Free software has a
hidden price tag.
HelpSpot gives you the professional features, privacy, and support that Spiceworks lacks—without the trade-offs of ad-supported software.
Spiceworks Desktop is dead.
Your help desk doesn't have to be.
Spiceworks officially deprecated their on-premise help desk on December 31, 2021. If you're still running it, you're on borrowed time.
What happened
Officially deprecated. No more updates or patches.
Installer removed from Spiceworks.com. If your server fails, you can't reinstall.
Every vulnerability discovered since 2021 is unpatched. Your data is exposed.
Spiceworks Cloud: ad-supported, no self-hosting, limited features.
The path forward
HelpSpot still ships a self-hosted help desk.
Install it on your own servers. Own your data. Get security patches and new features for as long as you're a customer. No ads, ever.
Why teams switch from Spiceworks
The same frustrations we hear from every Spiceworks switcher
You Are the Product
Spiceworks is free because it monetizes your team's attention. Your help desk is cluttered with unremovable banner ads and tracking.
100% Ad-Free
HelpSpot is a professional tool. We never show ads, sell your data, or monetize your workspace. You are the customer, not the product.
Feature Stagnation
Spiceworks deprecated their robust Desktop version for a limited Cloud version. You lose control, custom reporting, and modern features.
Modern & Powerful
HelpSpot is actively developed with enterprise features Spiceworks abandoned: deep custom reporting, SLAs, and AI automation.
No Support Guarantee
If Spiceworks goes down or breaks, you are on your own. There is no phone number to call, only a community forum.
Expert Support
Every HelpSpot customer gets direct access to our US-based support team via phone and email. We're here when you need us.
Spiceworks vs HelpSpot
Why growing teams graduate from "free" software
-
Ad-supported interface
Your technicians are forced to view advertisements for other software and hardware products inside their ticketing workflow.
-
No data residency options
Your data lives in their public US cloud. There are no options for EU hosting or Self-Hosting for compliance requirements.
-
Basic routing only
Lacks true round-robin assignment to evenly distribute workload. Automation is limited to simple 'If/Then' rules.
-
Community-only support
There is no SLA for support. You are reliant on peer advice in public forums to troubleshoot critical issues.
-
Professional workspace
A distraction-free, private environment designed for productivity. We don't track your agents or sell your data.
-
Deploy anywhere
Choose US Cloud, EU Cloud, or download HelpSpot to run on your own servers (Linux/Windows). You control your data.
-
Enterprise automation
Powerful tools for scaling teams: Round-robin assignment, load balancing, and time-based automation rules.
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Real human support
Our team is staffed by experts, not bots. Call us or email us anytime for help with configuration or migration.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Comparing Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk vs HelpSpot
HelpSpot
|
Spiceworks
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Feature | All Inclusive | Cloud Help Desk (Free) |
|
Core Ticketing
|
||
| Familiar email-inspired workflow | ||
| Email-to-ticket conversion | ||
| Collision detection | Basic | |
| Custom fields | ||
| Conditional field logic | ||
| Rich customer replies (images, files, emoji) | ||
| Unlimited mailboxes | ||
|
Portal & Knowledge Base
|
||
| Customer portal | ||
| Contact form | ||
| Portal theme customization | Basic HTML/CSS | |
| Multi-brand portals | Multi-site only | |
| Knowledge base | ||
| Knowledge base WYSIWYG | ||
|
Automation & Workflow
|
||
| Trigger rules | ||
| Time based automation rules | ||
| Round-robin assignment | ||
| SLA management | Due dates only | |
|
AI Features
|
||
| AI writing assistance | Included | Basic |
| AI ticket summarization | Included | Not available |
| AI translation | Included | Not available |
| Intelligent triage | Included | Basic |
|
Reporting & Analytics
|
||
| Built-in reports | ||
| Custom report builder | Requires Plugin | |
| Real-time dashboards | ||
| Scheduled report exports | ||
| Export to Excel/CSV | CSV only | |
| Direct SQL database access | Self-hosted | Impossible |
|
Pricing Model
|
||
| Feature tiers | 1 tier | 1 tier (Free) |
| Add-on costs | None | Ads & Data Privacy |
| Unlimited tickets | ||
| Cancel anytime | ||
| Refund policy | N/A (Free) | |
|
Support & Deployment
|
||
| Phone support | All plans | Not available |
| Self-hosted option | Deprecated | |
| EU data residency | Included | Not available |
| Access logs and redaction | ||
| Data & attachment storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Implementation help | Free | Self-service |
| API access | Unlimited | Limited |
Ready to simplify your support?
The real cost of "free"
Spiceworks costs $0, but that comes with trade-offs: mandatory ads, no phone support, and limited features. Here's what professional support actually costs.
Spiceworks
Cost is $0, but includes mandatory ads and no support guarantee
+ Mandatory advertisements & no phone support
HelpSpot
Simple pricing, everything included
Upgrade to professional support
Migration made easy
We'll help you every step of the way
Export Your Data
Use Spiceworks' CSV/JSON export tools to download your tickets and history.
Import to HelpSpot
Our team works with you to import your historical data and get everything configured.
Go Live
Connect your email accounts to HelpSpot. Your team picks up right where they left off.
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 more
"If you are looking for a quick, affordable, and efficient ticketing system, you can't do any better than HelpSpot."
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about switching from Spiceworks
Yes, Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk is free, but it is ad-supported. This means your agents will see banner advertisements for third-party products inside their interface. There is currently no standard paid plan to remove these ads.
Yes! We can help you migrate your ticket history, users, and data from Spiceworks. Spiceworks allows for CSV/JSON exports, and our team provides free white-glove onboarding to ensure your history is preserved during the switch.
No. Spiceworks officially deprecated their on-premise 'Desktop' version at the end of 2021. It is no longer supported or available for download. HelpSpot offers a fully supported Self-Hosted option if you need to keep your data on your own servers.
Teams switch to HelpSpot when they need a professional, private environment. The 'free' price of Spiceworks comes with trade-offs: no phone support, limited features (no round-robin, basic SLAs), and data privacy concerns due to the ad-supported model.
HelpSpot is the best Spiceworks alternative for IT teams that have outgrown a free, ad-supported help desk. Spiceworks lacks round-robin routing, SLA management, custom reporting, and AI. HelpSpot includes all of these in every plan, with a professional ad-free interface, dedicated support, and self-hosted or cloud deployment options.
Yes. Spiceworks discontinued its on-premise/self-hosted help desk and migrated all users to Spiceworks Cloud, an ad-supported platform you cannot host yourself. If your team requires an on-premise help desk for data privacy, compliance, or air-gapped environments, HelpSpot offers a true self-hosted installation on your own Linux or Windows servers with no ads and full data control.
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk lacks several features professional teams need: no round-robin assignment, no SLA management, no custom reporting, no AI tools, no collision detection, limited automation, and no API access. The interface also displays third-party advertisements that can't be removed. HelpSpot includes all of these features in every plan.
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.
