freescout

FreeScout — Free self-hosted help desk & shared mailbox (Zendesk / Help Scout alternative)

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The osTicket open source ticketing system official project repository, for versions 1.8 and later

helpy

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Helpy is a modern, open source helpdesk customer support application. Features include knowledgebase, community discussions and support tickets integrated with email.

Quick Overview

FreeScout is an open-source help desk and shared inbox software that allows teams to manage customer support, sales inquiries, and other communication channels in a centralized and collaborative way. It is designed to be a self-hosted alternative to popular cloud-based help desk solutions.

Pros

Open-Source and Self-Hosted: FreeScout is free to use and can be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Collaborative Workflow: The software supports team collaboration, allowing multiple agents to work on the same tickets and share notes.
Customizable: FreeScout offers a range of customization options, including custom branding, email templates, and automation rules.
Integrations: The software integrates with various third-party tools, such as email providers, CRM systems, and project management tools.

Cons

Learning Curve: FreeScout may have a steeper learning curve compared to some cloud-based help desk solutions, especially for users unfamiliar with self-hosting and server management.
Limited Mobile Support: The current version of FreeScout has limited mobile functionality, which may be a drawback for teams that need to access the system on the go.
Ongoing Maintenance: As a self-hosted solution, FreeScout requires regular maintenance, updates, and server management, which can be time-consuming for some organizations.
Community Size: Compared to some larger, commercial help desk solutions, FreeScout has a smaller community, which may impact the availability of resources, plugins, and third-party integrations.

Getting Started

To get started with FreeScout, follow these steps:

Install FreeScout: Download the latest version of FreeScout from the official GitHub repository and follow the installation instructions for your operating system.
Set up the Database: FreeScout supports various database systems, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. Configure the database connection details in the .env file.
Configure Email Settings: Set up the email server settings to enable FreeScout to receive and send emails. This includes configuring the SMTP server, email addresses, and any necessary authentication details.
Create Users and Teams: Add users to the system and organize them into teams. Assign appropriate permissions and roles to each user.
Customize the Appearance: Modify the branding, email templates, and other visual elements to match your organization's style and preferences.
Integrate with Other Tools: Connect FreeScout with your existing tools, such as CRM systems, project management software, or communication platforms, to streamline your workflow.
Automate Workflows: Set up automation rules to handle common tasks, such as ticket assignment, status updates, and customer notifications.
Monitor and Maintain the System: Regularly monitor the FreeScout instance, perform backups, and apply updates to ensure the system remains secure and functional.

By following these steps, you can get started with FreeScout and begin using it to manage your team's customer support, sales inquiries, and other communication channels.

Competitor Comparisons

zammad

4,923

Zammad is a web based open source helpdesk/customer support system

Pros of Zammad

More feature-rich with advanced automation capabilities
Supports multiple channels including social media integration
Offers a mobile app for on-the-go support management

Cons of Zammad

More complex setup and configuration process
Higher system requirements, potentially more resource-intensive
Steeper learning curve for new users

Code Comparison

FreeScout (PHP):

public function getConversationUrl($thread_id = '')
{
    return route('conversations.view', ['id' => $this->id]).'#'.$thread_id;
}

Zammad (Ruby):

def ticket_article_attributes_by_reset(params)
  clean_params = {}
  params.each do |key, value|
    clean_params[key.to_sym] = value
  end
  clean_params
end

Both projects use different programming languages, making direct code comparison challenging. FreeScout is primarily written in PHP, while Zammad uses Ruby on Rails. The code snippets demonstrate basic function definitions in their respective languages, with FreeScout focusing on URL generation and Zammad on parameter cleaning.

osTicket

3,446

The osTicket open source ticketing system official project repository, for versions 1.8 and later

Pros of osTicket

More mature and established project with a larger community
Offers a wider range of features out-of-the-box
Supports multiple languages and has extensive localization options

Cons of osTicket

Can be more complex to set up and configure
User interface may feel outdated compared to modern alternatives
Performance can be slower, especially with large ticket volumes

Code Comparison

osTicket uses a more traditional PHP structure:

class TicketForm extends Form {
    function getFields() {
        return array(
            'topicId' => new TopicChoiceField(array('label' => __('Help Topic'))),
            'subject' => new TextboxField(array('label' => __('Subject'))),
            'message' => new TextareaField(array('label' => __('Message'))),
        );
    }
}

FreeScout utilizes Laravel framework, resulting in more modern and concise code:

class TicketController extends Controller
{
    public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $ticket = Ticket::create($request->validated());
        return redirect()->route('tickets.show', $ticket);
    }
}

Both projects aim to provide helpdesk solutions, but osTicket offers a more comprehensive feature set at the cost of complexity, while FreeScout focuses on simplicity and modern development practices.

helpy

2,400

Helpy is a modern, open source helpdesk customer support application. Features include knowledgebase, community discussions and support tickets integrated with email.

Pros of Helpy

More extensive feature set, including knowledge base and community forums
Supports multiple languages out of the box
More active development and larger community

Cons of Helpy

Higher system requirements and more complex setup
Steeper learning curve for users and administrators
Less focus on email-centric workflows

Code Comparison

Helpy (Ruby on Rails):

class TicketsController < ApplicationController
  def create
    @ticket = Ticket.new(ticket_params)
    if @ticket.save
      redirect_to @ticket, notice: 'Ticket was successfully created.'
    else
      render :new
    end
  end
end

FreeScout (PHP/Laravel):

public function create(Request $request)
{
    $conversation = Conversation::create($request->all());
    return redirect()->route('conversations.view', ['id' => $conversation->id])
        ->with('success', __('Conversation created successfully.'));
}

Both projects use MVC frameworks, but Helpy's Ruby code is more concise. FreeScout's PHP code is straightforward and follows Laravel conventions. Helpy's approach may be more maintainable for larger codebases, while FreeScout's simplicity could be advantageous for smaller teams or projects with less complexity.

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README

Free Self-Hosted Zendesk & Help Scout Alternative

FreeScout is the super lightweight and powerful free open source help desk and shared inbox built with PHP (Laravel framework). Now you can enjoy free Zendesk & Help Scout without giving up privacy or locking yourself into a service you don't control. FreeScout has been developed from scratch and is not using any copyrighted Help Scout or Zendesk materials.

If you want to support the project feel free to star this repository. It helps to increase the visibility of the project and let people know that it is valuable. Thanks for your support!

FreeScout

Demo
Features
Mobile Apps
Requirements
Installation
Cloud Hosted
Modules
Tools & Integrations
News & Updates
Contributing
Screenshots

Demo

Live Demo

Features

No limitations on the number of users, tickets, mailboxes, etc.
100% Mobile-friendly.
Multilingual: English, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Slovak, Swedish, Turkish.
Seamless email integration.
Supports modern Microsoft Exchange authentication.
Fully supports screen readers (for visually impaired).
Built with strong focus on security.
Web installer & updater.
Starred conversations.
Forwarding conversations.
Merging conversations.
Moving conversations between mailboxes.
Phone conversations.
Sending new conversations to multiple recipients at once.
Collision detection â notice is shown when two agents open the same conversation.
Push notifications.
Following a conversation.
Auto reply.
Internal notes.
Automatic refreshing of the conversations list without the need to reload the page.
Pasting screenshots from the clipboard into the reply area.
Configuring notifications on a per user basis.
Open tracking.
Editing threads.
Search.
And moreâ¦

Need anything else? Suggest features here.

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps support the same functionality and modules as the web version of your FreeScout installation. Both support agents and administrators can use mobile apps.