Best ITSM / Help Desk Ticketing Software · 2026

HaloITSM logoHaloITSM vs osTicket logoosTicket

HaloITSM vs osTicket: on our data-weighted scoring, HaloITSM edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). HaloITSM starts at Custom quote and is best for mid-market and enterprise it teams wanting all-inclusive itil-aligned itsm; osTicket starts at Free tier available and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system. Choose HaloITSM 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

HaloITSM

8.4/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
Custom quote
Reviews
4.8/5 (~17 G2 reviews)
Free trial
30 days
Deployment
Cloud + on-prem
Best for
Mid-market and enterprise IT teams wanting all-inclusive ITIL-aligned ITSM
Visit HaloITSM →

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 →

Affiliate links — vendors may pay us a commission. It never affects our data-driven ranking.

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
HaloITSMosTicket
CriterionHaloITSMosTicket
Editorial 8.1 7.7
User reviews 9.6 8.8
Adoption 3.3 4.4
Affordability 5.0 9.5
Feature breadth 6.0 6.0
Ease of trial 6.0 10.0

HaloITSM vs osTicket: head-to-head

HaloITSM vs osTicket — specs and pricing
HaloITSMosTicket
Starting price Custom quote Free tier available
Pricing model quote per user
Free trial / tier 30 days Free tier + 30 days
Best for Mid-market and enterprise IT teams wanting all-inclusive ITIL-aligned ITSM Teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system
Deployment Cloud + on-prem Cloud + self-host
G2 rating 4.8/5 (17) 4.4/5 (44)
Capterra rating
Our score 8.1 7.7

Choose HaloITSM if…

You need mid-market and enterprise it teams wanting all-inclusive itil-aligned itsm.

Pros

  • All-inclusive (no feature paywalls)
  • ITIL-aligned + highly configurable
  • Volume discounts at scale

Cons

  • Pricing requires a quote
  • Configuration depth takes ramp-up
  • Smaller review base than incumbents

HaloITSM 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: HaloITSM vs osTicket

HaloITSM bills on a quote model from Custom quote (30 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

HaloITSM ships 6 headline capabilities (Full ITIL process coverage, All-inclusive licensing (no module add-ons), Asset + configuration management, Self-service portal + automation) and deploys Cloud + on-prem. 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

HaloITSM holds 4.8/5 (~17 G2 reviews); osTicket holds 4.4/5 (~44 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, HaloITSM edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). Pick osTicket instead when teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system. See HaloITSM alternatives or osTicket alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

HaloITSM vs osTicket: which is better?
HaloITSM vs osTicket: on our data-weighted scoring, HaloITSM edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). HaloITSM starts at Custom quote and is best for mid-market and enterprise it teams wanting all-inclusive itil-aligned itsm; osTicket starts at Free tier available and is best for teams wanting a free, open-source, self-hosted ticketing system.
Is HaloITSM cheaper than osTicket?
HaloITSM starts at Custom quote and osTicket starts at Free tier available (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of June 16, 2026. Sources: usehalo.com, osticket.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.