Freedom251 › Help desk software
OpenSupports

What OpenSupports is
OpenSupports is a free, open-source ticket system for managing customer support inquiries. Customers can create accounts to keep tickets together or submit requests through a form without an account. Staff organize tickets by department and use filtering and search tools to locate conversations. Teams can publish FAQ and how-to articles as a knowledge base, while administrators assign staff departments, roles, and permissions. Ticket comments support file attachments, configurable maximum file sizes, and reCAPTCHA. A REST API connects OpenSupports with other applications, and settings include SMTP and IMAP configuration. The listed interface languages include English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Turkish, Polish, and Dutch. The self-hosted plan costs nothing and requires PHP 7.x or later, MySQL 4.1 or later, and a PDO driver. Installation documentation lists Apache 2.4+; PHP 8 is not supported yet.
Who it suits
OpenSupports suits support teams wanting a self-hosted help desk with customer accounts, knowledge-base articles, and role controls. Managed hosting is described for businesses that prefer not to handle installation and maintenance.
What it does well
- Free and open source
- Customers can submit tickets without accounts
- Departments, roles, filtering, and search
- REST API for application integration
- Knowledge base for FAQs and guides
What to know first
- PHP 8 is not supported yet
- Self-hosting requires PHP, MySQL, and PDO
- Managed and custom plan prices are unlisted
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free and open source · PHP 7.x+ (PHP 8 not supported) · MySQL 4.1+ · PDO driver | Free |
| Managed | Basic setup · Up to 5 staff members · Custom domain can be configured · Official development-team support | On request |
| Custom | Business needs discussed with the OpenSupports team · Official development-team support | On request |
As opensupports.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
OpenSupports provides a broad open-source ticket workflow with multilingual interfaces and integration options. Confirm the older PHP requirement or consider its managed offering if your team does not want to install and maintain it.
Facts from OpenSupports's own pages
- API access
- Yes · docs.opensupports.com, 25 Sept 2026
- API capabilities
- The download page links to API documentation and says the API can be used to integrate OpenSupports with another app. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Attachments and spam protection
- Staff and customers can attach files to ticket comments, administrators can set a maximum file size, and the system supports reCAPTCHA. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Data and security
- The privacy policy says customers retain rights to their data and that third-party vendors and hosting partners provide the infrastructure used to run the service. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · docs.opensupports.com, 25 Sept 2026
- Help center
- Yes · docs.opensupports.com, 25 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation describes a REST API for integrating OpenSupports with existing applications, and settings include SMTP and IMAP configuration. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Knowledge base
- The system lets teams write articles for FAQs and how-to guides. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Languages
- The features page lists support for English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Turkish, Polish, and Dutch. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Maker and location
- The contact page says the team is from Argentina and is currently located in Rosario, Argentina. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Managed hosting audience
- The maker describes its SaaS service as an option for businesses without a dedicated development team or businesses that prefer to avoid installation, maintenance, and support responsibilities. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Project history
- The contact page says the project started in 2010 and was recreated from scratch in August 2015. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- OpenSupports is an open-source ticket system for managing customer support inquiries. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- The download page lists PHP 7.x or later, MySQL 4.1 or later, and a PDO driver, and says PHP 8 is not supported yet. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Self-hosted setup
- Installation documentation says OpenSupports can be installed on a server and lists Apache 2.4+ among its requirements. · docs.opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Staff roles
- Staff members can be assigned departments, and the admin panel supports different staff permissions and roles. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Ticket access
- Customers can create accounts to keep their tickets together or submit tickets through a form without an account. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Ticket management
- Staff can organize tickets by departments and use filtering and search tools to find them. · opensupports.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where OpenSupports stands on Freedom251
- Help desk software#40 of 101