Open source help desk software lets you download a ticketing system and run it on your own server, but the licence decides what you may change and share. Check whether it's AGPL, GPL or a mixed open core licence, then plan who'll handle hosting, backups and updates, because free to download is never free of upkeep.
The most common mistake with open source help desks is choosing from the feature tour. Ticket views, macros and SLA timers look much the same across this field. What doesn't look the same is the licence file sitting in each project's repository, and the server work that lands on your desk the moment you click download.
So this page is grouped by licence family rather than by feature. There are nine options, listed in no particular order beyond the alphabet, and none is crowned, because the right one depends on your team, your server skills and what you plan to change in the code.
Read the licence file before the feature list
Two things decide whether an open source help desk works for you, and neither shows up in a demo. The first is the licence. Three families turn up here: AGPL-3.0, the GPL versions, and a couple of others, one of which is open core, meaning most of the code is open but a folder of enterprise features sits under a separate licence. If you plan to modify the code, or offer the desk to other people as a service, those differences matter, so read the licence text itself rather than the word open source on a homepage.
The second is the name on the box. Three of the projects here share their name with a hosted or supported version run by the same company. That's useful if you want a fallback, but it means a search for the name can land you on the hosted product's pages when you wanted the free download. Check you're reading the community edition's documentation before you plan anything.
Licences at a glance
| Tool | Licence (per its repo) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Chatwoot | MIT, with a separately licensed enterprise folder | Live chat, email and messaging channels with a help centre |
| Frappe Helpdesk | AGPL-3.0 | Ticketing with SLAs, assignment rules and customer self-service |
| FreeScout | AGPL-3.0 | A shared mailbox help desk built on PHP and Laravel |
| GLPI | GPL-3.0 | IT helpdesk combined with asset inventory and a CMDB |
| osTicket | GPL-2.0 | Pulling email, phone and web-form requests into one queue |
| Request Tracker | GPL-2.0 | Heavily customised request, task and workflow tracking |
| UVdesk | OSL-3.0 | Ecommerce support with store integrations and a form builder |
| Zammad | AGPL-3.0 | Web-based ticketing you install on Debian, Ubuntu or Docker |
| Znuny | GPL-3.0 | An OTRS-style service desk with a long-term support line |
Three licence families and what each one asks of you
AGPL-3.0: share your changes, even over a network
Zammad, FreeScout and Frappe Helpdesk all list AGPL-3.0. In broad terms, the AGPL extends the usual copyleft idea to software people use over a network, so if you change the code and let customers or staff use your changed version through a browser, expect to share those changes. The first of those also sits beside hosted plans from the same company, and the second keeps its core free while selling extra modules separately.
GPL: the older copyleft family
osTicket and Request Tracker list GPL-2.0, while Znuny and GLPI list GPL-3.0. These are the long-running projects in the group: one has run for more than 25 years by its vendor's account, another continues the OTRS Community Edition, and the fourth leans towards IT asset management. The two GPL-2.0 projects both sit beside hosted or supported services under the same name, so the free download and the commercial service are easy to confuse.
The others: OSL-3.0 and open core
UVdesk releases its community edition under the OSL-3.0 licence. Chatwoot is MIT for most of its code, but anything in its enterprise folder carries a separate licence, which is what makes it open core. If you only run the MIT part, you're on familiar permissive terms; if you switch on enterprise features, you're under different ones.
The nine self-hosted desks, in no particular order
Chatwoot
Best for: Teams whose customers mostly message rather than email, wanting live chat, email, an AI agent and a help centre together in one self-hosted inbox.
Frappe Helpdesk
Best for: Support teams that need SLAs, assignment rules, customer self-service and reporting, with mobile access through a progressive web app.
FreeScout
Best for: Small teams leaving a hosted shared inbox who want a self-hosted mailbox help desk, with extra channels sold separately as add-on modules.
GLPI
Best for: IT departments that want tickets, asset inventory, licence tracking and a CMDB in one install rather than three separate systems.
osTicket
Best for: Anyone after a long-established ticket system that collects email, phone and web-form requests in one place, either self-hosted or run by its makers.
Request Tracker
Best for: Organisations with unusual workflows that want heavy customisation and a track record the vendor puts at more than 25 years, with hosting and training on offer.
UVdesk
Best for: Online shops and multichannel sellers wanting an open source helpdesk with tickets, tasks, a form builder and store integrations such as OpenCart.
Zammad
Best for: Companies happy to run their own Linux or Docker server who want web-based ticketing, with hosted plans from the same company if self-hosting stalls.
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Znuny
Best for: Former OTRS Community Edition users and IT service teams wanting a maintained fork with bug and security fixes and a long-term support release line.
What lands on your server once you install
Free to download isn't the same as free of effort. Whichever desk you choose, these jobs become yours:
- The server itself. A Linux box or a container host, sized for your ticket volume and kept patched.
- Email plumbing. Most help desks pull and send mail, so someone has to set up mailboxes, deliverability records and bounce handling.
- Backups and restores. A backup you've never restored is a hope, not a plan. Test one before you go live.
- Upgrades. Security fixes arrive on the project's schedule, not yours, and some upgrades need database migrations.
- Add-ons and integrations. Extra channels or modules can come from the vendor or the community, each with its own licence and upkeep.
- A fallback plan. If the person who set it up leaves, you need notes good enough for someone else to take over.
If that list looks like more work than your team wants, a hosted tool may be the saner route. Our guide to hosted help desks for small businesses covers that side, and if you're leaving a big ticketing suite, see these alternatives to Zendesk.
My advice before you install anything
Decide what you'll change in the code before you pick a licence family. If the answer is nothing, almost any project here will do, and you can choose on fit: IT service desk, shared inbox, live chat or ecommerce support. If you'll customise heavily or offer the desk to clients, read the AGPL and GPL terms closely and keep a record of what you've modified.
Then be honest about the server. If nobody on your team enjoys Linux, mail setup and upgrades, start with a project that also offers a hosted version under the same name, so you've got somewhere to move without migrating tickets twice. And set up a small knowledge base alongside whichever desk you choose, because every answered article is a ticket you won't have to handle.
Do you make self-hosted help desk software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Is open source help desk software free to run?
The code is free to download, but running it isn't free of effort. You host the server, handle email setup, backups, upgrades and security fixes yourself. Several projects also sell a hosted or supported version if you'd rather hand that work over.
What's the difference between AGPL and GPL for a help desk?
In broad terms, both are copyleft licences that ask you to share source code when you distribute modified versions. The AGPL goes further and covers modified software that people use over a network, which is how a help desk is used. Read the licence text and take legal advice if you plan to modify and offer the desk to others.
What does open core mean?
Open core means most of the code is under an open source licence, but some features sit in a separate part of the codebase under different terms. You can usually run the open part freely; the enterprise part has its own rules.
Do I need a developer to run a self-hosted help desk?
You need someone comfortable with a Linux server or Docker, email configuration and backups. That doesn't have to be a full-time developer, but it does need to be someone who'll be around when an upgrade or a mail problem needs fixing.
Can I move from a hosted help desk to an open source one?
Usually, though the route varies. Check whether your current tool exports tickets, contacts and articles, and whether the open source project you're moving to has an importer for that format. Run a trial import on a copy before you switch your support address.
Is an IT service desk different from a customer support help desk?
Yes. IT service desks focus on internal requests, assets and change management, while customer support desks focus on email, chat and self-service for customers. Several projects here lean one way, so check the entry and the table before you choose.
