Top pick: Zammad. Switching saves about $228 USD a year.
$228 USDa year
≈$325.06 CAD (converted from USD)
Every pick below has a free version.
3 alternatives
The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
Best for a full-featured open-source help desk
Free to self-host under the AGPL. Hosted plans start at EUR 7 per agent a month. Self-hosting needs a server you maintain. Free version: Self-hosting is free. Hosted plans start at EUR 7 per agent a month, with a free trial.
Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
Best for a light shared inbox with email support
The core is free under the AGPL with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes. Extra features are lifetime-licensed modules, priced per FreeScout instance. Free version: The core is free with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes. Modules such as Workflows and Reports are paid lifetime licenses.
Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Best for a basic self-hosted ticket system
Free to self-host under the GPL v2. A long-lived tool with an older interface and fewer channels than Zendesk.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use Zendesk for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | Zammad | FreeScout | osTicket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tickets | |||
| Email ticketing and shared inbox | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SLA policies | Yes | NoNote 1No SLA policies in the core | YesNote 2SLA plans with grace periods |
| Automation | |||
| Triggers, automations and macros | YesNote 3Triggers, macros and schedulers | NoNote 4The Workflows module is a paid add-on | PartialNote 5Ticket filters, canned responses and auto-replies; no trigger builder |
| Self-service | |||
| Help center and knowledge base | YesNote 6Built-in knowledge base | NoNote 7The Knowledge Base module is a paid add-on | PartialNote 8FAQ-style knowledge base |
| Channels | |||
| Live chat, phone and social channels | YesNote 9Email, web form, chat, SMS, Telegram and social channels | PartialNote 10Email in the core; Live Chat and Facebook are paid modules | PartialNote 11Email, web form and API; no live chat or social channels |
| Reporting | |||
| Reports and dashboards | PartialNote 12Report profiles and dashboards; fewer built-in views | NoNote 13The Reports module is a paid add-on | PartialNote 14Dashboard statistics |
| AI | |||
| AI agent for ticket resolution | PartialNote 15AI features such as ticket summaries; hosted plans charge per AI call | PartialNote 16The site advertises AI features; some come from paid modules | No |
| Parity score | 86% | 29% | 57% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Reports and dashboards, AI agent for ticket resolution. See all feature gaps
Switching saves about $228 USD / ≈$325 CAD (estimated from the USD price) a year. Prices checked ; ≈ means converted from USD.
Based on Support Team, per agent. Price source. USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
Something wrong or out of date? Report outdated info.
Zendesk is a product of Zendesk, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Zendesk: Web, iOS, Android.