Ticket Systems: Best of 2025

Guide to the Best Ticketing Software

Selecting the best ticketing software with features tailored to your needs has a significant impact on the quality of your customer service. In work management and project management, the right system can unlock substantial productivity potential. This guide helps you compare the best ticketing systems, explains the different types of ticketing solutions, and outlines the functionality you can expect.

What is Ticketing Software?

A ticketing system is a software solution that enables organizations to systematically record, track, and process requests and issues from customers, employees, or internal teams.

Such systems are commonly used in customer support but are equally applied in project management as well as areas like IT support or human resources. When a request is submitted, the system creates a ticket that documents the issue and includes all necessary information along with its processing status.

In addition to basic ticket handling, many systems offer features like prioritization, workflow automation, and reporting to simplify processes and make handling more transparent. Ticketing systems belong to the broader category of work management systems.

Categories of Ticketing Systems

There are different types of ticketing systems that vary based on use case, functionality, and target audience. The spectrum ranges from highly flexible solutions to highly specialized systems. Here is a suggested meaningful categorization:

Helpdesk Ticketing Systems (Customer Support)

Focus: External customer support

• Used by support teams, call centers, or customer service departments
• Manages customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback
• Often includes omnichannel features (email, chat, phone, social media)
• Examples: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Allegra Service, Zoho Desk

IT Service Management Systems (ITSM)

Focus: Internal technical support

• Used by IT departments to handle internal incidents or service requests
• Supports ITIL processes such as incident, problem, and change management
• Often linked with asset and configuration management
• Examples: Allegra Service, Jira Service Management, ServiceNow, OTRS

HR Ticketing Systems

Focus: Human resources and employee requests

• Processes requests related to vacation, onboarding, payroll, employment contracts
• Enables structured communication between HR and staff
• Examples: ServiceNow HR, PeopleSoft, Zammad (customizable)

Facility / Operations Ticketing Systems

Focus: Facility and infrastructure management

• Manages maintenance reports, repair requests, room bookings
• Commonly used internally by facility or building management teams
• Examples: Planon, FMX, CAFM systems

Project- and Task-Based Ticketing Systems

Focus: Work organization and collaboration

• Tickets are used to manage tasks, bugs, or work packages
• Often used in project management or software development
• Examples: Allegra, Jira, Asana, Trello (with plugins)

Email-Based or Simple Ticketing Systems

Focus: Small teams or simple use cases

• Automatically convert incoming emails into tickets
• Less complex, often without workflow or automation features
• Examples: osTicket, Spiceworks, HelpScout

Industry- or Application-Specific Ticketing Systems

Focus: Specialized requirements (e.g., healthcare, government)

• Adapted to data protection requirements, processes, or industry terminology
• Examples: HEAT (Ivanti) for government, Epic for hospitals

The best Ticket Systems

Allegra

Ideal for IT service teams and project-oriented collaboration

Allegra is a Germany-based ticketing system with a focus on IT service management (ITSM) and structured project work. It is designed for teams that want to centralize support processes together with task, change, and project management.

The platform provides configurable ticket handling, including prioritization, status definitions, and role assignments. A visual workflow editor allows organizations to tailor processing rules, escalations, and notifications. Service catalogs and SLAs can be defined directly within the interface.

A notable feature is the integration between ticketing and project management. Tickets and project tasks can be converted into each other, making Allegra suitable for IT departments and service-oriented organizations with mixed operational and project workloads.

Allegra is available both as a cloud service and as a fully on-premises installation. It targets mid-sized and larger organizations looking for process control, customization options, and strong data protection capabilities.

User Reviews

See: https://www.g2.com/products/allegra/reviews

• “Highly flexible and adaptable to internal workflows. The link between tickets and project management is valuable.” – Stefan L.
• “Provides full data control through self-hosting.” – Tobias F.
• “Interface requires some familiarization, but customization options are extensive.” – Anonymous
• “Useful for both IT support and internal IT projects.” – Lars M.

Freshdesk

Ideal for versatile omnichannel customer support

Freshdesk is a cloud-based ticketing system from Freshworks designed to streamline customer support across multiple communication channels. The platform consolidates inquiries from email, phone, chat, and social media into a central dashboard, enabling teams to maintain a clear overview.

Tickets can be automatically categorized, prioritized, and routed. Workflow rules support efficient processing, SLA definition, and escalation management. Freshdesk also includes tools for building a knowledge base, allowing users to resolve common issues independently.

The user interface is intuitive and accessible for non-technical users. The system is modular and scales with team size and support requirements. Advanced features such as bot-assisted responses and customer portals are available in higher-tier plans.

User Reviews

See: https://www.g2.com/products/freshdesk/reviews

• “Freshdesk is easy to use and greatly simplifies our inquiry management. Automation saves us a lot of time.” – Sandra T.
• “The omnichannel features are excellent. I can handle email, Facebook messages, and chat conversations from one place.” – Ryan M.
• “The free plan works well for small teams, but larger organizations will need the advanced functions.” – Anonymous
• “The mobile app is useful, though it could offer more functionality.” – Anonymous

Help Scout

Ideal for personal email-based customer support with a simple interface

Help Scout is a cloud-based ticketing system focused on email support and maintaining a personal tone of communication. It is well suited for small to mid-sized teams that prioritize simplicity, efficiency, and a clear interface.

The core feature is the shared inbox, which enables teams to manage email inquiries in a structured way. Tags, saved replies, and automated workflows help streamline support processes. Help Scout also offers an integrated live chat tool (“Beacon”) and a modular knowledge base to support self-service.

The interface is intentionally minimalistic and avoids technical complexity. Customer communication appears as a natural conversation without visible ticket numbers or system language, which is beneficial for teams seeking a more personal customer experience.

Help Scout integrates with tools such as Slack, HubSpot, Jira, and Shopify. The platform is GDPR compliant and provides EU data hosting, making it suitable for organizations with strict data protection requirements.

User Reviews

See: https://www.g2.com/products/help-scout/reviews

• “Help Scout is ideal if you need a simple and reliable support solution. The interface is clean and intuitive.” – Elisa B.
• “I appreciate the personal tone in communication. Customers don’t feel like they’re interacting with a ticketing system.” – Jonas K.
• “Perfect for smaller teams with straightforward processes; for complex use cases, it sometimes lacks depth.” – Anonymous
• “The chat feature (Beacon) is easy to set up and integrates well with our design.” – Lena W.

HubSpot Service Hub

Ideal for integrated customer service with CRM connectivity

HubSpot Service Hub is a cloud-based ticketing system fully integrated into the HubSpot CRM. It is well suited for organizations that want to connect customer support closely with sales, marketing, and overall customer relationship management.

Tickets are automatically linked to relevant contacts, companies, and activities, giving teams a complete customer view. Support agents work from a shared inbox that consolidates email, live chat, and form submissions. Automation tools support routing, SLA management, and escalation workflows.

The platform includes built-in knowledge base features, customer satisfaction surveys (such as NPS and CSAT), and analytics for evaluating support performance. The interface is streamlined and particularly effective for teams already using HubSpot’s ecosystem.

Service Hub is especially attractive for growing companies that want a unified system without fragmentation between sales, marketing, and support operations.

User Reviews

• “The best part is having all support data directly in the CRM, giving our sales team full visibility into customer history.” – Max R.
• “We set up automated workflows within minutes, which significantly reduces manual effort.” – Jens M.
• “If you already use HubSpot, Service Hub is a natural fit — the integration is seamless.” – Anonymous
• “Excellent for straightforward support processes; less suited for complex ITSM requirements.” – Timo K.

Jira Service Management

Ideal for IT teams focused on DevOps and ITSM

Jira Service Management is a comprehensive ITSM platform from Atlassian designed for IT teams, DevOps environments, and complex service operations. It offers deep integration with the Atlassian ecosystem, particularly Jira Software and Confluence.

Support requests are handled via a self-service portal and processed using predefined or customized workflows. SLAs, automations, and escalation rules help standardize service procedures. The system supports key ITIL practices, including incident, problem, change, and asset management.

Through its close connection with Jira Software, service tickets can be linked directly to development tasks—making it well suited for IT and software teams that require fast issue resolution, transparent collaboration, and continuous improvement processes.

Jira Service Management is available as a cloud solution or as a Data Center version for self-hosting. It is aimed at mid-sized to large organizations that need detailed process control, extensive customization, and robust integration capabilities.

User Reviews

• “Jira Service Management is ideal for our IT department. The integration with our developer teams via Jira Software saves time and coordination.” – Stefan M.
• “We implemented our ITIL processes smoothly and improved efficiency through automations.” – Patrick W.
• “Initially complex to set up, but the customization options are excellent.” – Anonymous
• “Thanks to Confluence integration, we built an internal knowledge base directly linked to service tickets.” – Niklas H.

Kayako

Ideal for fast multichannel support in small to mid-sized teams

Kayako is a cloud-based ticketing system designed for small and medium support teams that need to manage customer inquiries across multiple channels. It consolidates email, live chat, Twitter, Facebook, and help center requests into a single shared inbox.

A key aspect of Kayako is its focus on customer history: all interactions with a customer are displayed in one continuous thread, regardless of channel. This provides context for support staff and enables quicker, more consistent responses.

The integrated live chat supports real-time communication and proactive engagement with website visitors. Kayako also offers tools for building a knowledge base and enabling self-service options for end users.

The system is well suited for organizations seeking a straightforward, multichannel support solution with minimal setup effort. It is particularly effective for teams prioritizing speed, clarity, and customer retention.

User Reviews

• “Kayako allowed us to unify our chat and email inquiries in one system. Communication is now much clearer.” – Tim F.
• “Customer interactions across channels are easy to follow, which significantly improves our support workflow.” – Marc D.
• “The interface is clean, though some features feel a bit dated compared to newer tools.” – Anonymous
• “A solid option for a small multichannel support team, but scalability has its limits.” – Lukas H.

LiveAgent

Ideal for fast multichannel customer support with live chat

LiveAgent is a comprehensive helpdesk and ticketing system designed for organizations that handle high volumes of customer interactions across multiple channels. It provides a unified interface for email, live chat, phone calls, social media, and web forms.

A standout feature is the live chat with typing preview, which shows agents what the customer is typing before the message is sent, enabling faster and more proactive support. The built-in call center includes call routing, queues, IVR menus, and call recording without requiring external tools.

All inquiries are consolidated into a universal inbox, supported by tagging, time tracking, escalation rules, and automation. A self-service knowledge base and customer portal are also included.

LiveAgent targets small to mid-sized businesses seeking a powerful yet affordable all-in-one support platform. It is available as a cloud solution and optionally for self-hosting.

User Reviews

• “LiveAgent is our central tool for chat, email, and phone support. The typing preview is a real game changer.” – David S.
• “The call center features with IVR and call history outperform systems we've used at higher price points.” – Ralf H.
• “A solid tool for teams with high contact volumes. Some interface elements could be more modern.” – Anonymous
• “Great value for money and very fast support from the vendor.” – Oliver T.

ManageEngine

Ideal for IT departments focused on ITSM and asset management

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is a full-featured IT service management (ITSM) solution designed for IT departments in enterprises, public organizations, and educational institutions. It supports all major ITIL processes and is available both as a cloud service and as an on-premises installation.

The platform covers the complete ticket lifecycle – from request intake to classification, prioritization, resolution, and documentation. IT assets can be managed within the integrated CMDB and linked to tickets, providing full visibility into infrastructure, responsibilities, and dependencies.

The interface is structured and functional, with personalized views for technicians, end users, and administrators. Automations, SLAs, and escalation rules help IT teams stay organized even with high ticket volumes.

ServiceDesk Plus is suited for organizations requiring strong data control, process compliance (e.g., ITIL, GDPR), and extensive customization—while still maintaining usability.

User Reviews

• “We’ve used ServiceDesk Plus for years in IT support—reliable, secure, and with clear visibility into tickets and assets.” – Thomas E.
• “The on-premises version gives us full control over our data, which is a major advantage for a public authority.” – Jörg B.
• “Very good value for money compared to other ITSM tools with similar features.” – Anonymous
• “Setup requires some initial effort, but once configured it runs efficiently and consistently.” – Markus L.

osTicket

Ideal for simple, self-hosted helpdesk solutions

osTicket is a widely used open-source ticketing system suited for small to mid-sized organizations looking for a cost-effective and self-managed helpdesk. It provides all essential features needed for structured support without licensing fees.

Tickets can be submitted via web forms, email, or API. The system supports auto-responses, prioritization, routing, and internal notes to facilitate team collaboration. Administrators can create custom fields and forms to capture specific information.

osTicket can be hosted on an organization’s own server (PHP/MySQL), offering full control over data, security, and customization. For teams that prefer not to manage their own infrastructure, osTicket Cloud is available as a hosted alternative.

The interface is functional but less modern compared to commercial solutions. For many use cases—especially internal IT support—osTicket remains a stable and reliable option.

User Reviews

• “We’ve used osTicket for years in internal IT support. It’s stable, easy to maintain, and completely free.” – Martin Z.
• “As an open-source solution, osTicket is highly flexible—ideal for organizations with their own servers.” – Andreas H.
• “The interface looks a bit outdated, but it’s perfectly adequate for simple helpdesk processes.” – Anonymous
• “Some technical knowledge is required, but once set up, it’s a very effective and cost-efficient system.” – Daniel T.

OTRS

Ideal for IT and service organizations with high security and process requirements

OTRS (Open Ticket Request System) is a well-established ticketing system that began as an open-source project and is now continued as a commercial enterprise solution. It is widely used in environments with strict requirements for data protection, auditability, and controlled service processes—such as public authorities, IT departments, and industrial organizations.

OTRS consolidates requests from multiple channels and supports structured processing through automation, SLAs, and escalation workflows. Its granular role and permission model allows precise access control across larger teams.

The interface is functional and efficiency-focused. Organizations can fully self-host and adapt the system to their needs. Although the earlier open-source “Community Edition” is no longer officially supported, it remains in use, particularly in public sector and education environments.

The current commercial OTRS version targets mid-sized to large organizations seeking long-term maintenance, security, and professional support services.

User Reviews

• “We use OTRS in our IT department. The customization options are extensive, especially when integrated with other systems.” – Matthias R.
• “For our public-sector organization, OTRS was ideal because we can fully self-host it.” – Bernd L.
• “The interface looks somewhat dated but is functional and suitable for complex processes.” – Anonymous
• “The Enterprise version provides reliable support and regular security updates—critical for our operations.” – Stefan K.

ServiceNow

Ideal for complex enterprise service processes with ITSM, HR, and security modules

ServiceNow is a leading enterprise platform for IT service management and digital process automation. It is designed for large organizations requiring complex workflows, cross-departmental collaboration, and extensive scalability. Beyond ITSM, the platform includes modules for HR, security, customer service, project management, and facilities operations.

The system centralizes incident, request, change, and configuration processes in a unified environment. A graphical workflow engine and AI-driven suggestions support efficient processing, automation, and targeted escalations.

ServiceNow supports ITIL-aligned practices and offers comprehensive analytics, SLA monitoring, and integrations with external systems. The interface is modern, customizable, and accessible to both technical and non-technical users.

As a cloud platform, ServiceNow provides advanced security standards and a robust architecture, making it widely adopted in regulated industries such as finance, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and the public sector.

User Reviews

• “ServiceNow has become essential to our IT organization— it structures and scales every process reliably.” – Christopher W.
• “The automation capabilities are extremely powerful, from simple routing to full end-to-end workflows.” – Johannes R.
• “It’s not inexpensive, but the investment pays off for complex requirements.” – Anonymous
• “Integrations with systems like SAP or Azure work reliably, and the permission model is very granular.” – Daniel V.

Spiceworks

Ideal for IT departments in small to mid-sized companies with self-hosting requirements

Spiceworks Help Desk is a free, on-premises ticketing system designed for small and mid-sized IT departments. It provides a straightforward way to capture, manage, and document IT support requests without licensing costs.

The software runs on Windows servers and supports ticket creation via email and a user-friendly web portal. Support agents can prioritize, categorize, escalate, and annotate tickets with internal notes. SLAs and automation rules can also be configured.

Spiceworks integrates closely with Active Directory, simplifying user management. Beyond the helpdesk, it also offers additional IT tools such as network monitoring, asset inventory, and mobile device management (MDM).

This solution is well suited for IT teams seeking a cost-effective, self-hosted support system with full control over data, security, and infrastructure.

User Reviews

• “Spiceworks is perfect for our small IT team—free, functional, and without mandatory cloud hosting.” – Daniel S.
• “The Active Directory integration works smoothly. User management becomes effortless.” – Lukas H.
• “The interface isn’t the most modern, but it’s fully adequate for our needs.” – Anonymous
• “For a free tool, Spiceworks offers an impressive range of features—ideal for SMBs.” – Tobias R.

Sysaid

Ideal for mid-sized to large IT departments focused on ITSM and automation

SysAid is a comprehensive ITSM platform designed for mid-sized and large organizations. In addition to standard helpdesk functions, it provides modules for IT asset management, workflow automation, and detailed reporting.

Tickets can be created automatically via email, web forms, or monitoring systems and routed based on customizable rules. SysAid offers a clean technician interface and an intuitive self-service portal where end users can access FAQs, track ticket status, and browse knowledge articles.

A key component is the integrated CMDB, which manages IT assets and their relationships to services and tickets. SysAid supports ITIL processes such as incident, problem, change, and request management, along with SLA tracking and escalations.

The platform is available as a SaaS solution or for on-premises deployment, making it suitable for organizations that prioritize customization, automation, and a robust IT infrastructure.

User Reviews

• “SysAid provides everything we need for professional IT service management—especially with the CMDB integration.” – André K.
• “The automation capabilities significantly accelerated our ticket handling.” – Florian B.
• “Some parts of the interface feel dated, but it’s functional and stable.” – Anonymous
• “For our globally distributed teams, the combination of cloud hosting and flexible role models was crucial.” – Jens R.

Zammad

Ideal for modern, open-source helpdesk processes with a focus on data privacy

Zammad is a modern, web-based open-source ticketing system designed with a strong focus on data privacy, usability, and flexibility. It is well suited for small to medium-sized organizations that need a transparent and GDPR-compliant support solution.

The system handles requests from various channels, including email, web forms, live chat, phone, and social media. Its clean, easy-to-use interface shortens onboarding time and supports efficient ticket handling. Full-text search, filtering, role-based permissions, and escalation rules help teams manage diverse responsibilities.

Zammad also includes a built-in knowledge base, REST API, and LDAP integration. The software is fully open source and actively developed. It can be self-hosted or used as a cloud service. The Enterprise version adds advanced features, security updates, and professional support.

Recent user reviews

• “Zammad is clear, fast, and ideal for our mid-sized support team. The open-source approach is a real advantage.” – Christian N.
• “We needed a modern, self-hosted, GDPR-compliant tool – Zammad delivers on all points.” – Jan P.
• “The interface is intuitive and easy to customize. Great for getting started.” – Anonymous
• “LDAP integration, the REST API, and the active community are major benefits.” – Matthias K.

Zendesk

Ideal for scalable, cross-channel customer service for businesses of all sizes

Zendesk is a widely used customer service and support platform designed for organizations seeking a modern, scalable helpdesk solution. It excels in omnichannel support, bringing together email, chat, social media, messaging, and phone communications in one unified interface.

All incoming requests are consolidated into a single workspace. Automations, macros, and SLA rules help streamline workflows and maintain service quality. The built-in knowledge base supports both self-service for customers and quick access to relevant articles for support agents.

Zendesk also includes advanced reporting and analytics to monitor service performance and customer satisfaction. AI-driven features—such as suggested replies, ticket prioritization, and trend detection—enhance efficiency and decision-making.

The platform integrates easily with third-party systems and offers extensive APIs for customization. Zendesk is suitable for startups, growing companies, and large enterprises with distributed support teams and complex service requirements.

Recent user reviews

• “Zendesk provides exactly what we need for professional, cross-channel customer service and scales extremely well.” – Sebastian T.
• “The dashboard is clear and the automations save us a lot of time every day.” – Anonymous
• “Slack and Salesforce integrations work flawlessly. The open API is a real advantage.” – Julia W.
• “It’s not cheap, but the platform is very stable and feature-rich.” – Tom K.

Zoho Desk

Ideal for growing teams seeking CRM integration and strong value for money

Zoho Desk is a flexible cloud-based ticketing system designed for growing businesses and support teams. As part of the Zoho ecosystem, it integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM, Zoho Analytics and other business applications, providing a unified customer view.

The platform consolidates inquiries from channels such as email, chat, web forms, Twitter and Facebook. It supports automated ticket routing, prioritization, escalation and SLA tracking. The AI assistant “Zia” enhances productivity by offering response suggestions, sentiment analysis and relevant knowledge articles.

The built-in Help Center enables easy deployment of self-service options. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for beginners, while still offering advanced features for more complex workflows. Zoho Desk is also competitively priced, making it attractive for small teams and startups.

Additional integrations with third-party tools (e.g., Slack, Jira, Microsoft Teams) and a REST API expand its flexibility. The system is GDPR-compliant and supports both B2B and B2C use cases.

Recent user reviews

• “Zoho Desk delivers all the essential features and integrates perfectly with our CRM at a very reasonable price.” – Florian W.
• “Automations and Zia’s response suggestions significantly streamline our work.” – Alexander G.
• “Great for small teams, but also scalable as needs grow.” – Anonymous
• “The interface is intuitive, though not quite as modern as some competitors.” – Thomas M.

What Benefits come with Ticketing Systemes?

A ticketing system offers many advantages for companies, teams, and organizations—especially in terms of structure, transparency, and efficiency. Here is an overview of the key benefits:

Structured and organized request management

A ticketing system ensures that every request is captured—regardless of whether it arrives via email, chat, web form, or phone. This prevents information loss and reduces dependency on individual inboxes.

Each request receives a unique ticket number, is categorized, prioritized, and follows clearly defined processing steps.

Example: Instead of “forgetting” an email, every new support request is automatically logged as a ticket—complete with timestamp, sender, subject, and description.

Central communication and documentation

All information, comments, internal notes, and attachments related to an issue are stored centrally within the ticket—not scattered across email threads or chats.

This allows anyone involved to understand the current status at any time, even during handovers or substitutions.

Advantage: No information loss during team changes, vacation coverage, or escalation. All communication remains traceable.

Transparency and traceability

A ticketing system provides full transparency:

• Status indicators show whether a ticket is open, in progress, or resolved.

• Histories and logs document every action taken.

Key Functions of Ticketing Systems

A good ticketing system should offer a set of features that enable the efficient, transparent processing, tracking, and analysis of requests. While exact requirements vary by use case (e.g., IT, customer service, HR), most systems benefit from a mix of essential and advanced functionalities.

Core Features of a Ticketing System

Advanced Features