GLPI vs Znuny
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | GLPI | Znuny |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 75 · Good |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Perl |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,382 | ★ 596 |
| First released | 2003 | 2021 |
| Replaces | ServiceNow, Zendesk | ServiceNow, Zendesk |
What are GLPI and Znuny?
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
Znuny
Znuny is an open-source ticketing system and service desk maintained as a free fork of OTRS Community Edition. It supports helpdesk and ITSM workflows.
- Maintained OTRS fork
- Helpdesk and ITSM
- Customizable workflows
- Active community support
GLPI vs Znuny: key differences
GLPI is written in PHP, while Znuny is built with Perl. GLPI is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Znuny. GLPI is the more established project (first released 2003), while Znuny arrived in 2021. GLPI has the considerably larger community, at 6,382 GitHub stars versus 596. GLPI lists first-class Docker deployment; Znuny 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
Frequently asked questions
Is GLPI or Znuny better?
GLPI is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Znuny if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GLPI and Znuny free and open-source?
Yes. GLPI is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Znuny under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GLPI and Znuny with Docker?
GLPI: yes. Znuny: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, GLPI or Znuny?
GLPI has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Znuny. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.