10 best trouble ticketing software of 2025

In a perfect world, all of your customers would be able to use your product with zero problems. While many of them can, there will always be a portion of your customer base that will experience technical difficulties. And since your customers bought your product, and your customer service team consists of knowledgeable product experts, your business will be the first place they seek assistance.

As a customer-first organization seeking ways to manage customer service proactively, you may need a robust trouble ticketing platform that allows agents to efficiently create and organize support requests, sometimes known as trouble tickets. In this guide, we’ll shed light on the most important features and give you a breakdown of the top-rated help desk ticketing system software on the market.

• What is a trouble ticketing system?
• Trouble ticket software comparison chart
• 10 best trouble ticket software
• Features of trouble ticket systems
• Benefits of trouble ticket software
• How to choose the right trouble ticket software
• Frequently asked questions
• Try trouble ticket software for free

A trouble ticketing system is software that records employee and customer complaints and helps agents track, manage, prioritize, and collaborate on tickets until they can resolve the user’s problem.

Check out these top trouble ticketing software picks of 2025. We chose the featured vendors based on the quality of the features they provide.

Use this list to jump to the vendors you’re interested in to learn more about each company, the platform features, pricing, and free trials.

1. Zendesk

Best for AI-powered CX and employee service

The Zendesk automated ticketing system allows customer and employee service teams to seamlessly handle support requests across all channels. AI agents, an advanced AI chatbot, can handle complex requests autonomously, helping service teams respond and resolve issues quickly, even during peak times.

The AI agent copilot supports agents with intelligent assistance. This innovative feature provides contextual insights and recommendations in real time, helping agents resolve customer issues more efficiently. For instance, the AI automatically surfaces relevant past interactions and suggests responses.

The AI-powered knowledge management system creates a dynamic, intelligent knowledge base that helps agents quickly find the most relevant information. This system learns and improves over time, ensuring users access the most up-to-date and accurate resolution strategies.

Zendesk seamlessly connects with over 1,700 apps and integrations, allowing companies to create a unified and efficient support ecosystem. Whether you're connecting with CRM systems, communication tools, or custom business applications, flexible integration capabilities ensure support teams can work faster.

Additionally, the software is designed to deliver exceptional value across organizations of all sizes. From small businesses to large enterprise help desks, it offers a low total cost of ownership (TCO) and a high return on investment (ROI). Business administrators can easily configure the request management software and install out-of-the-box applications, making it simple to customize the software to specific organizational needs.

Features:

• Omnichannel support
• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Plans start at $19 per agent/month, billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

Pros and cons:

Explore more Zendesk pricing plans.

2. Jira Service Management

Best for integration with Atlassian products

Jira Service Management—an ITSM (IT service management) tool by Atlassian—connects business and IT operations teams so they can support their customers. The platform allows for interdepartmental connectivity and collaboration on a single platform that actively tracks incidents and ticket updates while monitoring risks to the company.

Jira Service Management also has pre-configured workflows and the standard capabilities needed for trouble ticket management. On-call scheduling allows teams to create and manage rotating schedules to ensure timely incident response.

Features:

• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $700 per year for up to three agents. A free plan and a seven-day free trial are available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how Jira integrates with Zendesk and how Zendesk vs. Jira compare.

3. Zoho Desk

Best for mobile app use cases

Zoho Desk is a trouble ticketing solution for help desks and has capabilities like omnichannel support, self-service, service level agreements, and sentiment analysis. Users can create guided conversation flows in a low-code builder and analyze live usage patterns.

The trouble ticketing solution also has two mobile apps: the Zoho Desk app for agents and the Radar app for managers. The Zoho Desk app lets agents monitor ticket updates, view customer information and priority tickets, and reply from anywhere. Radar allows managers to track agent performance and customer service metrics in real time and gather insights from the convenience of their mobile devices.

Features:

• Omnichannel support
• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $7 per user/month, billed annually. A free plan and a 15-day free trial are available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how Zoho integrates with Zendesk and how Zendesk vs. Zoho compare.

4. Freshdesk

Best for integration with Freshworks tools

The Freshdesk platform allows agents to manage various complex incidents. The omnichannel trouble ticketing tool provides access to essential features from Freshchat and Freshcaller, allowing businesses to provide full-service support.

Also, businesses anticipating an uptick in support requests due to seasonality, the release of a new product, or some other consideration can secure day passes for temporary employees. Users should note that Freshdesk doesn’t have native workforce management tools, so they must dedicate more time to manually complete scheduling tasks.

Features:

• Omnichannel support
• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $15 per agent/month, billed annually. A free plan and a 14-day free trial are available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Freshdesk compare.

5. LiveAgent

Best for live chat widget

LiveAgent help desk ticketing software automatically creates trouble tickets when a customer makes an IT request via email, chat, call, or another platform. Businesses can also embed and customize chat and call widgets on their site and create shareable transcripts. Teams can choose the look of their chat button or chat window and integrate it into their site with an automatically generated code.

The IT ticketing software allows users to organize and filter ticket results, access the customer portal and configuration rules, and switch between multiple tabs to answer queries. LiveAgent also assists with team-wide visibility by allowing agents to document and share internal notes and set reminders for daily tasks.

Features:

• Omnichannel support
• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Plans start at $15 per agent/month, billed annually. Free trials are available for 14 or 30 days.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. LiveAgent compare.

6. HappyFox Help Desk

Best for managing individual ticket tasks

HappyFox trouble ticketing software organizes IT support tickets and assists with the resolution process for agents. The cloud-based help desk platform offers standard features such as omnichannel ticket management, agent analytics, and knowledge base management.

The help desk software is available for customer support, IT operations, HR, and marketing teams. It also lets agents itemize the steps required to resolve an issue into manageable tasks, assigning due dates and times for each.

Features:

• Omnichannel support
• Ticket management
• AI chatbots
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Plans start at $9 per agent/month, billed annually. A free trial is available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how HappyFox integrates with Zendesk.

7. SolarWinds Web Help Desk

Best for data visualization

The SolarWinds Web Help Desk allows small businesses, enterprises, educational establishments, and public sector organizations to manage trouble tickets and increase successful outcomes. The platform manages high-volume communications and support requests with automated ticket generation, routing, and incident tracking.

Administrators and management teams can also view support requests, vendor details, and performance reports to get a complete view of customer service operations. Users can display survey results in color-coded charts and graphics. The software’s built-in knowledge base allows customers to troubleshoot and resolve their own issues.

Features:

• Ticket management
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $426. A free plan and a 14-day free trial are available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how SolarWinds integrates with Zendesk.

8. Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Best for free use

Spiceworks IT ticket tracking software is a free system for startups and companies new to issue tracking. The simple platform comes with the baseline features businesses need for trouble ticketing. These features include ticket management tools and automation workflows. Additionally, Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk provides asset management tools to track and manage IT assets within an organization.

The platform also offers self-service capabilities, enabling users to find solutions independently through a knowledge base and community forums. However, users must navigate through advertisements to use the platform because that is how the company keeps its services free.

Features:

• Ticket management
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Free

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Spiceworks compare.

9. Jitbit Helpdesk

Best for self-hosted software

Jitbit provides an email-first help desk solution for IT support teams to provide customer service across several channels. It gives businesses a choice between subscribing to a hosted SaaS version or a self-hosted version to run on their own servers.

The platform also includes automation tools and integrations for productivity and communication. Agents can use the mobile app to monitor ticket statuses and activity from anywhere. Jitbit also includes standard trouble ticketing features like help desk workflow automation, team mailboxes, prewritten responses, and idea forums where users can contribute suggestions and feedback.

Features:

• Ticket management
• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Plans start at $24.92 per month for one agent, billed annually. It has two free trials, including a 21-day hosted trial and an unlimited self-hosted trial.

Pros and cons:

10. ProProfs Help Desk

Best for API integrations

Businesses can access AI-powered trouble ticketing tools through ProProf's help desk platform. When a customer reports an issue, the platform opens a ticket with contextual information so the agent is informed when they follow up. The ProProfs API lets users share data with a wider range of third-party integrations through secure pathways.

ProProfs supports different types of trouble tickets, including requests, incidents, correlational, and alarms. The tool also comes with omnichannel capabilities, self-service, and a mobile app so customers can find answers to their problems in several different ways.

Features:

• Ticket management

• AI chatbots

• Knowledge base
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $19.99 per user/month, billed annually. A free plan is available.

Pros and cons:

Learn more: Discover how ProProfs integrates with Zendesk.

As you shop around for the right trouble ticket system for your business, look for these key features to ensure you get the most out of your investment.

Omnichannel support

Your customers communicate over various channels, so your help desk ticketing software should, too. Omnichannel support helps support teams consolidate information from all customer interactions into a single channel, even if the original conversation took place over a different one.

All your communication systems should work together seamlessly, including email-based ticketing, live chat software, and social media customer service platforms. Unified support prevents customers from repeating themselves and enables help desk agents to stay up-to-date on past interactions with representatives.

Ticket management

AI-powered trouble ticketing software significantly enhances traditional ticket management systems by automating routine tasks, improving problem resolution, and providing valuable insights. Here's how AI transforms ticket management:

• Automated ticket categorization and prioritization: AI algorithms can automatically analyze ticket descriptions, subject lines, and other relevant data to accurately categorize and prioritize incoming tickets. This eliminates manual effort and ensures that agents address critical issues promptly.
• Intelligent routing: AI-driven routing systems can intelligently assign tickets to the most appropriate agents based on their skills, availability, and expertise. This optimizes workload distribution and accelerates resolution times.
• AI-enabled tracking systems: AI can provide real-time visibility into ticket status, allowing agents to monitor progress and proactively address potential bottlenecks. By analyzing historical data, AI can predict potential issues and trigger automated actions, such as escalating tickets or sending notifications, further streamlining the resolution process.

By leveraging AI, trouble ticketing software empowers organizations to streamline their IT operations, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce operational costs.

AI chatbots

Trouble ticketing software infused with AI chatbots adds another level to routine task automation and enhances problem-solving capabilities. AI chatbots can provide instant support to customers or employees, answer frequently asked questions, and resolve complex problems without human intervention.

If an AI chatbot encounters a trouble ticket it can’t close, it will route the ticket to the best-suited agent or department. By analyzing historical data and identifying patterns, AI can predict potential issues and suggest proactive solutions, reducing downtime and improving overall efficiency.

Knowledge bases

AI-powered knowledge base software makes it easier for users to troubleshoot and resolve IT problems.

Employees can use internal knowledge bases to obtain information about procedures, products, and solutions to customer issues. Customers can use external knowledge bases as a form of self-service, finding answers to their troubles without needing to speak with an agent.

Reporting and analytics

Managers should always know exactly how their agents and software are performing. To do that, they can schedule regular reports to be delivered right to their inbox, view agent performance and customer service metrics, and get an idea of their team’s strengths and weaknesses. With accurate reporting, managers can ensure their team successfully upholds their service level agreement.

The use of trouble ticketing software results in several benefits related to issue management and operational efficiency. A few of the top benefits include:

• 24/7 self-service: Deliver support at all hours with AI chatbots, automation, and self-service. Businesses should create help centers so customers and employees can easily find answers to their questions without opening trouble tickets.
  
• Cross-functional collaboration: Good trouble ticketing software makes it easy for different departments to collaborate and achieve shared goals. It should allow teams to share customer data and internal notes.
  
• Data-driven insights for more proactive support: Proactively managecross-sell strategies and resolutions by monitoring recurring issues, agent performance metrics, and customer satisfaction.
  
• Personalization at every touchpoint: Trouble ticketing software collects key data that provides agents with contextual information and allows them to personalize communications and offerings.
  
• Organized support requests: Ticket tagging and organization are important because they ensure IT tickets are handled efficiently and routed to the most appropriate agent. They also prevent agents from doubling up on a single ticket.

Choosing a trouble ticketing platform that sets help desk agents up for success requires planning and research. Here are five actions to take during the decision-making process.

1. Determine your use case

Decide how you will use the new trouble ticketing tool. As we discussed earlier, these platforms have two primary use cases: managing customer or employee requests.

Before you begin your search, use data to assess your needs and determine if you need a tool for a single use case or both.

2. Consider the total cost of ownership

Total cost of ownership (TCO) refers to the total amount a business will pay to acquire and maintain a tool until they no longer need it. Remember that some tools come with onboarding fees and overhead expenses, others require higher monthly subscription fees.

3. Determine ease of use and maintenance

To ensure you see a return on your trouble ticketing software investment, verify that the platform is easy to use and low maintenance before signing a contract.

If agents struggle to use the tools and the platform requires a lot of equipment or ongoing maintenance, it can substantially slow down operations and result in lost revenue.

4. Evaluate security

Security needs will vary based on industry and are especially important in fields such as government and healthcare. Strong security can also protect your organization from attacks. Some top security considerations are:

• Malware protection: Prevent malicious bots from infecting your trouble ticketing system and stealing private data.
  
• HIPAA compliance: Verify that the platform and complementary app your team utilizes meets the patient privacy and security standards required by HIPAA.
  
• GDPR compliance: If you conduct business with customers in the EU, be sure the trouble ticketing software you use complies with GDPR privacy regulations.
  
• Data backup: If the system crashes or is exposed to other vulnerabilities, verify that you regularly back up the stored data.
  
• Limit access: When handling sensitive data, set access controls and role-based permissions to ensure only authorized personnel can access it.

5. Sign up for a free trial

Finally, the best way to confirm that a trouble ticketing tool is a good fit for your business is to sign up for a free trial.

Throughout the process, document your questions and concerns. If you have minor hesitations, discuss them with a sales representative to see if they can accommodate your needs.

If it’s not the right fit, start a free trial for a different vendor. Complete as many as you need to before committing to a single, paid solution.

Explore the nuances of common trouble ticketing system tips, types, and features.