GLPI vs Request Tracker
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
GLPI
IT asset management and service desk
VS
Request Tracker
Enterprise-grade ticketing system from Best Practical
| Feature | GLPI | Request Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Perl |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,382 | ★ 1,158 |
| First released | 2003 | 1996 |
| Replaces | ServiceNow, Zendesk | Zendesk, Jira Service Management |
What are GLPI and Request Tracker?
GLPI
GLPI is a free IT service management software combining a helpdesk ticketing system with IT asset and inventory management. It is widely used by IT departments.
- ITIL-aligned service desk
- Asset and inventory management
- Self-service portal
- Large plugin ecosystem
Request Tracker
Request Tracker (RT) is a mature, enterprise-grade issue tracking and ticketing system. It is used for help desks, NOCs, and complex workflow management.
- Highly configurable workflows
- Email-driven ticketing
- Custom fields and scrips
- Strong access control
GLPI vs Request Tracker: key differences
GLPI is written in PHP, while Request Tracker is built with Perl. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for GLPI versus GPL-2.0 for Request Tracker. GLPI is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Request Tracker. Request Tracker is the more established project (first released 1996), while GLPI arrived in 2003. GLPI has the considerably larger community, at 6,382 GitHub stars versus 1,158. GLPI lists first-class Docker deployment; Request Tracker does not.
Why pick each one
Choose GLPI if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.4k GitHub stars
- Written in PHP
Choose Request Tracker if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (1.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in Perl
Frequently asked questions
Is GLPI or Request Tracker better?
GLPI is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Request Tracker if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GLPI and Request Tracker free and open-source?
Yes. GLPI is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Request Tracker under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GLPI and Request Tracker with Docker?
GLPI: yes. Request Tracker: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, GLPI or Request Tracker?
GLPI has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Request Tracker. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.