Is JSM similar to ITSM?

No, Jira Service Management is not the same as Jira Service Desk, but they are closely related.

Jira Service Desk was the original product launched by Atlassian in 2013 for IT service desk and basic ITSM needs, focusing on request management, queues, and customer portals.

Atlassian rebranded and evolved it into Jira Service Management around 2020-2021, adding advanced ITSM features like asset management (Insights), SLAs, incident alerts via Opsgenie, and broader support for non-IT workflows such as HR or facilities—while retaining all core Service Desk functionality.

Existing Jira Service Desk instances automatically upgraded to Jira Service Management, making the older name largely legacy, though some users and docs still reference it interchangeably.

Jira Service Management is Atlassian's enterprise service management platform, evolving from the original Jira Service Desk to provide comprehensive IT service management (ITSM) and support capabilities.

Alternatives to Jira Service Desk include several robust tools such as Easy Redmine HelpDesk, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Zoho Desk, SolarWinds Service Desk, and open-source options like Zammad and Redmine. These alternatives provide varying features like omnichannel support, automation, incident management, shared inboxes, customizable workflows, and knowledge bases.