Instead of Zendesk

Support tickets, macros and a help centre.

Swap it

Zammad is a proper help desk and the swap is not painful. Chatwoot covers the live-chat half if that is what you actually use.

You lose: The app marketplace and some reporting.

Start here

Zammad

AGPL-3.0a weekendactive

Tickets, email, a knowledge base. Needs Elasticsearch to be fully happy.

github.com/zammad/zammad zammad.org

A database, object storage or mail config, plus backups.

Also worth a look

FreeScoutAGPL-3.0an eveningactive
Lightweight shared inbox. Modules cost money.
github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout freescout.net
ChatwootMIT (open core)an eveningactive
Live chat and inboxes. Ticketing is lighter than Zendesk's.
github.com/chatwoot/chatwoot www.chatwoot.com/help-center

Head to head

Zammad vs ChatwootZammad is a help desk. Chatwoot is a chat widget that grew an inbox.

Facts checked 8 November 2026. Licences, activity and archive status come from each project's own repository; the verdict and the cost lines are the desk's.