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Head-to-head · Help Desk Software

Freshdesk vs Help Scout

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 9 checks side by side
Higher score Freshdesk #2 in Help Desk Software 9.3/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Freshdesk
Help Scout #9 in Help Desk Software 8.5/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Help Scout

Freshdesk leads on 1 check, Help Scout on 2, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 9 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFreshdesk · 9.3/10
  • Lowest starting priceFreshdesk · $19/user/mo
  • Free planonly Help Scout
  • Free trialboth

Freshdesk scores higher on our rubric for help desk software: 9.3 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #9.

Help Scout offers free plan; Freshdesk doesn't. Freshdesk is cheaper to start at $19/user/mo against $25/user/mo. Help Scout leads on included agent seats: 5 versus 1.

Freshdesk is the better fit for growing teams needing mature omnichannel support. Help Scout is the better fit for small teams wanting free support for five seats.

  • Freshdesk fits best

    Growing teams needing mature omnichannel support

  • Help Scout fits best

    Small teams wanting free support for five seats

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Freshdesk 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Help Scout 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.5
Ranking #2 in Help Desk Software #9 in Help Desk Software
Best for Growing teams needing mature omnichannel support Small teams wanting free support for five seats
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $19/user/mo (best) $25/user/mo
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 14 days 15 days
Free trial length 14 days · no card needed 15 days · no card needed
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Support Email, Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs Email, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001 HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations 1,000+ integrations 100+ integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market
Features Freshdesk 6/6 · Help Scout 6/6
Shared inbox ✓ ✓
SLA management ✓ ✓
Help center ✓ ✓
Ticket automation ✓ ✓
Customer portal ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Specs
Included agent seats 1 5 (best)
Our review
Pros
  • Ticketing, SLAs, automation, portals, analytics, and AI in one platform
  • Integrates with Slack, Teams, Shopify, Salesforce, and Jira
  • Web, iOS, Android, and REST API access support flexible operations
  • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
  • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
  • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations
Cons
  • No ongoing free plan
  • Annual pricing starts at $19 per agent per month
  • Advanced portals, reporting, routing, and security require higher tiers
  • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
  • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
  • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans
Our verdict

Freshdesk is cloud-based customer support software for teams managing incoming service requests across structured help desk workflows. It combines ticketing and prioritization with a shared inbox, internal notes, auto-assignment, customer…

Read the review →

Help Scout is a customer support platform for teams managing customer conversations across email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and other channels. Its shared inboxes support team-managed conversations, while…

Read the review →
  1. FreshdeskHelp Desk Software 9.314-day trial
  2. Help ScoutHelp Desk Software 8.5Free plan · 15-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Freshdesk — where it wins

    • Ticketing, SLAs, automation, portals, analytics, and AI in one platform
    • Integrates with Slack, Teams, Shopify, Salesforce, and Jira
    • Web, iOS, Android, and REST API access support flexible operations

    Where it doesn't

    • No ongoing free plan
    • Annual pricing starts at $19 per agent per month
    • Advanced portals, reporting, routing, and security require higher tiers

  • Help Scout — where it wins

    • Free plan includes up to five users, one inbox, and one Docs site
    • Shared inboxes, SLAs, workflows, knowledge bases, portals, and reporting
    • Supports web, iOS, Android, APIs, and major customer-service integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan is limited to one inbox and one Docs site
    • Paid pricing is charged per user each month
    • Advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans

More comparisons

All help desk software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update