9 Best Simple Ticketing Systems According to Reddit in 2025 [Roundup]

The major help desk and ticketing software solutions all seem to offer a different version of the same thing. Same bloat, same issues, same high price tag. 

Most ticketing tools are overkill for growing organizations. You want a solid ticketing system that does what it promises, nothing more. 85% of users want the same.

That’s why I spent time over the past two weeks combing through more than 50 Reddit threads, investigating recommendations, and writing up what I found.

If you’re a system admin, startup founder or a team leader, this shortlist is for you. Here are the best simple ticketing systems according to the power users of Reddit.

(Click here to jump straight into the recommendations.)

Why I created this list of simple ticketing systems

I personally always weigh recommendations from fellow CEOs higher than marketing pitches and software review sites. They know my exact needs best. They’re sharing authentically. They’re unbiased.

That’s why I spent more 10+ hours diving deep into Reddit, finding the most relevant communities (e.g., r/sysadmin and r/it), and learning what simple ticketing tools real IT professionals and business owners were recommending. Not the big tools with large marketing budgets and excess features – the simple ticketing systems used by everyday organizations.

How I conducted research

To find the top picks, I did the following:

• Read through 50+ Reddit threads about help desks and ticketing systems
• Focused on posts from the last 2 years (but included older threads where still relevant)
• Confirmed recommendations across multiple threads
• Put more weight on responses from long-term users who left detailed feedback
• Focused on finding simple ticketing systems that were lesser known

One interesting finding: Smaller organizations tended to favor bare bones solutions while growing companies preferred tools with slightly more features. Organizations heavily invested in a given ecosystem (e.g., Google, Microsoft) seemed to gravitate towards platform-specific ticketing systems like Keeping or Desk365.

Note that you’ll see three separate open source options which vary in complexity. Open source options were most often recommended for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions.

I’ve added links to the most relevant Reddit threads at the bottom of this article if you’d like to explore further.

Best simple ticketing systems at a glance

• Keeping – The Best Simple Ticketing System for Google Workspace
• osTicket – The Best Simple Open Source Ticketing Solution
• Desk365: The Best Simple Ticketing System for Microsoft Teams
• BoldDesk: The Best Budget-Friendly Enterprise Alternative
• BOSSDesk: The Best Simple Ticketing System for IT Teams
• JitBit: The Best Simple Help Desk For Automation
• Zammad: The Best Advanced Open Source Simple Ticketing System
• Siit.io: The Best No-Frills Ticketing System
• Request Tracker: The Best Scalable Open Source Ticketing Solution

Honorable mentions: Freescout, Incident IQ, FreeScout, Spiceworks, GLPI, Freshdesk

What is a simple ticketing system?

A simple ticketing system (or simple help desk tool) is a support tool used by organizations to convert customer inquiries into trackable tickets. It’s a systematic and time-saving approach compared to manual ticketing via regular email. These software solutions often come with additional features that help you track, assign, and collaborate with team members.

Leading help desk tools come with plenty of add-ons and complex features that overwhelm most teams. Simple ticketing systems focus on just the core functionality.

A simple ticketing system can make it easier to:

• Organize support emails
• See stats on team responses
• Streamline customer communication

The key is finding a simple ticketing solution that doesn’t require switching to a brand new tool or overwhelming your team.

Who are simple ticketing systems ideal for?

Simple ticketing systems are ideal for any team looking to organize their support requests without paying extra for additional features they’re unlikely to use.

They’re commonly used by:

• ✅ Small medium-sized businesses needing basic support tools
• ✅ Growing startups needing scalable systematization
• ✅ Customer support teams outgrowing regular email
• ✅ IT departments and software companies
• ✅ Public sector, educational and nonprofit organizations
• ✅ Healthcare institutes for patient care

9 best simple ticketing management systems

#1. Keeping – The Best Simple Ticketing System for Google Workspace

Keeping (disclaimer: this is my tool) is a simple ticket tracking system that works right within Gmail and Google Workspace. It’s a great choice for customer support teams that already use Gmail.

Instead of having to learn a new interface or software, it allows your team to manage support without having to leave your inbox. Simply install the tool then get access to new essential features that make it easier to collaborate and serve customers.

Just install the Chrome or Safari extension and your inbox becomes a fully-functional help desk in minutes, without all the complicated features.

The tool allows your team to assign tickets, track responses, collaborate in real time, and even automate critical processes.

Multiple Reddit users mentioned the minimal learning curve, appreciating that it eliminates the need to switch between tools or create yet another login.

Other ticketing systems add complexity to your workflows, but Keeping focuses on simply enhancing the same natural and intuitive interface you already use daily.

Best for: Teams outgrowing basic Gmail 

Type: Collaborative help desk for Google Workspace

Free trial: 14 days

Keeping pricing: Starts at $14/month per user (monthly billing) or $12/month per user (annual billing)

#2. osTicket – The Best Simple Open Source Solution

If your team needs a self-hosted solution that’s easy to use, osTicket might be what you’re looking for. 

One thing was obvious from reading through the Reddit threads: this is a tool with strong ‘open source community’ support behind it. Single-person IT departments and budget-conscious organizations in particular consistently seem to sing its praises.

Despite open source ticketing solutions typically being complex and technical, osTicket stands out for its simplicity. As one Reddit user described it, it’s “Stupid easy to setup and configure and very barebones. Perfect for end users who just want to submit a ticket without any fluff.”

Technical users can customize further, but the repeated sentiment was that the tool works best when you keep it simple. At higher ticket volumes (5000+), some users have reported issues but otherwise nearly all feedback is positive.

If your team has the technical know-how and you want to avoid the overhead of a cloud solution, osTicket might make a great starting point.

Best for: Technical teams wanting a basic self-hosted ticketing system

Type: Self-hosted open source help desk

Free trial: N/A

osTicket pricing: Free (self-hosted)

#3. Desk365 – The Best Simple Ticketing System for Microsoft Teams

While Keeping is the go-to ticketing tool for Google ecosystem users, Desk365 is the best straightforward help desk system for Microsoft Teams.

It focuses on doing one thing well: turning Teams into a ticketing system. If your team lives within Microsoft Teams, there’s no need to switch tools or learn a new platform. It just adds ticketing functionality to the interface you already use, nothing else.

It’s a minimalist tool that’s easy to set up, even for non-technical users. No Red Hat Admin to configure, no moving parts, just a simple install. Multiple Reddit users were raving about how quickly they got up and running compared to past solutions that were more technically complex.

It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles – just core ticketing features. If your team uses Microsoft Teams and that’s what you’re after, Desk365 might be the sweet spot.

Best for: Microsoft-focused teams needing seamless Teams integration

Type: Native Microsoft Teams help desk

Free trial: 14 days

Desk365 pricing: Starts at $16/month per user (monthly billing) or $12/month per user (annual billing)

#4. BoldDesk – The Best Budget-Friendly Enterprise Alternative

Larger B2B teams who require the advanced functionality of Zendesk and Freshdesk but don’t like the price tag consistently praise BoldDesk as the simpler, more affordable alternative.

It’s a simple value proposition: the same clean, easy-to-use interface with all the features you’d expect from an enterprise solution (e.g., core ticketing, a built-in knowledge base, analytics) but without the bloat or price tag of the big players.

BoldDesk offers a straightforward pricing model that doesn’t break the bank. If you’re a team outgrowing your current solution but don’t want to overpay for features you’ll never use, this might be an appealing option. 

Best for: Growing businesses looking for Zendesk functionality without the price tag

Type: Cloud-based modern help desk

Free trial: 15 days

BoldDesk pricing: Starts at $18/month per user (monthly billing) or $12/month per user (annual billing)

#5. BOSSDesk – Best Simple Ticketing System for IT

IT departments in particular love BOSSDesk, a simple ticketing system that allows you to manage assets without all the complexity of the enterprise solutions. 

Reddit users from varying IT backgrounds consistently praised this tool as one that strikes the right balance between the critical IT service management features and simplicity. Since it just focuses on ticketing, many users opt to automate additional workflows via Zapier beyond what features are provided out-of-the-box.

It gives teams ticket management capabilities, asset tracking and basic change management in one straightforward platform. Instead of switching between multiple systems, you can track both tickets and IT assets all-in-one. 

Instead of dealing with the complexity of a full-scale ITSM platform, IT teams will appreciate the simplicity of BOSSDesk.

Best for: IT departments needing asset management with their ticketing

Type: IT service management platform

Free trial: 14 days

BOSSDesk pricing: Starts at $29/user/month

#6. JitBit – The Best Simple Help Desk For Automation

JitBit was consistently one of the most frequently recommended simple online ticketing systems on Reddit. Teams that use it tend to stick with it ongoing. As one technical user put it, “Love our JitBit. More importantly our users love it too… Overall simple and works.”

While it does come with a price tag, it’s still much more affordable than many of its direct competitors. They offer a cloud version or self-hosted option.

Its standout features are its automation capabilities. You can add ticketing functionality, make recurring API calls, and automate complex processes all in one easy package. It even directly integrates with OpenAI, helping improve ticket responses.

If you’re looking for automated workflows without all the added complexity and headache, JitBit might be the perfect middle ground. 

Best for: Teams wanting powerful automation without complexity

Type: Self-hosted or cloud-based help desk

Free trial: 21 days

JitBit pricing: Starts at $29/month (hosted SaaS) or $2199 yearly (self-hosted)

#7. Zammad – The Best Advanced Open Source Simple Ticketing System

Open source help desk solutions are commonly criticized for feeling outdated. Teams (and customers) don’t want their support experience to feel like the 90s.

That’s why many Reddit users consistently praised Zammad. It’s an open source solution that feels extremely modern, with a sleek interface that looks like all the big cloud-based solutions. 

The team consistently delivers when it comes to updates and improvements. They’re active with development, so stability is not an issue like it can be with other open source ticketing tools.

With more features than osTicket and advanced customization options, technical teams looking for a modern, actively maintained open source help desk might find Zammad offers the perfect balance.

Best for: Technical teams wanting a modern open source solution

Type: Open source help desk platform

Free trial: N/A (Free)

Zammad pricing: Free (self-hosted) or starts at €7/month per user (hosted)

#8. Siit.io – The Best No-Frills Ticketing System

Siit.io was repeatedly mentioned as one of the best “truly simple” ticketing systems by Reddit users. Stripped down, minimal learning curve, perfect for teams with a budget that just require their help desk to deliver exceptionally well on the basics.

The repeated sentiment is that Sitt.io is a clean, no-nonsense, modern ticketing system that’s easy to get set up and running quickly. It has all the essential features you’d expect from a ticketing tool, plus makes it easy to integrate with Microsoft.

While it does require the usage of a separate platform, onboarding requirements are very minimal.

If your team wants modern design, easy-to-use-features, and a tool that does exactly what it says (nothing more), Siit.io might make a solid choice.

Best for: Teams who just need basic functionality that works consistently

Type: Cloud-based minimalist help desk

Free trial: 14 days

Siit.io pricing: Starts at $23/user/month (billed annually)

#9. Request Tracker – The Best Scalable Open Source Ticketing Solution

We’ve already covered several open-source ticketing systems, but Request Tracker (RT) was a necessary addition to our list. 

It repeatedly comes up in discussions among technical Reddit users looking for stability and “battle-tested” features.

If osTicket is the best simple open source ticketing solution and Zammad is the best modern option, RT stands out as the most highly scalable. For technical teams, it can be as simple or as complex as you can imagine.

What it lacks in a modern interface it makes up for with its ongoing reliability, flexibility and workflows.

Within the IT, educational and research sectors where reliability is critical, it has a dedicated community of supporters.

Best for: Organizations needing a proven, scalable open source solution

Type: Open source enterprise help desk

Free trial: N/A

Request Tracker Pricing: Free to self-host without support; On-premise support plans start from $4,995 (billed annually) and cloud-based plans start at $125/month (billed annually) for 5 team members

Honorable mentions

A few additional companies warranted a mention in this article. While they didn’t make the top recommendations, each deserved a shoutout for their standout features, dedicated following, or repeated mentions across Reddit.

When do you need a simple ticketing system?

Organizations typically switch to dedicated help desk software when:

• Support requests are on the rise
• Their CRM or other tools are limiting them
• Customer emails are falling through the cracks
• Multiple team members are responding to the same inquiry
• They’re losing track of support tickets
• Regular email has become unmanageable
• Processes become inefficient

(Source: Gartner)

What to look for in a simple ticketing system or help desk

Ensure the ticketing system you’re considering checks the right boxes when it comes to features.

MUST HAVE:

• Trackable tickets from emails
• Ticket assignment
• Ticket status and history tracking
• Collaboration features
• Scalability

SHOULD HAVE:

• Clear pricing structure
• Simple setup process (especially for non-technical teams)
• Basic reporting for accountability purposes

BONUS: 

• A tool that doesn’t require switching platforms or tabs

How to choose the best simple ticketing system for your needs

At the end of the day, your business’ needs are unique. The tool you choose should align with your exact requirements.

Ask yourself:

• 1️⃣ “Can we be up and running within a day or two?”
• 2️⃣ “Will this require extensive training or changes to processes?”
• 3️⃣ “Are we paying for features we won’t use?”
• 4️⃣ “Does it integrate with our current tools, tech stack and workflows?”
• 5️⃣ “Can this tool grow with our business?”
• 6️⃣ “Will it be easy for customers or team members to submit requests?”

Frequently asked questions about simple ticketing systems

Choosing the right ticketing solution for your team

I spent nearly two weeks digging through and analyzing Reddit discussions about simple ticketing systems.

What I learned was this:

Teams want ticketing systems that do what they promise. Instead of having access to every feature under the sun, power users prefer simple ticketing solutions that make day-to-day processes smoother.

My hope is that this saved you some time and headspace and helped you cut through all the noise. 

Here’s to finding a ticketing system that your team will actually put to good use.

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Featured references from Reddit

I’ve linked below to some of the most relevant Reddit discussions I came across during my research that helped influence the recommendations. While there were nearly 40 others, these were among the most noteworthy.

Recent threads

• What is the best helpdesk software for a small business?
• Basic helpdesk system
• Help desk software where users only use email

Community favorites

• What ticketing systems do you use?
• Best ticket system with Microsoft Teams
• Best internal ticketing platform

Other notable discussions

• What’s the best helpdesk software that you’ve used?
• Best opensource IT ticketing system
• Good ticketing system for a small company