinars and training resources to help users maximize the platform.

Spiceworks: Security

Spiceworks takes security seriously. They use industry-standard measures to protect sensitive help desk data. Our testing showed that the platform uses TLS encryption for data in transit. Regular security audits and SOC 2 compliance add extra reassurance. The granular permission system lets administrators control which team members can access certain information and perform specific actions. However, we would have liked more detailed audit logging to track user activities in the system.

Spiceworks: The Competition

For organizations looking for alternatives to Spiceworks, Freshdesk is a strong choice. It has a better ticketing system with advanced automation and a clean, ad-free interface, even at lower tiers. In our testing, we found Freshdesk's multichannel support and AI features to be more comprehensive. However, its pricing can rise quickly, especially as you add users and features, making it pricier than Spiceworks' Premium tier.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is another solid alternative, especially for larger organizations needing ITIL compliance and better workflow customization.

For teams focused on project management but with some help desk needs, Jira Service Management offers better integration with development workflows and more customization. Zendesk is also a strong competitor, providing better omnichannel support and advanced reporting tools, but it comes at a significantly higher cost than Spiceworks.

But for organizations on tight budgets, Spiceworks' free tier stands out for its functionality without any financial commitment.

Spiceworks: Final Verdict

Spiceworks offers great value as a help desk solution, especially for small to medium-sized organizations with tight IT budgets. In our testing, we saw that the platform balances functionality and simplicity well. It provides essential help desk features in an easy-to-use package that doesn't need a lot of training.

While the ads in the free tier can be distracting, and some advanced features from premium competitors are absent, the affordable Premium tier is a strong option. It makes Spiceworks appealing for growing teams that need dependable ticket management without overspending.

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All around, the monitor world has continued to flourish. People want better displays to work on, create on, game on, and consume on, and the prices continue to rise. So, it's worth noting when I find a budget monitor that I don't hate. Not everyone, in fact, very few, needs the biggest and best display.

Even with what I do, I barely need a high-resolution display. I could get most of what I do done on a 1080p screen if needed, or if the budget required it. There are quite a few drawbacks for choosing this kind of display, like screen quality in both picture and frame, the speakers sound like someone whispering into a soup can, but at the same time, if it gets the job done, and saves me a ton of money, why wouldn't I consider it?

And with that in mind, it's not hard to recommend the Acer Vero B247Y as one of the best business monitors for anyone looking for a budget display.

Acer Vero B247Y: Unboxing & first impressions

I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect much when I started unboxing the simple cardboard box that held the Acer B247Y monitor.

But once I opened it up, I noticed it had a DisplayPort cable, an HDMI cable, a power cable, a stand, and some nice documentation. I could put it all together before I realized what I was doing, and I was using it after mere moments of unboxing.

The monitor is incredibly light, so light that it doesn't make sense. Once I got this display on my desk, I pretty quickly threw it on a VESA mount monitor arm to get it positioned right where I wanted it, then I got to work using the display.

While it may feel like the exact monitor (probably not), my mom grew up on a corner desk littered with receipts connected via VGA to a tower pc that weighed more than I did, but it's not half bad when you consider the price.

Acer Vero B247Y: Design & Build Quality

The display build quality is mediocre despite the realization that this monitor can be found for under $100. It's super lightweight, which is great for moving it around, but it does not feel premium.

In fact, it feels like if I sneeze or cough too aggressively, it might fall down, which is why I added it to my monitor arm. The black plastic frame looks cheap, but it hides the cheap factor quite nicely since it's matted black.

The port layout is simple and easy to use. No frills, no add-ons, just video in. Sometimes, that's all you want, and with this guy, that's all you get.

Acer Vero B247Y: In use

Jokes aside, this monitor is good enough to get some business work done. I of course wouldn't use it for graphic design or much creative work, if any, but for Slack, documents, email, browsing the internet, Excel sheets, and so on, this display gets the job done for cheap. Especially if this monitor is not frequently used, sits in a high-traffic office area where it could get damaged, or if you are simply just working on basic tasks and don't require 4K at all.

Plus, since it's so cheap, you can spend that money on accessories, a better computer, or just simply save it for something else.

Moving on, I wouldn't recommend using this display for playing any audio of any kind. It's actually comical to me that they even tried adding speakers to this, coming in with a whopping two 2W speakers. I tried taking a video call through this and the speaking voices were terrible, music is worse, and I didn't dare try any sort of mixing audio levels for a video or project through this.

If you're looking for a simple monitor to get business work done that won't break the bank, then this is a monitor you should consider. It's a good budget option. But, if you're going to expect it to be great for gaming, consuming high-resolution content, color grading, or anything like that, I would look elsewhere.

Acer Vero B247Y: Final verdict

If you find yourself looking for "any monitor" within a budget, you should check out the B247Y as your budget solution.

It's great for budget setups, secondary setups, your old tower pc that just needs a display, a server display, replacing the monitor you just broke and don't want to pay for a replacement for, or for displays you are worried are going to quickly break for one reason or another.

Bump up the resolution with our round-up of the best 5K and 8K monitors for professional use.

All around, the monitor world has continued to flourish. People want better displays to work on, create on, game on, and consume on, and the prices continue to rise. So, it's worth noting when I find a budget monitor that I don't hate. Not everyone, in fact, very few, needs the biggest and best display.

Even with what I do, I barely need a high-resolution display. I could get most of what I do done on a 1080p screen if needed, or if the budget required it. There are quite a few drawbacks for choosing this kind of display, like screen quality in both picture and frame, the speakers sound like someone whispering into a soup can, but at the same time, if it gets the job done, and saves me a ton of money, why wouldn't I consider it?

And with that in mind, it's not hard to recommend the Acer Vero B247Y as one of the best business monitors for anyone looking for a budget display.

Acer Vero B247Y: Unboxing & first impressions

I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect much when I started unboxing the simple cardboard box that held the Acer B247Y monitor.

But once I opened it up, I noticed it had a DisplayPort cable, an HDMI cable, a power cable, a stand, and some nice documentation. I could put it all together before I realized what I was doing, and I was using it after mere moments of unboxing.

The monitor is incredibly light, so light that it doesn't make sense. Once I got this display on my desk, I pretty quickly threw it on a VESA mount monitor arm to get it positioned right where I wanted it, then I got to work using the display.

While it may feel like the exact monitor (probably not), my mom grew up on a corner desk littered with receipts connected via VGA to a tower pc that weighed more than I did, but it's not half bad when you consider the price.

Acer Vero B247Y: Design & Build Quality

The display build quality is mediocre despite the realization that this monitor can be found for under $100. It's super lightweight, which is great for moving it around, but it does not feel premium.

In fact, it feels like if I sneeze or cough too aggressively, it might fall down, which is why I added it to my monitor arm. The black plastic frame looks cheap, but it hides the cheap factor quite nicely since it's matted black.

The port layout is simple and easy to use. No frills, no add-ons, just video in. Sometimes, that's all you want, and with this guy, that's all you get.

Acer Vero B247Y: In use

Jokes aside, this monitor is good enough to get some business work done. I of course wouldn't use it for graphic design or much creative work, if any, but for Slack, documents, email, browsing the internet, Excel sheets, and so on, this display gets the job done for cheap. Especially if this monitor is not frequently used, sits in a high-traffic office area where it could get damaged, or if you are simply just working on basic tasks and don't require 4K at all.

Plus, since it's so cheap, you can spend that money on accessories, a better computer, or just simply save it for something else.

Moving on, I wouldn't recommend using this display for playing any audio of any kind. It's actually comical to me that they even tried adding speakers to this, coming in with a whopping two 2W speakers. I tried taking a video call through this and the speaking voices were terrible, music is worse, and I didn't dare try any sort of mixing audio levels for a video or project through this.

If you're looking for a simple monitor to get business work done that won't break the bank, then this is a monitor you should consider. It's a good budget option. But, if you're going to expect it to be great for gaming, consuming high-resolution content, color grading, or anything like that, I would look elsewhere.

Acer Vero B247Y: Final verdict

If you find yourself looking for "any monitor" within a budget, you should check out the B247Y as your budget solution.

It's great for budget setups, secondary setups, your old tower pc that just needs a display, a server display, replacing the monitor you just broke and don't want to pay for a replacement for, or for displays you are worried are going to quickly break for one reason or another.

Bump up the resolution with our round-up of the best 5K and 8K monitors for professional use.

Dell is one of those companies you immediately think of when trying to develop solid business monitor makers. Dell has been in the game for so long that it feels like they have been around since the beginning. Dell recently renamed their line-ups with a new tiered structure, looping in Pro, to help give users a better idea of what kind of monitor it is.

My first monitor I have been able to check out from Dell since this name change is today's review, the Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus. In short, it's one of the best business monitors, with great ports, color, and pixel density, all with a target for the business professional needing a high-resolution display with versatile options for various workspace setups.

Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus: Pricing and Availability

The Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus is available for purchase at $519.99 on Dell's website and from many major retailers.

Interestingly, I spoke with Dell about where most customers typically buy their monitors and laptops, and I learned that only a small percentage of Dell monitors are sold directly through Dell's website. The majority of sales occur through other retailers - and luckily, this monitor is widely available from stores and online retailers.

Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus: Unboxing & first impressions

Unboxing the monitor was as I expected it to be. Though the nomenclature has changed, the monitor is the same as I've seen from Dell before in terms of style and aesthetic. The only changes are the specifics regarding resolution, ports, and size.

Within the box there is the monitor, the power cable, a DisplayPort Cable, a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging and displaying your laptop, computer, or tablet, a USB-C to USB-A cable that could connect the ports on the monitor to a computer you have connected via HDMI or DP, and also the proper documentation, along with the stand too, of course.

The monitor itself is packaged securely with a sheet of foam covering the screen and a thin foam bag to wrap the monitor in as well, all to ensure that the monitor makes it to you safely.

Right off the bat, this monitor looks sleek, professional, and of high quality. It has super-thin bezels, and the standard Dell stand has simple up and down, pivot, and rotation options. Additionally, ports are always easily accessible, making setups with Dell monitors super straightforward and easy to use and work with.

Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus: Design & Build Quality

The Dell P2725QE is a beautiful display in nearly, if not all, regards. It's minimalist with thin borders, a crisp picture, and great color profiles. For most people, this is one of those monitors that works well. There are a few people who would not significantly benefit from this monitor.

Part of this is due to its high quality and solid build, part of it is just because of the design and how seamlessly this could fit into any environment. It has VESA mounting points to allow it to fit on a third-party mount easily, and if you don't want to add a stand, the one that this monitor comes with allows for rotation, height, pivot, and twisting.

Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus: In use

I've had this monitor on one of my team's desks for a few weeks now, and it has gotten a lot of use in that time. This has easily transitioned into a display we love to use and enjoy. It's built in USB-C port and PD charging is excellent for laptops, making it a one-cable solution, and even expanding as a hub so you can plug in other devices, external drives, and so on without taking another port (especially helpful if you have a MacBook with only two ports to start with.

Beyond that, and only an input swap away, I love how easy this is to use with a desktop through HDMI or DisplayPort. I can hook up a handful of devices and run them through one powerful display, not compromising on any use case, but maximizing your device use and productivity.

Another thing that I realized right away was the anti-glare screen. It's not perfect, and if there is direct light it will be annoying, but due to the finish of the monitor you can have sunlight or a lamp or an overhead light shining on the computer and not have it slow you down, effect you, or even bother you like you would feel with a standard monitor with a glossy, glass front.

We've used this monitor for just about everything in our testing, and it has held up fantastically. We have used it for light gaming, some photo editing, some browsing, and a lot of heavy productivity work. It's not only a great monitor for during business hours work, but it's also great for those who would love a chance to use their big purchase of a quality monitor for gaming and after-hours adventures as well.

For most people, this monitor is fantastic. Those with a niche probably don't grab this monitor, and there is better for what you may need for your role, but for the rest of us, this monitor is great.

Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus: Final verdict

The Dell Pro 27 P2725QE Plus is a serious choice for professionals who want a high-resolution monitor that provides better image quality and includes an abundance of connectivity and ergonomic features designed to enhance user comfort.

Although it is in a higher price range, the great mix of 4K resolution, USB-C with Power Delivery capability, and highly adaptable stand makes it well worth the investment for users who place a premium on productivity in their workflow.

Need more than 4K? We've rounded up the best 5K and 8K monitors you can get right now.

I've had a special place in my heart for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon series for a while now. I have personally reviewed Gen 11, Gen 12, and now Gen 13.

The Gen 12 was a nice upgrade from the Gen 11, and that trend continues with the Gen 13. So much so, that if I ever needed to move my primary machine away from Mac (stuck in Mac Ecosystem for many reasons for my primary machine), I would strongly consider this laptop as a business every-day machine.

It's got everything that a busy business professional could want or need. It has great ports, power, a good battery, excellent performance, and is lightweight and easy to carry. What more could you want from one of the best business laptops around?

I keep specifically saying that a business professional laptop is needed for a reason- that's what it is. With that being said, I will review this laptop. It's not meant to be a creative powerhouse, it's not meant for the developers who need maxed-out machines to process large warehouses and scripts, and it's not meant for the casual browser who might check their email and Google a few things.

This computer is intended for the business professional whose day-to-day work depends on their needs. Still, one thing is for sure: they need something reliable, able to jump in and out of work, portable enough to go from place to place, has a great port selection for what may come and whatever they may need, and the ease of use that comes with a ThinkPad. It might be one of the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops around - and it's definitely my favorite yet.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: Unboxing & first impressions

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 came in compact and secure packaging, much like all Lenovo devices I have reviewed. It came with a 65W USB-C charger, the proper documentation, and nothing else. It's pretty straightforward.

After my first look at this machine, I noticed that it reminds me of the other Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops I tested. They are all clearly in the same family. Beyond the comparison, it looks very sleek and professional, it's lightweight, portable, and built from clearly high-quality materials that I don't have to worry about breaking every day I take it out of the house.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: Design & Build Quality

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition is built from, as the name implies, carbon fiber and magnesium alloy, making a durable yet lightweight chassis while still allowing for a professional and premium feel as well.

The keyboard has the touchpoint in the middle as Lenovo Laptops do, and on top of that, it has a great backlit keyboard with excellent tactile feedback on every press, making it comfortable to use all day long. The ThinkPad's touchpad has integrated buttons on the top of the square, making it super easy to click, click and drag, right click, and so on from the touchpad or the touchpoint.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: In use

I could go on and on about using this machine for the last 137 days. During this time, I have had the X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura in a rotation with my other workhorse machines, and even so, this one has stood out among the rest. It's been a favorite to grab quick for a day working out and about, using when working from home, or taking on a short trip due to it's compact size yet blazing performance.

So far, it has handled multitasking and productivity for business tasks with ease. I have thrown my plethora of Chrome tabs with project management tools and large documents at it without a problem. I've run basic prompts through Postman, done some light photo editing, a lot of writing, emails, and some fun benchmarks, and so far this machine has not skipped a beat.

One thing that makes this machine special with that Aura edition is the inclusion of security parameters like how it will blur the screen, suggest a VPN, and prompt me if someone is looking over my shoulder while I am working out at a coffee shop or in a co-working space.

I love the 14-inch platform for laptops. I have had 12-inch laptops, 13-inch laptops, 15-inch laptops, 11 iPads, and so on, but the 14-inch is my absolute favorite. It's just the right size, the sweet spot even, between easy to carry and still having plenty of room on the screen for all your tasks, project management, virtual meetings, writing, and so on.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: Final verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition is a powerful option for professional individuals in need of a laptop that is not just lightweight but also durable and loaded with all manner of features. This computer is a fantastic component helping me do what I do.

Some people love all-in-one computers; some hate them. I've been in offices where every station has an iMac, in environments where everyone has a desktop with a monitor, in workspaces where everyone has a laptop, and in hot desk offices.

I always prefer to have what I need in my bag or a hot desk scenario, but for that workspace that makes sense, like a front desk, an admin's desk, or a simple in-room computer, for whatever reason, the best all-in-one computers make a lot of sense.

The goal is to have something that is simply all in one; there is no need for extra docks, monitors, adapters, or bulk. Just one display with a machine built into the casing is always there and ready to go. Simple.

That's where the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 thrives. It's a simple machine. However, that can also be its downfall if misused.

ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 is available on the Lenovo main site for $959.40. It's also widely available from online retailers, so you should have no trouble getting your hands on one.

ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5: Unboxing & first impressions

The Lenovo computers are always well packaged, ensuring no damage in transit or delivery. This model specifically had some odd instructions for assembly, though we were able to put the few pieces together to get this machine booted up and running as it should.

At first glance, this machine stood out as more modern-looking, with a professional leaning toward it. It's designed for an office space as a front desk unit or at a desk in a cubicle. The display, the center of an AIO unit, offers good color accuracy and brightness, though nothing ground-breaking with its FHD resolution.

The ThinkCentre M90a also comes with a bundled mouse and keyboard, though I'd suggest not using it, grabbing a decent Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and freeing up those ports.

In my initial feel test, setup, and first impression of this machine, it seems capable of what it's designed for. With ports to spare, this machine could be a true all-in-one, not needing extra docks or hubs to get the basics done as many computers need.

ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5: Design & Build Quality

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 has the build quality you'd expect if you have any experience with Lenovo products. It's built well, feels like it will last, and is relatively compact.

That compact design saves overall desk space because you don't need a monitor, a desktop, or a dock; all you have on the desk is the base to the AIO if even that. If you want to, you can VESA mount this machine and get it off the desk entirely.

If you choose to use the stand, it has adjustable tilt and height with some integrated cable management as well, helping to keep that tidy workspace even more.

ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5: In use

This machine is designed for basic admin and basic office work. In that sense, it handled those tasks efficiently and easily. I started trying to push it under the heavy load of my day, but I felt a bit slow. However, for the vast majority of users who could benefit from a Lenovo AIO machine, you'll be just fine with the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 capabilities.

I've been on a single monitor kick recently. I went through my phase of wanting as many monitors as possible, and many of my reviews around here will showcase some images from those days. However, recently, I have become a big fan of simplicity. I realized while using this machine that it doesn't get much simpler. It's just a machine that you can leave wherever you are. You have one power cable running into it, and you know it will always be there, ready to work when you are.

If you want to expand your screen real estate, there is an HDMI and a DisplayPort out, allowing you to plug into an external monitor and have even more room to work with. This would be great for a TV if you need to prep and present things in a conference room but don't want to mount a headless mini desktop behind the TV or if you have a desk running a menu board or display screen. Or, of course, it's also great if you just want to see what you are working on even better than before.

All around, this machine is solid for what it is; it's a simple productivity machine for business tasks that don't require a heavy computational load. For that, this computer is good, but this one feels a tad lacking in the world of high-performing, high-powered machines.

ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5: Final verdict

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 is an all-in-one desktop PC that blends nicely into professional settings.

It is an excellent model for use by someone with everyday computing demands since it makes for a streamlined and clean environment and gives users solid and steady performance one can rely on.

For people or professionals, though, who either need improved performance for their graphics or have specific requirements, this may not be the machine for you, and that's okay.

For more pro-level devices, we've reviewed the best business computers and the best business laptops for professionals.