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Comparison · Support
iTop vs Plain
A side-by-side editorial comparison of iTop and Plain — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
iTop vs Plain: at a glance
What is iTop?
iTop's 3.3 beta stretches the CMDB to containers and finally ships non-English sample data
The only substantive entry is the 3.3.0 beta, which adds an optional Container Management module introducing a Cloud class plus container image, application and cluster classes, and makes sample data installable in French and German alongside English. Sample users are created automatically but arrive disabled with expired passwords. The two other entries are internal designer build tags carrying single bug-fix references.
What is Plain?
Sidekick went from in-thread helper to an operator with skills and any MCP server it needs
Plain spent the last month converting Sidekick from an assistant that answers inside a thread into something that runs work on its own. It got a dedicated page as the first sidebar item, where sessions are started and the tools it can reach are managed. It can take actions across connected tools and inside Plain. Workflows now trigger it automatically when a thread matches conditions, and can run on a schedule with no thread at all. The two newest releases make it extensible: reusable skills authored once and shared workspace-wide, and connections to any MCP server rather than only Plain's built-in integrations.
iTop vs Plain: editorial side-by-side
iTop
2.5SUPPORT
iTop's 3.3 beta stretches the CMDB to containers and finally ships non-English sample data
◆ Current state
The only substantive entry is the 3.3.0 beta, which adds an optional Container Management module introducing a Cloud class plus container image, application and cluster classes, and makes sample data installable in French and German alongside English. Sample users are created automatically but arrive disabled with expired passwords. The two other entries are internal designer build tags carrying single bug-fix references.
◆ Where it's heading
The container work is iTop extending its configuration model to infrastructure its users have been running for years without a place to record it. Pairing that with localised sample data and pre-built test users points at reducing time-to-first-value during evaluation — the module and the onboarding polish are aimed at different audiences in the same release.
◆ Prediction
Expect further 3.3 betas before a general release, with the Container Management module likely staying optional while its class model settles.
Plain
7.5SUPPORT
Sidekick went from in-thread helper to an operator with skills and any MCP server it needs
◆ Current state
Plain spent the last month converting Sidekick from an assistant that answers inside a thread into something that runs work on its own. It got a dedicated page as the first sidebar item, where sessions are started and the tools it can reach are managed. It can take actions across connected tools and inside Plain. Workflows now trigger it automatically when a thread matches conditions, and can run on a schedule with no thread at all. The two newest releases make it extensible: reusable skills authored once and shared workspace-wide, and connections to any MCP server rather than only Plain's built-in integrations.
◆ Where it's heading
The sequence is deliberate: give the agent capability, then autonomy, then extensibility. With arbitrary MCP servers and workspace skills, the ceiling on what Sidekick can do stops being set by Plain's integration roadmap and starts being set by what each customer wires up and writes down. The support product around it is being reshaped to match — workflows are becoming the trigger layer for agent work rather than routing rules for humans, and shareable workflow links suggest those definitions are meant to circulate between teams.
◆ Prediction
Expect skills and MCP connections to converge into something packaged — shared or templated skill sets that ship with the tools they assume — and for the agent's autonomy to need governance next, since an agent that acts across arbitrary MCP servers on a schedule raises approval and audit questions the current releases do not address.
Alternatives to iTop and Plain
Other Support products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either iTop or Plain.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
Zoho's own LLM is being wired into ITSM one data center and one assist at a time.
Knowmax
Knowmax's feed is a thought-leadership blog arguing AI fails without knowledge — no releases in it.
ProProfs Help Desk
The tracked ProProfs Help Desk feed is an SEO blog — no product releases are visible in it.
Hatz AI
Hatz AI chases the model catalog weekly, but the MSP control plane is the real build.
Thread
Thread is making the ticket, not the channel, the place an MSP conversation actually lives.
Recent activity from iTop and Plain
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1d agoPlainSidekick connects to any MCP server ⚡
- 3d agoPlainSidekick gains reusable, workspace-shared skills ⚡
- 6d agoiTopiTop 3.3 beta adds container CMDB classes and localised sample data
- 8d agoPlainShare published workflows by link
- 18d agoPlainSidekick gets its own full-page home and tool controls
- 23d agoPlainWorkflows run on a recurring schedule
- 24d agoPlainSidekick starts work automatically on matching threads
- 8mo agoiTopDesigner build: licence handling with legacy extensions
- 10mo agoiTopDesigner build: XML redefine injection fix
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between iTop and Plain?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Plain is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 2.5), with 2 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is iTop better than Plain?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Plain is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 7.5 vs 2.5), with 2 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Support products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to iTop?
Top iTop alternatives in Support are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "iTop alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/itop for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Plain?
Top Plain alternatives in Support are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Plain alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/plain for the full list with editorial commentary on each.