Freshdesk vs Zendesk (2025): Pricing, Features and the Best Alternative

Written by

Reviewed by

Written by

Reviewed by

Expert Verified

Last update: December 15, 2025
Freshdesk versus Zendesk logos

Table of contents

    If you’re running customer support, you’ve probably gotten sucked into the Freshdesk vs Zendesk debate at some point.

    These two platforms basically own the helpdesk conversation, but here’s the thing – neither one is what it used to be, and both have some pretty annoying quirks that most reviews won’t tell you about.

    I’ve spent way too much time inside both platforms, plus I’ve been tracking real user feedback from Reddit, G2, and support communities.

    Zendesk’s gotten expensive and complicated. Their pricing has gone through multiple changes in 2024 alone, with the professional plan now starting at $115 per user per month. Plus, users are complaining about “extortionate pricing for non-enterprise business” and support thats “all copy-paste/automated with no human touch”.

    Freshdesk is also not the simple alternative it once was. Users report “bugs and issues” as the top complaint, and recent feedback shows their new analytics system is “overly complex” with “incredibly difficult” cancellation processes.

    In this guide, I’m giving you the truth about:

    • Real pricing (including all those sneaky add-ons)
    • Feature breakdown that matters for day-to-day work
    • Honest pros and cons based on actual user complaints
    • When each makes sense for different team sizes

    Table of Contents

    Quick Summary

    Freshdesk excels at affordability, fast setup, and usability, making it a clear win for support teams that need efficiency without enterprise-level complexity. Zendesk, on the other hand, justifies its higher price with deeper automation, analytics, and scalability, making it ideal for large organizations that demand advanced workflows and data visibility.

    Why Trust Us?

    We test every tool ourselves, check what real users are saying, and measure each one against what actually matters: ease of use, essential features, integrations, and support quality.

    Because we work closely with CX leaders, we know what gets the job done in real-world support teams. And with 10,000+ teams relying on Hiver, we’ve seen firsthand what dependable customer service software looks like.

    That’s to tell you that this Freshdesk vs Zendesk break down is coming from a place of hands-on experience, measurable impact, and direct insight from the teams behind the numbers.

    Freshdesk vs Zendesk Overview

    Freshdesk vs Zendesk: At a Glance (TL;DR)

    To kick things off, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Freshdesk and Zendesk on the key factors support teams care about:

    AspectFreshdeskZendesk
    Setup Time1-2 weeks on average4-12 weeks on average
    Learning CurveLow to moderateModerate to high
    Free PlanYes (up to 2 agents)No
    AI FeaturesFreddy AI assists with agent productivity: auto-triage, reply suggestions, tone adjustments, etc.Focused on daily task automation.Zendesk AI is more optimization-focused: robust bot builder, industry-specific intent models, and AI for workforce management. Powerful, but can feel heavy for small teams.
    Channels SupportedEmail, live chat (via Freshchat app), phone (via Freshcaller), social, WhatsApp (with add-on). Multichannel, but involves separate Freshworks modules.Email, live chat, phone (Talk), social, SMS/WhatsApp and more built-in. Truly omnichannel out-of-the-box, no extra apps needed for core channels.
    Reporting and AnalyticsGood basic reporting with pre-built dashboards and CSAT surveys. Less granular customization (custom reports only on higher plans). Real-time analytics are somewhat limited.Enterprise-grade analytics via Zendesk Explore: highly customizable dashboards and metrics. Great for deep insights, but many advanced reports are gated to higher tiers.
    Ease of UseModern, user-friendly interface. Easy for small teams to adopt quickly. Some slowdown or UI clutter when handling very high ticket volumes.Powerful but complex UI. Rich features can overwhelm new users. Steep learning curve; requires time to master advanced settings and customizable workflows.
    Best ForBudget-conscious SMBs needing a full-featured helpdesk quickly. Great for quick implementation and basic multichannel support.Large enterprises or scaling orgs that need advanced customization, integrations, and global scalability despite higher costs.
    G2 Ease of Use8.8/108.5/10

    As shown above, Freshdesk positions itself as the affordable, easy-start option. 

    Zendesk, meanwhile, justifies its premium with a more unified, all-in-one suite and richer feature set for those who can harness it.

    Similarities

    Both Freshdesk and Zendesk exist to help support teams manage customer conversations across channels, automate workflows, and scale without chaos. They’re built on the same foundation: ticketing, automation, AI assistance, and analytics, which is why they’re constantly compared.

    Here’s where they overlap the most:

    • Both provide multi-channel support across email, chat, phone, social media, and WhatsApp.

    • Both offer AI-powered automation. Freshdesk with Freddy AI and Zendesk with Zendesk AI.

    • Both include SLA management, macros, and workflow rules to standardize responses and speed up resolution.

    • Both offer collaboration features for internal discussions (Freshconnect vs. Side Conversations).

    • Both integrate with major CRMs, chat, and analytics tools like Salesforce, Slack, and HubSpot.

    • Both are cloud-based platforms designed to scale from small teams to enterprise operations.

    Let’s just say that they’re solving the same problems. They are just approaching them from different directions.

    Key Differences

    While Freshdesk and Zendesk may look alike at first glance, the way they execute support is completely different. Freshdesk is built for speed, simplicity, and affordability. Zendesk is built for depth, scale, and control. Those design choices show up clearly once you start using them.

    Here’s how they differ in practice:

    • Setup and Onboarding: Freshdesk gets teams running in a week or two, while Zendesk often takes a month or more to configure and train around.

    • Product Ecosystem: Freshdesk splits key features across multiple apps — Freshchat, Freshcaller, Freshconnect— while Zendesk includes most channels natively in one unified suite.

    • AI Automation: Freshdesk’s Freddy AI focuses on agent productivity (reply suggestions, tone edits, auto-triage). Zendesk’s AI goes deeper into automation, intent detection, and workforce optimization, which is great for scale, but heavier to manage.

    • Analytics: Zendesk’s ‘’Explore’’ offers enterprise-grade reporting and customizable dashboards; Freshdesk’s reports are easier to use but less granular.

    • Pricing: Freshdesk’s plans are 20–40% cheaper overall and even include a free plan for small teams. Zendesk starts higher and adds costs through paid AI and analytics add-ons.

    • Ease of Use: Freshdesk’s interface feels lighter and quicker to learn, while Zendesk’s power comes with a steeper learning curve.

    So while both tools do the same job on paper, they serve two different realities. Freshdesk fits teams that need to move fast and stay lean; Zendesk fits organizations that can invest time and budget to master complexity.

    Pros and Cons

    Freshdesk Pros

    • Fast setup and intuitive interface: Teams can get started in days without needing a dedicated admin.

    • Affordable pricing: Plans start lower, with a free tier for up to two agents, and bundled automation features even on mid-level plans.

    • Freddy AI boosts agent productivity: Auto-triage, reply suggestions, and tone editing help small teams handle large volumes efficiently.

    • Strong automation and SLAs: Easy-to-build rules for routing, prioritizing, and tracking customer issues.

    • Flexible for growing SMBs: Scales smoothly from startups to mid-sized teams without demanding heavy technical setup.

    Freshdesk Cons

    • Fragmented experience: Core features like chat and telephony live in separate Freshworks apps (Freshchat, Freshcaller, etc.).

    • Limited analytics depth: Custom reports and advanced dashboards are locked behind higher plans.

    • Occasional bugs and cancellation hurdles: Users frequently mention glitches and complex cancellation processes in recent reviews.

    Zendesk Pros

    • Truly omnichannel: Email, chat, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and social messages all live in one interface. No separate add-ons needed.

    • Advanced automation and AI: Powerful intent detection, custom bots, and workforce management tools designed for scale.

    • Enterprise-grade analytics: Zendesk Explore delivers deep customization, performance dashboards, and real-time tracking across teams.

    • Strong collaboration tools: Side Conversations make cross-department communication seamless within tickets.

    • Highly scalable and customizable: Ideal for complex, multi-department setups with global operations.

    Zendesk Cons

    • High total cost: Premium tiers and AI add-ons can quickly raise the overall spend.

    • Steeper learning curve: The feature depth means setup and training take longer.

    • Support quality concerns: Users report slow or templated responses on lower-tier plans.

    • Some essentials gated by plan: Useful tools like Side Conversations and custom analytics often require upgrades.

    Next, let’s break down these differences in detail.

    Feature Comparison: Zendesk vs Freshdesk

    After spending quality time exploring and researching both customer support software, I noticed each excels in different areas.

    Let’s compare how Freshdesk and Zendesk handle core support features, and where each might delight or frustrate you.

    Collaboration and Workflow Coordination Between Teams

    Efficient team collaboration is the heartbeat of any helpdesk. Here, Zendesk really shines with a thoughtful approach to internal discussions:

    Zendesk’s Side Conversations

    Zendesk has a neat feature called “Side conversations”, which allows customer support agents to loop in other team members or departments right from a ticket.

    You could email or Slack colleagues about a customer issue without leaving Zendesk, and those side threads would appear inline on the ticket (hidden from the customer).

    This seamless internal dialogue means less app-switching and fewer missed cues when multiple people are working on a complex issue.

    Zendesk “Side Conversations” lets agents discuss tickets internally via Slack, email, or child tickets, all within the Zendesk interface | Source 

    One significant drawback I found is that you can’t access side conversations on Zendesk’s mobile app (so urgent on-the-go collabs might require a laptop).

    Another issue is that this feature is available only on higher-tier plans.

    “Many features that seem basic (like side conversations or certain automation tools) are only available on higher-tier plans.” | G2

    Freshdesk’s Freshconnect

    Freshdesk offers a similar capability via an add-on called Freshconnect, which integrates with Freshdesk to let your team chat about tickets. 

    It’s a decent attempt at collaboration. You get a pop-up chat window in Freshdesk where you can see recent internal messages related to the ticket.

    However, I noticed that Freshconnect wasn’t as fluid: for any in-depth discussion, it kicks you over to the separate Freshconnect interface. In practice, this means juggling between browser tabs or apps. 

    Even notifications through Slack/Teams only alert you of a new Freshconnect message, then force you back into Freshdesk to actually read and reply. For high-volume teams, that extra friction can make it easy to lose track of conversations and context.

    Freshdesk ticket with a Freshconnect (Freshchat) collaboration thread. Agents must open the Freshconnect module to view full discussion details. | Source

    Verdict: Zendesk has better collaboration features than Freshdesk

    If internal collaboration is a priority (say your support reps frequently need input from engineering or sales), Zendesk’s side conversations feel more natural and built-in.

    Everything stays in one place, so you maintain momentum on a ticket.  Freshdesk’s approach works, but it’s not as elegant, especially when you’re toggling between apps during a firefight of tickets.

    Omnichannel Support and Channel Management

    Today’s customers might email you one minute and DM you on Facebook the next.

    Both Freshdesk and Zendesk recognize this and offer multi-channel support, but there are differences in execution.

    Freshdesk Channels

    Freshdesk can handle multiple channels, including email, live chat, phone calls, and social media (Twitter, Facebook), and even WhatsApp. But here’s the catch: many of these are separate Freshworks products or add-ons.

    You’ll have to use Freshchat for live chat and Freshcaller for telephony, each integrating back into Freshdesk.

    Though an omnichannel vision is there, it feels a bit fragmented. For example, Freshchat opens a different interface within Freshdesk, and managing settings for chat or phone often means jumping into those specific modules.

    It works, but keeping track of multiple products and their interfaces (and pricing) can become a real drain on time and resources.

    “What I find challenging about Freshdesk is the lack of consistency between its products; for instance, the functionality disparity between Freshchat and Freshdesk make it feel like they’re from different companies.” | G2 

    That said, Freshdesk’s core channels (email and basic social tickets) are straightforward, and I appreciate that even on the free tier, you get email and social ticketing for up to 2 agents. 

    Zendesk Channels

    Zendesk truly impressed me with how omnichannel it is out-of-the-box

    With the Zendesk Suite, you can manage email, live chat, phone (via Zendesk Talk), SMS, WhatsApp, and even Facebook and Twitter messages, all from the same agent workspace. 

    It feels cohesive and powerful. Zendesk even supports more niche channels like Line (popular in some regions).

    “Zendesk’s omnichannel capabilities are genuinely impressive — being able to handle emails, chats, calls, and social messages all from one unified agent workspace reduces clutter and boosts response time.” | G2

    The advantage of Zendesk’s approach is clear: a unified view and consistent setup for any channel you add. 

    The downside is obviously the cost. Zendesk doesn’t offer a free plan, and you have to be on the Suite (not the old Support-only plans) to get all these support channels. 

    Verdict: Zendesk Helps You Set Up Support Channels More Cohesively Than Freshdesk

    Zendesk takes the crown for built-in channel breadth. Freshdesk’s channels work well (and might be perfectly fine if your focus is just email + one other channel), but Zendesk will let you spread wings into SMS, WhatsApp, etc., more seamlessly. 

    AI-Powered Automation and Chatbot Capabilities

    No 2025 comparison would be complete without looking at AI. 

    Both Zendesk and Freshdesk have invested heavily in AI to help automate and speed up support. I explored each one’s AI helpers.

    Freshdesk’s Freddy AI

    Freshdesk’s AI is focused on agent assistance in real time.  For example, Freddy can automate conversations with customers via chatbots and suggested solutions, but also assist human agents by summarising tickets, suggesting reply content, and even rephrasing text on the fly.

    While answering tickets, you can use Freddy to draft a response or change the tone of your message.

    Freshdesk has also rolled out features like AI auto-triage (it reads ticket text and categorizes/prioritizes tickets by urgency) and a “Thank You” detector that auto-closes tickets where the customer’s last reply is just a thank-you.

    These little automations show Freddy’s focus on frontline tasks: reducing agent workload on everyday support tickets and ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

    “Freddy AI is the biggest solution ever to our front line agents.” | G2

    For teams that want to go further, Freshdesk also offers an AI Agent Studio, where you can create and train custom AI support agents to handle queries and automate routine tasks.

    One thing to note is that many Freddy features are only available as add-ons on higher-tier Freshdesk plans.

    The Copilot add-on costs $29 per agent/month, while AI Agents are billed at $100 per 1,000 sessions (after the first 500 free). Insights comes bundled with Copilot.

    So while Freddy is powerful, you might need to pay in addition to their Pro/Enterprise tiers to unlock all its AI benefits.

    “It’s hard to simply test Freddy AI without any direct costs before you even know if it’s useful for the company.” | G2

    Zendesk’s AI

    Zendesk’s AI capabilities are a bit more behind-the-scenes and heavy-duty. Zendesk offers an Answer Bot to automatically suggest relevant help center articles or answers to customers and an AI-powered bot builder to create custom chatbots that can handle common issues.

    Beyond that, a lot of Zendesk’s AI is about optimization at scale: things like industry-specific intent detection models (to better understand tickets in, say, e-commerce vs. healthcare), and workforce management (WFM) tools that predict support volume and help schedule agents.

    These are incredible for a large operation tuning its efficiency. I found Zendesk’s AI also doing subtle work like improving search results in the help center and suggesting ticket fields. 

    However, many of Zendesk’s advanced AI features come as paid add-ons (e.g., “Advanced AI” add-on costs ~$50 per agent/month), and some are bundled only in high plans.

    “The advanced AI tools come as paid add-ons rather than being included in the mail plans, which can limit access to the full potential of the platform.” | G2

    Verdict: Fresdhesk’s Freddy is built for lean teams, Zendesk’s AI for scaling enterprises

    It’s a bit of a toss-up and depends on your needs.

    Freshdesk’s Freddy is like a helpful sidekick for everyday support tasks – great for small teams that need to do more with less, right out of the box.

    Zendesk’s AI is an enterprise optimizer. It’s more powerful in the long run (especially for analytics and automation at scale), but only if you have the resources to harness it (and the budget for add-ons).

    For a lean team, Zendesk’s AI might feel like overkill, whereas Freddy gives you quick wins on day one.

    Analytics and Reporting

    Zendesk and Freshdesk both cover the basics (and then some) for reporting, but with different depth.

    Freshdesk Reporting

    Freshdesk includes a decent set of pre-built reports and dashboards, including ticket volumes, response times, CSAT, agent performance, etc. It’s enough for day-to-day team management.

    Freshdesk reporting dashboard
    Freshdesk reporting dashboard

    Creating custom reports in Freshdesk is also possible (especially in Pro and above), but it’s limited in granularity.

    “We would like a little bit more flexibility with customizations especially in analytics and reporting to gives us more options how to extract data that is applicable to our set up.” | G2

    For instance, filtering by very specific criteria or building a highly tailored dashboard isn’t as straightforward.

    Also, some advanced analytics (like customer journey reports or custom KPIs) either require exporting data or using add-ons.

    On the plus side, Freshdesk’s reporting UI is clean and easy for beginners, and you can schedule basic report emails to managers. For a small team, it covers the necessities.

    Zendesk Reporting

    Zendesk reporting dashboard
    Zendesk reporting dashboard

    Zendesk comes with Zendesk Explore, an entire analytics module.

    Like Freshdesk, you can use pre-built dashboards for overview metrics or agent leaderboards. But one area where Zendesk really stands out is in its extensive customization options. 

    “Zendesk’s customizations make it easy for us to migrate from our existing solution, and add enhancements to increase our effectiveness.” | G2

    On the Professional and Enterprise tiers, you can create custom reports and even custom support metrics.

    Want to chart tickets by hour of day, by region, by channel, and compare two teams’ performance? You can do that in Zendesk. It’s very comprehensive.

    The flip side is that Explore has so many options that it can feel overwhelming if you’re not an analyst.

    “Reporting and analytics are definite weak spots. Zendesk Explore covers basic insights, but breaking data down by custom fields, like channel or resolution type, feels cumbersome.” | G2

    One more thing to consider is real-time monitoring.

    Zendesk has some live dashboards (e.g., live queue and SLA breaches), but a lot of metrics update hourly or daily.

    Freshdesk similarly isn’t truly real-time for all stats, but offers near-real-time views for open tickets, etc. If you need immediate live data, a third-party or an external BI connecting via API can be used for both tools.

    Verdict: Zendesk excels at enterprise reporting, while Freshdesk fits teams needing simple, ready-to-use insights

    Zendesk wins for enterprise reporting needs. If you’re a data junkie or need C-suite-level reports, Zendesk Explore will suit your needs (assuming you’re on a plan that includes it). Freshdesk’s analytics are perfectly fine for smaller operations that want plug-and-play insights without much tweaking. 

    Pricing: Freshdesk vs Zendesk (A 2025 Snapshot)

    Let’s talk money. Pricing can be a decisive factor, and both Freshdesk and Zendesk have seen changes in their pricing structures over the years. 

    Here’s a quick snapshot of how their pricing compares in 2025:

    Freshdesk Pricing (as of 2025)

    Freshdesk pricing
    Freshdesk pricing plans

    Freshdesk offers a Free plan for up to 2 agents, which covers basic social and email ticketing and a pared-down feature set.

    “Their free plan has everything you could want in a support platform, and their expanded plans offer additional tools at just the right price point.” | G2

    It’s a nice way for very small teams or startups to get started at no cost. Paid plans include:

    • Growth: $15/agent per month (billed annually). This adds on automation rules, more robust reports, and 1000+ integrations.
    • Pro: $49/agent/month (annual). At this tier, you get multiple time zone support, custom roles, more advanced automation and reporting tools, and key features like SLA management.
    • Enterprise: $79/agent/month (annual). This top tier brings in features for larger orgs: skill-based ticket routing, sandbox (testing environment), custom object capabilities, and enhanced security options (IP whitelisting, etc.).

    Freshdesk also has an Omnichannel “Suite” pricing where you can bundle in their Freshchat, Freshcaller, etc., under one plan.

    For example, the Omni Enterprise plan is quoted around $109/agent/month, which is slightly cheaper than Zendesk’s top tier plan.

    But note, if you go a-la-carte (just Freshdesk without the omnichannel bundle), the pricing I listed above applies.

    Zendesk Pricing (as of 2025)

    Zendesk doesn’t have a free plan. Here are the details of its paid plans:

    • Support Team: $19/agent/month (annual). Includes essential support features like email, social media ticketing, basic workflows and rules, and reporting dashboards.
    • Suite Team: $55/agent/month (annual). Includes ticketing, email, chat, voice and social messaging, 1 help center, AI agents, workflows, CSAT, and basic reporting.
    • Suite Professional: Around $115/agent/month (annual). Adds custom reporting (Explore Professional), business hours, multilingual content, and more sophisticated workflows. Includes upto 5 help centers.
    • Suite Enterprise: Around $169/agent/month (annual). This is for big enterprises needing multiple workspaces, advanced roles and permissions, AI-powered knowledge management, and premier support options.

    Zendesk also sells add-ons and upgrades: for example, you can tack on Advanced AI for +$50/agent, or Workforce Management for +$25/agent, among others. These can significantly raise your total cost if you need them.

    “Zendesk can get expensive as you add more agents or need advanced features (e.g., AI, advanced analytics, integrations).” | G2

    Here’s a summarized comparison of the two tools’ pricing:

    Plan TierFreshdesk (cost/agent/month)Zendesk (cost/agent/month)Annual Difference (10 agents)
    Free / TeamFree for up to 2 agents*Team: $19$480 (Zendesk costs more)
    Mid-levelGrowth: $15; Pro: $49Professional: $55$ 720 (Zendesk costs more)
    EnterpriseEnterprise: $79Enterprise: $115$4,320 (Zendesk costs more)
    AI Add-onsFreddy AI Copilot: $29Advanced AI: $50$2,520 (Zendesk costs more)
    Pro + AI BundlePro + AI: $78Professional + AI: $105$3,240 (Zendesk costs more)

    Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

    Both Freshdesk and Zendesk have fine print that can lead to extra costs beyond the sticker price:

    • Onboarding and Setup Fees: While Freshdesk is usually self-service, very large deployments might consider Freshworks’ onboarding services (which could cost extra). Zendesk often encourages purchasing onboarding packages or consulting for enterprise deals. It’s not mandatory, but something to budget for if you need hands-on help.

    • Support Tiers: Pay attention to the support you get from the vendor. Zendesk provides 24/7 support only on Enterprise (lower plans get business hours support, unless you pay extra for “Premier” support). Freshdesk similarly offers 24/5 or 24/7 support only on higher plans. If you’re on a basic plan and something breaks on a weekend, you might be out of luck until Monday.

    • Add-Ons and Overages: Zendesk is notorious for its add-ons. Want the fancy AI or analytics module? It might be an extra line item. Freshdesk’s omnichannel plans include a lot, but if you use, say, their bot platform beyond a specific limit of sessions, or need additional “field service” features, those could incur extra costs too. Always check what’s included in the plan vs what’s an add-on.

    “My company currently uses Zendesk, and as we’ve grown from just a few users to a couple of dozen, our Zendesk bill has climbed to around $5,000 per month (not including add-ons).” | Reddit user

    • Scaling User Counts: Freshdesk’s per-agent price can creep up if you have a large team (100 agents on Enterprise is not $79 total, it’s $79 * 100 = $7,900/month). Zendesk’s higher-tier plans can make scaling expensive as well. Volume discounts might apply, but are usually negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

    • Integration or API usage costs: Both tools have APIs. Generally free to use, but if you heavily use a third-party integration that charges per ticket sync, etc., that’s another indirect cost.

    The Bottom Line on Zendesk vs Freshdesk Pricing

    Freshdesk offers 20-40% lower total cost of ownership with faster implementation, while Zendesk maintains its enterprise stronghold with advanced AI capabilities trained on the industry’s largest customer service dataset.

    Freshdesk provides better value for most organizations, with its Enterprise plan costing less than Zendesk’s mid-tier offering.

    The introduction of Freshdesk’s Pro + AI Copilot bundle at $78/agent/month represents a significant value proposition compared to Zendesk’s fragmented AI pricing.

    For businesses that prioritize cost-effectiveness without sacrificing functionality, Freshdesk emerges as the clear winner.

    However, large enterprises with specific technical requirements and flexible budgets may still find Zendesk’s premium features justify the significant cost differential.

    Bonus: What Redditors Are Saying About Freshdesk vs Zendesk

    Still on the fence? Check out what users are saying about these tools on popular Reddit communities:

    • “I’ve used both, and I liked both. In my experience Zendesk is more fluid compared to Freshdesk. Both have good options for integrations and customization, so I don’t think you’d go wrong with either of them. I still think Freshdesk has better dashboards.” r/msp

    • “Freshdesk is my recommendation. I’ve evaluated, implemented, and used all manner of ticketing platforms including Zendesk. Freshdesk is the easiest, provides just the right level of customizations, and has a lot of integrations with workflow platforms like Zapier, FlowXO, etc. Great people there too, nothing but a positive experience for me.”r/customersuccess

    • “We use Zendesk, but I don’t suggest you use Zendesk. It’s not bad, but I’m not sure it’s great either. And since you’re a startup, and there are free options out there, I’d use those.” r/sysadmin

    • “If you want simple and clean, Help Scout or Hiver (built into Gmail) beat both. For ecommerce, Gorgias or Re:amaze are way smoother than Freshdesk/Zendesk. Also if you need control, Zammad (open-source) gives you power without the bloat.”r/SaaS

    Zendesk vs. Freshdesk: Which Tool Is Better for You? (Use Cases and Verdicts)

    Ultimately, the Freshdesk vs Zendesk decision should be guided by your customer support team’s unique needs and circumstances.

    Based on use cases and my observations, here’s a quick verdict for different scenarios:

    • If you’re a small business or startup on a budget, go with Freshdesk. The platform gives you the most bang for your buck. You can get a support operation running in no time, enjoy an intuitive UI, and possibly even stick to lower-tier plans for a while without feeling too limited. Freshdesk’s free plan or Growth plan can cover a lot of ground for a young company. Plus, the lower complexity means you spend less time on admin and more on actually supporting customers.

    • If you’re a large enterprise, go with Zendesk. For organizations with high ticket volumes, multiple support teams or departments, and requiring heavy customization/integrations, Zendesk’s scalability is unmatched. Yes, you’ll pay more and might need to invest in proper setup and training, but it will adapt to your growth. Enterprises often value Zendesk’s robust security, advanced analytics, and the availability of things like premium consulting services. If you operate globally with 24/7 support across channels, Zendesk can handle it (where Freshdesk might strain at that scale).

    If you want ease of use + powerful support features, try Hiver.

    If Zendesk feels bloated and Freshdesk feels basic, Hiver offers a compelling third path. 

    Legacy helpdesks were built for a slower era. They’re clunky, hard to set up, and make you pay extra for the features you actually need.

    And while everyone talks about being “AI-first,” most still hide AI behind expensive add-ons or restrict it to bots on live chat. Hiver flips that script.

    It’s a modern AI customer service platform that unifies email, chat, WhatsApp, voice, and social into one intuitive interface, so your team can get started in minutes, not weeks or months.

    From drafting responses to routing customer inquiries and surfacing trends, Hiver’s AI streamlines every step of customer support without adding complexity. 

    You still get all the essentials with assignments, SLAs, collaboration, workflows, analytics, but without the admin maze or the “gotcha” add-on pricing.

    Teams that move to Hiver often describe it as a relief: finally, a platform that’s powerful without being overwhelming, and predictable in cost as they scale.
    Sign up for a free trial and see how Hiver can transform your customer support experience.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. Is Zendesk better than Freshdesk for small businesses?

    Generally, Freshdesk is better suited for small businesses or startups. It’s more affordable and easier to get started with, which is crucial for teams with limited budgets or IT resources. It also has a free plan. Zendesk, while extremely powerful, often ends up being “too much” for a small business – both in cost and complexity.

    2. Does Zendesk or Freshdesk have better AI features?

    They both offer strong AI, but with different philosophies. Freshdesk’s Freddy AI is great for day-to-day agent productivity – suggesting answers, auto-closing trivial tickets, and prioritizing work based on sentiment. Zendesk’s AI is more about scaling efficiency. Its Answer Bot and automated triage can deflect common tickets, and its newer AI additions optimize large support operations.

    3. How easy is migration between Freshdesk and Zendesk?

    Migrating from one to the other is doable, but requires planning. Both Freshdesk and Zendesk have APIs, and there are third-party tools (like Help Desk Migration services) to help transfer tickets, contacts, etc. Freshdesk provides a migration tool for Zendesk that can import core data (tickets, contacts) fairly seamlessly. Zendesk’s team can assist in migrating from Freshdesk as well.

    4. What’s the best alternative to Freshdesk and Zendesk?

    There are a number of other helpdesks like Zoho Desk, Help Scout, Gorgias, Intercom, etc., each with its own strengths. However, given the context of our discussion, I’d say Hiver is a top alternative worth considering. Hiver is an AI-powered multichannel customer support tool with shared inboxes, automation, analytics, and even chat/voice channels. It’s ideal for teams that find Zendesk to be overkill or Freshdesk to be slightly underpowered.

    Start using Hiver today

    • Collaborate with ease
    • Manage high email volume
    • Leverage AI for stellar service

    Shankar Sri is the VP of Customer Experience at Hiver, where he spearheaded the move to 24/7 support for users worldwide. With 20+ years of experience at Symantec, Unisys, and Sutherland, he blends data, technology, and empathy to create customer experiences that drive loyalty and trust.

    Finally, a customer service platform you can set up in 15 minutes

    10,000+ teams found a better way to
    deliver customer service. Your turn.

    Get unlimited users on the Free plan  ✦  No credit card needed

    based on 2,000+ reviews from

    Get Hiver's Chrome extension for Gmail to start your 7-day free trial!

    Step 1

    Add Hiver’s extension to your Gmail from the Chrome Webstore

    Step 2

    Log in to the extension to grant necessary permissions

    Step 3

    Enjoy your 7-day free trial of Hiver

    The modern AI-powered
    customer service platform

    Not ready to install Hiver’s Gmail extension?

    That’s okay. Would you be open to try Hiver’s standalone web-based customer 

    service platform, which does not require downloading the Gmail extension?

    Thank you for your interest!

    The web app is currently under development—we’ll notify you as soon as it’s live.

    In the meantime, you can get started with your 7-day free trial by downloading our Gmail extension.

    The modern AI-powered
    customer service platform

    Book your slot

    Awesome! We've reserved your spot.

    You’ll receive an email shortly with the details. Don’t forget to add to your calendar!

    “Our clients choose us over competitors due to our speed and quality of communication. We couldn’t achieve this without Hiver”

    Fin Brown

    Project Manager

    Getitmade@2x

    Get in touch with us

    Fill out the form and we’ll get back to you.

    demo popup graphic

    Get a personalized demo

    Connect with our customer champion to explore how teams like you leverage Hiver to: