Erxes vs Trudesk
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Erxes | Trudesk |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 55 · Fair |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,084 | ★ 1,496 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Zendesk, Intercom, HubSpot | Zendesk, Freshdesk |
What are Erxes and Trudesk?
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
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
Erxes vs Trudesk: key differences
Erxes is written in TypeScript, while Trudesk is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Erxes versus Apache-2.0 for Trudesk. Trudesk is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Erxes. Erxes has the considerably larger community, at 4,084 GitHub stars versus 1,496.
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 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 Erxes or Trudesk better?
Neither is universally better. Erxes has the larger community, while Trudesk is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Erxes and Trudesk free and open-source?
Yes. Erxes is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Trudesk under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Erxes and Trudesk with Docker?
Erxes: yes. Trudesk: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Erxes or Trudesk?
Trudesk has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Erxes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.