Erxes vs OTOBO
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Erxes | OTOBO |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 72 · Good |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Perl |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,085 | ★ 337 |
| First released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Zendesk, Intercom, HubSpot | ServiceNow, Zendesk |
What are Erxes and OTOBO?
Erxes
Erxes is an open-source experience operating system that combines a help desk, ticketing, live chat, and CRM in one platform. Its ticketing module routes conversations from many channels into a unified agent inbox.
- Omnichannel inbox
- Plugin marketplace
- Built-in CRM
- Live chat widget
OTOBO
OTOBO is an open-source ticket system and service management tool, a successor to OTRS Community Edition. It supports ITSM processes, automation, and detailed reporting.
- ITIL service management
- Process automation engine
- Customizable ticket workflows
- Detailed dashboards
Erxes vs OTOBO: key differences
Erxes is written in TypeScript, while OTOBO is built with Perl. Erxes is the more established project (first released 2017), while OTOBO arrived in 2019. Erxes has the considerably larger community, at 4,085 GitHub stars versus 337.
Why pick each one
Choose Erxes if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Choose OTOBO if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
Frequently asked questions
Is Erxes or OTOBO better?
Neither is universally better. Erxes has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Erxes and OTOBO free and open-source?
Yes. Erxes is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OTOBO under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Erxes and OTOBO with Docker?
Erxes: yes. OTOBO: yes.