Crisp
Customer messaging platform with live chat, shared inbox, knowledge base, and AI chatbot
FreeScout
Free self-hosted help desk and shared inbox alternative
Lightweight PHP-based help desk and shared inbox offering unlimited users, tickets, and mailboxes. Self-hosted alternative to Zendesk and Help Scout with no vendor lock-in.
Overview
Purpose & Audience
FreeScout is a self-hosted help desk and shared inbox solution built with PHP and the Laravel framework. Designed for teams seeking privacy, control, and cost savings, it eliminates per-agent pricing and vendor lock-in while delivering core ticketing functionality comparable to commercial platforms like Zendesk and Help Scout.
Core Capabilities
The platform supports unlimited users, tickets, and mailboxes with seamless email integration and modern Microsoft Exchange authentication. Key workflow features include starred conversations, collision detection when multiple agents access the same ticket, internal notes, auto-replies, conversation forwarding and merging, and open tracking. The interface is fully mobile-responsive and accessible to screen readers, with native mobile apps available for iOS, Android, and macOS.
Deployment & Extensibility
FreeScout runs on standard PHP/MySQL infrastructure with minimal system requirements, making it suitable for shared hosting environments. Installation options include Docker, one-click installers (Softaculous, Fantastico, Cloudron), and a web-based installer. The platform supports 25+ languages and offers official and community modules for extended functionality, plus API access and integrations with Zapier and Make for workflow automation.
Highlights
Unlimited users, tickets, and mailboxes with no per-agent fees
Seamless email integration with modern Exchange authentication support
Collision detection, internal notes, and conversation merging for team coordination
Native mobile apps (iOS, Android, macOS) with full feature parity
Pros
- No licensing costs or per-user fees; truly unlimited usage
- Lightweight architecture runs on shared hosting with minimal resources
- Strong privacy and data control through self-hosting
- Extensive language support (25+ locales) and accessibility features
Considerations
- Requires self-hosting infrastructure and maintenance expertise
- Advanced features may require paid official modules
- Smaller ecosystem compared to established commercial platforms
- AGPL-3.0 license requires source disclosure for modified versions
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Fit guide
Great for
- Small to mid-sized teams needing cost-effective ticketing without per-agent fees
- Organizations with strict data privacy or compliance requirements
- Teams with existing PHP/MySQL hosting infrastructure
- Companies migrating from expensive SaaS help desk platforms
Not ideal when
- Enterprises requiring extensive out-of-the-box integrations and advanced automation
- Teams without technical resources for server management and updates
- Organizations needing guaranteed SLA support and managed infrastructure
- Projects requiring permissive licensing for proprietary modifications
How teams use it
Startup Customer Support
Launch a professional help desk with unlimited agents and tickets, avoiding recurring SaaS costs as the team scales
Internal IT Helpdesk
Deploy a private ticketing system for employee support requests while maintaining full control over sensitive internal data
Agency Client Communication
Manage multiple client mailboxes with shared team access, conversation assignment, and internal notes for collaboration
Migration from Commercial Platforms
Reduce operational costs by migrating from Zendesk or Help Scout while retaining core ticketing workflows and email integration
Tech snapshot
PHP91%
Blade9%
Shell1%
Vue1%
Frequently asked questions
What are the hosting requirements for FreeScout?
FreeScout requires PHP 7.1-8.x, MySQL 5.0+/MariaDB/PostgreSQL, and a web server (Nginx, Apache, or IIS). It runs on shared hosting with no minimum CPU or RAM requirements.
Are there limits on users, tickets, or mailboxes?
No. FreeScout imposes no limitations on the number of users, tickets, mailboxes, or conversations you can manage.
How does FreeScout compare to Zendesk or Help Scout?
FreeScout provides core help desk features—email integration, collision detection, internal notes, conversation management—without per-agent pricing or vendor lock-in. Advanced features may require modules.
Can I extend FreeScout with integrations?
Yes. FreeScout offers an API, official and community modules, and integrations with Zapier and Make for workflow automation.
Is there a cloud-hosted option available?
Yes. A cloud-hosted version is available for teams preferring managed infrastructure over self-hosting.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 4,025
- Watchers
- 4,025
- Forks
- 618
LicenseAGPL-3.0
Repo age7 years old
Last commit3 days ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languagePHP
Last synced 4 hours ago