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OTRS alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 30, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave OTRS: no public prices; every plan goes through a sales quote, and the free Community Edition is gone; free self-hosting now means a fork like Znuny. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces OTRS, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Znuny currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Znuny logoZnunyOpen sourceNoSelf-hosted, Web4 of 466.5
2Zammad logoZammadOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted3 of 364.8
3Jira Service Management logoJira Service ManagementFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 361.8
4osTicket logoosTicketOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 459.4
5Freshdesk logoFreshdeskPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 457.5
6Zendesk logoZendeskPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 453.6
  1. Znuny logo

    1. ZnunyTop pick

    Best for: Teams migrating from OTRS Community Edition or wanting a free, self-hosted ITSM ticket system

    Open sourceSelf-hosted, Web

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    The open-source fork of the old OTRS Community Edition, so the data model and admin feel stay familiar and it's free.

    Pros

    • Free and GPL-licensed with no per-agent fees
    • Straightforward migration path for old OTRS installs
    • Long-term-support releases alongside a feature branch

    Cons

    • You have to run and maintain the Linux server yourself unless you pay for services
    • Interface looks dated next to newer cloud help desks
    • Configuration is complex, much like OTRS
    Visit Znuny Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Znuny a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 30, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Fork of ((OTRS)) Community Edition
    Checked Oct 30, 2026znuny.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Long-term support
    Yes, LTS release line
    Checked Oct 30, 2026znuny.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 30, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Zammad logo

    2. Zammad

    Best for: Organisations, especially in Europe, that want a full help desk they can self-host

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    Open-source help desk with a more modern interface, self-hosted for free or as a hosted service.

    Pros

    • Full help desk at no licence cost when self-hosted
    • Modern, fast agent interface
    • Hosted option in certified European data centres

    Cons

    • Smaller integration ecosystem than commercial suites
    • Self-hosting needs Elasticsearch and upkeep
    • Less chat-first than Intercom-style tools
    Visit Zammad Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zammad a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes, 100% open source
    Checked Oct 29, 2026zammad.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hosted starting price
    From €7 per agent/month (Starter, max 5 agents)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026zammad.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, alongside hosted plans
    Checked Oct 29, 2026zammad.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Jira Service Management logo

    3. Jira Service Management

    Best for: Software and IT teams already on Jira that need a service desk linked to engineering

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    ITSM service desk with published per-agent pricing and tight links to Jira for engineering teams.

    Pros

    • Free plan for up to three agents
    • Escalations link directly to Jira issues
    • Strong ITSM features: incidents, changes and assets

    Cons

    • Feels like ticketing rather than conversational support
    • Weaker live chat and omnichannel than support-first tools
    • Configuration takes Jira expertise
    Visit Jira Service Management Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Jira Service Management a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 3 agents
    Checked Oct 29, 2026atlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard plan
    $21.50 per agent/month (varies with team size)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026atlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $55.28 per agent/month (varies with team size)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026atlassian.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. osTicket logo

    4. osTicket

    Best for: Budget-conscious IT and support teams that need classic email ticketing they can host

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    Simple, free open-source ticketing for teams that don't need full ITIL processes.

    Pros

    • Free and open source with a long track record
    • Runs on common PHP and MySQL hosting
    • Custom forms, SLAs and help topics

    Cons

    • Dated interface
    • No built-in live chat or social channels
    • Few modern AI or automation features
    Visit osTicket Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is osTicket a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026osticket.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud price
    From $12 per agent/month
    Checked Oct 29, 2026osticket.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud free trial
    30 days
    Checked Oct 29, 2026osticket.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirements
    Apache or IIS, PHP, MySQL
    Checked Oct 29, 2026osticket.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Freshdesk logo

    5. Freshdesk

    Best for: SMB and mid-market support teams wanting full help desk features at a moderate price

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    Cloud help desk with a free tier and public pricing, quicker to set up than OTRS.

    Pros

    • Full ticketing, automation and knowledge base features
    • Usually cheaper than comparable Zendesk plans
    • Connects with Freshsales and other Freshworks products

    Cons

    • AI agent sessions are billed as add-ons
    • Interface can feel cluttered
    • Key features such as advanced routing sit on higher tiers
    Visit Freshdesk Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Freshdesk a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $19 per agent/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 29, 2026freshworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $55 per agent/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 29, 2026freshworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 29, 2026freshworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI add-on
    $49 per 100 AI agent sessions
    Checked Oct 29, 2026freshworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Zendesk logo

    6. Zendesk

    Best for: Mid-sized and large support teams that need a configurable, proven help desk

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from OTRS

    Widely used cloud support suite with a large app marketplace for customer-facing teams.

    Pros

    • Mature ticket routing, SLAs, macros and triggers
    • Very large marketplace of apps and integrations
    • Covers email, chat, voice, help centre and AI in one suite

    Cons

    • Costs climb quickly with Suite tiers and AI add-ons
    • Admin setup and upkeep take real effort
    • Entry plan is thin compared with the Suite
    Visit Zendesk Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zendesk a good OTRS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $19 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Suite Team
    $55 per agent/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplace
    1,800+ apps, partners and integrations
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zendesk.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best OTRS alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Znuny logo

Best OTRS alternative for most people

Znuny

The open-source fork of the old OTRS Community Edition, so the data model and admin feel stay familiar and it's free.

Zammad logo

Best OTRS alternative for a free option

Zammad

Open-source help desk with a more modern interface, self-hosted for free or as a hosted service.

Jira Service Management logo

Best OTRS alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Jira Service Management

ITSM service desk with published per-agent pricing and tight links to Jira for engineering teams.

osTicket logo

Best OTRS alternative for open source

osTicket

Simple, free open-source ticketing for teams that don't need full ITIL processes.

Zammad logo

Best OTRS alternative for self-hosting

Zammad

Open-source help desk with a more modern interface, self-hosted for free or as a hosted service.

Freshdesk logo

Best OTRS alternative for iPhone and Android

Freshdesk

Cloud help desk with a free tier and public pricing, quicker to set up than OTRS.

Zendesk logo

Best OTRS alternative for working in the browser

Zendesk

Widely used cloud support suite with a large app marketplace for customer-facing teams.

OTRS alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to OTRS?

Znuny ranks first right now. The open-source fork of the old OTRS Community Edition, so the data model and admin feel stay familiar and it's free. Zammad and Jira Service Management follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to OTRS?

Yes. Znuny (open source), Zammad (open source), Jira Service Management (free plan + paid) and osTicket (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to OTRS?

Yes: Zammad and osTicket. Zammad and osTicket can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from OTRS?

The complaints we hear most: no public prices; every plan goes through a sales quote; the free Community Edition is gone; free self-hosting now means a fork like Znuny; setup and configuration usually need training or partner help.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces OTRS, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.