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Freshdesk alternatives

Compare Zendesk, Help Scout, Zoho Desk, Front, Intercom, and Crisp as Freshdesk alternatives by free plan, per-agent pricing, channels, and how AI is billed.

What do you need to change?

Teams reviewing Freshdesk usually have one of three concerns: its Free program covers two agents for six months only, features such as intelligent routing and multiple SLAs sit on the higher per-agent plan, or support is moving from email towards chat and AI. Zoho Desk has a free edition with no end date, and Help Scout a free plan for up to 5 users. Help Scout and Front suit teams that want support to feel like email. Zendesk covers omnichannel support at scale, and Intercom is built around an AI agent that answers first.

A focused editorial selection based on the linked official documentation. Fit notes are our judgment, rather than firsthand benchmark results or a universal ranking. How we select and verify information.

Freshdesk alternatives at a glance

Freshdesk and its alternatives: main focus and free option
ToolBest forFree option
Freshdesk (current)Ticket-based email support for small and mid-sized teams, with Freshdesk Omni as the separate multichannel product.Free program, 2 agents for 6 months
ZendeskOmnichannel support for growing and large teams, with routing, SLAs, and a large app marketplace.14-day trial; no free plan
Help ScoutEmail-centred support for small and mid-sized teams, adding live chat, social channels, and AI as needed.Free plan, 5 users
Zoho DeskTicketing for teams that want a free edition with no end date and paid editions that add automation and AI.Free edition, 3 users
FrontTeams handling long, email-heavy customer conversations where several people work on each thread.14-day trial; no free plan
IntercomAI-first support for software and online businesses, where Fin answers first and hands off to people in the inbox.14-day trial; no free plan
CrispLive chat and messaging for small companies, with a flat price per workspace instead of per-agent fees.Free plan, 2 seats

Six alternatives to consider

Help desk software

Zendesk

Consider Zendesk when you need ticketing, messaging, live chat, and voice for a growing team, with routing and SLAs across every channel.

A customer service platform with ticketing, messaging, live chat, voice, help centres, and AI agents, sold as Support or Suite plans.

Pricing model
Plans are priced per agent per month. Support plans cover email-based ticketing, and Suite plans add messaging, live chat, voice, and help centres. AI agents are billed per automated resolution. The trial gives you Suite Professional for 14 days, and a startup programme offers a longer trial to eligible companies.
Before choosing
AI agents are charged per automated resolution, and some features such as voice are billed by usage beyond plan allowances; estimate resolutions and usage as well as seats.
Help desk software

Help Scout

Consider Help Scout when you want replies that read like personal email, a built-in knowledge base, and a free plan for up to 5 users.

A shared inbox, knowledge base, and help widget for customer support, designed so replies read like personal email.

Pricing model
A free plan includes up to 5 users, one Inbox, one Docs site, and help for up to 100 contacts a month. Standard, Plus, and Pro are priced per user, with a 15-day trial of Standard or Plus that needs no credit card. AI resolutions are billed per resolution.
Before choosing
The free plan helps up to 100 contacts a month and adds Help Scout branding to replies; count your monthly contacts before relying on it.
Help Scout profile
Help desk software

Zoho Desk

Consider Zoho Desk when you want a free edition for three users with no end date, and paid editions billed monthly or yearly as you grow.

Zoho's help desk with email ticketing, SLAs, skills-based routing, help centres, and the Zia AI assistant.

Pricing model
A free edition includes three users for email ticketing. Paid editions are priced per user and can be billed monthly or yearly. The 15-day trial needs no credit card and moves to the free edition when it ends.
Before choosing
Zia AI starts on Professional, and skills-based assignment and multi-brand help centres on Enterprise; confirm which edition covers your channels and rules.
Help desk software

Front

Consider Front when support happens in long email threads that several people need to discuss, alongside each person's own inbox.

A customer service platform that combines shared inboxes, ticketing, and AI in an email-like workspace, with omnichannel support on higher plans.

Pricing model
There is no free plan. Starter, Professional, and Enterprise are priced per seat; Starter allows up to 10 seats and one channel type, and omnichannel starts on Professional. The 14-day trial covers Professional and needs no credit card. AI Autopilot and, below Enterprise, Copilot are paid add-ons.
Before choosing
Starter is limited to one channel type and 10 automation rules; if you need chat, SMS, or social alongside email, price Professional.
Front profile
Help desk software

Intercom

Consider Intercom when you want an AI agent to answer in a Messenger and hand the rest to your team, and can budget per outcome as well as per seat.

A customer service platform built around the Fin AI Agent, with a Messenger, shared inbox, ticketing, and help centre.

Pricing model
Essential, Advanced, and Expert are priced per seat, plus Fin AI Agent usage charged per outcome. Email campaigns, SMS, WhatsApp, and phone are pay-as-you-go. The 14-day trial needs no credit card, and Fin can also be bought on its own for use with another help desk.
Before choosing
Your bill combines seats with Fin outcomes and channel usage; estimate how many conversations Fin will resolve each month as well as how many teammates need a full seat.
Help desk software

Crisp

Consider Crisp when most support starts in a website chat and you would rather pay a flat price per workspace than per agent.

A customer messaging suite with a website chat widget, shared inbox, chatbot, knowledge base, and the Hugo AI agent, priced per workspace.

Pricing model
A free plan includes the chat widget, a shared inbox, and two seats. Mini, Essentials, and Plus are flat prices per workspace with a set number of seats and AI credits included, and extra seats can be added. New accounts get a 14-day trial of all features.
Before choosing
The shared email inbox starts on Mini, and the knowledge base, routing, and omnichannel inbox on Essentials; check which plan covers email as well as chat.
Crisp profile

When Freshdesk may still fit

Keep Freshdesk on the shortlist when email ticketing is the core of your support and the Growth plan covers your rules and reporting. If you need chat and social channels, compare Freshdesk Omni before changing products.

Multiple SLA policies, intelligent routing, and the multilingual help desk start on Pro; check which of these you rely on before comparing per-agent prices.

Before you switch

  1. Count agents, collaborators, and the channels you support, then price each candidate per agent or seat, plus any AI usage.
  2. Export tickets, contacts, and knowledge base articles from Freshdesk, and check how each candidate imports ticket history.
  3. Rebuild your assignment rules, SLA policy, and three most-used canned responses, then run a week of test tickets before redirecting your support address.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Freshdesk?

Zoho Desk has a free edition for three users, Help Scout has a free plan for up to 5 users that helps up to 100 contacts a month, and Crisp has a free plan with a chat widget and two seats. Freshdesk's own Free program allows two agents for six months.

Which Freshdesk alternative is best for a small team?

In our judgment, Help Scout, because its free and per-user plans cover a shared inbox, knowledge base, and help widget without much setup. Zoho Desk is worth comparing if you want a three-user free edition and more configurable ticketing rules.

How does Freshdesk pricing compare with Zendesk?

Both charge per agent per month and charge for AI by usage: Freshdesk includes 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions once per account and sells more in packs, while Zendesk bills AI agents per automated resolution. Neither has a permanent free plan; Freshdesk offers a six-month Free program and Zendesk a 14-day trial.

Which Freshdesk alternative is best for live chat and AI?

Intercom is built around its Fin AI Agent and Messenger, priced per seat plus per outcome. Crisp offers live chat at a flat price per workspace rather than per agent, which can suit small teams.

Freshdesk vs Zendesk

Freshdesk vs Zendesk: compare per-agent plans, free options, channels, and how AI agents are billed, using official pricing and help pages.

Read the guide

Freshdesk vs Help Scout

Freshdesk vs Help Scout: compare free plans, per-agent and per-user pricing, ticketing depth, and email-style support using official sources.

Read the guide

Sources and check dates

Provider documentation supports the product and billing descriptions. Confirm current limits and terms before choosing a plan.

Freshdesk

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Zendesk

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Help Scout

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Zoho Desk

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Front

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Intercom

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Crisp

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ShowMeYourSaaS also offers commercial product coverage. These guides follow our editorial selection criteria; placement is not a purchased ranking. Send a correction with the page and a supporting source.