Why We're Building an Open-Source Support Platform

Every SaaS company needs customer support tooling. But for most teams, the options are either enterprise platforms that cost more than your cloud bill, or bare-bones open-source projects that require a full-time engineer to maintain.

We wanted something in between. Here's why we chose to build it in the open.

The Problem with Closed-Source Support Tools

Let's be honest about what happens when you adopt a closed-source support platform:

Your conversations become their leverage. Migrating away from Intercom, Zendesk, or Freshdesk means exporting conversations in whatever format they feel like giving you. Your conversation history, your customer relationships — locked behind their API.

Per-seat pricing punishes growth. Hire a new support agent? That's another $60/month. Want your engineering team to peek at customer issues? More seats. The pricing model actively discourages collaboration.

AI features are upsells. Most platforms bolt on AI as a premium add-on. The features that could genuinely reduce your ticket volume are gated behind the enterprise tier.

What Open Source Changes

When your support platform is open source:

• You own every byte of data. Customer conversations live in your PostgreSQL database. Export them, back them up, query them directly — it's your data.
• Customization is unlimited. Don't like how the inbox works? Change it. Need a custom workflow? Build it. Fork it, extend it, make it yours.
• No vendor lock-in. Ever. If GudDesk disappears tomorrow, you still have the code, the data, and the ability to keep running.
• Security is auditable. Your security team can review every line of code. No black boxes, no trust-us-it's-secure.

Why GPL-3.0?

We chose GPL-3.0 specifically because it ensures GudDesk stays open. If someone builds on top of GudDesk, their improvements come back to the community. This isn't just idealism — it's how we make sure the project keeps getting better for everyone.

The Business Model

Open source doesn't mean we work for free. Our model is simple:

1. GudDesk Community — Free forever. Self-host it, use our cloud, no limits on conversations.
2. GudDesk Pro — Paid tier for teams that want managed hosting, advanced AI capabilities, priority support, and white-label options.

This is the same model that works for GitLab, Supabase, and dozens of other successful open-source companies. The open-source version is genuinely useful, and the paid tier adds convenience and advanced features.

Join Us

We believe the tools you use to talk to your customers shouldn't hold those conversations hostage. If that resonates with you, we'd love your support:

• Star us on GitHub — It helps more than you think.
• Try it out — Spin up an instance and kick the tires.
• Contribute — Whether it's code, docs, or bug reports, every contribution matters.
• Spread the word — Tell a friend who's frustrated with their current support tool.

The future of customer support should be open. Let's build it together.