osTicket vs Zammad
osTicket and Zammad are both listed on Forkshelf as open source alternatives to Zendesk. This page sets their license and GitHub activity side by side. Every figure comes from the GitHub API, fetched on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
osTicket vs Zammad at a glance
| osTicket | Zammad | |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-2.0 [S1] | AGPL-3.0 [S1] |
| GitHub stars | 4,003 on 8 Nov 2026 [S1] | 6,091 on 8 Nov 2026 [S1] |
| Last push | 18 Jun 2026 [S1] | 8 Nov 2026 [S1] |
| Latest release | v1.18.4 on 18 Jun 2026 [S1] | None in our GitHub data [S1] |
| Archived | No [S1] | No [S1] |
| Project site | osticket.com | zammad.org |
| Repository | osTicket/osTicket | zammad/zammad |
What is osTicket?
osTicket is an open source ticketing system. This repository covers versions 1.8 and later. Its code is on GitHub at osTicket/osTicket [S1].
What is Zammad?
Zammad is a web-based open source help desk and customer support system. Its code is on GitHub at zammad/zammad [S1].
What Zendesk does
Our catalog sums it up as: Zendesk is a hosted help desk for tickets, shared email, and customer conversations. [S2]
How we list osTicket and Zammad
Our Zendesk alternatives page describes osTicket as: Customer support. License: GPL-2.0. Self-hosted: yes. [S2] We list osTicket only as an alternative to Zendesk [S3].
Our Zendesk alternatives page describes Zammad as: Customer support. License: AGPL-3.0. Self-hosted: yes. [S2] We also list Zammad as an alternative to Intercom [S3].
osTicket vs Zammad license
The osTicket repository is under GPL-2.0 [S1].
The Zammad repository is under AGPL-3.0 [S1].
Activity
On 8 Nov 2026, osTicket had 4,003 GitHub stars. It is not archived, and its last push was on 18 Jun 2026 [S1].
On 8 Nov 2026, Zammad had 6,091 GitHub stars. It is not archived, and its last push was on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
osTicket's latest GitHub release is v1.18.4, from 18 Jun 2026 [S1].
Our GitHub data has no release for Zammad [S1].
Which one fits
Zammad has more GitHub stars than osTicket as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1]. Stars show interest, so check the issue tracker too.
Zammad had the more recent push, on 8 Nov 2026, against 18 Jun 2026 for osTicket [S1].
osTicket uses GPL-2.0 and Zammad uses AGPL-3.0 [S1]. If you plan to change the code and run it as a service for others or ship it, read both licences before you pick.
Other Zendesk alternatives
See the full list on the Zendesk alternatives page [S2].
Related comparisons
FAQ
Is osTicket open source?
Its repository is under GPL-2.0, as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Is Zammad open source?
Its repository is under AGPL-3.0, as of 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Is the osTicket repository still active?
As of 8 Nov 2026, it is not archived and its last push was on 18 Jun 2026 [S1].
Is the Zammad repository still active?
As of 8 Nov 2026, it is not archived and its last push was on 8 Nov 2026 [S1].
Self-host guides
Sources (all fetched 8 Nov 2026)
- [S1] https://api.github.com/repos/osTicket/osTicket, https://api.github.com/repos/zammad/zammad
- [S2] Forkshelf listing, https://forkshelf.com/alternative-to/zendesk
- [S3] Forkshelf catalog, https://forkshelf.com/alternatives