If you are using Freshdesk today, it probably worked well when your support needs were simple. However, as teams grow, many businesses begin to encounter the same frustrations.
Pricing can feel high as you add more agents or need advanced features. Everyday ticket handling can also get messy, especially when you need cleaner workflows, better automation, or smoother collaboration across tools like Microsoft Teams, Jira, or Slack. Some teams also find the interface a bit too complex once multiple departments and processes get involved.
If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone. The good news is that there are plenty of Freshdesk alternatives available today that solve these challenges better, often with simpler workflows and more predictable pricing.
So let’s look at some of the top Freshdesk alternatives worth considering.
TL;DR - Best Freshdesk alternatives in 2026
- Desk365 – Best for teams who want strong automation, AI-powered ticketing, Microsoft Teams integration, and simple pricing
- Jira Service Management – Best for IT and engineering teams that already use Jira and need ITSM workflows like incident, change, and SLA management
- Zendesk – Best for large teams and enterprises that need advanced reporting, scalability, and a mature support ecosystem
- Help Scout – Best for small to mid-sized teams focused on email-based, personal customer support with an easy-to-use interface
- Zoho Desk – Best for growing teams that want an affordable help desk with automation, customization, and multi-department support
- Front – Best for collaborative teams that manage customer communication through shared inboxes and internal teamwork workflows
- ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus – Best for IT teams that need a service desk with structured workflows plus asset and change management options
- Kayako – Best for teams that want simple ticketing with strong conversation history, customer context, and live chat support
- Hiver – Best for Gmail-based teams that want lightweight ticketing and collaboration directly inside email
- TeamSupport – Best for B2B support teams that need account-level visibility and manage multiple contacts per customer organization
- HelpSpot – Best for teams that want a straightforward, no-frills help desk without complex setup or feature overload
- Rezolve.ai – Best for teams looking for AI-first support automation, self-service, and faster ticket resolution for internal service desks
Common reasons why businesses might seek Freshdesk alternatives
Here are some common reasons businesses might look for alternatives to Freshdesk
1) Higher pricing tiers lock key features (automation, analytics, and trial limitations)
Several reviewers clearly mention frustration with Freshdesk’s pricing tiers.
They feel that important features like:
Advanced automation
Deeper analytics
More powerful workflow controls
are locked behind premium plans, which makes it tough for smaller teams to get full value without upgrading.
One reviewer also mentioned the 14-day free trial feels too short to fully evaluate Freshdesk, especially if setup and configuration take time.
What do you dislike about Freshdesk?
What I dislike about Freshdesk is that some features feel a bit limited unless you’re on the higher pricing tiers. For example, a few automation options and advanced analytics are locked behind premium plans, which can be frustrating for smaller teams. I also feel that 14 days free trial is also limited experience to user. – Review from a G2 user
2) Limited customization and flexibility
Many users feel Freshdesk is solid overall, but not flexible enough when it comes to tailoring the system to their exact support process.
They mention that some workflows and features do not offer the level of customization they expect, especially things like:
custom ticket views
field customization
workflow rules based on specific business logic
This becomes a bigger issue when teams have more complex ticketing needs or multiple departments.
What do you dislike about Freshdesk?
⚠️ Customization Limits – Some features and workflows aren’t as flexible as you’d expect.
⚠️ Reporting Complexity – Advanced analytics sometimes require extra setup or paid add-ons.
⚠️ Mobile App Limitations – The app is useful but lacks some of the web features.
⚠️ Occasional Performance Issues – Can feel slow or laggy during peak usage.
⚠️ Pricing Tiers – Some essential features (like advanced automation or analytics) are only available on higher plans.
⚠️ Learning Curve for Setup – Initial configuration can be time-consuming if you need complex workflows.
“Freshdesk is great overall, but I find that some of the advanced features are locked behind higher pricing tiers. Reporting could also be more intuitive, and the mobile app lacks some of the functionality of the desktop version.” – Review from a G2 user
3) Higher pricing tiers lock key features (automation, analytics, and trial limitations)
A common complaint is that reporting and analytics are not as easy or powerful as they should be.
Users point out that:
Advanced reporting requires additional setup
Fully customized reports can take extra time
Some analytics features may require paid add-ons or higher plans
So while basic reporting is available, teams that rely heavily on data and performance dashboards often feel restricted.
What do you dislike about Freshdesk?
* The Dashboard can feel slow during peak usage when handling a high volume of tickets.
* Reporting and analytics are limited – creating fully customized reports takes extra effort.
* The mobile app is helpful but doesn’t provide the same depth of features as the desktop version.
* Some UI customizatons(like tailoring ticket views and fileds) could be more flexible – Review from a G2 user
Freshdesk pricing: How much does it cost?
Freshdesk offers a structured pricing system tailored to various organizational needs, with multiple plans priced per agent per month. Significant savings are available through annual billing.
Plan Name
Monthly Cost
Key Features
Free Plan
$0 per agent per month
Email and social ticketing, ticket trend report, knowledge base, team collaboration, data security.
Growth
$15 per agent per month
Everything in Free Plan, automation, marketplace apps, helpdesk reports, customer satisfaction surveys.
Pro
$49 per agent per month
Everything in the Growth Plan, multiple time zones, custom roles, custom reports and dashboards, SLA management, and multilingual knowledge base.
Enterprise
$79 per agent per month
Everything in Pro Plan, skill-based ticket assignment, sandbox, agent shifts, custom agent roles, IP whitelisting.
12 best Freshdesk alternatives for customer support teams in 2026
When looking for Freshdesk alternatives, several strong options are available, including Desk365, Jira Service Management, Zendesk, Help Scout, Zoho Desk, Front, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, Kayako, Hiver, TeamSupport, HelpSpot, and Rezolve.ai. Each tool offers a different mix of ticketing features, automation, integrations, reporting, and pricing.
But for teams that want a modern, easy-to-use help desk with strong automation and a smooth Microsoft experience, Desk365 stands out as one of the best Freshdesk alternatives. It offers deep native Microsoft Teams integration, flexible ticket intake through email, portals, web forms, mobile, and Teams, plus powerful workflows, knowledge base capabilities, and predictable pricing that scales without hidden surprises.
| Tool | Best for | Key strength vs Freshdesk | Pricing starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk365 | Teams that want simple ticketing + strong automation with Microsoft Teams | Native Microsoft Teams integration, predictable pricing, strong workflows and knowledge base | $12/agent/month |
| Jira Service Management | IT and engineering teams managing ITSM workflows | Strong ITSM (incident/change/problem), deep Jira integration, advanced SLA handling | $20/agent/month |
| Zendesk | Larger teams needing enterprise-level scalability | Mature ecosystem, advanced automation and analytics, strong integrations | $55/agent/month |
| Help Scout | Teams that want email-first, personal customer support | Very clean UI, fast onboarding, simple workflows without complexity | $20/user/month |
| Zoho Desk | Growing teams that want value + features | Strong feature set for price, good automation, multi-department support | $14/user/month |
| Front | Teams that rely heavily on shared inbox collaboration | Best-in-class internal collaboration, shared inbox workflows, fast coordination | $19/user/month |
| ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus | IT teams needing service desk + asset management | Strong ITSM + asset/change management (plan-based), flexible deployment | $13/technician/month |
| Kayako | Teams that want conversation-based ticketing + customer journey view | Unified conversation history, clean customer view, strong live chat focus | $79/month |
| Hiver | Google Workspace teams managing support in Gmail | Native Gmail experience, shared inbox management, easy adoption | $25/user/month |
| TeamSupport | B2B teams supporting multiple contacts per company | Best for B2B account-based support, customer/org-level visibility | $45/agent/month |
| HelpSpot | Teams that want a lightweight, no-frills help desk | Simple, reliable ticketing without heavy UI or feature overload | Custom pricing / plan-based |
| Rezolve.ai | Companies that want AI-first service desk automation | Strong AI-based ticket handling, auto-resolution, employee support automation | Custom pricing |
1. Desk365
Desk365 is the best alternative to Freshdesk because it addresses the core challenges that teams consistently encounter. Unlike Freshdesk, Desk365 offers a deep, native Microsoft Teams integration that brings ticketing, collaboration, notifications, and approvals directly into Teams, making it ideal for organizations that rely on it every day.
It also provides far more flexible email and multichannel options, allowing teams to manage web forms, portals, and Microsoft Teams without limitations. Automations are easier to build and more powerful, giving managers cleaner routing, signatures, notifications, and workflow logic.
Desk365 also delivers a stronger knowledge base experience, with improved organization, dynamic fields, customization options, and end-user support tools. Its AI features make search and information retrieval faster, especially for large datasets. Onboarding is much easier compared to Freshdesk. When you look at all of these needs together, integrations, automation, KB, AI, structure, and cost – Desk365 stands out as a more modern, flexible, and scalable service platform for IT, HR, operations, and support teams.
1. AI-powered ticket responses
Desk365 enhances agent efficiency by utilizing AI to generate quick, contextual replies. These AI-powered responses are based on historical ticket data and knowledge base articles, allowing agents to respond faster and with more accuracy. This significantly reduces the time spent on routine inquiries.
2. Unified inbox
Desk365 consolidates all customer support requests from various channels into a single, easy-to-use inbox. This feature allows agents to collaborate efficiently and manage requests without toggling between different communication platforms.
2. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Desk365 ensures the timely resolution of tickets by monitoring SLAs. It provides periodic reminders to agents about upcoming due dates and alerts them when SLA infractions occur, helping teams stay on track and avoid delays.
4. Automations
Desk365 offers a wide range of automation tools to improve productivity. For example, automation macros can be triggered when a ticket is created or updated, ensuring that routine tasks are handled automatically based on predefined conditions (such as ticket properties or customer events).
5. Real-time alerts and notifications
Instant notifications keep agents informed of updates to tickets. Whether it’s a new reply, a status change, or other activities, Desk365 ensures agents are aware of important developments in real-time, preventing them from missing critical updates.
6. Knowledge base
Desk365 makes it easy to create and share knowledge base articles with your team and customers. The knowledge base can serve as a training tool for agents, and selected solution articles can be made public on the customer support portal, allowing customers to find answers on their own.
7. Custom ticket views and reports
Desk365 offers customizable ticket views and detailed analytics that allow you to monitor your team’s performance. You can track metrics like ticket resolution time, agent performance, and customer satisfaction, helping you to make data-driven decisions to improve your support process.
8. Omnichannel support
Desk365 integrates with multiple channels, making it easy for customers to reach you through the medium they prefer. Channels include:
- Microsoft Teams: Customers can create tickets, check statuses, and respond to agents all within Teams.
- Email: Incoming emails are converted into tickets, and agents can respond directly from the platform.
- Web Widget: A customizable widget that can be embedded on your website for easy ticket creation.
- Web Form: A configurable iframe form that can also be added to your website for seamless ticket creation.
9. Customization options
Desk365 allows extensive customization to suit the specific needs of your business. You can tailor:
- Agent roles and permissions for different levels of access.
- Ticket forms with custom fields and workflows to align with your processes.
- Support portal appearance to match your branding.
- Email settings and secondary email configurations for different departments (e.g., sales, marketing).
10. Powerful analytics
Desk365 includes powerful reporting tools that provide actionable insights into your support operations:
- Custom reports: Tailor reports to analyze any specific data related to your team’s performance, ticket trends, or customer satisfaction.
- Agent performance reports: Evaluate individual agent metrics like response times and ticket resolution rates.
- Ticket trends report: Visualize trends across different ticket fields to identify recurring issues or bottlenecks.
Pricing:
Lowest Paid Plan: $12/agent/month
Highest Paid Plan: $20/agent/month
Free trial available.
2.Jira Service Management
Jira Service Management (JSM) is Atlassian’s service desk platform built for IT support, internal service teams, and companies that already use Jira Software. It is known for being strong in ITSM workflows and for connecting service requests directly to engineering tasks.
If your organization needs strong incident and change processes or you want support tightly linked with DevOps and development teams, JSM is one of the best Freshdesk alternatives.
Jira Service Management key features
- Request management and service portal
- Incident management
- Problem management
- Change management
- Automation rules and workflows
- SLAs and escalation
- Knowledge base integration
- Assets and configuration management options
Jira Service Management pricing
Standard: starts at $20 per agent/month
Free plan also available (limited agents)
Jira Service Management pros
Excellent for ITSM and structured service processes
Strong integration with Jira Software and dev workflows
Great for scaling across IT departments
Automation and workflow tools are powerful
Jira Service Management cons
Can feel complex for non-technical support teams
Admin setup takes time
Some advanced incident and change capabilities sit in Premium tiers
Learn more about Jira Service Management
3. Zendesk
Zendesk is one of the most popular customer service platforms in the market and is often compared with Freshdesk. It is built for teams that need multi-channel support, advanced ticketing, automation, and strong reporting.
If your support operation is growing and you want a mature platform with lots of integrations and scalability, Zendesk remains a strong alternative. However, it also tends to be a premium-priced option, especially when you need advanced features or add-ons.
Zendesk key features
- Multi-channel support
- Advanced ticketing system
- Automation and workflows
- Customizable interfaces
- Reporting and analytics
- Integrations with other business tools
- Knowledge base and self-service options
- Live chat capabilities
Zendesk pricing
- Suite team: $55/agent/month
- Suite growth: $89/agent/month
- Suite Professional: $115/month/ user
Zendesk pros
Very mature platform with a large ecosystem and many integrations
Excellent reporting and analytics
Highly scalable for large enterprises
Zendesk cons
Often more expensive than many competitors for similar features
Can be complex to configure and maintain
4. Help Scout
Help Scout is a customer support platform designed for teams that want to deliver personal, email-first support with a clean UI. It is known for being easy to use, lightweight, and focused on customer conversations rather than overly technical ticketing setups.
Freshdesk users often switch to Help Scout when they want a more modern and friendly support experience that still includes automation, reporting, and a self-service knowledge base.
Help Scout key features
- Shared inbox support
- Ticket management and assignments
- Knowledge base (Docs)
- Live chat and messaging widget
- Workflows and automation
- Saved replies and templates
- Customer profiles and history
- Reporting dashboards
Help Scout pricing
Pricing is plan-based and user-based
(Exact tiers vary depending on plan and feature set.)
Help Scout pros
Very easy to use, clean interface
Strong email support and customer communication workflow
Great knowledge base experience
Good for startups and mid-sized support teams
Help Scout cons
Not built for heavy ITSM processes
Less suitable for complex multi-department enterprise workflows
Some advanced controls may require higher tiers
5. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a feature-rich helpdesk platform built for teams that want strong ticketing, automation, and omnichannel support at a more affordable price point. It is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem, which makes it very appealing if you already use Zoho CRM or other Zoho apps.
Freshdesk users often consider Zoho Desk as an alternative when they want better value, strong automation, and AI-assisted support without moving into more expensive platforms.
Zoho Desk key features
- Omnichannel ticketing
- Ticket assignment rules and workflows
- SLA management
- AI assistant features (Zia AI, plan-based)
- Knowledge base and help center
- Custom fields, layouts, and form rules
- Multi-department support
- Reporting and analytics
Zoho Desk pricing
Zoho Desk pricing is tiered, including Free + paid tiers
TechRadar notes paid tiers can range broadly, depending on features and billing cycle
Zoho Desk pros
Excellent value for money compared to many helpdesks
Strong automation and customization capabilities
Great if you already use Zoho ecosystem tools
Supports multi-department setups well
Zoho Desk cons
UI can feel complex at first (learning curve)
Some advanced features require higher plans
Integrations outside Zoho ecosystem may need extra setup
Learn more about Zoho Desk
6. Front
Front is a customer operations platform that combines shared inbox collaboration with structured ticketing. It is especially useful for teams that handle high volumes of email-based support and need fast internal collaboration.
Many businesses choose Front as a Freshdesk alternative when they want a better team inbox experience, smoother internal notes, and faster handling of customer conversations across channels.
Front key features
- Shared inbox with ticket-style conversation management
- Multi-channel support (email, social, SMS depending on plan)
- Team collaboration (mentions, internal comments, assignments)
- Automation rules and routing
- Templates and canned responses
- Analytics and performance reporting
- Knowledge base options (plan-based)
- Integrations with business tools
- Workflow customization
Front pricing
Starter: $25/seat/month
Professional: $65/seat/month
Enterprise: $105/seat/month
Front pros
One of the best tools for shared inbox collaboration
Very clean interface and easy adoption
Strong internal teamwork features
Great for customer-facing operations teams
Front cons
Pricing can rise quickly as your team grows
More “conversation-first” than traditional ITSM
Some support teams may want deeper ticketing and SLA controls
Learn more about Front
7. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is an IT service management platform built for companies that want robust service desk workflows, asset management, and IT operations control. It is commonly used by IT departments that need traditional ITSM practices like SLAs, service catalogs, and change management.
It is a strong Freshdesk alternative for IT teams that want more depth in ITSM features and internal service operations.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus key features
- Incident and request management
- Asset management (in professional edition)
- Change management (in enterprise edition)
- Service catalog for internal requests
- SLA tracking and escalations
- Knowledge base
- Automation rules and approvals
- Reporting and dashboards
- Multi-team or multi-instance support
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus pricing
Available in three editions: Standard, Professional, Enterprise
Standard starts at $13 per technician/month
Professional starts at $27 per technician/month
Enterprise starts at $67 per technician/month
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus pros
Strong ITSM capabilities for internal service teams
Asset and change management available (plan-based)
Powerful for structured IT departments
Good value compared to enterprise ITSM tools
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus cons
Interface can feel less modern than newer platforms
Setup can be heavy for smaller teams
Pricing can vary depending on cloud vs on-prem and licensing requirements
8. Kayako
Kayako is a customer service platform designed to help businesses manage support conversations across email, live chat, and self-service. It is often chosen by teams that want a more unified “conversation + ticketing” experience rather than a traditional helpdesk-only setup.
For Freshdesk users, Kayako can be appealing if your biggest priorities are improving customer communication, offering live chat, and building a more streamlined support journey with fewer tools.
Kayako key features
- Multi-channel customer support (email, chat, messaging)
- Ticket management and assignment
- Customer journey view (conversation history)
- Automation and workflow rules
- Knowledge base and self-service help center
- Live chat and messaging
- SLA management
Kayako pricing
Kayako offers a single plan called Kayako One at $79/month
AI resolutions are priced separately in some plans/models
Kayako pros
Strong chat and customer conversation experience
Clean and modern interface
Good for customer-facing support teams
Simple pricing model compared to complex tier systems
Kayako cons
Not as feature-rich as Zendesk for enterprise workflows
Less suited for internal ITSM-style service desks
AI and advanced capabilities may add to cost
9. Hiver
Hiver is a shared inbox and customer support solution built primarily for Gmail and Google Workspace. Instead of forcing teams into a complex helpdesk environment, Hiver keeps support inside email while still providing structure like assignments, SLAs, tags, and analytics.
It is a great Freshdesk alternative for teams where email support is the main channel and collaboration speed matters more than complex ticketing workflows.
Hiver key features
- Shared inbox inside Gmail
- Ticket assignment and ownership tracking
- Collision detection (prevents duplicate replies)
- SLA tracking and reminders
- Tags, notes, and internal collaboration
- Automation rules and workflows
- Reporting dashboards (agent performance, response time, workload)
- Templates and canned responses
Hiver pricing
Paid plans start at $25/user/month
Hiver pros
Very easy adoption for Gmail-based teams
Great for internal collaboration and shared mailbox management
Helps reduce missed tickets and duplicate replies
Simple UI, less setup time compared to traditional helpdesks
Hiver cons
Not ideal if you need deep ticket customization or ITSM workflows
Reporting is solid, but may not match enterprise-level analytics tools
Best suited mainly for Google Workspace organizations
Learn more about Hiver
10. TeamSupport
TeamSupport is a customer support platform designed mainly for B2B businesses. It is built to help teams manage customer relationships at an account level, not just at an individual ticket level. This makes it especially useful for companies supporting multiple contacts within a single organization.
For Freshdesk users who support B2B customers and need better account visibility, TeamSupport can be a strong alternative.
TeamSupport key features
- Ticket management and routing
- Customer and account-level tracking
- Multi-channel support options
- Knowledge base and self-service portal
- Automation rules and workflows
- SLA management
TeamSupport pricing
Starter: $45/agent/month
Professional: $65/agent/month
Scale: $85/agent/month
TeamSupport pros
Strong fit for B2B support teams
Account-level customer visibility is a major advantage
Good automation, routing, and workflow controls
Built for growing support orgs, not just small teams
TeamSupport cons
May feel heavy for small teams or simple support needs
UI can feel less modern compared to newer tools
Not the cheapest option for scaling teams
11. HelpSpot
HelpSpot is a simple and reliable helpdesk platform aimed at teams that want straightforward ticketing without unnecessary complexity. It focuses on core support operations like managing email tickets, tracking customer history, organizing queues, and generating reports.
For Freshdesk users who feel their helpdesk has become “too complex,” HelpSpot can be a refreshing alternative because it keeps things lean and efficient.
HelpSpot key features
- Ticket management and queues
- Email-to-ticket support
- Knowledge base options
- Custom fields and forms
- Internal notes and agent collaboration
- SLA tracking
HelpSpot pricing
Pricing is named user (agent) based
Cloud and server options available
HelpSpot pros
Very mature platform with a large ecosystem and many integrations.
Excellent reporting and analytics.
Highly scalable for large enterprises.
HelpSpot cons
Often more expensive than Zoho Desk for similar features.
Can be complex to configure and maintain.
12. Rezolve.ai
Rezolve.ai is an AI-first IT service desk platform focused on automating internal support for employees. It is designed to help organizations reduce repetitive tickets by using AI-driven conversations, auto-resolution, and self-service capabilities.
Freshdesk users often consider Rezolve.ai when they want modern AI helpdesk features like automated summaries, intelligent routing, and faster responses without adding more headcount.
Rezolve.ai key features
- AI-powered IT ticketing
- Auto-resolution for repetitive employee queries
- Virtual agent and chatbot experience
- Knowledge base integration
- Ticket classification and routing
- Workflow automation
- SLA tracking
- Analytics dashboards
Rezolve.ai pricing
Pricing varies by plan, with published pricing references indicating the Standard plan is around $49.35/agent
Rezolve.ai pros
Strong AI capabilities for modern IT support
Helps reduce manual ticket load significantly
Good fit for internal service desks
Fast time-to-value for employee support workflows
Rezolve.ai cons
May not be the best fit for customer support teams (external support)
Pricing details can require direct consultation, depending on needs
Less suitable if you want a “basic” helpdesk without AI automation
Which Freshdesk alternative is right for you?
Desk365 delivers exactly the mix of cost control, flexibility, and simplicity that many teams miss in Freshdesk. If you are tired of paying more just to unlock essentials like advanced automation and reporting, Desk365 keeps things straightforward with predictable pricing that scales without surprises.
It also solves many of the day-to-day ticketing frustrations Freshdesk users often run into. Desk365 supports flexible ticket intake through email, web forms, portals, mobile apps, and Microsoft Teams, so your team can manage requests from wherever customers or employees prefer to reach you. And if Microsoft Teams is already central to how your organization communicates, Desk365’s deep native Teams integration makes ticket management feel natural instead of bolted on.
Additionally, Desk365 offers robust automation, custom workflows, strong role-based access controls, and powerful knowledge base tools to reduce repetitive tickets. It also includes AI-powered search to help agents find the right answers faster, which is especially useful when your team supports multiple departments and ticket volume grows.
In short, if you are frustrated by Freshdesk pricing, limited flexibility, reporting pain, or a setup that feels too complex for multi-department support, Desk365 is the Freshdesk alternative built for modern teams that want a smoother, more efficient support experience.
Sign up for a free trial or book a demo today and take the first step towards transforming your customer service with Desk365.
Frequently asked questions
Tools like Desk365 and Jira Service Management are often preferred by Microsoft-centric organizations. They offer deeper Teams integration, better notification handling, and smoother collaboration directly within Teams compared to Zoho Desk.
Desk365 is one of the best options for Microsoft Teams because it offers native Teams integration, making it easy to manage tickets directly inside Teams.
If you want a cost-effective help desk with strong ticketing features, Desk365 and Zoho Desk are commonly considered more affordable options compared to Freshdesk and Zendesk.