🛟 customer support

Zendesk costs $69/mo.
These cost $0.

8 free alternatives to Zendesk, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

See the 8 picks ↓

Zendesk vs Free Alternatives Matrix

Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $69/mo

Alternative	Type	License	Where It Runs	Stars	Head-to-Head
Chatwoot	open source	MIT	Local or hosted	★ 36k	Zendesk vs Chatwoot →
Zammad	open source	AGPL-3.0	Local or hosted	★ 5.8k	Zendesk vs Zammad →
FreeScout	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 4.4k	Zendesk vs FreeScout →
osTicket	open source	GPL-2.0	Self-host	★ 3.9k	Zendesk vs osTicket →
Frappe Helpdesk	open source	AGPL-3.0	Local or hosted	★ 3.3k	Zendesk vs Frappe Helpdesk →
LibreDesk	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 2.7k	Zendesk vs LibreDesk →
Odoo Helpdesk One App Free	free	proprietary, free	Hosted	★ $0 forever	Zendesk vs Odoo Helpdesk One App Free →
tawk.to	free	proprietary, free	Hosted	★ $0 forever	Zendesk vs tawk.to →

The picks

6 open source · 2 free to use · ranked by fit

01
Chatwoot
open sourceMITLocal or hosted
36kaug 2026
A proper support inbox with chat, email and a help center; free software, billable server chores.
The catch vs Zendesk
It has less mature enterprise reporting, administration, marketplace integration and support operations than Zendesk, while self-hosting adds upkeep.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
mobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Hosted signup or Docker Compose
setup
Self-hosting requires a VM or Docker, PostgreSQL, Redis, SMTP, persistent or object storage, HTTPS, backups and upgrades
your data
Conversations, contacts and configuration in PostgreSQL; Redis handles jobs and cache; attachments use local disk or configured object storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit chatwoot.com ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 11 other apps →
02
Zammad
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted
5.8kaug 2026
A serious ticket desk with email, chat, SLAs and a knowledge base; setup is the first ticket.
The catch vs Zendesk
It is a serious desk but has a smaller marketplace and reporting ecosystem than Zendesk and a heavier self-hosted stack to operate.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Hosted signup or Docker Compose, Portainer or OS package
setup
Self-hosting normally means Docker plus PostgreSQL, Redis, Elasticsearch or OpenSearch, mail channels, a domain and backups
your data
Tickets and users in PostgreSQL, queue and cache in Redis, search in Elasticsearch or OpenSearch, and attachments in filesystem or object storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit zammad.org ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 8 other apps →
03
FreeScout
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
4.4kjul 2026
Email becomes an assigned team inbox with notes and collision warnings; the nicer modules open a wallet.
The catch vs Zendesk
It is primarily an email help desk, with fewer channels, weaker reporting and automation, and paid add-on modules where Zendesk is more integrated.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Upload the PHP application and run its Laravel web installer
setup
PHP and a web server, MySQL or MariaDB, cron, IMAP or SMTP or OAuth, backups and separately paid modules for several extras
your data
Mailbox, ticket and contact data in MySQL or MariaDB; attachments in application storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit freescout.net ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 3 other apps →
04
osTicket
open sourceGPL-2.0Self-host
3.9kjun 2026
Email and web forms become assigned tickets; dated, dependable and very much your PHP server.
The catch vs Zendesk
Its interface and workflows are dated and its automation, reporting, channel coverage and integration ecosystem trail Zendesk substantially.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Upload the release archive to a PHP and MySQL web server and run the installer
setup
PHP, MySQL, web-server permissions, inbound and outbound mail, cron and backups
your data
Tickets, users and messages in MySQL; attachments can be kept in the database or configured filesystem storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit osticket.com ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 3 other apps →
05
Frappe Helpdesk
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted
3.3kaug 2026
Tickets, SLAs and a knowledge base in a clean Frappe shell; the five-minute installer still leaves you the pager.
The catch vs Zendesk
It is younger and narrower in channels, reporting, marketplace integrations and enterprise administration than Zendesk.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Frappe Cloud signup or easy-install script, Bench or Docker
setup
Self-hosting requires Frappe Bench or Docker, MariaDB and Redis services, mail, a domain, backups and upgrades
your data
Tickets and knowledge-base data in the Frappe site database; attachments in site file storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit frappe.io ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 5 other apps →
06
LibreDesk
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
2.7kaug 2026
A modern email-and-live-chat desk in one compact stack, because apparently that was allowed.
The catch vs Zendesk
It is young and compact, with much less channel depth, reporting, marketplace integration and enterprise administration than Zendesk.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Docker or prebuilt binary with PostgreSQL
setup
Docker or a binary plus PostgreSQL, mail channels, a domain, HTTPS, persistent storage and backups
your data
Conversations, contacts, rules and settings in PostgreSQL; attachments live on the self-hosted instance or configured storage
checked
2026-08-10
Visit libredesk.io ↗Source Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 4 other apps →
07
Odoo Helpdesk One App Free
freeproprietary, freeHosted
A real hosted ticket desk for unlimited users, as long as Helpdesk is your one free Odoo app.
The catch vs Zendesk
It has less mature omnichannel support, reporting, marketplace integration and enterprise administration than Zendesk.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webthey host it
install
Hosted signup
setup
None for Helpdesk alone; installing another Odoo app ends the one-app-free arrangement
your data
Tickets, messages and attachments live in Odoo Online's managed database and filestore
checked
2026-08-10
Visit odoo.com ↗Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 9 other apps →
08
tawk.to
freeproprietary, freeHosted
Live chat, tickets, email, and a help centre for zero dollars; the tiny tawk.to badge pays the rent.
The catch vs Zendesk
Its ticketing, SLA, reporting, workflow and integration depth are much lighter than Zendesk's.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebthey host it
install
Hosted signup plus a JavaScript snippet or CMS plugin
setup
The website widget or plugin must be installed; removing tawk.to branding is paid
engines
tawk.to AI Assist; underlying models are not disclosed
your data
Chats, tickets and contacts live in tawk.to's cloud database until deleted; chat and ticket data can be exported
checked
2026-08-10
Visit tawk.to ↗Compare vs Zendesk →also replaces 9 other apps →

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers · Zendesk open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Zendesk?+

The top free alternative to Zendesk is Chatwoot (open source, MIT). A proper support inbox with chat, email and a help center; free software, billable server chores. Other popular Zendesk replacements include Zammad, FreeScout, osTicket.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Zendesk?+

Yes. Of the 8 free alternatives to Zendesk, 6 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Chatwoot (MIT), Zammad (AGPL-3.0), FreeScout (AGPL-3.0), osTicket (GPL-2.0), Frappe Helpdesk (AGPL-3.0), LibreDesk (AGPL-3.0).

How much does switching from Zendesk to a free alternative save?+

Zendesk starts at $69/month per seat ($828/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Chatwoot saves $4,140 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Zendesk clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Zendesk is NOT REALLY (use a free alternative, save the tokens). A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Zendesk, operate a small email and web support inbox with tickets and an audit trail. The hard boundary is omnichannel routing, marketplace, workforce tools, reporting, compliance, and support, plus channel integrations and support operations.

What is the catch when switching from Zendesk to Chatwoot?+

It has less mature enterprise reporting, administration, marketplace integration and support operations than Zendesk, while self-hosting adds upkeep.