GLPI vs TOPdesk: the ultimate side-by-side comparison

If you’re trying to find the right IT service management solution, the number of choices can feel pretty overwhelming. How do you know which ITSM tool is the best fit for you, and what sets them apart? Two popular service desk solutions you’ll likely come across are GLPI and TOPdesk.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the features and benefits of both GLPI and TOPdesk. Our aim is to share our ITSM expertise to support fellow IT professionals. While TOPdesk might not be the perfect fit for everyone, that’s completely fine—our goal is to give you the information you need to make the best choice for your needs.

What is GLPI?

GLPI (Gestionnaire Libre de Parc Informatique) is an open-source ITSM platform that gives you a powerful and customizable way to manage your IT services, hardware, and software assets. It’s a popular choice for organizations that want a flexible and budget-friendly solution for their IT needs, especially since they offer a free version. However, while GLPI is a cost-effective option, it is no longer supported by the original vendors, meaning that the tool is built on older technologies and is not consistently updated.

Key benefits of GLPI

Cost-effectiveness

GLPI is an open-source tool, which means it’s free to use, making it a great choice for organizations with tighter budgets. You get access to all its features without licensing fees, which is a big plus.

Extensive customization

GLPI offers a lot of customization options, which allows organizations to tweak and extend functionalities to fit their specific needs. With a big variety of plugins and integrations to choose from, it’s a flexible tool for those with some technical expertise.

Comprehensive asset management

GLPI comes with great asset management features, making it easy for organizations to track hardware, software, and licenses. It also provides accurate reports and stats, which helps you with decision-making and optimizing assets.

What is TOPdesk?

TOPdesk is an out-of-the-box ITSM tool designed with flexibility and continuous growth in mind. It focuses on helping service teams consistently deliver excellent IT experiences by combining a user-friendly platform with expert consultancy.

Top benefits of TOPdesk for ITSM

Quick to set up, easy to maintain

TOPdesk uses ITSM best practices, so you don’t need to worry about extensive customizations. This approach makes it easy to maintain and quickly adapt to changes as your business grows—without complex coding.

Enhanced collaboration

TOPdesk promotes collaboration across departments with its self-service portal. By breaking down silos, it helps teams work together to deliver customer-centric services.

User satisfaction

With TOPdesk’s reporting and analytics tools, organizations can pinpoint areas for improvement. This data-driven approach allows you to consistently exceed user expectations and position your organization as a leader in help desk software. And with features like Incident Management, Problem Management, and IT Change Management, TOPdesk allows you to adapt to changing customer needs.

Comparing GLPI vs TOPdesk

Now that we’ve looked at the key benefits of both TOPdesk and GLPI, let’s compare the two in several categories to see how they stack up against each other.

Cost comparison

GLPI: As an open-source tool, GLPI’s free version is a cost-effective solution with no licensing fees, giving you access to a wide range of features for free. However, you might face costs when it comes to customizations and consultancy.

TOPdesk: While not free, TOPdesk offers competitive pricing packages to fit different organizational needs. Its ease-of-use and support services make it good value overall.

User experience and ease-of-use

GLPI: While powerful, GLPI can be complex for non-technical users, especially during setup and customization. Organizations may require their own in-house coding expertise to get the most out of it, especially as the free version does not include support.

TOPdesk: Known for its user-friendly interface and ticketing system, TOPdesk is easy to navigate, making it simple to use for both tech-savvy and non-technical users.

Security features

GLPI: As an open-source platform, GLPI provides flexibility and solid security capabilities. However, it doesn't come with all certifications by default and requires careful setup and management to ensure compliance and security. This may be more suitable for organizations with technical expertise.

TOPdesk: Built with ITIL compliance in mind, TOPdesk's data centers come with certifications like ISO/IEC 27001 and follow standards such as NIS 2. This could be an advantage for organizations that require certified compliance right out of the box.

Complexity and customizations

GLPI: Offers a lot of customization options, allowing you to tailor the tool to your specific needs. However, not all customizations are offered in the free version. These customizations also require a certain level of technical expertise and can add complexity.

TOPdesk: With TOPdesk, you get a ready-to-use tool based on best practices, decreasing the need for extensive customizations. This approach keeps things simple and efficient.

Scalability and flexibility

GLPI: GLPI can scale with your organization’s growth, but its flexibility largely depends on your team’s technical ability to handle customizations.

TOPdesk: Designed for scalability and flexibility, TOPdesk supports organizations that need to adapt to changes quickly as they grow.

Implementation, customer support, and training

GLPI: Setting up GLPI may require technical expertise, and while community support is available, organizations may need to invest in external consultancy for complex setups.

TOPdesk: Offers a more structured implementation process with the help of in-house experts, local support in your language, and thorough training programs to ensure everything runs smoothly.

How to choose between TOPdesk and GLPI

Now that we’ve compared the two IT service management tools side-by-side, let’s take a look at which criteria makes either GLPI or TOPdesk the best choice for you.

Choose GLPI when:

• You are a smaller organization with budget constraints.
• You prefer an open-source solution that offers flexibility and control.
• Your team has the technical expertise in-house to handle customizations and maintenance.
• You need a broad range of ITSM functionalities at minimal cost.

TOPdesk is a good GLPI alternative when:

• You’re a mid-size to enterprise organization.
• You prioritize ease of use and an agile-first approach in IT service management.
• You prefer a personal sales and customer support approach.
• Your organization seeks a solution that can be quickly implemented with the help of our in-house experts.
• You want to focus on continuous improvement and want a solution that can grow alongside your organization and market needs.

Make the right choice for your organization

Ultimately, the decision between GLPI vs TOPdesk depends on your organization’s unique needs, preferences, and priorities.

Think TOPdesk might be the right solution for you? When you choose TOPdesk, you’re not just getting a tool—you’re teaming up with a dedicated group focused on your success. This collaboration makes it easier to handle your ITSM challenges and supports you as your needs change.

Check out TOPdesk’s ITSM software page to read more about us. Let’s make service happen together!