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Head-to-head · Help Desk Software

Front vs Zammad

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 8 checks side by side
Higher score Front #13 in Help Desk Software 8.1/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Front
Zammad #16 in Help Desk Software 7.8/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Zammad

Front leads on 1 check, Zammad on 1, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 8 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFront · 8.1/10
  • Free planonly Zammad
  • Free trialboth

Front scores higher on our rubric for help desk software: 8.1 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #13 and #16.

Zammad offers free plan; Front doesn't. Front leads on included agent seats: 10 versus 5.

Front is the better fit for teams managing many business conversations. Zammad is the better fit for technical teams wanting open-source help desk control.

  • Front fits best

    Teams managing many business conversations

  • Zammad fits best

    Technical teams wanting open-source help desk control

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Front 8.1/10 Visit ↗ Zammad 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.1 7.8
Ranking #13 in Help Desk Software #16 in Help Desk Software
Best for Teams managing many business conversations Technical teams wanting open-source help desk control
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price $25/seat/mo Free
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 14 days 30 days
Free trial length 14 days · no card needed 30 days
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android Web, Linux
Support Email, Live chat, Tickets, Community, Docs Email, Phone, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA ISO 27001, 2FA
Integrations 130+ integrations 12 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Front 6/6 · Zammad 6/6
Shared inbox ✓ ✓
SLA management ✓ ✓
Help center ✓ ✓
Ticket automation ✓ ✓
Customer portal ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Specs
Included agent seats 10 (best) 5
Our review
Pros
  • Shared inboxes combine routing, collaboration, and ticket management.
  • Workflow rules support triggers, conditions, actions, delays, and time goals.
  • Help centers, portals, APIs, and omnichannel support extend its reach.
  • Open-source and self-hosted options support control over deployment.
  • Tickets, SLAs, triggers, schedulers, and a shared inbox cover core support workflows.
  • REST API, Elasticsearch search, AI tools, and broad channel integrations extend its scope.
Cons
  • There is no free plan.
  • Starter supports one channel type and up to 10 seats.
  • Listed prices are per seat per month with annual billing.
  • Advanced plans vary by agent limits and feature availability.
  • Self-hosted support contracts are separate from the software itself.
  • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of teams seeking basic email support.
Our verdict

Front is a customer operations and help desk platform for B2B customer-support, success, and operations teams. It brings email, SMS, chat, social messaging, WhatsApp, and other customer conversations into shared inboxes, where teams can…

Read the review →

Zammad is a web-based help desk and ticketing platform for organizations handling customer and internal support requests. It brings conversations from multiple channels into tickets, provides a customer-facing web interface, and supports…

Read the review →
  1. FrontHelp Desk Software 8.114-day trial
  2. ZammadHelp Desk Software 7.8Free plan · 30-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Front — where it wins

    • Shared inboxes combine routing, collaboration, and ticket management.
    • Workflow rules support triggers, conditions, actions, delays, and time goals.
    • Help centers, portals, APIs, and omnichannel support extend its reach.

    Where it doesn't

    • There is no free plan.
    • Starter supports one channel type and up to 10 seats.
    • Listed prices are per seat per month with annual billing.

  • Zammad — where it wins

    • Open-source and self-hosted options support control over deployment.
    • Tickets, SLAs, triggers, schedulers, and a shared inbox cover core support workflows.
    • REST API, Elasticsearch search, AI tools, and broad channel integrations extend its scope.

    Where it doesn't

    • Advanced plans vary by agent limits and feature availability.
    • Self-hosted support contracts are separate from the software itself.
    • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of teams seeking basic email support.
  • Front8.1/10 · 14-day trial

    A broad help desk for teams coordinating customer conversations across channels.

    Visit FrontFull verdict →
  • Zammad7.8/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

    A flexible help desk for technical teams that want open-source control.

    Visit ZammadFull verdict →

All help desk software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update