Zendesk alternatives · Help Desks
Open-source alternatives to Zendesk
Zendesk is not described as open source on its own site. 6 of the 66 other help desk and live chat tools in this directory are open source, according to their own sites.
Zendesk is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly). All of them are free or have a free plan.
6 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
How each one differs from Zendesk
- Free plan · from $19/mo
Chatwoot
Open-source support inbox you can self-host or use in the cloud
- Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated. Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Chatwoot has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Chatwoot also covers shared inbox.
- Free
FreeScout
Free open-source help desk and shared mailbox you host yourself
- FreeScout is free. Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- FreeScout has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- FreeScout is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- FreeScout also covers shared inbox.
- Free plan · from €7/mo
Zammad
Open-source help desk, hosted in Germany or run on your own server
- Zammad starts at €7 per agent / month, billed annually (€9 billed monthly). Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Zammad has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zendesk lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zammad is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Free plan · from $8/mo
UVdesk
Open-source help desk for online stores with hosted Pro and Enterprise
- UVdesk starts at $8 per agent / month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly). Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- UVdesk has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zendesk lists iOS and Android apps.
- UVdesk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Free plan · from $12/mo
osTicket
Open-source support ticketing, self-hosted or as a cloud edition
- osTicket starts at $12 per agent / month, for the cloud-hosted edition (billing basis not stated). Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- osTicket has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zendesk lists iOS and Android apps.
- osTicket is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Free plan · from $6/mo
Faveo Helpdesk
Help desk and service desk, cloud-hosted or self-hosted
- Faveo Helpdesk starts at $6 per agent / month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly). Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Faveo Helpdesk has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zendesk lists iOS and Android apps.
- Faveo Helpdesk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Common questions
Is there an open-source alternative to Zendesk?
Yes. Chatwoot, FreeScout, Zammad, UVdesk, osTicket and Faveo Helpdesk are open source, according to their own sites.
Is Zendesk open source?
Zendesk is not described as open source on its own site. The listing was checked on Oct 17, 2026 against the pages it cites.
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Zendesk: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.