Helpdesk software pricing varies wildly - from completely free to $100+ per agent. This guide ranks every major helpdesk by actual cost so you can find the most affordable option that still handles tickets, knowledge bases, and basic automation.
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1. Freshdesk - Free (10 Agents)
Freshdesk $0 - Best Free
Freshdesk's free plan supports up to 10 agents with email ticketing, a knowledge base, and basic reporting. This is not a trial - it is a permanent free tier that handles real support operations.
- 10 free agents: Email ticketing, knowledge base, analytics
- Paid upgrade: Growth at $15/agent/mo adds automation and SLAs
2. HubSpot Service Hub - Free
HubSpot Service Hub $0 - $20 Flat
HubSpot's free service tools include ticketing, live chat, and a shared inbox. The Starter plan at $20/month (flat, not per agent) adds a knowledge base and removes HubSpot branding.
- Free: Ticketing, live chat, shared inbox, calling
- Starter: $20/mo flat - knowledge base, no branding
3. Zoho Desk - Free (3 Agents)
Zoho Desk $0 - $14/agent
Zoho Desk's free tier supports 3 agents with email ticketing, a help center, and macros. The Standard plan at $14/agent adds multi-channel support, SLAs, and workflow automation.
- Free: 3 agents, email ticketing, help center
- Standard: $14/agent/mo - SLAs, automations, reports
4. Freshdesk Growth - $15/Agent
Freshdesk Growth $15/agent/mo
The cheapest paid plan with automation, SLA management, and collision detection. Freddy AI auto-categorizes tickets and suggests responses. Best value in paid helpdesk.
- Automation: Ticket routing, SLA escalation, canned responses
- Multichannel: Email, phone, chat, social, WhatsApp
5. Help Scout - $20/User
Help Scout $20/user/mo
Help Scout charges $20/user for a human-centered helpdesk. Customers see emails, not ticket numbers. It costs more than Freshdesk but delivers a superior customer experience.
- Personal: Conversations look like emails, not support tickets
- Beacon: Embeddable help widget with chat and KB search
Full Pricing Ranking
| Helpdesk | Price/Agent/Mo | Free Tier | Channels | AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshdesk | $0 | 10 agents | No | |
| HubSpot Service | $0 - $20 flat | Unlimited | Email, chat | Chatbot |
| Zoho Desk | $0 - $14 | 3 agents | Email, social | Zia AI |
| Freshdesk Growth | $15 | N/A | All channels | Freddy AI |
| Help Scout | $20 | Trial | Email, chat | AI drafts |
| Zendesk | $55 | Trial | All channels | AI agents |
Bottom Line
Freshdesk Free is the cheapest real helpdesk - 10 agents, email ticketing, knowledge base, all at $0. If you need paid features, Freshdesk Growth at $15/agent adds automation without breaking the bank. For the best flat-rate deal, HubSpot Service Starter at $20/month total beats everything on per-agent pricing.
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