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Head-to-head · Help Desk Software

Help Scout vs Zammad

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 8 checks side by side
Higher score Help Scout #9 in Help Desk Software 8.5/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Help Scout
Zammad #16 in Help Desk Software 7.8/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Zammad

Help Scout leads on 0 checks, Zammad on 0, and 8 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 scoreHelp Scout · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialboth

Help Scout scores higher on our rubric for help desk software: 8.5 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #9 and #16.

Help Scout is the better fit for small teams wanting free support for five seats. Zammad is the better fit for technical teams wanting open-source help desk control.

  • Help Scout fits best

    Small teams wanting free support for five seats

  • 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 Help Scout 8.5/10 Visit ↗ Zammad 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 7.8
Ranking #9 in Help Desk Software #16 in Help Desk Software
Best for Small teams wanting free support for five seats Technical teams wanting open-source help desk control
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $25/user/mo Free
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 15 days 30 days
Free trial length 15 days · no card needed 30 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Linux
Support Email, Docs Email, Phone, Docs
Compliance HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA ISO 27001, 2FA
Integrations 100+ integrations 12 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Help Scout 6/6 · Zammad 6/6
Shared inbox ✓ ✓
SLA management ✓ ✓
Help center ✓ ✓
Ticket automation ✓ ✓
Customer portal ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Specs
Included agent seats 5 5
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
  • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
  • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations
  • 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
  • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
  • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
  • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans
  • 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

Help Scout is a customer support platform for teams managing customer conversations across email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and other channels. Its shared inboxes support team-managed conversations, while…

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. Help ScoutHelp Desk Software 8.5Free plan · 15-day trial
  2. ZammadHelp Desk Software 7.8Free plan · 30-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Help Scout — where it wins

    • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
    • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
    • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
    • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
    • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans

  • 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.

More comparisons

All help desk software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update