Does self-hosted GLPI cost less than TOPdesk per agent?
GLPI carries no license fee, so a self-hosted GLPI deployment removes the per-agent subscription line from your budget entirely. The comparison that matters at renewal is therefore not license against license. It is the per-agent TOPdesk subscription, which bundles hosting, updates and vendor support, against the infrastructure, implementation, migration, upgrade and staff time that you would own instead. TOPdesk's prices are not part of the material behind this page, so take your per-agent figure, plan level and renewal terms from your own TOPdesk quote and compare them line by line with the costs below.
If you want a vendor-supported option, GLPI Network is the subscription that Teclib' sells around GLPI. Its public cloud is listed at 19 euros per user per month and its private cloud at 21 euros per user per month, with a 25-user minimum, and the GLPI Network subscriptions page also lists self-hosted GLPI Network tiers from 100 euros per month (Basic, up to 10 agents and 500 assets) to 4,500 euros per month (Enterprise). Teclib' also offers a 45-day free trial of the cloud service, which is a practical way to test workload fit before you commit. Ask whether a subscription tier fits your agent and asset counts, and whether it includes the level 3 support and marketplace plugins you expect.
Self-hosting usually lowers license cost and raises operational ownership. Budget for servers, database and backup infrastructure, the web and PHP stack, upgrade windows, plugin re-activation after major updates, and the administrator hours that TOPdesk's subscription currently absorbs. Ask any implementation partner for a written scope and fixed deliverables, and ask your own team to estimate the recurring staff effort honestly before you compare totals.
Which cost components change when you self-host GLPI
This table sets each cost component of a TOPdesk subscription against the matching work when GLPI runs in your own infrastructure. Read the one-time and recurring column first, since it shows which costs are paid once and which repeat for the life of the system. The main takeaway is that GLPI removes the license line but moves hosting, patching, backup and upgrade effort onto your team or a contracted partner.
| Cost component | Commercial TOPdesk side | Self-hosted GLPI side | One-time or recurring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software license | Per-agent SaaS subscription that covers the application itself | No license fee under GPL-3.0; optional GLPI Network subscription if you want vendor-backed support or hosting | Recurring (TOPdesk); none for GLPI core |
| GLPI Network subscription (optional) | Not applicable | Public cloud at 19 euros and private cloud at 21 euros per user per month, with a 25-user minimum; self-hosted tiers from 100 euros per month (GLPI Network subscriptions page) | Recurring, only if purchased |
| Servers and database | Hosted on Microsoft Azure by TOPdesk, included in the subscription | Your servers, web server, PHP runtime and MariaDB or MySQL; sizing depends on agent count and asset volume | One-time setup, recurring infrastructure |
| Backups | Vendor-run backup with restore through TOPdesk Support | Your job to back up the database, files and config directory, including glpi.key and glpicrypt.key, with tested restores | Recurring |
| Upgrades | Handled by TOPdesk as part of the SaaS service | Replace application files, run the database update command and reactivate plugins after each new version; test before production | Recurring, per release |
| Implementation and configuration | Configuration by your team or TOPdesk partners, with the SaaS platform already running | Installation, hardening, authentication setup and workflow configuration; fixed-scope partner work or internal effort | One-time, with ongoing change requests |
| Data migration from TOPdesk | Data export is available through TOPdesk Support, usually from backup | Mapping and import work to GLPI objects, plus validation of attachments and history | One-time |
| Support | Included in the subscription | Community resources, internal staff, or a paid contract with Teclib' or a partner | Recurring if you buy support |
| Internal skills and plugins | Little platform-level skill needed for hosting; vendor features cover most needs | Linux, PHP, database and web server skills in-house; plugin compatibility checks at each update | Recurring staff time |
What the TOPdesk subscription covers that you would now fund
A per-agent SaaS subscription bundles several activities that stop being someone else's job once you self-host. TOPdesk runs the application on Microsoft Azure in the region your contract specifies, applies platform updates, keeps the service available and answers support questions. When you run GLPI yourself, every one of those activities becomes a cost line you must staff, schedule and budget. Start by listing them: hosting in your own or a national provider's data center, server and database administration, patching the operating system and web stack, GLPI version upgrades, backups and restore tests, monitoring, certificates, and first-line and second-line support for the platform itself. Each item needs a written scope with an owner, whether that owner is your team, a managed service provider or DeployOpen under a fixed-scope agreement.
Two parts of the TOPdesk relationship deserve a check before you plan a cutover. First, confirm which hosting region your current contract names and whether any data residency commitments are written into it, since that determines what your replacement must match. Second, read the exit and data copy terms in your TOPdesk contract before you give notice. Ask in writing what export or backup copy you can request, in what format, within what period after termination, and whether attachments are included. These answers set the length of your parallel-running period, which is often the most expensive part of a migration because you pay for two systems at once. Ask TOPdesk to confirm these terms in writing rather than relying on a summary from your account team.
GLPI itself carries no license fee under GPL-3.0, so the upgrade and operations work above is where your budget really changes. GLPI's update procedure requires you to back up the database, the files and the config directory, including glpi.key and glpicrypt.key, before replacing application files and running php bin/console db:update. Since GLPI 11.0, plugins are suspended after a new version is detected and must be reactivated after major updates, so each upgrade needs a test window. Price the recurring effort of those cycles, the one-time build and hardening work, and any optional GLPI Network subscription separately, and ask every quote for the same written list of components so the comparison with your TOPdesk invoice stays like for like.
What moves the GLPI total cost of ownership up or down
Self-hosted GLPI has no license fee, so the total cost comes from the people, infrastructure and optional subscriptions around it. The cards below show which factors push that total up or down, so you can compare them against what TOPdesk's per-agent subscription already covers today.
Agent and user count
GLPI Network pricing is charged per user, so the number of people who log in, request services or are tracked as users changes the subscription cost directly if you buy GLPI Network. Self-hosted GLPI itself does not charge per seat, so headcount mainly affects support load, licensing of your own training and the size of the server tier you need. Ask TOPdesk for your current per-agent count and separate agents from requesters, because requesters are often the larger group.
Asset and data volume
The number of assets, tickets, attachments and inventory records drives database size, backup duration, storage cost and query performance. Hardware inventory collected by GLPI Agent on every endpoint grows quickly on large estates. Measure your current asset count and attachment volume before sizing the database host and backup target, and check whether GLPI Network's self-hosted tiers, which are sized by agents and assets, fit your numbers.
Edition and support choice
Staying on the community edition keeps the license cost at zero, but you then carry all support, troubleshooting and upgrade planning yourself. GLPI Network self-hosted tiers add level 3 support and marketplace plugins at a monthly fee that rises with the tier. Compare the tier limits with your agent and asset counts, and ask Teclib' what response commitments each tier includes before you decide.
Availability and redundancy design
TOPdesk's hosted service includes infrastructure management, so the availability you receive is part of the subscription. Self-hosting means you pay for any redundancy you need, such as a second application node, database replication, a load balancer and tested restore procedures. Define your recovery time and recovery point targets first, because they determine how many servers, backup jobs and failover tests you must budget for each year.
In-house PHP and database skills
GLPI runs on PHP with MariaDB or MySQL, and the update procedure requires backing up the database, the files and the config directory, then running the console update command. If your team already operates these stacks, the ongoing effort is modest. If not, you will either train staff or pay an implementation partner for installation, hardening and each upgrade. Confirm who will own patching of PHP and the database engine, since those versions must stay within GLPI's stated requirements.
Integrations and plugins
Each integration with directory services, email, monitoring, endpoint tools or finance systems adds build, test and maintenance work, and plugins must be checked after every major GLPI version. GLPI suspends plugins after a new version is detected and they must be reactivated after major updates, so every plugin you depend on becomes a recurring upgrade task. List the integrations TOPdesk currently uses and decide which ones GLPI needs natively and which need custom work.
How to build the comparison with your own numbers
This sequence turns a TOPdesk renewal into a like-for-like three-year cost view for GLPI, with each external item backed by a written quote rather than an estimate.
Collect the current TOPdesk invoice and terms
Gather the most recent TOPdesk invoices, the signed order form or contract, and the renewal notice terms. Confirm with your TOPdesk account manager which plan, modules, hosting region and support level each line covers, and whether any items are billed separately from the per-agent subscription. The step is done when every recurring TOPdesk line has a source document and a named owner in your team.
Count named agents and requesters
Count the people who will work in the service desk as agents, including shared-service and facilities users if they are in scope, and separately count requesters who submit tickets or use the self-service portal. Export user lists from your directory so the counts match a document. Note that GLPI's own licensing for its optional Network subscriptions is priced per user, so the two counts feed directly into that line. The step is done when you have a dated count for each group with its source.
List hosting and infrastructure assumptions for GLPI
Write down where GLPI will run, whether in your data center or your cloud account, and what that requires: web server, PHP and database servers, storage, backups, monitoring, and TLS certificates. Check the supported versions in the GLPI prerequisites before costing hardware, since GLPI 11.0 documents PHP 8.2 or later with MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6, and the current main branch lists newer minimums. Ask your infrastructure team to price these components internally and request quotes from any cloud or hosting provider. The step is done when each component has an owner, a sizing note and a quote or internal cost reference.
Price staff time for installation and configuration
Estimate the internal and external effort to install GLPI, configure authentication (internal database, LDAP, IMAP or external methods), migrate or import data, and set up ITIL workflows, SLAs and asset inventory. Separate the work your staff will do from work you would contract out, and request written scopes and fixed quotes from any implementation partner. Record the effort as a one-time line. The step is done when installation and configuration each have a named cost basis and a documented assumption about who performs them.
Price upgrades under the GLPI update procedure
Budget recurring staff time for upgrades. The GLPI update procedure requires backing up the database, the files and the config directory, including the glpi.key and glpicrypt.key files, replacing the application files, and running php bin/console db:update. Since GLPI 11.0, plugins are suspended after a new version is detected and must be reactivated after major updates, so include plugin testing in the effort. Ask whether a support subscription or retainer from a provider would cover this work, and get the terms in writing. The step is done when the upgrade effort is recorded as an annual line with the test steps described.
Price migration from TOPdesk
Cost the data migration as a one-time line. Ask TOPdesk Support in writing about the format and timing of a data copy from backup, and check whether attachments are included. Then estimate the mapping of incidents, changes, assets and persons to GLPI objects, and the import work. Confirm with your team how much history you need to keep, because that drives the mapping effort. The step is done when the migration line lists its scope, its data sources and any quotes obtained for mapping or import work.
Separate one-time costs from annual costs
Build two tables: one-time lines for installation, configuration, migration, training and initial hardware, and annual lines for TOPdesk subscription fees, GLPI Network or support subscriptions if you choose them, hosting, backups, monitoring, upgrades and staff time for routine administration. Keep TOPdesk's included hosting, updates and support on the same rows as the GLPI items that replace them, so the comparison is like for like. The step is done when every line is tagged one-time or recurring and each recurring line has a driver such as agent count or server count.
Run a three-year view and add contingency
Project the one-time and annual lines across three years for both options, using the agent and requester counts from earlier steps and any price increases stated in your TOPdesk renewal. Add a contingency line sized by your finance team for unplanned upgrade work, hardware replacement and plugin rework, and show the comparison with and without it. Ask each external vendor for written quotes before you finalize the model, and note the quote date and validity period beside each figure. The step is done when the three-year totals, the contingency line and the list of outstanding quotes are reviewed by the budget owner.
Who runs upgrades, backups and patching after go-live
The recurring work of running GLPI moves to your team on day one, and it does not stop after go-live. GLPI 11.0.0 was released on October 1, 2025, and GLPI 12.0.0 followed on October 7, 2026, with 11.0.11 published in between. Each release that you adopt needs a planned window, a named owner who approves the change, and a rollback path. Under TOPdesk, most of this is inside the subscription. Under GLPI, you decide who does it, when, and at what cost in staff hours. Confirm the release cadence and the supported PHP and database versions for the release you intend to run before you set that schedule.
The update procedure in the GLPI installation documentation starts with a full backup of the database, the files and the config directory, including glpi.key and glpicrypt.key. Those two key files encrypt stored secrets, so a backup without them can restore data that cannot be read. After the application files are replaced, php bin/console db:update must run. Since GLPI 11.0, plugins are suspended when a new version is detected and must be reactivated after major updates, so every plugin you depend on needs a compatibility check and a reactivation step in the runbook. Ask your team to rehearse the restore, not only the backup, on a copy of production before the first live update.
Cost the rota before you sign off on a self-hosted plan. Decide whether an internal platform engineer owns upgrades, backups and patching, or whether a retainer covers them under a written scope with defined response times, and make that choice explicit in the business case. The main cost drivers are the number of plugins, the number of environments you keep for testing, and how often you adopt major releases. Ask any partner to state in writing which tasks are included, how emergency patches are handled, and who is on call outside working hours. Learn more about how a GLPI deployment is planned and supported before you compare quotes.
Questions buyers ask before comparing GLPI with TOPdesk
Is GLPI really free to run in production?
The GLPI software itself carries no license fee, because it is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3. What you still pay for is everything around it: servers or virtual machines, a database, backups, monitoring, staff time for upgrades and administration, and any optional support or hosted subscription you choose. Ask your team to list each of these as a separate line item before comparing totals with a TOPdesk subscription, which bundles hosting, updates and support into the per-agent price. GLPI's own installation documentation also requires a web server, PHP and MySQL or MariaDB, so those components belong in the cost model from the start.
What does a GLPI Network subscription add over the free software?
A GLPI Network subscription buys vendor-backed hosting or support rather than the software itself. According to the GLPI Network subscriptions page, the public cloud option costs 19 euros per user per month and the private cloud option costs 21 euros per user per month with a 25-user minimum. Self-hosted subscriptions range from 100 euros per month for the Basic tier, which covers up to 10 agents and 500 assets, to 4,500 euros per month for Enterprise, which includes level 3 support and access to GLPI Network marketplace plugins. Check the current tier terms directly with Teclib' before budgeting, because the subscription page is the authoritative source for what each level includes.
How much staff time does a self-hosted GLPI need each year?
The effort depends on how many services you run, how many people and assets the instance holds, how often you patch, and how much integration you build. The largest recurring items are regular upgrades, which GLPI's update procedure requires you to perform with full backups of the database, files and configuration keys, followed by running the database update command. Plugin reactivation after major versions, LDAP or SSO configuration, inventory agent rollout, and reporting for auditors are other recurring tasks. Ask your team to estimate effort for each of these against your environment, and compare that figure with the administration and coordination work that a TOPdesk subscription otherwise covers for you.
Can our in-house team run GLPI without outside help?
Many teams can, provided they have someone comfortable with Linux server administration, PHP application stacks, database maintenance and web server configuration. The GLPI installation docs describe a web server with a document root pointing to the public directory and URL rewriting, plus a supported PHP and MySQL or MariaDB combination that changes between major releases. If your team lacks these skills, or has no one who can cover operations during holidays and incidents, the gap is a staffing decision rather than a software one. Be honest about that capacity before choosing between an internal build and a fixed-scope engagement.
What skills, environment and change control does self-hosting require?
Plan for three areas. First, skills: system administration, database operations, web server configuration, identity integration with LDAP or SSO, and secure handling of GLPI's key files. Second, environment: separate staging and production instances, backup storage outside the application host, network access for inventory agents, and monitoring for the stack. Third, change control: each GLPI release should be tested on staging, with a documented rollback that restores the database, files and the glpi.key and glpicrypt.key files. Confirm with your change board whether these steps fit existing procedures, and align the upgrade cadence with your risk tolerance and any compliance evidence you must keep.
How long does a migration from TOPdesk to GLPI take, and what drives it?
No duration is fixed in advance, and the timeline depends mostly on data volume, the number of object types to map, and how many integrations must be rebuilt. The main drivers are the number of incidents, changes, assets and persons, the complexity of your workflows and approval rules, the quality of existing data, and whether you need to keep attachments and history. Requests for a data copy from TOPdesk, attachment download, field mapping decisions and test imports each add steps. Ask any implementation partner for a written scope with deliverables and milestones before work starts, since most engagements are agreed that way.
How do we get our data out of TOPdesk for a GLPI import?
Start by confirming with TOPdesk Support what export or backup copy is available under your contract, because the export options depend on your plan and agreement. Then decide which records must move: open and historical incidents, changes, assets, persons, knowledge base articles and attachments. Map each TOPdesk object to a GLPI equivalent, test the import on a copy of the new instance, and reconcile record counts afterwards. Plan the timing of the final cutover around any post-termination access window in your contract, since losing access to historical data is a common and avoidable risk.
When is a fixed-scope implementation partner worth quoting?
A partner is worth quoting when your team lacks capacity or skills for the initial build, the migration, or the first upgrade cycles, or when you need documented controls and evidence for an assessment. DeployOpen plans, implements, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades and documents self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own infrastructure. Engagements are usually fixed-scope, with scope, deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts, and ongoing support is available as a retainer. DeployOpen does not publish prices, so ask for a quote based on a written scope that lists your sites, users, integrations and data volumes. DeployOpen prepares evidence for compliance assessments but does not issue audit reports or certifications.
When staying on TOPdesk is the better financial choice
Staying on TOPdesk can be the cheaper option when the agent count is small, the internal platform team is thin, or leadership does not want to own upgrades, backups and patching. A per-agent subscription with hosting, updates and support included turns several recurring costs into one line item. GLPI removes the license fee, but it does not remove the work: someone must provision the web server, PHP runtime, MariaDB or MySQL database, backups, monitoring and the update cycle, and that person's time has a cost even when no invoice shows it. With few agents, the fixed effort of running a server can outweigh the per-agent savings, so the model needs to show that before anyone commits.
The signals to check in the model are the agent count by year, not just today, the number of people who already run Linux, PHP and database servers in your environment, and how often you expect to take major GLPI releases, including the requirement to reactivate plugins after major updates. Also check how much TOPdesk customization you use, because custom workflows and integrations are where migration and maintenance effort tends to grow. Ask GLPI partners and internal teams for a written estimate of the hours per year for upgrades and backups, and compare it with the subscription uplift you would avoid. If the difference is small or negative, the subscription is the rational choice.
For some organizations, where the data lives matters more than the price. TOPdesk hosts its SaaS regions on Microsoft Azure, so a public body or regulated firm with a rule that service desk records must stay in a specific jurisdiction or under its own control may find that no subscription tier satisfies the requirement. Confirm with TOPdesk which regions are available to you and what its contract says about data location, subprocessors and exit, and have your legal and compliance teams state the requirement in writing. If that requirement is binding, the cost comparison becomes a secondary question about how to run GLPI or Zammad in your own or a national provider's data center.
How DeployOpen scopes a fixed-price GLPI implementation
DeployOpen is a Chainscore Labs company that plans, implements, customizes, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades and documents self-hosted open-source platforms inside the client's own infrastructure. For a TOPdesk cost comparison, we start by agreeing in writing which GLPI components, data and hosting model the comparison will cover, so the cost model reflects your environment.
How we scope
- We agree the written scope before any work starts, including ticket, asset, contract and knowledge base modules in use today.
- We inventory current TOPdesk per-agent seats, add-ons and hosting regions so the cost baseline matches your actual contract.
- We confirm where GLPI will run, whether in your cloud account, your data center or an air-gapped network, and who operates it.
- We list the GLPI Agent, LDAP, mail and single sign-on integrations you need, so inventory and authentication costs are visible early.
How we build
- We install GLPI on the database and PHP versions the current release documentation requires, with the web root set to the public directory.
- We configure authentication order, SSO and directory sync, and set up GLPI Agent inventory collection for the endpoints in scope.
- We test incident, change, problem and SLA workflows against the scope, and record the staff hours each step takes for the cost model.
- We configure backups of the database, files and config directory, including the key files GLPI needs to restore.
How we hand over
- We document the running environment, sizing assumptions, backup and restore steps, and the upgrade procedure for your team.
- We deliver an ownership cost sheet listing licence, hosting, backup, upgrade and support lines so finance can compare them with TOPdesk renewals.
- We run a handover session with your administrators and agree which upgrade and plugin tasks remain with your team.
How we support
- Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers after handover.
- A retainer can cover GLPI version upgrades, plugin reactivation after major updates and backup verification, as set out in the written scope.
- Ask any provider, including us, to quote each support tier separately so recurring costs are visible next to the GLPI Network option if you consider it.
