Best ITSM / Help Desk Ticketing Software · 2026

Freshservice logoFreshservice vs osTicket logoosTicket

Freshservice vs osTicket: on our data-weighted scoring, Freshservice edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). Freshservice starts at $19/agent/mo and is best for internal it teams wanting modern itsm with strong automation; osTicket starts at Free tier available and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system. Choose Freshservice for the stronger overall track record; consider osTicket if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.

Our pick

Freshservice

8.6/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
$19/agent/mo
Reviews
4.6/5 (~1.2k G2 reviews)
Free trial
14 days
Deployment
Cloud
Best for
Internal IT teams wanting modern ITSM with strong automation
Visit Freshservice →

osTicket

7.5/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
Free tier available
Reviews
4.4/5 (~44 G2 reviews)
Free trial
Free tier + 30 days
Deployment
Cloud + self-host
Best for
Teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system
Visit osTicket →

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Strengths at a glance

Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →

EditorialUser reviewsAdoptionAffordabilityFeature breadthEase of trial
FreshserviceosTicket
CriterionFreshserviceosTicket
Editorial 8.1 7.7
User reviews 9.2 8.8
Adoption 8.2 4.4
Affordability 3.3 9.5
Feature breadth 5.0 6.0
Ease of trial 6.0 10.0

Freshservice vs osTicket: head-to-head

Freshservice vs osTicket — specs and pricing
FreshserviceosTicket
Starting price $19/agent/mo Free tier available
Pricing model per agent per user
Free trial / tier 14 days Free tier + 30 days
Best for Internal IT teams wanting modern ITSM with strong automation Teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system
Deployment Cloud Cloud + self-host
G2 rating 4.6/5 (1200) 4.4/5 (44)
Capterra rating
Our score 8.1 7.7

Choose Freshservice if…

You need internal it teams wanting modern itsm with strong automation.

Pros

  • Clean modern UI
  • Strong automation
  • Good ITIL features

Cons

  • Per-agent costs climb
  • Some features only on Pro+
  • Aimed at internal IT not MSP

Freshservice pricing · review

Choose osTicket if…

You need teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system.

Pros

  • Free
  • mature open-source core
  • No per-agent fees self-hosted
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Requires LAMP stack + self-management
  • Dated UI
  • Support is paid/community-only

osTicket pricing · review

In depth

Pricing: Freshservice vs osTicket

Freshservice bills on a per agent model from $19/agent/mo (14 days trial), while osTicket uses a per user model from Free tier available (free tier available). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.

Features & deployment

Freshservice ships 5 headline capabilities (ITSM ticketing, Asset management, Workflow automation, AI (Freddy)) and deploys Cloud. osTicket ships 6 (Open-source self-hosted core, Custom fields + ticket filters, Email piping + ticketing, SLA + agent collision avoidance), deploying Cloud + self-host.

Ratings & verdict

Freshservice holds 4.6/5 (~1.2k G2 reviews); osTicket holds 4.4/5 (~44 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Freshservice edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). Pick osTicket instead when teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system. See Freshservice alternatives or osTicket alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Freshservice vs osTicket: which is better?
Freshservice vs osTicket: on our data-weighted scoring, Freshservice edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). Freshservice starts at $19/agent/mo and is best for internal it teams wanting modern itsm with strong automation; osTicket starts at Free tier available and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system.
Is Freshservice cheaper than osTicket?
Freshservice starts at $19/agent/mo and osTicket starts at Free tier available (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of June 16, 2026. Sources: freshworks.com, osticket.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.