Category Verdict · Help Desk · Free and Open Source
The best free and open source help desk software
You do not always need a paid seat to run good support. We ranked six free and open source help desks on what they cost to run, how much you self host, and where the hidden fees hide, weighting real limits over feature lists.
Reviewed by M. HALLORAN·Updated JUNE 2026·How we vet
Tools compared6
Criteria weighted5
Last reviewedJune 2026
Paid placements0
How we ranked the field
Every help desk is scored against the same five weighted criteria, then judged on real plan limits and published pricing rather than a sales demo. See the full rubric →
Ease of use25%
Features and depth25%
Value for money20%
Integrations15%
Support and onboarding15%
01
RANK
★ Editor’s Choice
FreeScout
Best free shared inbox
The closest thing to a free Help Scout. A lightweight shared inbox you run yourself, with a Gmail like view your team already understands. The core software is free; add paid modules only when you need SLAs or surveys.
Free to self host
Email first inbox
Active modules
Verdict pendingFree to self host · modules from $2
89
OUT OF 100
02
RANK
Zammad
Best for process control
A polished open source desk with strong automation, audit trails and over 40 languages. Run it free on your own server, or take the cloud plan from 7 euro an agent a month when you would rather not manage hosting.
Verdict pendingFree self hosted · cloud from €7/agent/mo
88
OUT OF 100
03
RANK
Chatwoot
Best for chat first teams
Built for teams whose customers mostly message rather than file tickets. Live chat, a shared inbox and social channels in one open source app, with a free cloud Hacker tier and Captain AI on the paid plans.
Verdict pendingFree self hosted · cloud from $19/agent/mo
86
OUT OF 100
04
RANK
Zoho Desk
Best free cloud plan
Not open source, but the most generous free cloud tier from a major vendor: three agents, email ticketing, a knowledge base and mobile apps at no cost. Move up to Express at $7 an agent when you outgrow it.
The veteran open source ticketing system. The interface looks dated, but custom fields, SLAs, auto responders and a customer portal all work, free to self host. A managed cloud option starts at $12 an agent if you prefer.
Verdict pendingFree self hosted · cloud from $12/agent/mo
81
OUT OF 100
06
RANK
UVdesk
Best open source for stores
A free Symfony based desk aimed at online stores, with connectors for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and more. A good fit when support is tied to orders and you want to keep everything on your own infrastructure.
Verdict pendingFree open source · paid cloud plans
78
OUT OF 100
Pricing verified as of June 2026. Vendors change plans often · check the vendor for current pricing.