tiqora
Comparison · as of October 2026

Tiqora vs Znuny, OTRS, Zammad, FreeScout & osTicket

For teams running OTRS or Znuny today, and for anyone choosing a self-hosted helpdesk: what each option does, what it costs you in licensing and migration effort, and where it is the better pick.

Fair warning: we build Tiqora, and Tiqora is young — the first public release was in September 2026. This comparison reflects what we could verify in each product's own docs, sites and repositories as of October 2026. Every competitor claim links to a source; where we could not verify something, the cell says “—”. Corrections are welcome in GitHub Discussions.

Jump to the matrix Running Znuny/OTRS? When to pick something else

The short version

Six tools, three very different starting points.

You run OTRS 6 / Znuny 6.0–7.3

Tiqora or stay on Znuny

Tiqora runs on your existing database next to Znuny, so you can try a modern UI and AI assistance without a data migration. Znuny itself remains the safe choice if you depend on ITSM/CMDB packages, the stats framework or custom OPM add-ons.

Greenfield, many channels

Zammad is the mature all-rounder

Long track record, a broad channel list (chat, social, phone, messaging), hosted and self-hosted editions and commercial support. Tiqora is stronger on PII masking, PGP/S/MIME depth and OTRS/Znuny compatibility.

Small team, shared inbox

FreeScout or osTicket

Lightweight PHP apps that run almost anywhere. FreeScout keeps the core small and sells modules; osTicket is a classic, simple ticket system. Both are easier to operate than any OTRS-derived system.

Feature matrix

Znuny = 6.5 LTS / 7.3 · OTRS = the current commercial product (calendar versions 2026.x) · Zammad 7.x · FreeScout 1.8.x · osTicket 1.18.x. Small numbers link to the sources at the bottom.

Yes built in Partial narrower scope Add-on extra package / module / plugin No not available — not offered or not documented in the sources we checked

Swipe the table sideways to see all six products →

Tiqora compared with Znuny, OTRS, Zammad, FreeScout and osTicket, as of October 2026
Feature Tiqora Znuny OTRS Zammad FreeScout osTicket
Platform
License AGPL-3.0, free41 GPL-3.0, free5 Proprietary, subscription; pricing on request12 AGPL-3.0, free self-hosted30 AGPL-3.0 core; most modules are paid lifetime licences3132 GPL-2.0, free36
Hosting model Self-hosted (Docker) Self-hosted; managed hosting offered by Znuny GmbH9 Managed SaaS (German data centres) or on-premise12 Self-hosted or SaaS (German data centres)26 Self-hosted only (third-party one-click hosts exist)31 Self-hosted, or hosted “SupportSystem” cloud38
Tech stack Python (FastAPI) + React; PostgreSQL or MariaDB/MySQL; Redis; Meilisearch Perl; MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL5 Perl + Node.js; Elasticsearch; MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL15 Ruby on Rails; PostgreSQL 15+ only (MySQL dropped in 7.0); Elasticsearch; Redis1925 PHP (Laravel); MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL31 PHP 8.2+; MySQL36
Maturity YoungFirst public release Sept 2026 (0.x versions) Mature; continuation of the ((OTRS)) Community Edition, LTS line 6.5 + feature line 7.x12 Mature commercial product, frequent calendar-versioned releases11 Mature; large open-source community30 Mature; frequent releases31 Mature; long-standing project36
UI (our take) Single-page React app, light/dark themes Classic server-rendered UI; ticket screens refined in 7.32 — Modern single-page app Clean, inbox-style UI (Help Scout-like)31 Classic, functional
Coming from OTRS / ZnunyTiqoraZnunyOTRSZammadFreeScoutosTicket
Runs on an existing OTRS/Znuny database YesOTRS 6.0.x and Znuny 6.0–7.3, in parallel on the same DB; only adds tiqora_* tables It is that database NoSeparate commercial product line NoOwn schema No No
Migration path from OTRS/Znuny No data migration: Znuny keeps running, Tiqora takes over daemons flag by flag, then cutover In-place upgrade from OTRS 6 via migration scripts, one minor at a time10 Vendor migration offer from ((OTRS)) CE17 One-time importer for OTRS 3.1–6.x, optional delta run24 — —
REST API / GenericInterface REST GI compatREST /api/v1, webhooks; GenericTicketConnector REST/SOAP (provider side, documented gaps) YesNative GenericInterface (REST/SOAP) YesWeb services; some depend on contract tier13 RESTOwn REST API, no GI compatibility Add-onAPI & Webhooks module (paid)32 PartialAPI supports ticket creation only39
AITiqoraZnunyOTRSZammadFreeScoutosTicket
AI drafts / summaries / triage YesDrafts, summaries, triage (queue routing), refine with diff review; per-queue policies Add-onFree Znuny-LLM (7.3+): classification, summaries, reply rewrite, FAQ suggestions4 YesAI ticket summary and classification14 YesSummaries, writing assistant, AI agents for routing, tagging, field extraction (7.0+)18 Add-onFree official AI module: drafts, summaries, grammar33 —
Autonomous auto-reply Opt-inPer queue, with human handoff, per-ticket pause, caps and cost budgets — — —Agents approve AI drafts18 —Third-party modules exist —
LLM choice Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, cloud or self-hosted; per-task model routing Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint4 Vendor-operated EU AI service; on-premise systems connect to it14 Zammad AI, OpenAI, Azure, Anthropic, Mistral, Ollama, OpenAI-compatible18 Many providers incl. Ollama / LM Studio33 —
PII masking before the LLM YesNER-based masking before every call; full request audit log with PDF export — — — — —
MCP server YesBuilt in, same permission engine as the UI; also calls external MCP tools Community project (third party)8 — Community projects (third party)29 — —
Security & privacyTiqoraZnunyOTRSZammadFreeScoutosTicket
PGP / S/MIME BothInbound verify/decrypt, outbound sign/encrypt, per-queue defaults; key stores shared with Znuny BothCore admin modules6 YesEncryption and signing13 BothPGP and S/MIME integrations22 Add-onPaid module; outbound sign/encrypt, no inbound S/MIME verification34 —
GDPR tooling YesCustomer anonymization, retention rules, bulk erasure with preview and 30-day rollback —No dedicated tool in core; manual work or GenericAgent10 YesRules to anonymize, pseudonymize or delete16 PartialDeletes users with their tickets, also scheduled; no anonymization23 Add-onPaid module: delete customers and conversations35 —
SSO & 2FA OIDC, LDAP/AD, Kerberos/SPNEGO, TOTP, passkeysNo SAML LDAP, web-server SSO (e.g. Kerberos), native SAML since 7.3, TOTP376 LDAP; Keycloak-based identity features1113 SAML, OIDC, Microsoft, Google and more; Kerberos SSO; LDAP; TOTP and security keys212228 Add-onLDAP, SAML, OAuth login and 2FA as paid modules32 PluginsLDAP/AD, OAuth2, CAS, 2FA (official plugins)37
Channels & service deskTiqoraZnunyOTRSZammadFreeScoutosTicket
Channels Email, phone with CTI popup, Telegram, SMS, WhatsAppNo web chat widget, no Facebook/X Email; phone and web-request tickets6 Email; inter-agent chat; more via web services13 Email (incl. Microsoft 365, Google), web form, chat, phone/CTI, SMS, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook2022 Email in core; chat, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, X, SMS as paid modules32 Email, web forms, phone (agent-entered), API36
Customer portal YesOpt-in Yes Yes Yes Add-onEnd-User Portal module32 Yes40
Knowledge base YesMarkdown KB with review workflow, portal search, used by the AI Add-onFree FAQ package6 YesKnowledge base articles13 Yes20 Add-onPaid module32 YesFAQ36
Process management / ITSM PartialRuns imported Znuny processes (no designer, some conditions/actions missing); no ITSM/CMDB YesProcess designer in core; free ITSM bundle with CMDB, change, incident/problem66 YesProcess engine, CMDB, ITSM13 No ITSMi-doit CMDB integration22 Add-onWorkflows module; no ITSM32 PartialSLAs, help topics, tasks; no ITSM40
Reporting PartialFixed reports (volume, SLA, workload, backlog) + CSV; no configurable stats YesConfigurable stats framework6 YesExtended ticket stats, time accounting13 YesElasticsearch-based reporting25 Add-onReports module32 —
UI languages 49, incl. RTL (Znuny catalogue + English) 48 translation catalogues + English5 — “Over forty”27 3331 Community language packs36
Vendor support GitHub issues & Discussions Support, training, hosting, development from Znuny GmbH9 Included in subscription12 Support contracts for self-hosted; SaaS plans26 Paid modules; community32 Support with the hosted editions38

“Add-on” does not mean worse: Znuny's ITSM and FAQ packages are free and mature, and FreeScout's modular model keeps its core small on purpose. Prices and feature tiers change; check the vendor before you decide.

Where the others are stronger

If one of these points decides it for you, take it seriously.

Znuny

  • Free ITSM bundle (CMDB, change, incident/problem) and a large OPM add-on ecosystem.
  • Full statistics framework and a graphical process designer.
  • Native SAML (7.3) and a long LTS track record; commercial services from Znuny GmbH.

OTRS

  • Commercial vendor with support included, managed SaaS or on-premise.
  • ITSM, CMDB and process engine from one vendor.
  • Rule-based anonymization, pseudonymization and deletion for data privacy.

Zammad

  • Maturity and a large open-source community.
  • Channel breadth: web chat, Facebook, SMS, Telegram, WhatsApp, Microsoft 365/Google mail, several CTI integrations.
  • SAML, many social logins, hosted and self-hosted editions, support contracts.

FreeScout

  • Very light: PHP and a database, no minimum hardware requirements stated.
  • Shared-inbox workflow that small teams pick up in minutes.
  • Pay only for the modules you need; a free official AI module.

osTicket

  • Simple, long-established ticket system that runs on almost any PHP host.
  • SLAs, help topics and a customer portal out of the box.
  • Hosted edition with vendor support if you do not want to run it yourself.

Tiqora's own gaps

  • Missing: saved searches, configurable dashboards, link overview, several admin screens (sessions, SQL box, maintenance, system log), calendar admin, portal print view.
  • Partial: statistics, GenericAgent, bulk actions, preferences, GenericInterface edge cases, process conditions/actions.
  • By design: no OPM Package Manager, process designer, SysConfig editor or webservice editor.
  • Not yet: SAML, web chat widget, social channels, ITSM/CMDB.

Full parity list ↗

Why Tiqora if you run Znuny or OTRS today

Most helpdesk switches are big-bang migrations: export, transform, import, retrain, hope. Tiqora skips the data migration entirely.

  1. Same database

    Point Tiqora at your OTRS 6.0.x or Znuny 6.0–7.3 database (MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL). It detects the schema version and only adds its own tiqora_* tables.

  2. Run both side by side

    Znuny keeps processing mail, escalations, notifications and GenericAgent. Agents can try Tiqora on live tickets while everyone else keeps working in Znuny.

  3. Hand over flag by flag

    Move daemons one at a time with feature flags, off by default. Ticket numbers, history and escalation columns stay readable by Znuny the whole time.

  4. Cut over when ready

    Retire Znuny only at the end, following the cutover runbook. Until then you can step back at any stage.

Read the migration guide Support matrix
OTRS 6.0.x Znuny 6.0 – 6.5 LTS Znuny 7.0 – 7.3 MariaDB / MySQL · PostgreSQL

When another tool is the better choice

We would rather you pick the right tool than the wrong one.

You need ITSM / CMDB

Configuration items, change management and ITIL processes: stay on Znuny with its free ITSM packages, or look at OTRS. Tiqora has no CMDB.

You depend on custom OPM add-ons

Tiqora cannot run Perl OPM packages. If your workflows live in add-ons, Znuny is the safe home — or run Tiqora alongside and keep those parts in Znuny.

You want a vendor contract and SLA today

OTRS, Zammad and Znuny GmbH sell support and hosting. Tiqora is a young open-source project; support today means GitHub issues and Discussions.

You need web chat or social channels

A website chat widget or Facebook: Zammad covers these out of the box. Tiqora has neither today.

You need SAML or deep reporting

SAML-only identity providers or configurable, scheduled statistics: Znuny 7.3, Zammad or OTRS.

You are a three-person team on shared hosting

FreeScout or osTicket run on any PHP host. Tiqora needs Docker, Redis and Meilisearch.

See for yourself

Click through the agent, admin and portal UI in your browser. It runs on mock data, and nothing is saved.

Launch the live demo View on GitHub Read the docs

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-01. Spotted something wrong or outdated? Please tell us in GitHub Discussions.

Znuny

  1. Znuny release overview
  2. Znuny roadmap
  3. Znuny 7.3 — built-in SAML authentication
  4. Znuny-LLM add-on
  5. Znuny on GitHub (license, language, i18n/Znuny)
  6. Znuny core modules (AdminPGP, AdminSMIME, AdminProcessManagement, AgentStatistics); FAQ package; ITSM Core
  7. Znuny docs — user backends
  8. znuny_mcp (community MCP server)
  9. Znuny GmbH — services
  10. Znuny docs — update to 6.5; community forum — GDPR

OTRS

  1. OTRS release notes
  2. OTRS on-premise & managed
  3. OTRS features
  4. OTRS artificial intelligence
  5. OTRS hardware and software requirements
  6. OTRS data privacy protection
  7. OTRS — switching from the Community Edition

Zammad

  1. Zammad AI
  2. Zammad 7.0 release
  3. Zammad admin documentation (channels, knowledge base)
  4. Zammad third-party authentication
  5. Zammad integrations
  6. Zammad data privacy
  7. Zammad — migration from OTRS
  8. Zammad software requirements
  9. Zammad pricing
  10. Zammad 5.1 release (translations)
  11. Zammad two-factor authentication
  12. zammad-mcp-server (community)
  13. Zammad on GitHub

FreeScout

  1. FreeScout on GitHub
  2. FreeScout modules
  3. FreeScout AI Integration module
  4. FreeScout Mail Signing & Encryption module
  5. FreeScout GDPR module

osTicket

  1. osTicket on GitHub
  2. osTicket official plugins
  3. osTicket editions
  4. osTicket API documentation
  5. osTicket features

Tiqora

  1. Tiqora README, support matrix, parity list, AI, GDPR, PGP & S/MIME, channels