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Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs ServiceNow comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.2
Oracle APEX accelerates app development, meeting ROI targets quickly, despite challenges in assessing ROI from brief usage periods.
Sentiment score
6.5
ServiceNow users experience varied ROI, with benefits in efficiency, process improvements, and scalability, despite high initial costs.
A project that might take several months in another language can be completed in just two months using Oracle Application Express (APEX).
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
They have removed the costs associated with on-prem infrastructure, including data center costs, power costs, and physical server costs.
General Manager at sPerception IT
The return on investment is good when implementing for ourselves and for other clients.
Service Now Developer at Bangmetric services pvt ltd
Manually, there are huge numbers that come up because these integrated tools help organizations make the right decisions with all the information in one place, while manual methods lack visibility.
Associate Vice President at Wissen infotech
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
Oracle APEX support is robust with ample resources and a vibrant community, though some face slow resolution times and regional constraints.
Sentiment score
7.0
ServiceNow's customer service is praised for responsiveness but faces criticism for inconsistency, with mixed reviews on support speed.
There are lots of people readily available to help with any doubts or questions.
Senior Software developer at QV Systems
Whenever I encounter an issue and raise an SR to Oracle, I receive a fast response from their side.
Trainee Technical Consultant at simplelogic
There are many forums where I can gather answers and a very well-prepared documentation that Oracle provides.
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
The support is exemplary and deserves a perfect rating.
Team Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Obtaining support for maintenance is the current challenge because they don't have a presence in the local market.
General Manager at sPerception IT
Whenever we have had issues, they have provided good support, and those issues have never recurred.
Vice President Delivery & Operations at Rezilyens
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Oracle APEX is scalable for small to medium applications, handling high user counts well with proper hardware and configuration.
Sentiment score
7.4
ServiceNow scales efficiently for diverse organizations, accommodating extensive users and operational needs, with cloud deployment enhancing flexibility.
Oracle Application Express (APEX) exhibits excellent scalability as it can handle growing workloads and user numbers very well.
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
There are no limitations or performance issues with ServiceNow; it is cloud-based, so it is highly scalable and performs well.
General Manager at sPerception IT
It is capable of vertical scaling with no issues.
Team Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
ServiceNow's scalability is very good as it can be deployed in each environment.
Consultant at National Australian Bank
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Oracle APEX is widely regarded as stable, with high satisfaction ratings despite minor issues during version transitions.
Sentiment score
7.7
ServiceNow is praised for its stability, reliability, and scalability, with performance issues mostly due to user-side factors.
Oracle Application Express (APEX) is stable in my experience.
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
It is cloud-based, so it is highly scalable and performs well.
General Manager at sPerception IT
I haven't faced any issues with stability; I've rarely seen any downtime.
Solution Engineer - Digital Platform | Mobile at British American Tobacco
ServiceNow is stable enough.
Service Now Developer at Bangmetric services pvt ltd
 

Room For Improvement

Oracle APEX requires improvements in offline functionality, database integration, performance, mobile support, UI customization, and comprehensive documentation.
ServiceNow needs to improve pricing, user interface, reporting, customization, support, mobile app, third-party integration, and automation features.
If I want to create an application for mobile or offline use, Oracle Application Express (APEX) might not be the first choice since it requires a constant connection to the database.
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
The user interface needs to be improved.
Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS
Using AI to analyze data without needing much code would be better.
Senior Software developer at QV Systems
It makes no sense in my opinion, and they should offer the team at the front to help customize the product to fit each company's needs, as every company has different demands and forms of submitting a request that need adjustment over time.
Manager of Security Engineering & Architecture at a outsourcing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
My priority points for improvement are the UI glitches and modern AI technology integrations for faster incident management.
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
There is a need for bug or error tracking in ServiceNow.
Team Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Oracle APEX is free with Oracle Database but can be costly due to database licensing fees, offering trial options.
ServiceNow pricing is high and complex, but many justify it due to comprehensive features and negotiation flexibility.
ServiceNow's pricing can be justified if more functionality is required.
Service Now Developer at Bangmetric services pvt ltd
ServiceNow does come with a price.
Associate Vice President at Wissen infotech
ServiceNow is expensive for all regions.
Security Architect at وزارة الثقافة Ministry of Culture
 

Valuable Features

APEX enables fast app development with low-code ease, strong integration, user-friendly interfaces, and efficient web-based solutions.
ServiceNow offers adaptable, customizable cloud-based ITSM solutions with seamless integration, intuitive interface, and robust analytics enhancing productivity.
Oracle Application Express (APEX) has positively impacted my organization by being very fast compared to other languages and products.
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
Oracle APEX is very easy to use and comes with a lot of ready-made components that speed up the process of creating reports and dashboards.
Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS
The ability to quickly develop applications without needing to code a lot is very valuable.
Senior Software developer at QV Systems
ServiceNow provides a wide range of functionality, covering all the necessary modules, unlike Jira which is primarily for IT.
Service Now Developer at Bangmetric services pvt ltd
Automation capabilities are impressive, bolstered by a vast repository of out-of-the-box connectors and plugins that facilitate integration with various applications worldwide.
Security Architect at وزارة الثقافة Ministry of Culture
The features of ServiceNow that I find most valuable include its ability to easily access ticket details if you know the ticket number, monitor the timeline of when the ticket was created, and see the current status.
IT infra Admin at synu
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Application Express ...
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
62
Ranking in other categories
Development Platforms (2nd), Low-Code Development Platforms (4th)
ServiceNow
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
225
Ranking in other categories
Help Desk Software (1st), IT Asset Management (1st), IT Service Management (ITSM) (1st), No-Code Development Platforms (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 5.9%, down from 8.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow is 6.2%, down from 11.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rapid Application Development Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
ServiceNow6.2%
Oracle Application Express (APEX)5.9%
Other87.9%
Rapid Application Development Software
 

Featured Reviews

Dominik Grabiński - PeerSpot reviewer
Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius
Fast low-code web development has transformed how I build complex data-driven business apps
Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a very great tool that is easy to learn but hard to master. The level of entry is very low, but the longer I work with this platform, the more I understand how it works and the great things I can create. For example, I can create report graphs and handle a lot of data across many levels. It's a great application to start with, and when I have experience in Oracle databases, I can utilize Oracle Application Express (APEX) as a front-end tool for the Oracle database. Oracle Application Express (APEX) helps me create reports and graphs by providing a plethora of out-of-the-box solutions that I can use. For example, I can upload data to and from the database, upload photos, create maps, and create various report types such as Interactive Report and Interactive Grid where I can manage, edit, and delete data. I have many solutions that are very helpful and ready to use right away from Oracle Application Express (APEX). My favorite feature of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is the Interactive Report because it's a straightforward report that I can create using a simple query or by selecting a particular table from the database. In the action button behind it, I have many great features that I can use out of the box, including graphs and download options for Excel files. There are many sorting functionalities and accounting features. The Interactive Report is a very great tool for quickly displaying interesting data to clients. Oracle Application Express (APEX) has positively impacted my organization by being very fast compared to other languages and products. For example, I don't have to build a site from the ground up, nor do I have to create tons of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because Oracle Application Express (APEX) offers many built-in solutions. When I want to create a button, in another language, I would need to create it from scratch. In Oracle Application Express (APEX), I can simply use what's available out of the box. It's a very fast platform with many built-in components that I can utilize right away.
MT
Manager of Security Engineering & Architecture at a outsourcing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Seamless data integration and advanced automation improve service delivery efficiency
I think that nothing needs to be improved with the product; you just need the user to commit and spend appropriate time to overcome that learning curve. Once that is done, the product itself is pretty wonderful. I've seen a very nicely built interface with ServiceNow, and I've also seen the ugliest version that feels outdated. ServiceNow does allow that team to exist. They should modernize their fonts and their layout, the UI friendliness. They did introduce AI, chatbots, and AI on the back end, so that's wonderful and extremely useful if you train it. If you don't train it, it's pretty useless. Assessing the impact of ServiceNow's automation on service delivery times is complicated. The engineers who operate on ServiceNow find it isn't straightforward because the data set is accessible by everybody. The problem is that understanding how to manage that data set requires an enormous amount of engineering skill set to run the product. I would not hand the key to the customer; I would highly recommend that ServiceNow take control of that. Instead of offering support for the software, they should offer administrative support for the software. They should provide professional service or some kind of support system that allows us to use their product at a faster pace. I'm sure they offer something, but it's often outrageously expensive, or they rely on another company to resell their product and offer professional service. It makes no sense in my opinion, and they should offer the team at the front to help customize the product to fit each company's needs, as every company has different demands and forms of submitting a request that need adjustment over time.
report
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise28
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business55
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise168
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?
I don't have a straightforward answer regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Oracle Application Express (APEX) because the clients pay for this, not me. I'm the developer hired by one co...
What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?
I chose to rate it a 9 out of 10 because no application is perfect for everything. For instance, if I want to create an application for mobile or offline use, Oracle Application Express (APEX) migh...
Which solution is better for developing non-ITSM applications: OutSystems or Service Now?
The short answer is that OutSystems is far better for 2 main reasons. Firstly, with Service Now you are locked into that platform for good. The business model is to lock in and then keep pumping th...
Would you choose ServiceNow over Microsoft PowerApps?
Hi Netanya, I will choose ServiceNow because ServiceNow is a very good tool compared to Microsoft PowerApp. Because ServiceNow has a very strong module (Performance Analysis) reporting which will ...
What do you like most about ServiceNow?
The solution has a user-friendly interface.
 

Also Known As

Oracle APEX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne
AAA, AstraZeneca, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Broadcom, Christus Health, Epicor, Equinix, GE Capital, Intuit, KPMG, Loyola Marymount University, OshKosh, Quantas, RedHat, Royal Bank of Scotland, Swiss Re, U.S. Department of Energy, Safeway, Yale University, and Zillow    
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. ServiceNow and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.