# Freescout Freescout is a free, open-source, self-hosted help desk and shared inbox that lets small teams and homelab users manage customer support tickets, email conversations, and internal notes as a lightweight Zendesk or Help. It is open source and self-hosted, installable on Unraid. Canonical page: https://ourlocalhost.com/app/852/freescout ## Description Freescout is a free, open-source, self-hosted help desk and shared inbox that lets small teams and homelab users manage customer support tickets, email conversations, and internal notes as a lightweight Zendesk or Help Scout alternative. ## Platform availability Available on 1 of 9 platforms: Unraid. ## Health score 65/100 (Good), based on 5 of 5 factors. - Maintained: 100 (last commit 19 days ago) - Popular: 73 (4,592 GitHub stars) - Easy to install: 35 (1 install platform, install notes, Docker image) - Light to run: 70 (1 GB minimum RAM) - Security check: 10 (3 serious findings, 13 minor, CI, tests) ## Security check 3 serious findings: Uses laravel/framework 5.5.40, which has a known critical vulnerability; Uses symfony/http-foundation 3.4.18, which has a known critical vulnerability; Uses webklex/php-imap 4.1.1, which has a known critical vulnerability. Automated checks on commit 56c4d01, 19 Oct 2026. Not an audit. ## Links - Unraid: https://ca.unraid.net/apps/freescout-1u7wfa31p3p7gf?q=freescout - GitHub: https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout - Official website: https://freescout.net/ - Documentation: https://freescout.net/docker/ ## Common questions ### Is FreeScout built with PHP and Laravel? Yes, FreeScout is built with PHP using the Laravel framework. ### How should the FreeScout API key be sent with API requests? Use the X-FreeScout-API-Key header instead of putting the key in the URL. Treat the key like a password because URLs can leak it in logs or shared links. ### Is there a containerized version of FreeScout? Yes, a containerized version is described as a containerized web based help desk and shared inbox. ### Where can users discuss FreeScout and report problems? An unofficial FreeScout subreddit is for discussions, while the GitHub issues area is typically designed for reporting problems. ## Alternatives - Brevo: All-in-one solution for email, SMS, marketing automation, transactional messaging, integrations with CMS and e-commerce platforms, and tier… - Chatwoot: Chatwoot is an open-source, self-hosted customer support platform that unifies conversations from live chat, email, and other channels into… - Dolibarr: Dolibarr is an open source enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) application that helps small and m… - Freshdesk: Streamlines ticket management with multichannel support, advanced automation, SLA tracking, analytics, self-service options, team collabora… - Front: Front is an email management software that facilitates team collaboration by integrating with existing tools. - Help Scout - HubSpot: Marketing automation, integrated sales, free CRM tool, AI content writer, and website builder streamline customer management and business g… - LiveAgent - Zammad: Zammad is a web based open source helpdesk/customer support system with many features to manage customer communication via several channels… - Zendesk: Web-based software for customer support, featuring a ticket system, AI assistance, and support through multiple channels with integration o… - Zendesk Chat - libredesk: Libredesk is an open-source, self-hosted customer support desk for managing tickets and customer communications. --- Source: Our Local Host (https://ourlocalhost.com/app/852/freescout), the self-hosted and open-source app directory.