# Hiver vs Frappe Helpdesk (2026): Free Alternative to Hiver

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/hiver-vs-frappe-helpdesk
Last updated: 2026-08-11

Compare Hiver (paid SaaS) vs Frappe Helpdesk ($0/mo open source AGPL-3.0 alternative to Hiver). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | Hiver | Frappe Helpdesk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | Paid | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | Paid | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | Paid | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | Paid | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | AGPL-3.0 |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Self-host |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Tickets in the Frappe site database, with public and private attachments in the site's files directories |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ 3.3k |
| Code Repository | None | https://github.com/frappe/helpdesk |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | It replaces Hiver's native Gmail workflow with a separate ticket queue and a Frappe server to operate. |

## About Frappe Helpdesk
Clean shared support queues, assignments and SLAs; installing Frappe is the first ticket.

- **Installation**: Run Frappe's easy-install script against the stable container image on a Linux server
- **Setup Notes**: A Linux server, domain/DNS, Docker or the easy-install script, and mail account configuration
- **Data Storage**: Tickets in the Frappe site database, with public and private attachments in the site's files directories
- **Supported Platforms**: web, self-hosted, self-host, real ops
- **The Catch vs Hiver**: It replaces Hiver's native Gmail workflow with a separate ticket queue and a Frappe server to operate.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Hiver to Frappe Helpdesk replaces paid vendor billing with a $0/mo free or open source solution.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Frappe Helpdesk a good free alternative to Hiver?
Yes. Frappe Helpdesk is a verified open source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Hiver. Clean shared support queues, assignments and SLAs; installing Frappe is the first ticket.

### What is the catch when switching from Hiver to Frappe Helpdesk?
It replaces Hiver's native Gmail workflow with a separate ticket queue and a Frappe server to operate.

## Related

- [All Hiver Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/hiver)
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- [email Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/email)
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