Frappe Helpdesk vs Trudesk
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Frappe Helpdesk
Modern open-source helpdesk built on Frappe
VS
Trudesk
Open-source helpdesk and ticketing for small teams
| Feature | Frappe Helpdesk | Trudesk |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 55 · Fair |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Vue | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,390 | ★ 1,496 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Zendesk, Freshdesk | Zendesk, Freshdesk |
What are Frappe Helpdesk and Trudesk?
Frappe Helpdesk
Frappe Helpdesk is an open-source ticketing tool built on the Frappe framework. It provides a streamlined agent experience, SLAs, and a customer knowledge base.
- Streamlined agent inbox
- SLA tracking
- Knowledge base
- Canned responses and automation
Trudesk
Trudesk is an open-source help desk and ticket management system. It provides a kanban-style ticket board, knowledge base, and real-time messaging built on Node.js.
- Kanban ticket board
- Built-in knowledge base
- Real-time chat and notices
- Mobile-friendly UI
Frappe Helpdesk vs Trudesk: key differences
Frappe Helpdesk is written in Vue, while Trudesk is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Frappe Helpdesk versus Apache-2.0 for Trudesk. Trudesk is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Frappe Helpdesk. Trudesk is the more established project (first released 2016), while Frappe Helpdesk arrived in 2022. Frappe Helpdesk has the considerably larger community, at 3,390 GitHub stars versus 1,496.
Why pick each one
Choose Frappe Helpdesk if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vue
Choose Trudesk if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Frappe Helpdesk or Trudesk better?
Neither is universally better. Frappe Helpdesk has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Frappe Helpdesk and Trudesk free and open-source?
Yes. Frappe Helpdesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Trudesk under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Frappe Helpdesk and Trudesk with Docker?
Frappe Helpdesk: yes. Trudesk: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Frappe Helpdesk or Trudesk?
Trudesk has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Frappe Helpdesk. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.