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Best Help Desk Software in 2026

Help desk software gives teams tools for handling customer questions and support requests. Compare shared inboxes, ticket automation, and SLA management to understand the support workflows each entry lists. Customer portals and help centers add ways to consider how customers can find information, while API access may matter when connecting support work with other systems. Chatwoot, Freshdesk, and Vtiger Help Desk are among the software covered. Included agent seats, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing provide additional comparison points. Consider how requests reach your team and which listed capabilities will help agents organize and respond to them.

  1. 1

    Chatwoot

    by Chatwoot
    Free plan Open source AndroidAPIiPhone+3

    Chatwoot brings customer conversations, team coordination, and knowledge-base tools together, with cloud and self-hosted options.

    9.2 Free plan · paid from $19/mo (annual) · 15-day trial Visit site
  2. 2

    Cerb

    by Cerb
    Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Choose Cerb if your support team needs shared inbox workflows with SLA management, automation, and customer-facing help tools.

    8.9 Free plan · paid from $40/user/mo Visit site
  3. 3

    Odoo Helpdesk

    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4

    Choose Odoo Helpdesk if your team needs ticket handling across several channels, SLA workflows, and customer self-service within Odoo.

    7.7 Free plan Visit site
  4. 4

    Znuny

    by Znuny
    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Znuny provides configurable ticket workflows, automation, and self-service tools, with multiple deployment choices.

    7.6 Free plan Visit site
  5. 5

    FreeScout

    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

    FreeScout combines a shared inbox with several help desk and customer-facing support tools in a self-hosted application.

    7.6 Free plan Visit site
  6. 6

    Vtiger Help Desk

    by Vtiger Help Desk
    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone

    Vtiger Help Desk covers case handling, team coordination and help resources, with a free tier and a no-card trial. Review the free plan’s user, record, email and storage limits before choosing it.

    7.5 Free plan · paid from $12/user/mo (annual) · 15-day trial Visit site
  7. 7

    Desk365

    by Desk365
    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

    Desk365 combines multi-channel ticketing with AI tools and ITSM functions, with mobile access for agents and end users.

    7.5 Free plan · paid from $12/mo (annual) · 21-day trial Visit site
  8. 8

    Freshdesk

    by Freshdesk
    Free plan API

    Freshdesk combines multichannel ticket handling with automation, customer self-service, and language support.

    7.3 From $19/mo (annual) · 14-day trial Visit site
  9. 9

    GoatFlow

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Choose GoatFlow if your team wants a free, self-hosted helpdesk with email ticketing, automation, and OTRS migration support.

    7.3 Free plan Visit site
  10. 10

    Deskero

    by Deskero
    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

    Deskero offers a free entry plan and paid tiers that add customer-support tools and team capacity.

    7.3 Free plan · paid from $9/mo (annual) Visit site
  11. 11

    Zoho Desk

    by Zoho Desk
    Free plan API

    Zoho Desk covers shared support conversations, customer self-service, SLAs, and automation. Its free plan serves 3 users, with annual paid tiers listed for larger teams.

    7.2 Free plan · paid from ₹420/user/mo (annual) · 15-day trial Visit site
  12. 12

    Help Scout

    by Help Scout
    Free plan API

    Help Scout combines shared customer conversations with knowledge-base and workflow tools. Check the Inbox, user, and contact limits against your team's needs before choosing a plan.

    7.2 Free plan · paid from $25/user/mo · 15-day trial Visit site
  13. 13

    Gorgias

    by Gorgias
    Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+2

    Gorgias combines multichannel support with ecommerce-focused ticket tools, including Shopify context and in-conversation order actions.

    7.2 30-day trial Visit site
  14. 14

    Zammad

    by Zammad
    Free plan API

    Zammad covers core customer-support workflows, including automation, SLAs, self-service, and customer portals.

    7.1 Free plan · 30-day trial Visit site
  15. 15

    UVdesk

    Free plan API

    UVdesk combines core help-desk functions with free, Open Source, and paid plan paths. Compare the agent minimums and mailbox or knowledgebase allowances against your support volume.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $8/user/mo (annual) · 30-day trial Visit site
  16. 16

    ManageEngine SupportCenter Plus

    Free plan API

    SupportCenter Plus offers a free tier for small support teams and monthly paid plans with stated billing and automation coverage. The listed platform information is limited to API.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $100/user/mo Visit site
  17. 17

    Hiver

    Free plan API

    Hiver combines shared inbox features with support tools such as SLA management and ticket automation. Compare the annual plan limits with your team's needs before moving beyond the free plan.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $25/user/mo (annual) · 7-day trial Visit site
  18. 18

    Support Genix

    Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

    Support Genix combines WordPress ticketing, knowledge-base tools, automation, and listed AI features. Its free plan covers core functions, while paid plans add broader options and website allowances.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $59/yr Visit site
  19. 19

    Andrea Helpdesk

    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

    Andrea Helpdesk offers ticketing, email handling, collaboration and customer-facing tools in a self-hosted package with a free plan.

    7.1 Free plan Visit site
  20. 20

    Whelp

    by Whelp
    Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2
    7.1 Free plan · paid from $29/user/mo Visit site
  21. 21

    ProProfs Help Desk

    Free plan API

    Pick ProProfs Help Desk if you want to manage support tickets in a shared inbox with automation, SLAs, and customer-facing help resources.

    7.0 Free plan · paid from $23.88/user/mo (annual) Visit site
  22. 22

    Request Tracker

    by Request Tracker
    Free plan API

    Request Tracker combines ticket automation, service-level management, customer access, help content, and API connectivity in a free offering.

    7.0 Free plan Visit site
  23. 23

    HESK

    by HESK
    Free plan Self-hostedWeb

    Choose HESK if your team wants ticket organization and a knowledgebase, with a choice between self-hosting and managed cloud hosting.

    7.0 Free plan Visit site
  24. 24

    Qisutu

    by Qisutu
    Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

    Qisutu brings ticket history, service workflows, customer access, knowledge management, and integrations into an open-source system.

    7.0 Open source Visit site
  25. 25

    osTicket

    Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

    osTicket offers ticket intake, routing, customizable forms and task handling, with self-hosted and cloud-hosted options.

    7.0 Free plan Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

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