We need a help desk with a free plan. What are the options?

If you need a **help desk with a free plan**, the main options in the results are **Freshdesk, Zoho Desk, HubSpot Service Hub, Spiceworks, osTicket, FreeScout, HESK, Zammad, Jira Service Management, LiveAgent, and ProProfs Help Desk**.[1][2][3]

A quick way to narrow them down:

- **Best for small teams with hosted SaaS**: **Freshdesk** (free plan for up to 2 agents), **Zoho Desk** (free plan for up to 3 agents), **HubSpot Service Hub** (free plan, limits vary by source).[1][2][4]
- **Best for IT/help desk teams**: **Spiceworks** (free, ad-supported, often described as unlimited or very broad user support).[1][2][13]
- **Best for self-hosted/open-source control**: **osTicket**, **FreeScout**, **Zammad**, and **HESK**.[2][3][8][10][15]
- **Best for a very small or solo setup**: **ProProfs Help Desk** (free plan available, with solo/small-team positioning in the results).[1][2]
- **Best for developer/IT workflow integration**: **Jira Service Management** (free plan for small teams, commonly up to 3 agents).[2][5][15]

A few notes:
- Some vendors describe their free tier differently across sources, so the **agent/user limits can vary**.[2][4][15]
- **Free plans are usually limited** in agents, automation, reporting, or channel support, while open-source tools can be free but may require self-hosting and setup effort.[2][3][8][15]

If you want, I can also turn this into a **short shortlist by team size** or a **feature comparison table**.


The **best customer support software in 2026** depends on your team size and use case, but the most commonly recommended leaders are **Zendesk**, **Intercom**, **Freshdesk**, **Front**, **Help Scout**, **Tidio**, and **Gorgias**.[3][6][7][13]

- **Zendesk** — best overall enterprise-style option, especially for AI-powered CX, omnichannel support, and deeper reporting.[3][13]
- **Intercom** — best for conversational support, proactive messaging, and AI-first customer interaction.[6][13]
- **Freshdesk** — strong all-around choice for teams that want automation and ticketing at a lower entry price.[3]
- **Front** — best for shared inbox workflows and collaboration across support, success, and ops teams.[3][12][13]
- **Help Scout** — a simple, SMB-friendly help desk with collaboration features and a lower-complexity workflow.[7][13]
- **Tidio** — often positioned as a good fit for small businesses needing live chat and lightweight automation.[6][13]
- **Gorgias** — one of the strongest options for ecommerce support teams.[3][6]

If you want a quick shortlist by scenario:

|Need|Best pick|
|---|---|
|Enterprise / complex support operations|Zendesk|
|AI + conversational support|Intercom|
|Budget-friendly all-rounder|Freshdesk|
|Shared inbox collaboration|Front|
|Small business simplicity|Help Scout|
|Ecommerce support|Gorgias|

One important caveat: the rankings are not fully consistent across sources. Some lists favor **Zendesk** as the default enterprise choice, while others place **Udesk** at the top for full-channel AI and cost performance.[6][10] If you want, I can narrow this to the **best 5 for your business size, industry, and budget**.


What support tool integrates well with Shopify for a small online store?

For a **small online store**, **Shopify Inbox** is the simplest choice because it is **free** and built into Shopify, so there is essentially **zero setup**.[12][2]

If you want a bit more capability while still keeping things easy, **Tidio** is a strong option for small stores because it offers **live chat and AI chatbot** features and has a **native Shopify app**.[2][6]

If your store needs deeper support workflows, **Gorgias** is the best Shopify-integrated helpdesk, with direct access to **order data, refunds, and order actions** inside tickets.[2][3][6]


Small business support software with a customer-facing knowledge base

If you want **small business support software with a customer-facing knowledge base**, the strongest fits in the results are **Salesforce Service Cloud**, **Help Scout**, **Zoho Desk**, **Freshdesk**, and **OneDesk**.[1][2][3][8][10]

- **Salesforce Service Cloud** includes a branded **Help Center**, embedded knowledge articles, and a **self-service community/customer portal** so customers can find answers themselves.[1]
- **Help Scout** is an email-first help desk for small teams and includes **Docs** as its knowledge base, plus a help center search widget for self-service.[2][3]
- **Zoho Desk** includes a **Help Center knowledge base** and **community forums**, along with ticketing and workflow automation.[2][3]
- **Freshdesk** includes a **knowledge base** and automation features, and is positioned as a fast-setup option for growing small support teams.[2][8]
- **OneDesk** offers an embeddable customer widget with **live chat, knowledge base, portal, and web forms**, making it a direct fit for customer self-service.[10]

If you want the simplest shortlist by use case:
- **Best all-in-one self-service portal:** Salesforce Service Cloud.[1][8]
- **Best for small teams that want simplicity:** Help Scout.[2][3]
- **Best budget-friendly option:** Zoho Desk or Freshdesk.[2][8]
- **Best if you want a built-in customer portal plus KB:** OneDesk.[10]

A good customer-facing knowledge base usually lets customers browse or search articles, access a portal or help center, and reduce repetitive support requests.[1][10]


Best customer support software for non-technical support agents

For **non-technical support agents**, the best customer support software is usually **Help Scout** or **Freshdesk**, because both are built to be simple to use while still covering email, live chat, ticketing, and automation. Industry roundups also consistently place **Zendesk** and **Zoho Desk** among the top options, but they tend to be better suited to teams that can handle a bit more setup and configuration.[1][2][10][13][15]

What matters most for non-technical teams is a clean interface, easy onboarding, shared inbox-style workflows, and automation that does not require admin or developer help. Search results emphasize that modern customer service platforms should centralize support across channels and include ticketing, live chat, workflow automation, and analytics.[3][7]

A practical shortlist:

- **Help Scout** — best if you want the simplest, most human-friendly experience for agents.[1][9][13]
- **Freshdesk** — strong all-around choice with a good balance of ease of use and automation.[12][15]
- **Zendesk** — powerful and scalable, but usually better if you expect more complex support operations.[2][11]
- **Zoho Desk** — good value and broad features, though it can feel more system-heavy than Help Scout.[10]
- **HappyFox** — worth considering if you want a straightforward help desk with solid workflow tools.[4]

If you want the **single best pick for non-technical agents**, I’d start with **Help Scout**. If you want the **best value all-rounder**, start with **Freshdesk**.[1][12][13][15]

If you want, I can also narrow this down by **team size**, **budget**, or whether you need **email-only vs omnichannel support**.


What is the best help desk under $200 a month?

If you mean the **best help desk software with a monthly budget under $200**, the strongest overall pick from the results is **HaloITSM** for usability and transparent pricing, but the best *value* under a tight budget is often **Crisp** or **Freshdesk**, depending on team size and feature needs.[1][10][13]

A practical shortlist under **$200/month**:
- **HaloITSM** — top overall pick in PCMag’s 2026 roundup for help desk software, but the result set does not show its exact entry price here.[1]
- **Crisp** — starts at **free to $95/month for 10 agents**, which fits comfortably under $200 and is aimed at SMBs needing a flat-price help desk.[10]
- **Freshdesk** — offers a **free plan for up to 2 agents**, making it the cheapest option to start, though paid tiers would depend on your agent count and feature needs.[13]
- **Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk** — has a **free** option and also a quoted **$6 per user/month** model in the pricing guide.[13]

If you want the simplest answer:
- **Best overall under $200/month:** **Crisp** for small teams, because it combines flat pricing with enough headroom under your budget.[10]
- **Best free option:** **Freshdesk** or **Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk**.[13]

If you tell me **how many agents** you need and whether you want **email-only, live chat, automation, or SLA tracking**, I can narrow it to the single best fit.


Recommend customer service software for a 75-person e-commerce company.

For a **75-person e-commerce company**, the strongest fit is usually **Gorgias** if you want ecommerce-native support with deep Shopify-focused workflows, or **Gladly** if you want a more premium, customer-centric omnichannel experience.[3][6]

A practical shortlist would be:

- **Gorgias** — best for ecommerce teams that want tight **Shopify integration**, automation, and a support stack built specifically for online retail.[6]
- **Gladly** — best overall pick for ecommerce brands in one comparison, with a strong focus on unified customer conversations.[3]
- **Help Scout** — a solid general customer service option and a top overall recommendation in one broader review, especially if you want something simpler and less ecommerce-specific.[4]
- **Freshworks** — a good broader customer service suite to consider if you need a more traditional help desk with scalable workflows and reporting.[16]
- **Tidio** — worth considering if live chat and chat-first support are important for conversion and pre-sale questions.[13]

For a company your size, I’d choose based on your channel mix:

| If your priority is | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Shopify-centric ecommerce support | **Gorgias**[6] |
| Best overall ecommerce experience | **Gladly**[3] |
| Simpler all-purpose help desk | **Help Scout**[4] |
| Broader service-suite functionality | **Freshworks**[16] |
| Chat-led sales and support | **Tidio**[13] |

If you want the fastest recommendation:
- Pick **Gorgias** if most tickets come from Shopify orders, returns, and product questions.[6]
- Pick **Gladly** if you want a more customer-journey-centered platform across channels.[3]
- Pick **Help Scout** if you want a cleaner, less complex system for a mid-sized team.[4]

If you want, I can also narrow this to **the best 3 options by budget**, **by Shopify usage**, or **by AI/automation features**.


Help desk for a small agency with seasonal support volume

For a **small agency with seasonal support volume**, the most effective setup is usually a **lean core team plus flexible overflow coverage**: cross-train staff, automate routine questions, and pre-plan holiday or peak-season staffing before demand hits.[2][3][11]

The sources point to a practical playbook:
- **Forecast demand from history**: review past holiday or peak-season ticket volume, peak hours, common issue types, and response-time data to estimate staffing needs.[3][5][7][12]
- **Use flexible staffing**: add temporary help, outsourced support, part-time roles, split shifts, or a backup team for busy periods.[2][9][11][17]
- **Cross-train the team**: get non-support staff helping in the queue and set up workflows so basic questions can be handled by more than one person.[2][5]
- **Automate repetitive issues**: expand self-service, knowledge base articles, saved replies, bots, and clear contact-page guidance to deflect routine tickets.[1][2][4][8]
- **Set an escalation path**: define what counts as an emergency, route those issues separately, and keep one person on-call if needed.[1][4][7]
- **Communicate early**: publish holiday hours, response times, and self-service options in advance across your site, email, and support channels.[1][4]

A simple operating model for a small agency is:
- **Normal periods**: 1–2 primary support owners plus cross-trained backup from other roles.[2][5]
- **Peak weeks**: add temporary or outsourced coverage, shorten coverage windows if necessary, and keep experienced staff for complex escalations.[1][12]
- **Emergency handling**: maintain a separate urgent channel for outages, security issues, or payment failures.[1][4]

If you want, I can turn this into a **staffing plan**, **holiday coverage schedule**, or **help desk SOP** for your agency.


Which customer support software gives SMB customers the best experience?

For **SMBs**, the best customer support software depends on what “best experience” means, but the strongest overall picks in the results are **Featurebase**, **Freshdesk Omni**, and **Help Scout**.[2][10][16]

- **Featurebase** is the best fit for modern, product-led SMBs because it combines help desk, knowledge base, feedback, and AI in one platform, and the review calls it the top pick for small businesses in that segment.[2]
- **Freshdesk Omni** is highlighted by PCMag for **top user experience**, making it a strong choice if ease of use and a polished support workflow matter most.[10]
- **Help Scout** is a good choice if you want a simple, email-first shared inbox and a lighter, more personal support experience.[2][16]
- **Zoho Desk** is the best budget-oriented option among the commonly recommended tools when affordability is the main priority.[2][6][16]

If you want a single answer, **Freshdesk Omni** looks like the safest “best experience” overall for most SMBs because it is explicitly called out for user experience and appears in multiple roundup-style recommendations.[10][12][16] If your SMB is SaaS or product-led, **Featurebase** is the more specialized best pick.[2]


We're outgrowing our shared inbox for support. What tools should we look at?

If you’re outgrowing a basic shared inbox, the main tools to look at are **Front**, **Help Scout**, **Missive**, **Hiver/Gmelius** if you want to stay inside Gmail, and **Freshdesk/Zendesk** if you’re ready to move toward full helpdesk ticketing.[2][4][5][14]

A practical way to choose is by what you need next:

- **Front** — best if you want strong team collaboration, assignments, internal notes, and a more advanced shared inbox experience.[2][3][5]
- **Help Scout** — best for customer support teams that want a clean, support-focused inbox with collaboration features.[2][4][13]
- **Missive** — best if you want real-time collaborative drafting and multiple channels in one inbox, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, and social messages.[2][8]
- **Hiver** — best if your team lives in Gmail and wants shared inbox features without adopting a separate platform.[5][13]
- **Gmelius** — best if you want Gmail-based workflows with automation and SLA tracking.[2]
- **Freshdesk** — best if you need shared inbox capabilities plus structured ticketing and automation.[5][14]
- **Zendesk** — best if you’re ready for a more robust helpdesk platform with routing, automation, and SLA-driven support workflows.[16]

If you want to stay close to email, choose **Front**, **Help Scout**, or **Missive**.[2][5][16] If inbox chaos is turning into operational support work, move up to **Freshdesk** or **Zendesk**.[5][14][16]

A few selection criteria matter most as you scale:

- **Assignment and ownership** so multiple agents do not reply twice.[2][3][5]
- **Internal notes/comments** for collaboration inside threads.[2][3][4]
- **Automation and routing** like tags, rules, round-robin, and SLA handling.[2][5][14]
- **Reporting** for response times, volume, and backlog visibility.[5][14]
- **Multi-channel support** if support is expanding beyond email.[2][4][8]

If you tell me your current setup, team size, and whether you live in Gmail or Outlook, I can narrow this to 3 best-fit options.


Best help desk software for a team handling support over email and live chat

For a team handling **both email and live chat**, the strongest all-around choices are **Help Scout**, **Freshdesk**, and **Zendesk**. Help Scout is a good fit for teams that want a simpler shared inbox experience with email, live chat, and in-app messaging, while Freshdesk is positioned as a true all-in-one system with email, live chat, phone, social, and messaging integrations; Zendesk is the most feature-rich option if you need broad omnichannel coverage and advanced capabilities.[6][4][10]

A practical short list:

| Software | Best for | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| **Help Scout** | Small to mid-sized support teams | Combines email, live chat, and in-app messaging in a relatively simple support workflow.[6][4] |
| **Freshdesk** | Teams wanting an all-in-one help desk | Supports email, live chat, phone, social media, and messaging apps without separate tools.[6][10] |
| **Zendesk** | Teams needing the deepest feature set | Covers email, phone, live chat, SMS, self-service, and social support with extensive functionality.[4][12] |
| **LiveAgent** | Teams focused on fast live chat plus ticketing | Marketed as help desk software with live chat, making it a strong chat-centric option.[8][18] |
| **Zoho Desk** | Budget-conscious teams | Commonly recommended for simpler, affordable help desk needs, especially email-first workflows with chat.[3] |

If your team is **email-first with occasional chat**, **Help Scout** or **Zoho Desk** are usually the simplest choices.[3][6] If you want **the best balance of email + live chat + automation**, **Freshdesk** is often the safest default.[6][10] If you expect to grow into **more channels, deeper workflows, and enterprise-level reporting**, choose **Zendesk**.[4][12]

A good rule of thumb:
- **Choose Help Scout** if you want simplicity and a shared inbox feel.[6]
- **Choose Freshdesk** if you want broad functionality without jumping to the most complex platform.[6][10]
- **Choose Zendesk** if you want maximum flexibility and don’t mind extra complexity.[4][12]
- **Choose LiveAgent** if live chat is a major priority.[8][18]

If you want, I can also narrow this down by **team size, budget, and must-have features** and give you a single best recommendation.


customer support software for a nonprofit with 40 staff

For a **nonprofit with 40 staff**, the best fit is usually a **mid-tier helpdesk/customer support platform** that can handle email, ticketing, shared inboxes, and internal collaboration without paying for an enterprise suite. If your budget is tight, **Zoho Desk** is the most obvious low-cost starting point because it has a permanent free plan for up to **3 users**, while **Spiceworks** is free for up to **5 IT admins** with unlimited end users.[1]

A practical shortlist for a 40-person nonprofit is:

- **Zendesk** if you want the most established, scalable support desk for constituent service and internal process control.[2][4]
- **Zoho Desk** if you want the lowest-cost entry point and can start small or use it for a limited support team.[1]
- **InvGate Service Management** if you need stronger internal service management and workflow control.[2]
- **Help Scout** or similar nonprofit-friendly tools if you want a simpler shared inbox-style support experience.[2][5]
- **Salesforce-based nonprofit support** if your organization already runs on Salesforce and wants support tied closely to donor/constituent data.[8][16]

What matters most for a 40-staff nonprofit is *not* total employee count, but how many people need to work in the support tool and how complex your requests are.[3] If only a few staff members handle incoming support, you can often stay in a lower-cost plan even with 40 total employees.[1][3]

A good way to choose is:

- **Small support team, limited budget:** Zoho Desk.[1]
- **Public-facing constituent support, more complexity:** Zendesk.[2][4]
- **Internal IT/helpdesk plus service workflows:** InvGate.[2]
- **Already on Salesforce:** Salesforce ecosystem tools.[8][16]

If you want, I can narrow this to **3 best options** based on your budget, whether you need a public-facing helpdesk or internal IT support, and how many staff will actually use the software.


What customer support tool should a Series A startup use?

For a **Series A startup**, the best default choice is usually **Plain**, **Pylon**, or **Intercom**, depending on your support model and customer type.[1]

- **Plain** is the strongest fit for **B2B startups with technical customers** because it is **API-first**, **Slack-native**, and includes **AI on all plans**.[1]
- **Pylon** is also a strong Series A option if you want a **Slack-first** support workflow.[1]
- **Intercom** is a common choice for **product-led** startups that rely on **in-app messaging**, onboarding, and chat.[1][14]

If your Series A team is already handling **5–20 agents** and **1,000+ tickets/month**, then prioritize tools with **SLAs, routing rules, reporting, AI deflection, and multichannel support**; examples called out for that stage include **Freshdesk Growth/Pro**, **Zendesk Suite Team**, and **Intercom**.[5]

A practical rule of thumb:

- **B2B, technical, Slack-heavy support:** **Plain**[1]
- **Product-led SaaS / in-app support:** **Intercom**[1][14]
- **Scaling support ops with heavier ticketing needs:** **Zendesk** or **Freshdesk**[5][8]

If you tell me your channels, team size, and budget, I can recommend a single best tool.


Simple support software for a small business owner who answers their own tickets

For a **small business owner handling support alone**, the best fit is usually a **simple, email-first help desk** with a shared inbox, ticket tracking, and basic automation—not a heavy ITSM tool.[3][15][18]

Good options from the results are:

- **Help Scout** — best if you want the cleanest, easiest email-based workflow with a low learning curve and basic automation.[17]
- **Freshdesk** — best if you want a user-friendly tool that can grow with you and includes a free plan plus automation and a knowledge base.[6][17]
- **Zoho Desk** — best if you want a low-cost option with a free tier and simple multichannel support.[3][6][17]
- **Hiver** — best if you work out of **Gmail** and want ticketing inside your inbox.[17]
- **osTicket** or **FreeScout** — best if you want **free/self-hosted** software and do not mind more setup work.[3][6][11]

If you want the simplest choice, I’d narrow it to:

- **Help Scout** if you want the smoothest day-to-day experience.[17]
- **Freshdesk** if you want the best balance of simplicity, features, and room to grow.[6][17]
- **Zoho Desk** if budget matters most.[3][6][17]

A good solo-owner setup should support these basics: tickets from email, one place to track replies, status changes, and a way to keep a record of every interaction.[15][18] Free or low-cost systems commonly offer exactly that for small teams, with some limiting the number of agents or features.[3][6][11]

If you want, I can also give you a **“best by budget” shortlist** or recommend the **single best option for your exact business setup**.


Which help desk is best for collaborative support with a small team?

For a **small team focused on collaborative support**, **Front** is the strongest fit because it is explicitly described as a *shared workspace* where teams can co-draft replies, route conversations across departments, and collaborate in real time.[8][13]

If your team wants a more traditional help desk but still values collaboration, **Freshdesk** is a strong alternative because Zendesk highlights it as best for “working with collaborators,” and multiple small-business roundups note it as a good affordable option for small teams.[18][4][12]

If you want the simplest email-like experience with lighter collaboration, **Help Scout** is a good choice for small teams prioritizing simplicity and relationship-driven support.[4][12][15]

- **Best for real-time collaboration:** Front[8][13]
- **Best for affordable traditional help desk collaboration:** Freshdesk[18][4][12]
- **Best for simple shared inbox support:** Help Scout[4][12][15]

If you tell me whether your team lives in **Gmail, Outlook, or a standalone help desk**, I can narrow this to the best single option.


Best customer support software for a subscription box company

For a **subscription box company**, the best customer support software is usually **Gorgias** if most customer inquiries are tied to ecommerce orders, **Kustomer** if you need a more relationship-focused omnichannel help desk, and **Zendesk** if you want the most mature all-around support platform.[18][9][2]

- **Gorgias** is positioned specifically for ecommerce customer support and is highlighted as a top choice for ecommerce teams, with strong Shopify integration and AI features.[18]
- **Kustomer** is described as best for *subscription businesses and premium brands* where maintaining consistent customer relationships is critical.[9]
- **Zendesk** is repeatedly listed among the best customer service platforms overall and is a strong default if you want broad ticketing, automation, and scaling options.[2]

If your subscription box business is smaller or wants a simpler, lower-cost setup, **Help Scout** and **Freshworks** are also strong candidates, with buyer’s guides listing them among the best customer service tools for 2026.[14][7]

A practical shortlist for a subscription box brand would be:

- **Best overall for ecommerce-heavy support:** **Gorgias**.[18]
- **Best for subscription relationship management:** **Kustomer**.[9]
- **Best enterprise-grade general support:** **Zendesk**.[2]
- **Best simpler/helpdesk-style option:** **Help Scout**.[14]
- **Best value-oriented alternative:** **Freshworks**.[7]

For a subscription box company, the deciding factors are usually:

- **Order and subscription visibility** in the support inbox
- **Fast access to billing, skips, pauses, and cancellations**
- **Omnichannel support** across email, chat, and social
- **Automation** for common issues like “Where is my box?” and “Change my address”
- **Integration with your ecommerce and subscription stack**[18][9][2]

If you want, I can also give you a **ranked top 5 specifically for subscription box businesses** based on **price, ease of use, and Shopify/Recharge integration**.


What support software works well for remote-first small companies?

For a **remote-first small company**, the best support software is usually a mix of **remote support / help desk tools** plus a few core **remote-work essentials** like chat, video, and shared docs.[2][4][15]

A practical shortlist is:

- **Remote support / device access:** **RemotePC** is repeatedly highlighted as a strong fit for small teams and budget-conscious businesses.[4][10]
- **Remote support / unattended access:** **Zoho Assist** is positioned for growing small businesses that need remote support plus unattended access.[4][8]
- **Help desk / ticketing:** **Freshdesk** is recommended for integrated help desk workflows, which is useful if your team handles customer or internal support requests.[4][2]
- **All-in-one IT support:** **TeamViewer** is a common choice for occasional cross-platform remote troubleshooting.[9][11]
- **Fast, lightweight remote access:** **AnyDesk** is noted for quick support sessions and low-latency connections.[9][13]
- **Endpoint / device management:** **NinjaOne** is a better fit if you also need patching and broader device management.[4][13]
- **Customer support at scale:** **Intercom** is often recommended when the “support software” need is more customer-facing than IT-facing.[7]

For a remote-first small company, the most useful setup is often:

- **Slack** or **Google Chat** for day-to-day communication.[15]
- **Zoom** or **Google Meet** for synchronous meetings.[14][15]
- **Trello**, **Asana**, or **ClickUp** for support task tracking and handoffs.[14][15]
- **Google Drive** or **OneDrive** for shared documentation.[14][15]
- **RemotePC**, **Zoho Assist**, or **Freshdesk** for actual support operations.[4][8][10]

If you want the simplest recommendation:
- choose **RemotePC** for inexpensive remote access,[4][10]
- **Zoho Assist** for broader support workflows,[4][8]
- and **Freshdesk** if you need a real ticketing/help desk layer.[4][2]


Help desk with good reporting for a small support department

For a **small support department**, the best fit is usually **Help Scout** if you want a simple, email-first shared inbox, or **Freshdesk** if you want stronger built-in **reporting** and automation at a lower entry price.[2][6][7]

If **reporting** is the main priority, these are the strongest short list options from the results:

- **Zendesk** — best for **mature analytics**, SLA tracking, and more advanced workflows.[15][18]
- **Freshdesk** — strong all-around choice for SMBs with a low starting price and reporting/automation that scales well for small teams.[1][7]
- **Help Scout** — best if your team values simplicity first, but it is less often positioned as the deepest reporting tool.[2][6]
- **Zoho Desk** — often recommended when **affordability** matters most, while still offering a full help desk stack.[2]
- **monday service** — good if you want **no-code workflows and analytics** in a more flexible service-management setup.[9]

If you want the most practical recommendation for a small team focused on reporting, I’d narrow it to:

| Option | Best for | Reporting strength |
|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | More advanced support operations | **Strongest** |
| Freshdesk | Small teams wanting value + reporting | **Strong** |
| monday service | Flexible workflows and analytics | **Good** |
| Help Scout | Simplicity and shared inbox | **Basic to moderate** |

If you tell me your team size, budget, and whether you need email-only support or omnichannel support, I can give you a tighter recommendation.


Best customer support software for a healthcare practice with 60 employees

For a **healthcare practice with 60 employees**, the strongest fit is usually **Zendesk** if you want a general-purpose help desk that can scale well, or **Talkdesk / CloudTalk** if your support is primarily **phone-heavy** and needs contact-center features.[7][1][13]

If you want the **best overall practical choice** for a mid-sized practice, I’d start with **Zendesk** because it is repeatedly listed among top healthcare support tools and is positioned for healthcare customer service and help desk workflows.[7][11][14]

A simple shortlist:

- **Zendesk** — best all-around for ticketing, omnichannel support, and scalable workflows for a 60-person practice.[7][11][14]
- **Talkdesk** — best if most patient support happens by phone and you need healthcare call-center capabilities.[1]
- **CloudTalk** — strong choice for healthcare call handling, smart routing, and call recording.[13]
- **Help Scout** — good if you want a simpler, lighter support inbox rather than a full contact-center stack.[1]
- **Genesys Cloud CX** — best for larger or more complex omnichannel operations, but it may be more than a 60-employee practice needs.[3]

What matters most for healthcare is **HIPAA-capable workflows, secure communication, routing, auditability, and patient-friendly omnichannel support**; several of the listed tools are specifically framed around healthcare or HIPAA-compliant support.[3][6][11][13]

If you want the most balanced recommendation for a 60-employee healthcare practice, use this rule of thumb:

- Choose **Zendesk** if you need the most flexible all-purpose support platform.[7][11]
- Choose **Talkdesk** or **CloudTalk** if call volume is the main pain point.[1][13]
- Choose **Help Scout** if you want something easier to adopt with less operational complexity.[1]

If you want, I can also narrow this down to the **best 3 options based on your budget, HIPAA needs, and whether you need phone, chat, email, or all three**.


What's the easiest help desk software to learn?

The **easiest help desk software to learn** is usually **Freshdesk** or **Freshservice**, with **Help Scout** and **Zoho Desk** also commonly recommended for simple setup and a gentler learning curve.[2][7][8]

If you want the shortest answer:
- **Freshdesk**: often described as easy to implement, with a clean UI and low setup time.[7][8]
- **Freshservice**: PCMag lists it as **best for ease of use**.[2]
- **HappyFox Service Desk**: PCMag lists it as **best for beginners**.[2]
- **Help Scout**: frequently noted for quick setup, sometimes under an hour.[3][7]

If you’re learning for a first help desk job, I’d start with **Freshdesk** because it’s widely described as beginner-friendly, straightforward to navigate, and faster to set up than more complex tools like Zendesk or Jira Service Management.[3][7][8]


Recommend a help desk that also handles live chat for a small company.

For a small company, **Help Scout** is a strong all-in-one choice because it combines help desk ticketing with **native live chat** through its Beacon widget, so you can manage email and chat in one place.[3] If you want a more chat-first option, **Tidio** is a good fit for small businesses and ecommerce teams because it includes **live chat** plus AI support features.[2][16]

A few good options by use case:

- **Help Scout** — best if you want a simple shared inbox, knowledge base, and native live chat for a small team.[3][14]
- **Tidio** — best if live chat is the priority and you want AI-assisted support, especially for ecommerce.[2][16]
- **LiveAgent** — best if you need a budget-friendly multichannel tool that handles **email, chat, and phone** together.[13]
- **HubSpot Service Hub** — best if you already use HubSpot and want help desk plus live chat integrated with sales and marketing.[7]

If you want one recommendation without more context, I’d start with **Help Scout** for general small-business support, or **Tidio** if your main need is proactive website chat.[2][3]


Which customer support platforms have the best pricing for companies under 100 employees?

For companies under 100 employees, the **best pricing** usually comes from platforms with either a strong *free tier* or the lowest per-agent plans: **Zoho Desk**, **Freshdesk**, **Zendesk**, **Help Scout**, **Front**, and **Helply** stand out most often in 2026 pricing roundups.[5][9][12][14]

- **Zoho Desk** — **$7/user/month** in one roundup and **$7/agent/month** in another, making it the lowest consistently cited paid per-seat option for real ticketing.[12][14]
- **Helply** — **$0/mo pay-per-outcome** with a full free platform, which is the cheapest entry if you fit its model.[14]
- **Freshdesk** — **$15/user/month** and a free tier for small teams, often highlighted as a budget-friendly SMB choice.[2][5][12][14]
- **Zendesk** — **$19/user/month** or **$19/agent/month**, offering a relatively low entry price for a more established platform.[1][12][14]
- **Help Scout** — **$25/user/month**, but it includes a free plan for up to 5 users and is often praised for affordability and simplicity.[2][6][9][14]
- **Front** — **$19–$25/seat/month** depending on the source, with a low entry point for teams that want shared inbox collaboration.[2][12][14]

If you want the *cheapest overall*, the best fit depends on your team type:

| Best pricing option | Why it stands out | Source support |
|---|---|---|
| **Helply** | Free platform; pay only per outcome | [14] |
| **Zoho Desk** | Lowest paid per-seat pricing in several lists | [12][14] |
| **Freshdesk** | Low starting price plus free tier for small teams | [2][5][12][14] |
| **Zendesk** | Low entry price for a mature platform | [1][12][14] |
| **Help Scout** | Free plan for small teams; strong value for simplicity | [2][6][9][14] |

For a company under 100 employees, the most cost-effective shortlist is usually **Zoho Desk, Freshdesk, and Help Scout** if you want predictable low-cost per-seat pricing, or **Helply** if its outcome-based pricing matches your support model.[12][14]


For a **small company**, the best helpdesk software is usually **Freshdesk** or **Zoho Desk** if you want the best mix of ease, features, and price; if you want a more modern SaaS-style support inbox, **Help Scout** is a strong pick[11][13][3].

A practical shortlist by need:

- **Freshdesk** — best if you want a **free plan** and solid all-around help desk features for a small team[11][14][6].
- **Zoho Desk** — best if **affordability** is your top priority[3][16].
- **Help Scout** — best for teams that want a **simple, email-like shared inbox** and a customer-friendly workflow[11][13].
- **Zendesk** — best if you expect to grow into a more advanced support operation and want a well-known platform[17].
- **HaloITSM** — best overall in PCMag’s 2026 testing, with **transparent pricing** and **strong usability**[1].

If you tell me:
- team size,
- budget,
- whether you need live chat, knowledge base, or AI,
- and whether this is for **customer support** or **internal IT helpdesk**,

I can narrow it to the best 1–2 options for your company.


What customer support software do 20-person companies use?

For a **20-person company**, the most common customer support tools are usually **Zendesk**, **Freshdesk**, **Help Scout**, **Zoho Desk**, **HubSpot Service Hub**, **Intercom**, and sometimes **Front** or **Hiver** if the team works out of email/shared inboxes.[1][2][6][7][11][12]

The best fit depends on how the team supports customers:

- **Zendesk**: broad all-purpose help desk/omnichannel support, often chosen when a team wants room to scale.[1][3][12]
- **Freshdesk**: popular for small-to-mid-size teams that want an easier setup and lower pricing.[2][7][18]
- **Help Scout**: a shared inbox/help desk option that fits teams wanting a more personal, email-first workflow.[1][12]
- **Zoho Desk**: budget-friendly and commonly recommended for small to mid-size teams.[2][7][9]
- **HubSpot Service Hub**: a strong choice if the company already uses HubSpot CRM.[7][11][13]
- **Intercom**: better for chat-first, product-led support and automation-heavy workflows.[2][14]
- **Front** / **Hiver**: good when customer support is handled through collaborative email inboxes.[7][13]

For a 20-person company, the usual shortlist is **Freshdesk or Zendesk** for a traditional help desk, **Help Scout or Front** for shared-inbox support, and **Intercom** if chat and automation are central.[1][2][7][12][18]

If you want, I can also recommend the **best 3 options for your budget and support channels**.


I run a 120-person home services company. What help desk software fits us?

For a **120-person home services company**, the best fit is usually **Freshdesk** if you want a modern, scalable help desk with solid automation and reporting without going full enterprise, and **Zendesk** if you expect heavier ticket volume, more complex workflows, or want the most mature ecosystem.[1][15]

A practical shortlist for your size:

- **Freshdesk** — strong default for a 120-person team; positioned for businesses of all sizes needing a modern, AI-powered help desk without enterprise complexity, with pricing starting around **$19/agent/month**.[15]
- **Zendesk** — better if you need a more advanced, established platform for larger or more demanding support operations; it is repeatedly listed among the top help desk tools.[1][11]
- **Jira Service Management** — a good option if your operations are already heavily tied to IT/service workflows and you want structured ticketing and automation.[1]
- **Help Scout** — simpler and cleaner, but the sources frame it more as a fit for smaller support teams rather than a 120-person operation.[1][7]
- **HubSpot Service Hub** — worth considering if your company already runs on HubSpot CRM, because it keeps customer data on one record and starts at a lower price point.[7][18]

What matters most for a home services company of your size:

- **Scalability** so you can add agents and features as the company grows.[10]
- **Integrations** with CRM, email, scheduling, and any field-service tools you already use.[10]
- **Automation and routing** to handle incoming calls, emails, web forms, and after-hours requests efficiently.[1][10]
- **Reporting** so you can track response times, backlog, and common request types.[1]

If you want the simplest recommendation: **pick Freshdesk unless you already use HubSpot CRM, in which case consider HubSpot Service Hub; choose Zendesk if you need a more enterprise-grade system.**


Best support software for high-volume ticket handling at a small retail brand

For a **small retail brand** handling **high ticket volume**, the best fit is usually **eDesk** if you sell through marketplaces or multiple online channels, and **Freshdesk** if you want a more general-purpose, lower-cost help desk with room to scale.[6][10][13]

- **Best overall for retail/multichannel:** **eDesk** — purpose-built for eCommerce, with strong marketplace integrations, order context in tickets, and AI designed to reduce backlog without adding headcount.[6]
- **Best budget-friendly general option:** **Freshdesk** — widely recommended for startups and SMBs, with ticketing, knowledge base, and multi-channel support at a lower entry cost.[4][8][10][13]
- **Best if you want email-first simplicity:** **Help Scout** — a good fit for small teams that value a cleaner, simpler workflow, but it is less specialized for retail marketplace workflows than eDesk.[4][10]
- **Best if volume is very high and SLA pressure is real:** prioritize tools with **automation, routing, SLA management, AI deflection, and advanced reporting**; high-volume support typically starts around **1,000+ tickets/month**.[3][5]

If you want a quick recommendation:
- Choose **eDesk** if you sell on Shopify plus marketplaces like Amazon/eBay/Etsy.
- Choose **Freshdesk** if most volume comes from email/chat and you need the best value.
- Choose **Help Scout** if your operation is small, mostly email-based, and simplicity matters most.

If you want, I can also give you a **top 3 ranked shortlist** based on your channels, monthly ticket volume, and budget.


What help desk should I choose if we only get a few tickets a day?

For **only a few tickets a day**, you usually want the **simplest, lightweight help desk** rather than a heavy enterprise platform.[6][10][11]

The best fit depends on how your team works:

- **Help Scout** if you want a **clean, email-first** help desk that is easy to set up and use.[5][6][11]
- **Freshdesk Free** if **cost is the main concern** and you have a very small team, since it has a free tier for up to **2 agents**.[9][6]
- **Hiver** if your team works mainly in **Gmail** and you want to avoid moving to a separate platform.[9]
- **HubSpot Service Hub Starter** if you already use **HubSpot CRM** and want support tied to the same customer record.[6]

A practical rule from the results: if you handle **more than five to ten customer interactions a day**, a help desk can already save time by organizing tickets and canned responses.[10] For **just a few tickets a day**, prioritize **ease of use, low cost, and simple inbox-style handling** over advanced automation or enterprise reporting.[11][15]

If you want one default recommendation: **Help Scout** is the safest choice for a very small, low-volume support team that values simplicity.[5][6][11]


Modern alternatives to legacy help desk software for SMBs

For SMBs, the strongest **modern alternatives** to legacy help desk software are usually **Freshdesk, Zoho Desk, Help Scout, Zendesk, Front, Hiver, monday service, and HubSpot Service Hub**, depending on whether you want omnichannel support, a shared inbox, or CRM integration.[1][3][13][16]

A practical way to choose is by use case:

- **Help Scout**: best for **email-first, simple shared inbox** support with built-in self-service options.[1][3][13]
- **Freshdesk**: best for **growing teams** that want familiar ticketing plus automation and AI assistance.[1][3][13]
- **Zoho Desk**: best for **budget-conscious SMBs** and teams already in the Zoho ecosystem.[1][3][8]
- **Zendesk**: best for **advanced workflows, routing, and omnichannel depth**.[1][3][16]
- **Front**: best for **collaborative support** where teams manage conversations together in a shared inbox.[3][13][16]
- **Hiver**: best for teams that want **Gmail-native** customer support.[16][18]
- **monday service**: best for SMBs that want **no-code workflows and service management** with ticketing across channels.[3]
- **HubSpot Service Hub**: best if you already use **HubSpot CRM** and want support tied to customer data.[3][13]

If you mean “modern” in the sense of **AI-first support**, the notable options in the results are **Featurebase**, **Intercom**, and **monday service**; if you mean “legacy replacement” for a traditional ticketing tool, **Freshdesk, Zoho Desk, and Zendesk** are the most direct upgrades.[1][3][14]

A quick shortlist by SMB type:

- **Lean startup or SaaS team**: Help Scout or Featurebase.[1]
- **Budget-first business**: Zoho Desk.[1][3][8]
- **Fast-growing support team**: Freshdesk or Zendesk.[1][3][13]
- **Collaboration-heavy team**: Front or Hiver.[3][16][18]
- **CRM-centric team**: HubSpot Service Hub.[3][13]

If you want, I can turn this into a **side-by-side comparison table** with pricing, free plans, and best-fit scenarios.


Best customer support software for a professional services firm under 100 people

For a **professional services firm under 100 people**, the strongest fit is usually **Front** if you want a shared inbox that combines team collaboration with personal email workflows; Help Scout is the best simpler alternative for email-first support, and Zendesk is better only if you need more advanced ticketing and customization.[4][7][3]

A practical shortlist for your size and use case:

- **Front** — best overall for professional services firms because it supports **shared and personal email accounts** in one workspace, which matches client-facing consulting, legal, accounting, and agency workflows.[4]
- **Help Scout** — best for teams that want a **simple, personalized, email-first** support tool with a lighter implementation burden.[7][16]
- **Zendesk** — best if you expect **more complexity, deeper automations, and heavier support operations** as you grow.[3][7]
- **Freshdesk** — best budget-friendly all-rounder for smaller teams that want a broad feature set without a heavy setup.[16][8]
- **Zoho Desk** — good value if you want solid core help desk features at a lower cost.[16][13]

If you want the most likely best choice without more context: **Front** for professional services, **Help Scout** for simplicity, and **Zendesk** for scale and depth.[4][7][3]

If you want, I can also give you a **top 3 ranked by budget**, **ease of adoption**, or **best for email-heavy client service**.


What help desk has the best mobile app for small business support teams?

For **small business support teams**, **Help Scout** is the strongest overall pick if your priority is the *best mobile app experience* with low complexity, while **Freshdesk** is the best value-oriented alternative for teams that want more features at a lower starting price.[1][5][9][12]

Why this is the best fit:

- **Help Scout** is repeatedly recommended for *small businesses, startups, and small B2B teams* because it keeps the support experience simpler than more enterprise-heavy tools.[1][9]
- **Freshdesk** is a top mobile help desk option for small businesses and is cited as having strong mobile-ready ticketing and automation at a lower entry price.[3][5][12][13]
- **HubSpot Service Hub** is a good choice if you already use HubSpot CRM and want a mobile app plus a free starting plan, but it is less consistently ranked as the best pure help desk app for small teams.[7][10]

If you want a quick recommendation:

- **Best overall for small teams:** **Help Scout**[1][9]
- **Best budget-friendly feature set:** **Freshdesk**[3][5][12]
- **Best if you already live in HubSpot:** **HubSpot Service Hub**[7][10]

If you want, I can also compare the top 3 on **mobile usability, pricing, and ease of setup** in a simple table.


Which customer support software is best value for money for a small company?

For a **small company**, the best *value for money* is usually **Freshdesk** if you want the lowest-cost paid plan with a solid full-featured help desk, or **Helpable Pro** if you want the best balance of features and flat pricing. Freshworks lists **Freshdesk at $15/user/month** on its small-business comparison, while Helpable’s 2026 guide says **Helpable Pro is $149/month flat** and calls it the “best balance” for SMB teams.[8][1]

If you care most about *pure budget*, **Tawk.to** is free, but it comes with vendor branding and limited functionality.[1] If you want a low-cost paid option without branding, **Crisp Pro** is listed at **$95/month**, though Helpable’s comparison says **Helpable Pro** offers more complete value for the price.[1]

A practical way to choose:
- **Cheapest overall:** **Tawk.to**[1]
- **Cheapest paid, no-brand option:** **Crisp Pro**[1]
- **Best budget full-suite option:** **Freshdesk**[8][2]
- **Best flat-price balance for a small team:** **Helpable Pro**[1]

If you tell me your team size, channel mix (email/chat/phone), and whether you need AI or a knowledge base, I can narrow it to one best pick.