Overview

KIX is open-source service management software for teams handling IT, enterprise services, technical customer support, or field work. It is a stronger fit for organizations that need ticketing connected to assets and service levels than for teams seeking a bare help-desk queue. The free Start edition is a way in, but its missing support and maintenance make Pro the more credible choice for supported operations.

Key features

Collaborative ticket work is available in list and Kanban views, with searchable records of internal and external communications. That combination gives teams ways to organize active work and retain its context. SLA management, a knowledge base, an employee portal, and approval workflows also support processes beyond handling individual tickets.

KIX links assets to related tickets and SLAs, and supports inventory integrations including baramundi and opsi. Its REST API, Connect add-ons, web services, and database access offer several paths for connecting other systems. This flexibility can suit service teams with existing operational tools, though the specific value depends on the integrations they need.

KIX says it is certified in 16 ITIL practices, but the ITIL Practices add-on is chargeable in Pro editions and unavailable in Start. Pro also includes LDAP/AD synchronization, OpenID Connect and Kerberos single sign-on, S/MIME, and multifactor authentication; these are unavailable in Start. Organizations that need those controls should not treat the free edition as feature-equivalent.

KIX can be used in the cloud or on premises. Regular single-instance operation requires a Debian- or Ubuntu-based Linux host with AMD64 architecture, a meaningful constraint for organizations planning their own deployment. The KIX Field Service App supports iOS 17 and later and Android 13 and later.

Pricing

KIX uses a freemium model, with a free 30-day trial offering full access. The trial is useful for assessing the paid product before choosing a deployment, while Start has limited functionality and no support or maintenance.

Plan	Price	What it means
KIX Start	0.00 EUR per free	Limited functionality; no support or maintenance. Several add-ons are unavailable, so it suits exploration better than teams that need vendor-backed operations.
KIX Pro Business Cloud	33.00 EUR per month	Billed from 33 € per month / agent. Includes service time of 12 hours / 5 days per week, a 4-hour response for critical failure, 24 calls per year, and a 24-hour response to service and feature requests. This is the published entry point for teams preferring cloud hosting and defined support.
KIX Pro Business On-Prem	3690.00 EUR per once	Billed from 3.690 €, in packages of 10–250 agents, with a support and maintenance contract. It is aimed at organizations choosing their own infrastructure, but the initial package pricing is a substantial commitment.
KIX Pro Enterprise Cloud	Custom pricing	On request from 30 agents. Includes 12 hours, 7 days per week service time, a 1-hour response for critical failure, 48 calls per year, and a 12-hour response to service and feature requests. Its terms target larger teams needing broader service coverage.
KIX Pro Enterprise On-Prem	Custom pricing	On request from 250 agents, with a support and maintenance contract. This is for large organizations committed to on-premises deployment.

Platforms

KIX supports Android, iOS, Linux, self-hosted deployment, and web use, as well as an API. The dedicated Field Service App requires iOS 17 or later or Android 13 or later. Cloud customers can use KIX Full Managed Service, which the maker says is hosted in Germany, ISO/IEC 27001 certified, and has 99.9% availability.

Who it's for

KIX is suited to help desks and service organizations that need ticket history, asset relationships, SLAs, and integration routes in one service-management system. Its cloud and on-premises options give organizations a deployment choice, while paid support offers implementation, training, technical help, and user support directly from the manufacturer. It is less suitable for teams that need a fully supported free tier or want to avoid Linux-host requirements for regular self-hosted operation.

Pros and cons

Pros: Tickets link to assets and SLAs, making it easier to relate service requests to managed equipment and service commitments.
Pros: List and Kanban views, searchable communications, a knowledge base, employee portal, and approval workflows cover more than basic ticket intake.
Pros: Cloud and on-premises options, plus a REST API and multiple integration paths, provide flexibility for different operating environments.
Cons: Start lacks support and maintenance, and excludes several add-ons, including ITIL Practices and the listed Pro security capabilities.
Cons: Business On-Prem begins at 3690.00 EUR per once for packages of 10–250 agents, while Enterprise plans use custom pricing; cost planning is less straightforward than the entry cloud rate.
Cons: Self-hosted single-instance operation requires Debian- or Ubuntu-based Linux on AMD64, which narrows deployment options.

Alternatives

For teams comparing service-level tools, browse IT SLA Management Software; for a broader help-desk shortlist, see IT Help Desk Software, or compare incident-focused options in IT Incident Management Software.

Desk365 is worth considering for teams that want a free tier capped at 50 tickets per month or a Standard plan at 12.00 USD per month billed annually. Choose GLPI if its Public Cloud offer fits: 19.00 EUR per month per IT agent from one agent, with 5 GB disk and 20 MB maximum attachments. Xurrent Service Level Management may suit teams seeking custom-priced plans with specified platform-user allowances and integrations, while Proactivanet ITSM is another paid option with unpublished pricing.

Web Help Desk may suit small technician teams comfortable with an annual subscription: its 1–5 technician plan is 533.00 USD per year and includes unlimited end users. Freshservice is an alternative for teams considering a paid service desk with knowledge management, task management, a support portal, and omnichannel support in its Starter plan at 19.00 USD per month billed annually. Jitbit Helpdesk is another paid alternative, and Matrix42 FastViewer is also worth comparing.

Verdict

Choose KIX if your service team needs ticketing tied to assets and SLAs, integration options, and a choice between cloud and on-premises deployment. Its main advantage is that breadth across service-management workflows; its main caveat is that the free edition gives up support, maintenance, and important add-ons. Teams needing those capabilities should budget for Pro, while smaller teams seeking supported functionality without a sizable deployment commitment should compare alternatives first.

	KIX	SolarWinds Service Desk
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	€33/mo	$39/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Linux, self-hosted, Web	Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	No

KIX vs SolarWinds Service Desk

KIX

SolarWinds Service Desk