FreeScout vs Hiver

FreeScout8.8Visit Hiver8.7Visit

Higher score FreeScout #4 in Customer Service Email Management Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit FreeScout

vs

Hiver #5 in Customer Service Email Management Software 8.7/10 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Hiver

• FreeScout fits best

  Teams wanting a flexible, self-hosted help desk

• Hiver fits best

  Teams that need a Gmail-style inbox plus ticketing

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Side by side

Feature	FreeScout 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Hiver 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.7
Ranking	#4 in Customer Service Email Management Software	#5 in Customer Service Email Management Software
Best for	Teams wanting a flexible, self-hosted help desk	Teams that need a Gmail-style inbox plus ticketing
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free	$25/user/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Self-hosted, Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Live chat, Docs · 24/7
Compliance	GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations	13 integrations	18 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features FreeScout 1/4 · Hiver 1/4
Gmail integration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Shared inbox	✓	✓
Ticket workflows	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Internal collaboration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported channels	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Unlimited agents, tickets, and mailboxes in the free core Email ticketing with workflows, SLAs, internal notes, and saved replies Optional modules extend it with a portal, help center, and channels	Combines shared inboxes with ticket assignment, status tracking, and ownership Growth includes a Help Center and rule-based automations Pro and Elite add customer-facing, analytics, and AI capabilities
Cons	Self-hosting means your team manages deployment and upkeep Optional modules are sold separately from the free core Channel and integration extensions may require additional modules	The free plan is limited to two seats SLAs, customer portal, and API access start at Pro Growth costs $35 per user monthly or $25 with annual billing
Our verdict	FreeScout brings customer email into a shared inbox and help desk that teams host themselves. The free, open-source core is aimed at organizations that want control over their support setup, including teams of different sizes prepared to… Read the review →	Hiver brings shared inboxes and ticketing to customer service work, with options for support, finance, IT, HR, and other customer-facing teams. Hiver in Gmail adds collaboration and workflows inside Gmail, while Hiver Omni is a standalone… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• FreeScout — where it wins

  • Unlimited agents, tickets, and mailboxes in the free core
  • Email ticketing with workflows, SLAs, internal notes, and saved replies
  • Optional modules extend it with a portal, help center, and channels

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosting means your team manages deployment and upkeep
  • Optional modules are sold separately from the free core
  • Channel and integration extensions may require additional modules

• Hiver — where it wins

  • Combines shared inboxes with ticket assignment, status tracking, and ownership
  • Growth includes a Help Center and rule-based automations
  • Pro and Elite add customer-facing, analytics, and AI capabilities

  Where it doesn't

  • The free plan is limited to two seats
  • SLAs, customer portal, and API access start at Pro
  • Growth costs $35 per user monthly or $25 with annual billing

• FreeScout8.8/10 · Free plan

  A flexible email help desk for teams prepared to manage their own hosting.

  Visit FreeScoutFull verdict →
• Hiver8.7/10 · 7-day trial

  A Gmail-style support inbox that adds ticketing, automation, and higher-tier service tools.

  Visit HiverFull verdict →