GLPI instead of Matrix42: Why GLPI Network is the more cost-effective and faster ITSM choice for mid-sized companies
The short answer: For a typical mid-sized company with 10 to 300 IT agents, GLPI Network is in most cases the more cost-effective, faster to deploy and more flexible ITSM solution. Ticketing, IT asset management, CMDB and change management are all included in the base price of EUR 19 per agent per month. Matrix42 is a powerful enterprise platform with integrated Unified Endpoint Management, Software Asset Management and Identity Governance that plays to its strengths mainly in larger organisations with platform-wide needs. For companies with a focused ITSM requirement, GLPI Network is structurally the better fit.
This article explains why GLPI Network is the more convincing option for mid-sized organisations, without downplaying the strengths of Matrix42 in the enterprise segment. As an official GLPI Silver Partner, Blueteam accompanies customers in Germany and across Europe through implementation, migration and operations, and deliberately specialises in GLPI. That means deep expertise on one platform instead of shallow coverage of many.
Why GLPI Network is the better choice for mid-sized companies
IT departments in mid-sized companies have different priorities than IT organisations in large corporations. They need a tool that becomes productive quickly, produces predictable costs and aligns with the actual need rather than with maximum platform breadth. This is exactly where GLPI Network plays to its strengths.
Transparent, publicly available pricing
GLPI Network is offered at publicly listed prices starting from EUR 19 per IT agent per month in the cloud. On-premise subscriptions are tiered between EUR 100 and EUR 1,000 per month depending on company size. Budget planning is possible without a sales conversation (source: glpi-project.org/en/pricing). Matrix42 does not publish pricing, quotes are issued individually after a needs assessment (source: matrix42.com/en/prices). For mid-sized companies, this means significantly longer lead time in the evaluation phase and less opportunity to compare offers without commitment.
Full ITSM scope in the base price
With GLPI Network, all ITIL-oriented core processes are included from the very first euro: helpdesk, ticketing, IT asset management, CMDB, change, problem and incident management, self-service portal, Active Directory integration, SSO via Azure AD, automated inventory. No tiered edition model, no licence add-ons, no discovery upsells. Anyone wanting the full ITSM scope pays EUR 19 per agent per month. That's it.
Open source core and low vendor lock-in
GLPI is built on an open, documented data model (MySQL or MariaDB) with a complete REST API. Organisations that want to replace the system later or export their data do not face a closed platform architecture. With proprietary systems such as Matrix42, data resides in a vendor-specific structure that creates migration effort when switching to another system. This is not a quality judgement, it is a structural difference between open source and proprietary platforms.
Short time to value, early benefits
A focused GLPI project with ticketing, IT asset management, AD integration, role model, self-service portal and training is typically in production at Blueteam within two to three weeks. More complex environments with CMDB setup and workflow customisation take four to six weeks. Matrix42 deployments with full ESM scope typically extend over several months because they involve platform integration, process design across multiple business units and organisational change management. If ITSM needs to be operational quickly, GLPI gets there faster.
Where Matrix42 is still a strong platform (honest perspective)
Matrix42 is an established German software vendor headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, founded in 1992, and recognised as a Strong Performer for ITSM platforms in the Gartner Voice of the Customer 2025. The platform is capable and has its legitimate place, but in a different segment from GLPI.
Matrix42 plays to its strengths where organisations want to run an integrated Digital Workplace platform from a single vendor: IT service management, Enterprise Service Management for HR or facilities, Unified Endpoint Management, Software Asset Management and Identity Governance in the same product. This reduces the number of separate point tools in the organisation and simplifies cross-functional reporting processes. For organisations with around 500 to 1,000 or more employees and a clear platform strategy combined with a multi-year transformation roadmap, Matrix42 is a well-considered choice.
For the typical mid-sized company with a focused ITSM requirement, this platform breadth is usually oversized. This is not a criticism of Matrix42, it is a question of the right solution class.
The comparison matrix: what mid-sized companies really compare
| Criterion | GLPI Network | Matrix42 Service Management |
|---|---|---|
| Licence model | Open source core (GPL) with commercial subscription | Proprietary |
| Price transparency | Public online pricing | Only through individual quote |
| Entry price | EUR 19 per agent per month (cloud) | On request |
| IT asset management in base price | Yes, unlimited | As separate product (Matrix42 Software Asset Management) |
| CMDB in base price | Yes | Included in ESM product |
| Full change, problem, incident management | Included, ITIL-oriented | Included, ITIL-certified |
| Typical deployment time | 2 to 6 weeks | Usually several months at full scope |
| Platform focus | Focused ITSM with ITAM and CMDB | Broad suite: ITSM, ESM, UEM, SAM, IGA |
| Hosting options | EU cloud, on-premise, private cloud | Cloud, private cloud, on-premise, hybrid |
| GDPR and EU standards | Fully compliant | Fully compliant |
| Ecosystem | Open plugin system, large open source community | Marketplace with vendor-vetted extensions |
| Vendor lock-in risk | Low due to open source core and open API | Platform-specific, switching requires migration project |
| Typical target group | Mid-sized companies with 10 to 300 IT agents | Upper mid-market to enterprise |
Sources: glpi-project.org/en/pricing, matrix42.com/en/prices, matrix42.com/en/matrix42-service-management, retrieved April 2026.
The pricing argument, concretely calculated
For a typical mid-sized company with 25 IT agents and around 750 assets, Blueteam calculates the following overall budget for GLPI Network over 36 months:
- GLPI Network subscription: 25 agents x EUR 19 x 36 months, equals EUR 17,100
- Setup, AD integration, role model, workflow configuration, training, approximately EUR 9,500 one-off
- Total TCO for GLPI over 36 months: approximately EUR 27,000
For a Matrix42 project with a comparable ITSM scope (without additional UEM or SAM modules), companies and market analysts regularly report project investments significantly above this range, especially when consulting efforts from certified Matrix42 partners for implementation and customisation are factored in. A precise figure cannot be stated responsibly without an individual Matrix42 quote. And that is exactly the point: you get budget clarity with GLPI Network without going through a sales process, with Matrix42 only after a requirements assessment.
The often overlooked cost factor: complexity and internal resources
Licence costs are only part of the equation. At least as important is how much internal resource a system ties up over the long term.
GLPI is designed so that administration after professional setup by a certified partner can be handled by a dedicated GLPI person inside the organisation. In practice, this is typically a part-time effort of a few hours per week for smaller environments, not a full-time position. Comprehensive enterprise platforms such as Matrix42 in practice often require dedicated platform administrators, especially when multiple modules (UEM, SAM, IGA) are in use simultaneously. User reviews on platforms like Capterra and G2 describe Matrix42 as feature-rich but also demanding in terms of administration and onboarding new staff.
For mid-sized organisations, where IT departments are typically already stretched, this is a measurable TCO factor that pure licence comparisons miss.
Migration from Matrix42 to GLPI: Blueteam supports the switch
Not every company running on an enterprise platform today originally chose it. Often, historical decisions or group-level mandates are the reason. When the actual need changes, for example through carve-outs, a focus on leaner processes or cost pressure on the IT budget, switching to GLPI Network is a logical step.
Blueteam regularly supports companies through migration projects from proprietary ITSM platforms, including Matrix42, to GLPI Network. Typical components of such a project:
- Data export and analysis: exporting existing ticket data, asset inventories, CMDB structures, service catalogs and user directories from the legacy system
- Mapping: transferring the existing process logic (categories, SLAs, roles, approval workflows) into the GLPI data structure
- Import into GLPI: automated migration via the GLPI REST API or direct database import, preserving full history
- Parallel operation and cut-over: controlled handover with parallel operation until all processes run in the new system
- Training and change management: training for administrators and end users, including self-service portal communication
- Post-launch support: operational support during the first weeks after going live
Such migration projects take between six and twelve weeks depending on complexity and data volume. The result is a leaner, more cost-efficient ITSM system with significantly reduced ongoing licence costs and without the platform overhead that the company was not actually using.
Why Blueteam deliberately specialises in GLPI
Blueteam is an official GLPI Silver Partner and focuses deliberately on GLPI as its ITSM platform. This is not arbitrary, it is a strategic decision: we believe that specialised expertise on one platform delivers more value to the customer than superficial knowledge across many systems. In practice this means:
- Deep understanding of GLPI architecture, from data modelling to plugin development
- Experience with AD integration, Azure AD SSO, Microsoft 365 connectivity and mail gateways
- Proven methodologies for GDPR-compliant on-premise installations, including KRITIS and ISO 27001 environments
- German-language (and English-language) support and project accompaniment, without outsourcing to global call centres
- Hands-on experience with migrations from Matrix42 and other proprietary ITSM systems
If your actual requirements genuinely call for an enterprise platform such as Matrix42, we tell you openly. If GLPI is the right choice, we take the project into production within a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions about GLPI and Matrix42
Is GLPI functionally comparable to Matrix42?
In the ITSM core, meaning ticketing, IT asset management, CMDB, change, problem and incident management, both systems are on a functionally comparable level. The difference lies in platform breadth: Matrix42 additionally covers Unified Endpoint Management, Software Asset Management, Identity Governance and Endpoint Security as separate products. Organisations that do not need these integrated domains end up paying for Matrix42 platform scope they do not actually use.
Is GLPI suitable for regulated industries?
Yes. GLPI Network can run fully on-premise on your own servers in Germany or another EU country, and is compatible with the requirements of ISO 27001, BSI Grundschutz, KRITIS and TISAX. Audit logs, role-based access control and traceable change history are included as standard. Blueteam regularly implements GLPI in regulated environments.
Can existing data from Matrix42 be migrated to GLPI?
Yes. Tickets, assets, CMDB entries, categories, roles and service catalogs can be exported from Matrix42 and transferred into GLPI. Technical implementation is carried out either via the GLPI REST API or via database import scripts. Blueteam handles such migrations end-to-end, including mapping, test runs, parallel operation and cut-over.
How long does a migration from Matrix42 to GLPI take?
Between six and twelve weeks depending on data volume and process complexity. Shorter timelines are possible for pure ticket and asset migrations without workflow rewrite. The critical factor is the quality of the legacy data and the desired scope of process adaptation during the switch.
What does GLPI Network cost for my mid-sized company?
For 25 IT agents and 750 assets, the typical overall budget is approximately EUR 27,000 over 36 months, consisting of EUR 17,100 in subscription and EUR 9,500 one-off for setup including AD integration, role model, self-service portal and training. For larger or smaller environments this scales linearly. Blueteam prepares a concrete quote on request, without sales negotiation and without hidden renegotiations.
Is GLPI future-proof in the long term?
Yes. The main product is continuously developed by vendor Teclib', the open source community is active and growing, and the commercial agreements with GLPI Network guarantee bugfix SLAs and regular updates. The open source core additionally provides independent development capability, which is structurally absent in proprietary platforms.
Conclusion
For mid-sized companies with 10 to 300 IT agents and a focused ITSM requirement, GLPI Network is in the vast majority of cases the more cost-effective, faster and more flexible choice. Transparent pricing, full feature scope in the base price, short deployment times, low vendor lock-in risk and partner support in your own language are concrete advantages that are measurable in real projects.
Matrix42 remains a strong platform for companies with integrated Digital Workplace requirements in the upper mid-market and enterprise segment. Companies running on Matrix42 today and realising that their actual need is leaner than the platform will find an experienced partner in Blueteam for the transition.
- GLPI Network includes ITSM, ITAM, CMDB and change management at EUR 19 per agent per month
- Matrix42 is an integrated enterprise platform with individual pricing
- Blueteam is an official GLPI Silver Partner and supports migrations from proprietary ITSM systems
- A standard GLPI project at Blueteam goes into production within two to six weeks