Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OTRS ITSM VS HelpScout

Compare OTRS ITSM VS HelpScout and see what are their differences

OTRS ITSM logo OTRS ITSM

OTRS ITSM is a fundamental solution for IT Service Management organizations.

HelpScout logo HelpScout

Help Scout is a simple, straightforward way to provide excellent support
  • OTRS ITSM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
  • HelpScout Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-14

OTRS ITSM features and specs

  • Customizability
    OTRS ITSM is highly customizable, allowing organizations to tailor the software to their specific processes and workflows. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of IT service management needs.
  • Comprehensive ITIL Support
    The system supports numerous ITIL processes, including incident management, problem management, and change management, helping organizations to implement ITIL-based best practices effectively.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    OTRS ITSM features a user-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation and operation, which can enhance user satisfaction and productivity.
  • Strong Community Support
    Being open-source software, OTRS enjoys strong community support, which can be a valuable resource for troubleshooting and finding customized solutions.
  • Cost-Effective
    The open-source nature of OTRS means that it can be a more cost-effective solution compared to proprietary ITSM tools, especially for organizations with limited budgets.

Possible disadvantages of OTRS ITSM

  • Complexity in Setup
    Due to its high level of customizability, setting up OTRS ITSM can be complex and may require a significant time investment to configure it according to organizational requirements.
  • Need for Technical Expertise
    Implementing and maintaining OTRS ITSM can require technical expertise, which might necessitate hiring specialized staff or investing in training.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Features
    While OTRS ITSM supports many ITIL processes, it may have fewer out-of-the-box features compared to other ITSM solutions, requiring additional customization to meet all organizational needs.
  • Performance Issues with Large Data
    Some users report performance issues when handling large volumes of data, which can impact the efficiency of the system, especially in large organizations.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    Compared to some other ITSM tools, the updates and new feature rollouts for OTRS may be less frequent, potentially leaving users waiting for needed enhancements.

HelpScout features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    HelpScout is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which reduces the learning curve for new users and makes it easier for support teams to manage customer inquiries efficiently.
  • Integrated Knowledge Base
    HelpScout offers an integrated knowledge base, allowing businesses to create and organize self-service resources for customers, reducing the number of support tickets.
  • Collaboration Features
    With features like private notes, assignments, and collision detection, teams can collaborate effectively on customer issues without duplicating efforts or missing important information.
  • Multichannel Support
    HelpScout supports email, live chat, and phone integrations, enabling teams to handle customer inquiries from various channels within a single platform.
  • Customer Profiles
    HelpScout provides detailed customer profiles, which include interaction history and data from integrated apps, helping support agents to offer personalized support.
  • Strong API and Integrations
    The platform offers a robust API and integrates with numerous third-party applications, such as CRM, e-commerce, and project management tools, enhancing its functionality and adaptability.
  • Reporting and Metrics
    HelpScout includes comprehensive reporting and analytics tools that provide insights into team performance, customer satisfaction, and ticket trends, helping businesses to improve their support operations.
  • Scalability
    HelpScout is designed to support small businesses as well as larger teams, making it a scalable solution that can grow with the company's needs.

Possible disadvantages of HelpScout

  • Cost
    HelpScout's pricing can be considered high, especially for smaller businesses or startups with tight budgets, when compared to some other customer support solutions.
  • Limited Customization
    Some users find that HelpScout offers limited customization options for workflows and ticket forms compared to more flexible support platforms.
  • No Built-In Phone Support
    While HelpScout integrates with third-party phone systems, it does not offer built-in phone support, which might be a drawback for businesses that rely heavily on phone interactions.
  • Chat Functionality
    The live chat feature is relatively basic and may not include advanced functionalities found in dedicated live chat platforms.
  • Limited Automation
    HelpScout's automation rules, while useful, can be less sophisticated compared to other help desk solutions offering more complex workflow automation capabilities.
  • Storage Limitations
    There are storage limitations on the number of attachments per customer conversation, which may be a constraint for businesses that need to regularly exchange large files with customers.
  • Ticket Management
    Some users report that the ticket management system could be improved, particularly in handling ticket prioritization and categorization.
  • Mobile App Limitations
    The mobile app, while functional, has fewer features and is less robust than the desktop version, limiting the ability of support teams to work effectively on the go.

OTRS ITSM videos

OTRS 3: Installing OTRS ITSM

HelpScout videos

No HelpScout videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OTRS ITSM and HelpScout)
Help Desk
5 5%
95% 95
Customer Support
4 4%
96% 96
Customer Service
8 8%
92% 92
Help Desk And Ticketing

User comments

Share your experience with using OTRS ITSM and HelpScout. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OTRS ITSM and HelpScout

OTRS ITSM Reviews

We have no reviews of OTRS ITSM yet.
Be the first one to post

HelpScout Reviews

9 Best Tidio Alternatives Compared
HelpScout is built for email-centric businesses, which means their live chat and automation functionality is less-developed compared to Tidio’s. HelpScout also doesn’t offer an AI-powered chatbot, which means more tickets for your agents to manage.
Source: www.tidio.com
The Best Help Desk Software in 2020
HelpScout really focuses on the customer interface. It values the customer journey and makes it easy for them to navigate. It is set up in a way to boost internal team collaboration. However, because of this emphasis on team collaboration, HelpScout's structure and ticketing systems are not as defined. It doesn't have a dedicated customer-facing portal or ticket numbers....
Source: www.jitbit.com
Help Scout Alternative - Have you outgrown Help Scout?
With over 500 more integrations than Help Scout, it’s easy to understand why many customers see Kayako as one of the best Help Scout alternatives. With Kayako you can connect to all the apps your team already uses. As you scale the need for automation becomes critical. Kayako helps save you time through a simple and easy setup for workflow automations across multiple apps.
Source: www.kayako.com
Top 10 Alternatives to Zendesk: Analysis of Leading Help Desk Software Solutions
Help Scout is preferred by many freelancers and small businesses for the right balance of features and affordability. In fact, it offers a free app for shared inbox. Its paid plan starts at $20 per user/month, providing you with a reliable set of automation, reporting and integration tools.
8 Zendesk Alternatives to Rock Your Customer Service
Also I don’t see Front (frontapp.com) in the list. Front is the biggest alternative to Zendesk & HelpScout on the customer service use case.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, HelpScout seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OTRS ITSM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OTRS ITSM yet. Tracking of OTRS ITSM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

HelpScout mentions (2)

  • Makers, what are the tools you can't live without?
    Slack for communication Helpscout for customer support Calendly for meeting scheduling Usermaven for website and product analytics Contentstudio.io for social media management. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Have you ever done a product comparison chart on your site?
    Not my site, but Helpscout (https://helpscout.com) has my favorite product comparison model. Source: about 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OTRS ITSM and HelpScout, you can also consider the following products

Zendesk - Zendesk is a beautiful, lightweight help-desk solution.

Freshdesk - Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer support software that lets you support customers through traditional channels like phone and email, social channels like Facebook and Twitter, and your own branded community

OpenSupports - Simple open source ticket system with user system and modern design.

LiveAgent - LiveAgent is a fully-featured web-based live chat and help desk software. It harnesses the power of a universal inbox, real-time live chat, built-in call center, and a robust customer service portal. Start your free 1 month trial today!

ServiceNow - ServiceNow automates and manages global enterprise service relationships. Create a single system of record for enterprise services, automate manual tasks, consolidate legacy ITIL systems.

Front - The platform for exceptional customer service at scale.