Don't let your help desk
hold your data hostage.
HelpSpot gives you unlimited history, powerful reporting, and AI tools without the 120-day archive limits or expensive add-ons.
Why teams switch from Freshdesk
The same frustrations we hear from every Freshdesk switcher
The Upgrade Trap
Freshdesk's $15 'Growth' plan is a shell. You must upgrade to the 'Pro' plan ($49/agent)—a 226% price hike—just to get Custom Reports, Round-Robin Routing, and Multiple SLAs.
All-Inclusive Features
We don't gate essential tools. Enterprise reporting, automation, and advanced routing are standard for every HelpSpot customer from day one.
Data Held Hostage
Freshdesk automatically archives tickets after 120 days of inactivity, making them read-only. Plus, analytics reporting is strictly capped at just 2 years of history on base plans.
Your Data, Forever
We never archive your tickets or limit your reporting history. A conversation from 5 years ago is just as accessible and reportable as one from today.
The AI Tax
Freshdesk charges an extra ~$29 per agent/month for their 'Freddy Copilot' AI add-on. Innovation is treated as a luxury upsell, not a core feature.
AI Included Free
Ticket summarization, translation, and tone adjustment are built-in. We believe AI is a core productivity tool, not a way to squeeze more budget.
Freshdesk vs HelpSpot
See how the two platforms compare on value and control
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Reporting is paywalled
The Growth plan is limited to basic, pre-set reports. To build custom reports or dashboards to analyze your specific KPIs, you must upgrade to the Pro plan ($49/agent).
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Strict API Throttling
The Growth plan throttles you to just 200 API calls per minute. As you scale or add integrations, you hit a ceiling that forces a costly upgrade.
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Strictly Cloud-Only
Freshdesk is SaaS-only. You cannot self-host it, meaning you have no control over where your data physically lives or when updates are pushed.
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Pay for Round-Robin
Need to assign tickets fairly? Round-robin routing is locked behind the Pro plan. You have to pay 3x the base price just to distribute workload automatically.
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Custom Reports Included
Slice and dice your data exactly how you want. Our custom report builder and performance dashboards are available to everyone.
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Unlimited API
We don't throttle your success. Our robust API allows for unlimited integrations without arbitrary 'calls per minute' caps.
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Cloud or Self-Hosted
Choose our secure Cloud (US/EU) or install HelpSpot On-Premise. You maintain complete sovereignty over your customer data.
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Advanced Routing Standard
Round-robin, load balancing, and complex trigger-based routing are included in every HelpSpot subscription at no extra cost.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Comparing Freshdesk Growth ($15/agent/mo) vs HelpSpot
HelpSpot
|
Freshdesk
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Feature | All Inclusive | Growth $15/user/mo |
|
Core Ticketing
|
||
| Email-to-ticket conversion | ||
| Unlimited ticket history | Archived > 120 days | |
| Collision detection | ||
| Custom fields | ||
| Conditional field logic | ||
| Unlimited mailboxes | ||
|
Portal & Knowledge Base
|
||
| Customer portal | ||
| Contact form | ||
| Portal customization (HTML/CSS) | Pro ($49) Only | |
| Multilingual knowledge base | Pro ($49) Only | |
| Multiple products/brands | Pro ($49) Only | |
|
Automation & Workflow
|
||
| Trigger rules | Basic | |
| Time based automation rules | ||
| Round-robin assignment | Pro ($49) Only | |
| SLA management | Basic (1 Policy) | |
| Multiple SLA policies | Pro ($49) Only | |
|
AI Features
|
||
| AI writing assistance | Included | +$29/agent (Copilot) |
| AI ticket summarization | Included | +$29/agent (Copilot) |
| AI translation | Included | +$29/agent (Copilot) |
| Intelligent triage | Included | +$29/agent (Copilot) |
|
Reporting & Analytics
|
||
| Built-in reports | Curated Only | |
| Custom report builder | Pro ($49) Only | |
| Real-time dashboards | Pro ($49) Only | |
| Reporting data history | Unlimited | Capped (2 years) |
| Direct SQL database access | Self-hosted | Impossible |
|
Pricing Model
|
||
| Feature tiers | 1 tier | 4 tiers + add-ons |
| Add-on costs | None | Many |
| Unlimited tickets | ||
| Cancel anytime | Notice required | |
| Refund policy | Strict no-refund | |
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Support & Deployment
|
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| Phone support | All plans | 24x5 (Mon-Fri) |
| Self-hosted option | ||
| EU data residency | Included | Included |
| Data & attachment storage | Unlimited | Storage limits |
| Implementation help | Free | Paid Packages |
| API access | Unlimited | 200/min (Growth) |
Ready to simplify your support?
The $15/agent illusion
Freshdesk advertises $15/agent. But essential features like custom reports and round-robin routing require upgrades. Here's what a real team actually pays.
Freshdesk
Requires Pro ($49) for reporting/routing + AI Add-on ($29)
+ Bot sessions and other fees not included
HelpSpot
Simple pricing, everything included
Save over $8,600 in year one
Migration made easy
We'll help you every step of the way
Export Your Data
Use Freshdesk's export tools to download your tickets. Note: archived tickets (>120 days) may require separate exports.
Import to HelpSpot
Our team works with you to import your historical data, map your custom fields, and configure your workflows.
Go Live
Connect your email accounts to HelpSpot. Your team picks up right where they left off in a faster interface.
Deploy Your Way
Same price, same features. Choose the deployment that works for you.
Same powerful features and pricing across all hosting options.
US Cloud
CloudUS-East Region
Dedicated AWS infrastructure with 99.9% uptime. Managed updates and automated backups.
EU Cloud
CloudFrankfurt Region
GDPR-compliant hosting. Full data sovereignty with all information isolated within the EU.
Self-Hosted
EnterpriseOn-Premise Infrastructure
Complete control on your own hardware. Ideal for air-gapped networks or strict compliance.
Maximum Control & Data ResidencyWhat we believe
We've been building help desk software since 2005. Along the way, we've developed strong opinions about how support should work.
Single Assignment
Every ticket has one owner. Clear accountability means faster resolution and better outcomes.
Read moreHuman-First Support
Support is human-to-human communication. Technology should enhance it, not replace it.
Read moreSimple Pricing
One price. All features. No add-ons, no surprises. Budget with confidence.
Read moreBeyond Shared Mailbox
Email chaos ends here. Get collision detection, automation, and the visibility you need.
Read moreCompare other platforms
See how HelpSpot stacks up against other help desk solutions.
"Of the number of helpdesk systems we looked into, ranging from the off-the-shelf expensive systems to completely 'free', your product was the best looking, simplest for both the customer and the staff, the quickest to set-up and configure and reasonably priced."
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about switching from Freshdesk
No. Freshdesk archives tickets after 120 days of inactivity, making them read-only and removing them from reports. HelpSpot keeps all your data active, editable, and reportable forever.
Yes. Freshdesk restricts the 'Growth' plan to basic, pre-curated reports. To build your own reports or dashboards, you must upgrade to the Pro plan ($49/agent). HelpSpot includes a full custom report builder in every plan.
Yes. Freshdesk treats AI as an upsell, charging ~$29/agent/month for their 'Freddy Copilot' add-on. HelpSpot includes AI ticket summarization, translation, and tone adjustment for every user at no extra cost.
Yes! HelpSpot offers a self-hosted (On-Premise) option that you can run on your own Linux or Windows servers. This is ideal for teams with strict compliance needs (HIPAA, GDPR) who cannot use a shared cloud service like Freshdesk.
HelpSpot is the best Freshdesk alternative for teams that want every feature included from day one. Unlike Freshdesk, which spreads core features across Growth, Pro, and Enterprise tiers, HelpSpot offers one plan with unlimited ticket history, built-in AI, custom reporting, and SLA management. It's available as cloud or self-hosted at the same price, with free migration and onboarding.
Switching from Freshdesk to HelpSpot costs nothing upfront. HelpSpot includes free white-glove migration, free onboarding, and a 21-day free trial with no setup fees. HelpSpot also offers a 90-day money-back guarantee, so there's zero financial risk to make the switch.
Yes. Freshdesk's Growth plan limits you to 200 API calls per minute, Pro to 400, and Enterprise to 750. These caps can block integrations and automation as your team scales. HelpSpot places no limits on API usage at any tier.
Trusted by teams who made the switch
Trusted by industry leaders
Ready to switch?
We'll help you move.
Start your free trial and our team will help migrate your data, train your agents, and get you up and running. No risk, no commitment.
