Help Scout vs osTicket

Choosing between Help Scout and osTicket? Both platforms can work for customer support teams, but they usually fit different company sizes, workflows, and budget expectations.

SimplicityEmailSMBOpen-sourceFreePHP

When to choose Help Scout

  • Invisible to customers (looks like regular email)
  • Extremely easy to use
  • Great support

When to choose osTicket

  • Open-source
  • Highly customizable
  • Free

Key differences between Help Scout and osTicket

FactorHelp ScoutosTicket
Best fitsmall and mid-sized support teamssmall teams and budget-conscious organizations
Starting priceFrom $20/agent/moFree plan / low-cost entry
G2-style rating4.4/54.1/5
Main focusAI-assisted support and automationticket management, collaboration, and support operations
Categorysmbfree

Help Scout limitations

  • Lacks complex routing
  • No phone channel
  • Basic reporting

osTicket limitations

  • Very outdated UI
  • Requires PHP/MySQL knowledge

Switching from Help Scout to osTicket or the other way around?

Use Help Desk Migration to move tickets, customers, agents, groups, comments, attachments, and historical support data with less manual work.

Plan a migration

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