ChatterMatevsFreeScout
Two self-hosted Zendesk alternatives, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| ChatterMate | FreeScout | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 46/100 | 65/100 |
| Rank in category | #12 of 14 in Customer Support | #3 of 9 in Helpdesk |
| GitHub stars | 150 | 4 620 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +65 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 33 |
| Latest release | v1.0.27 · 19 Oct 2026 | 1.8.248 · 17 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | PHP |
Which one should you pick?
FreeScout scores 65/100 against 46/100 for ChatterMate, so it is the safer default.
FreeScout ships more often: 33 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for ChatterMate.
If you want the quickest setup, FreeScout is easier to run; ChatterMate needs more configuration.
FreeScout is growing faster right now (+65 stars in 30 days).
ChatterMate details →FreeScout details → All Zendesk alternatives →