Deploy FreeScout in 30 Seconds
The free, self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Unlimited agents, unlimited mailboxes, no per-seat fees - an open-source Help Scout and Zendesk alternative.
What is FreeScout?
FreeScout is an open-source help desk and shared mailbox built on PHP and Laravel. It turns a support inbox into a collaborative ticketing system - assign conversations, leave private notes, use saved replies, and track every customer thread in one place. Think Help Scout or Zendesk, but self-hosted and free of per-agent fees.
Because FreeScout runs on your own server, your customer data never leaves your infrastructure. There are no seat limits and no usage caps - add as many agents, mailboxes, and tickets as you need for a flat monthly hosting fee. On InstaPods it ships with its database, background worker, and HTTPS already wired up, so it's ready the moment it boots.
Why FreeScout?
Shared Mailbox
Turn support@ into a team inbox. Everyone sees the same conversations, assignments, and history - no more forwarded emails.
Unlimited Agents
Add your whole team at no extra cost. FreeScout has no per-seat pricing - one flat hosting fee covers everyone.
Self-Hosted & Private
Your tickets, customer emails, and data stay on your own server. No third party can read your support conversations.
Saved Replies & Workflows
Answer common questions in one click with saved replies, and automate triage with rules that route, tag, and assign tickets.
Modules & Integrations
Extend FreeScout with modules - Slack, knowledge base, satisfaction ratings, custom fields, and more from the module store.
Ready in 60 Seconds
No server setup, cron jobs, or SSL to configure. InstaPods ships FreeScout with its database, queue worker, and HTTPS already running.
How It Works
Click Deploy
Select FreeScout from the app marketplace, pick the Build plan, and click deploy. That's it.
We Provision Your Pod
InstaPods spins up a real Linux server, installs FreeScout with its database and queue worker, and configures HTTPS. First boot takes about a minute.
Connect a Mailbox
Sign in with the admin login from your dashboard, connect a support mailbox over IMAP/SMTP, and invite your team.
Simple Pricing
FreeScout runs a web app, database, queue worker, and scheduler together, so the Build plan is the right fit. No per-agent fees - ever.
- 2 shared vCPU
- 2 GB RAM
- 25 GB storage
- Bundled MariaDB database
- HTTPS included
- Custom domain support
- SSH access
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FreeScout?
FreeScout is a free, open-source help desk and shared mailbox built on PHP and Laravel. It turns a support inbox into a collaborative ticketing system with unlimited agents, mailboxes, and conversations - a self-hosted alternative to Zendesk and Help Scout.
Is FreeScout really free?
FreeScout's core is free and open source with no per-agent fees - you only need a server to run it. On InstaPods you can deploy FreeScout starting at $7/mo on the Build plan, which includes the bundled database, HTTPS, and a background queue worker, with no per-seat pricing.
How does FreeScout compare to Help Scout and Zendesk?
FreeScout mirrors the Help Scout workflow - shared mailboxes, conversations, and saved replies - but is self-hosted and free of per-agent fees. Zendesk and Help Scout charge per agent per month, which adds up fast for a growing team. With FreeScout you pay a flat hosting fee and keep your customer data on your own server.
Which plan does FreeScout need?
FreeScout runs a PHP-FPM web app, a bundled MariaDB database, a background queue worker, and a per-minute scheduler, so it needs the Build plan (2 shared vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB storage) at $7/mo. That comfortably handles hundreds of tickets a day. High-volume teams can scale up to the Grow plan.
Do I need to install or configure anything?
No. On InstaPods, FreeScout deploys pre-configured with its database, queue worker, scheduler, and HTTPS already set up. You get an admin login on first boot - just connect a mailbox and invite your team. No server setup, no cron jobs, and no SSL certificates to manage.
Can FreeScout send and receive email?
Yes. FreeScout connects to any mailbox over IMAP/SMTP (or fetches via the built-in fetcher) so incoming email becomes tickets and replies go out from your own address. A background queue worker and per-minute scheduler - both bundled on InstaPods - handle fetching and sending automatically.
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