Chatwoot
Shared inbox and live chat. The community code is MIT.
Free helpdesk software, with no per-agent licence
Shared inboxes, ticket queues, and live chat that replace Zendesk, Help Scout, or Intercom. IT asset systems are labelled as such, so you do not buy a service desk when you wanted a shared inbox.
GLPI
IT service management: tickets plus assets. More than a shared inbox.
Zammad
A helpdesk with tickets, chat, and a knowledge base.
FreeScout
A shared mailbox that feels like Help Scout.
osTicket
A veteran open-source ticket system.
Peppermint
A helpdesk whose repository is archived.
Questions owners ask
What is a free helpdesk and live chat tool a small business can actually run?
Chatwoot is the highest measured score in this category right now (53). Shared inbox and live chat. The community code is MIT. The score only counts signals we could verify.
Does “no licence cost” mean the software is finished and supported?
No. It means you are not paying a vendor per seat or per contact for the right to use it. You still pay for a server, email delivery, or someone’s time. Archived and source-available projects are marked.
Are SeatLess apps placed first?
No. SeatLess apps are scored on the same rules and sorted by the measured score. They have no public repository, so GitHub health points are omitted and they do not float to the top.
Related: CRM. Team chat.