# ChatterMate vs FreeScout

> Two self-hosted [Zendesk alternatives](https://selfhost.directory/alternative-to/zendesk), 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 | 4 621 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +0 | +63 ✓ |
| 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 (+63 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [ChatterMate](https://selfhost.directory/project/chattermate-chat) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/chattermate-chat.md)
- [FreeScout](https://selfhost.directory/project/freescout) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/freescout.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/chattermate-chat-vs-freescout