OTOBO vs Libredesk
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted helpdesk & ticketing options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | OTOBO | Libredesk |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 72 · Good | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Helpdesk & Ticketing |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 337 | ★ 2,959 |
| First released | 2019 | 2024 |
| Replaces | ServiceNow, Zendesk | Zendesk, Intercom |
What are OTOBO and Libredesk?
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
Libredesk
Libredesk is a self-hosted, open-source customer support tool. It offers shared inboxes, SLA management, automations, and reporting in a clean modern interface.
- Shared inbox and SLAs
- Automation rules
- Canned responses
- Single binary deployment
OTOBO vs Libredesk: key differences
OTOBO is written in Perl, while Libredesk is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for OTOBO versus AGPL-3.0 for Libredesk. Libredesk is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OTOBO. OTOBO is the more established project (first released 2019), while Libredesk arrived in 2024. Libredesk has the considerably larger community, at 2,959 GitHub stars versus 337.
Why pick each one
Choose OTOBO if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
Choose Libredesk if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is OTOBO or Libredesk better?
Libredesk is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OTOBO if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OTOBO and Libredesk free and open-source?
Yes. OTOBO is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Libredesk under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OTOBO and Libredesk with Docker?
OTOBO: yes. Libredesk: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, OTOBO or Libredesk?
Libredesk has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OTOBO. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.