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GLPI vs Help Scout vs Zoho Desk Comparison

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GLPI

4.7(30 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

GLPI is an award-winning Service Management platform that allows its users to centrally manage help desk, CMDB, and asset management while also providing access to project management, financial management, configuration,…

Help Scout

4.5(317 reviews)

Starting at $20 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Help Scout is a modern help desk system for growing businesses. It helps support teams grow from a few people to 10s of thousands of users, retain customers, and delight them with exceptional support. The goal is to succ…

Zoho Desk

4.4(3,852 reviews)

Starting at $7 /user/month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage unlimited agents efficiently wh…

GLPI leads on user satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating across 30 reviews.

GLPI vs Help Scout vs Zoho Desk — at a glance

FeatureGLPIHelp ScoutZoho Desk
Rating4.7 / 54.5 / 54.4 / 5
Reviews303173,852
Starting priceContact for pricing$20 /User/Month$7 /user/month
Free trial Yes Yes Yes
Free version No No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryService Desk SoftwareHelp Desk SoftwareHelp Desk Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailableAvailable
Support modesOnline24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online
CertificationsGDPRSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPRSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001
Data residencyUSGlobal

Key differences between GLPI and Help Scout

  • Pricing: Help Scout starts at $20 /User/Month. GLPI pricing is not publicly listed.
  • User satisfaction: GLPI scores higher with a 4.7-star average.
  • Deployment: GLPI supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Help Scout supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.

Compare GLPI vs Help Scout vs Zoho Desk — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Service Desk Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

GLPI - Service Desk Software
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Help Scout - Help Desk Software
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

GLPI

Best for customizable IT asset and service management in mid-to-large companies.

Choose if
  • You need a flexible, open-source platform with strong IT asset and ticket management.
  • Your organization requires integrated project, financial, and configuration management capabilities.
  • Your IT team values an intuitive interface with robust reporting and analytics features.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your organization lacks dedicated IT support staff or minimal IT infrastructure.
  • You require extensive marketplace integrations and advanced out-of-the-box connectors.

Help Scout

Best for growing businesses needing simple, unified customer support tools.

Choose if
  • You want an all-in-one platform combining email, live chat, knowledge base, and help desk.
  • Your team values a user-friendly interface for fast onboarding and deployment.
  • You prioritize personalized, human-centered customer support and collaboration.
Consider alternatives if
  • You require highly complex, customizable workflows and advanced automation features.
  • You need transparent, publicly available pricing and self-serve purchasing options.

Zoho Desk

Best for businesses needing AI-driven, multi-channel help desk with Zoho integration.

Choose if
  • You want a cost-effective help desk with a robust free plan for startups and SMBs.
  • Your team requires AI-powered automation and intelligent ticket routing to boost productivity.
  • You use Zoho CRM, Mail, or other Zoho apps and want seamless ecosystem integration.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your organization needs a fully mobile-optimized help desk experience with full app functionality.
  • You prefer a very simple, out-of-the-box setup without technical configuration or learning curve.

GLPI: Best for customizable IT asset and service management in mid-to-large companies. Help Scout: Best for growing businesses needing simple, unified customer support tools.

Description

GLPI is an award-winning Service Management platform that allows its users to centrally manage help desk, CMDB, and asset management while also providing access to project management, ... Read More about GLPI

Help Scout is a modern help desk system for growing businesses. It helps support teams grow from a few people to 10s of thousands of users, retain customers, and delight them with ... Read More about Help Scout

Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage ... Read More about Zoho Desk

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $20 , Billed Yearly
  • Starts from $7 , yearly

Free Trial Availability

  • Free Trial available

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

Not Available

9.7/10

9.7/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.73

(30)

4.54

(317)

4.39

(3852)

Best Company Size

50-500 employees500+ employees
10-50 employees51-1,000 employees
10-2000 employeesSmall to Large Businesses
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

GLPI

  • Asset Management: With GLPI, you can easily track and manage all IT assets in one centralized system. This improves visibility and reduces time spent searching for information.
  • Improved Incident Management: When issues arise, GLPI lets our teams quickly log, prioritize, and resolve incidents. This approach helps us maintain service quality and improve user satisfaction.
  • Reporting and Analytics: GLPI's reporting features provide insights into IT operations. This helps you make informed decisions aligned with your strategic goals.

Help Scout

  • Unified Platform for Support Channels: Combines email, live chat, knowledge base, and help desk in one intuitive interface—ideal for simplifying customer service operations.
  • User-Friendly & Fast Onboarding: Designed with simplicity in mind, allowing teams to deploy and adapt quickly, without the complexity of traditional help desk systems.
  • Strong Focus on Personal, Human Support: Helps teams maintain a personalized touch with customers, supported by features like shared inboxes, customer profiles, and collaboration tools.

Zoho Desk

  • Multi-Channel Support in One Dashboard: Centralizes email, social media, chat, and more, allowing teams to manage all customer interactions from a unified interface.
  • AI-Powered Assistance and Automation: Includes intelligent suggestions, automated ticket routing, and prioritization through Zia AI, improving agent productivity and response accuracy.
  • Reliable Free Plan & Zoho Ecosystem Integration: Offers a generous free plan and smooth connectivity with Zoho CRM, Zoho Mail, and other Zoho tools—ideal for businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem.
Best fit

Best fit

GLPI

  • 50 to 500 employees.
  • IT Management, Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Nonprofit, and Telecommunications.
  • IT Managers, Help Desk Technicians, System Administrators, Network Administrators, and Support Staff.

Help Scout

  • 10 – 1,000 Employees
  • SaaS, E-commerce, Education, Nonprofits, Startups, Digital Agencies.
  • Customer Support Manager, Customer Experience Lead, IT Support Specialist, Operations Manager, Client Success Coordinator, Knowledge Base Administrator.

Zoho Desk

  • 10 – 2,000 Employee
  • SaaS, Retail, E-commerce, Education, Insurance, Fintech, Healthcare
  • Customer Support Manager, IT Service Desk Lead, Operations Manager, Technical Support Specialist, CRM Administrator, Client Services Director
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

GLPI

  • Steep learning curve on setup and navigation slows initial deployment for IT teams unfamiliar with open-source ticketing platforms
  • Limited native integrations with modern SaaS tools — teams needing Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Salesforce connectors often add separate middleware
  • Performance degrades in environments with 500+ concurrent users or 100k+ ticket backlogs without significant server optimization

Help Scout

  • Help Scout is optimized for growing businesses, but larger enterprises may find it lacks advanced ITSM tools, ticket routing automation, or customizable SLAs available in platforms like Zendesk or ServiceNow.
  • While it offers essential analytics, companies needing advanced BI integrations or custom reporting dashboards may seek tools with more granular insights.
  • Help Scout includes customer profiles but doesn’t provide full CRM functionality; users with complex sales or account management workflows may require a dedicated CRM or deeper integration.

Zoho Desk

  • Steep learning curve for configuring automations and integrations — smaller teams often switch to Freshdesk or Help Scout for simpler setup
  • Advanced automation, AI, and reporting features locked behind paid tiers — free plan users typically evaluate Freshdesk or Zendesk for better entry-level access
  • Data sync issues with non-Zoho tools — teams relying on external integrations report inconsistent functionality compared to Intercom or Zendesk

Software Demo

Demo

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How do GLPI, Help Scout and Zoho Desk Compare on Features?

Total Features

8 Features

15 Features

27 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare GLPI, Help Scout and Zoho Desk on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • Not Available
        • $20 , Billed Yearly
        • $7 , yearly

        Pricing Plans

        • Not Available
        • Standard

          • 2 Mailboxes (Additional Mailboxes are $10 each per month)

          • 1 Docs site (Additional Docs sites are $20 each per month)

          • Add up to 25 users (Add up to 25 users on Standard at $20/month each, billed Yearly)

          Show more +

        • Plus

          • Includes features of Standard plan, plus

          • 5 Mailboxes (Additional Mailboxes are $10 each per month)

          • 2 Docs sites (Additional Docs sites are $20 each per month)

          Show more +

        • Pro

          • Includes features of Plus plan, plus

          • 25 Mailboxes (Additional Mailboxes are $10 each per month)

          • 10 Docs sites (Additional Docs sites are $20 each per month)

          Show more +

        • Express

          $9

          /user/month

          • Small business essentials:

          • Email

          • Social media

          Show more +

        • Standard

          $20

          /user/month

          • Everything in Express +

          • Live chat (Business Messaging)

          • Instant messaging

          Show more +

        • Professional

          $35

          /user/month

          • Everything in Standard +

          • Telephony

          • Blueprints

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans

        Pricing Page

        GLPI pricing
        Help Scout pricing
        Zoho Desk pricing

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals

        Platforms Supported

        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Installed - Windows
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Mobile - BlackBerry
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Installed - Windows
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Mobile - BlackBerry
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Installed - Windows
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Mobile - BlackBerry
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Not Available
        • Available
        • Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✓ Yes

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        ISO 27001

        ✗ No

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🇺🇸 US

        GLPI vs Help Scout User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        Rating Distribution

        30

        10

        0

        0

        0

        238

        67

        11

        5

        5

        2628

        1272

        213

        15

        19

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall, users praise GLPI for its customization, comprehensive ITSM features, and ease of use, while noting some challenges with complexity and marketplace limitations.

        What buyers like

        • Customizability
        • Ease of use
        • Reporting and analytics

        Common complaints

        • Steep learning curve
        • Limited marketplace integrations

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyers appreciate Help Scout's ease of use and unified support channels but note limitations in advanced customization and pricing transparency.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Unified support platform
        • Personalized customer support

        Common complaints

        • Limited advanced features
        • Lack of pricing transparency

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlights Zoho Desk's powerful automation and multi-channel capabilities, though some users note a learning curve and mobile limitations.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of integration
        • Automation and AI features
        • Multi-channel support

        Common complaints

        • Mobile app limitations
        • Complexity of setup

        Pros and Cons

        • Highly customizable open-source IT asset management and support ticket system

        • Intuitive graphical interface with easy handling and reporting features

        • Comprehensive ticket management and integration capabilities

        • Steep learning curve for newcomers due to feature richness and customization options

        • Limited selection in the Marketplace restricting advanced functionalities

        • Unified platform combining email, live chat, knowledge base, and help desk

        • User-friendly interface enabling fast onboarding and deployment

        • Strong focus on personalized, human-centered customer support

        • Limited advanced customization and automation features

        • Pricing details not publicly available, requiring sales engagement

        • Multi-channel support from a single dashboard including email, social media, and chat

        • AI-powered automation and intelligent ticket routing improving agent productivity

        • Strong integration with Zoho ecosystem and third-party tools enhancing workflow automation

        • Mobile app has limited functionality compared to desktop version

        • Advanced feature configuration requires technical knowledge and time

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        Used GLPI, Help Scout, or Zoho Desk? Tell buyers what actually differs.

        List of Customers

        Customers

        Airbus

        Airbus

        Habitat

        Habitat

        Doctolib

        Doctolib

        YETI

        YETI

        Trello

        Trello

        Mixmax

        Mixmax

        NHS

        NHS

        Rogers

        Rogers

        ESSILOR

        ESSILOR

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Assests

        4 Screenshots

        Help Scout

        7 Screenshots

        Videos

        video-0

        4 Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        Expand your shortlist

        Add another option to compare side by side

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, GLPI or Help Scout?
        GLPI edges out the other on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.5). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do GLPI and Help Scout offer a free trial?
        Yes, both GLPI and Help Scout offer a free trial.
        What is the starting price of GLPI vs Help Scout?
        GLPI starts at Contact for pricing. Help Scout starts at $20 /User/Month.
        What are the top alternatives to GLPI?
        Top alternatives to GLPI include Freshservice, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, SolarWinds Service Desk, Jira Service Desk, Symantec ServiceDesk.
        What are the top alternatives to Help Scout?
        Top alternatives to Help Scout include Zoho Desk, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Zendesk Support, LiveAgent.