OTOBO vs Zammad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
OTOBO
Enterprise ticket system and service management
VS
Zammad
Web-based helpdesk and customer support system
| Feature | OTOBO | Zammad |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Helpdesk & Ticketing | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 334 | ★ 5,834 |
| First released | 2019 | 2016 |
| Replaces | ServiceNow, Zendesk | Zendesk, Freshdesk |
Why pick each one
Choose OTOBO if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
Frequently asked questions
Is OTOBO or Zammad better?
Zammad 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 Zammad free and open-source?
Yes. OTOBO is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Zammad under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OTOBO and Zammad with Docker?
OTOBO: yes. Zammad: yes.