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Best Help Desk Software in 2026: 11 Tools Compared by Company Size and Requirements

Updated October 24, 2026 · 11 tools · Facts checked against vendor pages · How we review

Help Scout and Zoho Desk give small teams a free start, while Freshdesk and HelpDesk keep per-agent prices low. Zendesk and Intercom cover broader omnichannel and AI-first support, and Jira Service Management is the natural choice when the requests come from employees and IT runs the queue.

If you are choosing help desk software and want to see which products fit your team before you contact anyone, this page is the starting point. Tools are grouped by company size and by the kind of support you run, from a shared inbox for five agents to a contact center with workforce tools. Use the requirement lists to build a request on SaaSBid, then weigh the offers vendors send back against each other.

Top picks by situation

  • A five-person support team starting out

    Help Scout

    The free tier covers up to 5 users, and the Standard plan at $25 per user adds a Docs knowledge base for teams of under 25.

    From: Free up to 5 users

  • A three-agent team already using Zoho CRM

    Zoho Desk

    A free edition covers 3 users, and paid plans add Zia AI from Professional, with a bring-your-own-key option for generative features.

    From: Free edition (3 users)

  • A Shopify store with a growing inbox

    Gorgias

    Billing follows ticket volume instead of seats, starting at $10 monthly for 50 tickets, with email, chat, voice and SMS handled in one place.

    From: $10/month (Starter, 50 tickets, monthly only)

  • A team working from shared email addresses

    Front

    Internal comments and assignment are core, and the Professional plan at $65 includes SSO and SCIM for up to 50 seats.

    From: $25 per seat/month billed annually (Starter, up to 10 seats)

  • A mid-size SaaS company wanting AI first-line support

    Intercom

    Its Fin AI agent is priced at $0.99 per outcome, and in-app messaging sits alongside the ticket inbox and Help Center.

    From: $19 per seat/month (Essential, shown as 'new customers save 35%' vs…

  • An IT team of three handling staff requests

    Jira Service Management

    Atlassian offers a free plan for small IT groups of three agents, and its service desk covers incidents, changes and assets.

    From: Free up to 3 agents

Help Desk Software comparison table

Help Desk Software compared
ToolBest forStarting priceFree planFree trialG2 rating
Freshdesk SMB support teams wanting low entry price and SAML SSO on every plan $19 per agent/month billed annually (Growth) No Yes 4.4 (3,750 reviews)
HubSpot Service Hub Companies already on HubSpot CRM wanting tickets tied to contact records Free for up to 2 users Yes Not stated 4.4 (2,918 reviews)
Zoho Desk Small teams that want a free 3-agent start Free edition (3 users) Yes Yes 4.4 (7,830 reviews)
Front Teams that work out of shared email addresses and need internal comments and assignment $25 per seat/month billed annually (Starter, up to 10 seats) No Yes 4.7 (2,400 reviews)
Help Scout Small support teams under 25 users that want a simple inbox plus Docs Free up to 5 users Yes Yes 4.4 (428 reviews)
Gorgias Shopify-style online stores that want unlimited agents on a ticket-based price $10/month (Starter, 50 tickets, monthly only) No Yes No rating
Intercom Support teams that want an AI agent doing first-line resolution with usage-based pricing $19 per seat/month (Essential, shown as 'new customers save 35%' vs… No Yes 4.4 (1,786 reviews)
Zendesk Support teams that want a broad omnichannel suite with a regional data hosting option $19 per agent/month billed annually (Support Team) No Yes 4.3 (7,001 reviews)
Salesforce Service Cloud Large support organizations already on Salesforce CRM $25 per user/month (Starter Suite) No Yes 4.4 (7,200 reviews)
HelpDesk Small support teams that want flat per-user pricing with no per-ticket fees $19 per user/month billed yearly ($25 monthly) No Yes 4.6 (34 reviews)
Jira Service Management IT teams that already run Jira and need ITSM workflows Free up to 3 agents Yes Yes 4.3 (989 reviews)

What is help desk software?

Help desk software gathers questions from customers or staff, whether they come in through email, chat, social messages or phone, and gives each one a ticket. An agent picks it up, replies, leaves internal notes and closes it when the issue is solved. Rules push urgent tickets to the top and flag deadlines that are about to slip. A knowledge base lets people find answers on their own, and dashboards show how quickly the team responds. Customer support groups, IT departments and online shops use it daily.

Core capabilities

  • Shared inbox and ticketing

    Turns every incoming message into a ticket with an owner, a status and a full conversation history.

  • Channel coverage

    Brings email, live chat, messaging apps, social and phone into one queue so agents stop switching tools.

  • Routing, rules and SLAs

    Assigns tickets by skill or load and tracks response and resolution targets against service-level agreements.

  • Knowledge base and self-service

    Publishes help articles and a customer portal so common questions never reach an agent.

  • AI assistance

    Drafts replies, summarizes threads and in some products resolves simple questions without a person.

  • Reporting and integrations

    Shows volumes, response times and satisfaction, and connects to CRM, store and chat tools for customer context.

The 11 best help desk software, reviewed

1

Freshdesk

$19 per agent/month billed annually (Growth)

Freshdesk comes from Freshworks and is sold in three per-agent plans, with Growth at $19 per agent on annual billing. Every plan includes a knowledge base, and SAML SSO is listed on all of them. Freddy AI is billed by session, and audit logs require the Enterprise plan.

  • 1-10: workable
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • SMB support teams wanting low entry price and SAML SSO on every plan
  • Teams with moderate AI chatbot volume (500 sessions included)

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams needing audit logs without paying for Enterprise
  • Teams wanting a free plan (none listed)

Key features

Ticket automation and routing
Intelligent routing and multiple SLA policies on Pro; skill-based routing on Enterprise
Knowledge base and self-service
Knowledge base and customer portal on all plans
AI agents and assistance
Freddy AI Agent: 500 sessions included, extra $49 per 100; Copilot $29/agent/month (add-on on Pro, included on Enterprise)
Reporting and SLA tracking
Custom dashboards on Pro; Freddy AI Insights on Enterprise
Integrations
Connector app tasks $80 per 5,000
Pricing model
Per agent plus AI session packs
Target company size
SMB to mid-market tiers

Full Freshdesk profileRequest an offer

2

HubSpot Service Hub

Free for up to 2 users

Service Hub is HubSpot's support product, so tickets link directly to CRM contact records. Free tools cover up to 2 users and Starter begins at $7 per seat monthly. Customer and Data agents use HubSpot Credits, and the Professional and Enterprise tiers carry onboarding fees of $1,500 and $3,500.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Companies already on HubSpot CRM wanting tickets tied to contact records
  • Teams of 1 to 2 starting on the free tools

Look elsewhere if

  • Buyers avoiding mandatory onboarding fees ($1,500 Professional, $3,500 Enterprise)

Key features

Knowledge base and self-service
Knowledge base SSO with up to 2 access groups on Professional, 100 on Enterprise
AI agents and assistance
Customer Agent and Data Agent consume HubSpot Credits; 14-day Customer Agent trial with Pro/Enterprise seat
Pricing model
Per seat plus credits for AI
Target company size
Free to Enterprise

Full HubSpot Service Hub profileRequest an offer

3

Zoho Desk

Free edition (3 users)

Zoho Desk sits inside the Zoho suite and has a free edition for 3 users plus four paid tiers. Zia AI arrives at Professional, and light agents cost less on the upper tiers. The vendor lists prices in INR, and public documents give no SSO or audit log detail.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Small teams that want a free 3-agent start
  • Zoho CRM or Zoho One customers

Look elsewhere if

  • Buyers needing SSO or audit-log details from public docs (not published on pricing page)

Key features

AI agents and assistance
Zia AI from Professional; Express supports AI agents with your own LLM key or Zoho LLM (30M free tokens per month)
Pricing model
Per user per month; light agents INR 345 on Professional and Enterprise
Target company size
Free edition to Enterprise tier

Full Zoho Desk profileRequest an offer

4

Front

$25 per seat/month billed annually (Starter, up to 10 seats)

Front treats email, chat and SMS as collaborative conversations in a shared inbox, with internal comments and mentions. Starter costs $25 per seat and stops at 10 seats, while Professional grows to 50 and brings SSO plus SCIM. Autopilot AI is billed per conversation.

  • 1-10: workable
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Teams that work out of shared email addresses and need internal comments and assignment
  • Mid-size teams that want SSO and SCIM from the $65 Professional plan

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams over 10 who want the cheapest tier, Starter caps at 10 seats
  • Buyers who want a classic ITSM service desk

Key features

Channel coverage
Email, chat, SMS; native WhatsApp on Professional and up (Meta costs plus 20% admin fee)
AI agents and assistance
Autopilot AI agent from $0.05 per conversation; Copilot $20/seat/month (included in Enterprise)
Reporting and SLA tracking
QA and CSAT included on Enterprise
Pricing model
Per seat plus AI usage add-ons
Target company size
Small teams (Starter to 10 seats) to mid-size (Professional to 50 seats) and enterprise

What users like

  • Intuitive interface
  • Internal comments and @mentions on threads help teamwork

Full Front profileRequest an offer

5

Help Scout

Free up to 5 users

Help Scout keeps things simple: a shared inbox plus a Docs site for help articles. Five users or fewer pay nothing, then Standard is $25 per user. HIPAA support with a BAA needs the Pro plan, and its AI Answers feature costs $0.75 for each resolution, with a spending cap available.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: no data

Best for

  • Small support teams under 25 users that want a simple inbox plus Docs
  • Teams needing HIPAA support (Pro plan, BAA)

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams needing SSO below the Pro plan (SSO is an add-on or Pro, 10 users minimum)

Key features

Ticket automation and routing
Advanced workflows and round robin on Plus; unlimited workflows and SLAs on Pro
Knowledge base and self-service
Docs site included (1 on Free; additional sites $20/month annual)
AI agents and assistance
AI Answers $0.75 per resolution; monthly spend cap available; 3 months free for new accounts
Integrations
Salesforce, Jira, HubSpot on Plus
Pricing model
Per user plus per-resolution AI
Target company size
Under 25 users on Standard; Pro for larger

Full Help Scout profileRequest an offer

6

Gorgias

$10/month (Starter, 50 tickets, monthly only)

Gorgias is made for online stores and charges according to how many tickets you handle, so adding agents costs nothing extra. Starter is $10 monthly and covers 50 tickets. Going over adds $0.36 to $0.40 per ticket, and voice plus SMS are billed by use. Teams outside ecommerce get little from it.

  • 1-10: workable
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Shopify-style online stores that want unlimited agents on a ticket-based price
  • Small stores starting from 50 tickets a month

Look elsewhere if

  • Non-ecommerce support teams
  • High-volume stores worried about overage fees of $0.36 to $0.40 per ticket

Key features

Channel coverage
Email, chat, voice and SMS (Voice and SMS as add-ons billed by usage)
AI agents and assistance
AI Agent priced per automated interaction
Pricing model
Ticket-volume tiers, unlimited agents per page claim of 'never per agent'
Target company size
Ecommerce merchants, small to enterprise

What users like

  • Responsive support team (Shopify app reviews)
  • Live chat and store context in one place

Common complaints

  • Mixed Shopify app rating (4.2 of 624) suggests uneven satisfaction
  • Ticket overages raise cost

Full Gorgias profileRequest an offer

7

Intercom

$19 per seat/month (Essential, shown as 'new customers save 35%' vs…

Intercom blends a ticketing inbox with in-app messaging and a Help Center, and puts its Fin AI agent at the front of the queue. Seats start at $19 monthly, with usage charges for Fin outcomes and some channels. Reviewers say costs climb quickly for small teams.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: workable
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: workable

Best for

  • Support teams that want an AI agent doing first-line resolution with usage-based pricing
  • Mid-size SaaS companies that need in-app messaging plus ticketing in one tool

Look elsewhere if

  • Very small teams on a tight budget, reviewers call cost high for tiny businesses
  • Teams that need predictable flat monthly cost, Fin outcomes and add-ons are usage-based

Key features

Channel coverage
Live chat, email, in-app chat, plus WhatsApp, SMS and phone as usage-billed channels
Ticket automation and routing
Workflows and round robin from Advanced
Knowledge base and self-service
Help Center included; multilingual Help Center from Advanced
AI agents and assistance
Fin AI Agent at $0.99 per outcome; Copilot add-on $29/agent/month annual
Reporting and SLA tracking
SLAs on Expert
Pricing model
Per full seat plus usage (Fin outcomes, messages, add-ons)
Target company size
Small to enterprise; reviewers say better fit for mid-sized and larger

What users like

  • Clean interface with several channels in one inbox
  • Strong segmentation and messaging features

Common complaints

  • Cost climbs fast for small teams
  • Editing Help Center content in bulk is clumsy

Full Intercom profileRequest an offer

8

Zendesk

$19 per agent/month billed annually (Support Team)

Zendesk is a broad omnichannel help desk sold per agent, with Support Team at $19 monthly on annual billing. Suite plans bundle email, messaging, voice and the Guide knowledge base. Copilot, quality tools and round-the-clock support are paid extras, and AI is billed per resolution.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: workable
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • Support teams that want a broad omnichannel suite with a regional data hosting option
  • Teams comfortable paying per AI resolution

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams wanting flat all-in pricing: Copilot, WEM, QA and 24/7 support are paid add-ons
  • Very small teams that need a free plan (none listed)

Key features

Channel coverage
Suite plans bundle email, messaging and voice channels; Contact Center add-on $83/agent/month
Knowledge base and self-service
Guide knowledge base included in Suite plans
AI agents and assistance
AI agents billed per automated resolution; Copilot $50/agent/month on Professional and up
Pricing model
Per agent plus per-resolution AI fees and add-ons
Target company size
Tiers from Support Team to Enterprise

Full Zendesk profileRequest an offer

9

Salesforce Service Cloud

$25 per user/month (Starter Suite)

Note: Listed by G2 and GetApp as Agentforce Service

Salesforce sells Service Cloud as a case system and contact center, bundled with Agentforce AI agents. The $25 Starter Suite is the cheapest entry, yet real case handling starts at the $195 Core edition. It is highly customizable, though reviewers say staff need training and the price is high.

  • 1-10: poor fit
  • 11-50: poor fit
  • 51-500: strong fit
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • Large support organizations already on Salesforce CRM
  • Teams that need contact center, workforce management and deep customization

Look elsewhere if

  • Small teams, entry editions start at $25 per user and real service features start at Core $195
  • Teams without admin resources, reviewers cite training burden

Key features

Channel coverage
Digital channels and contact center on Max; Digital Channels otherwise add-on
Ticket automation and routing
Case management from Core; more automation from Pro Suite up
Knowledge base and self-service
Self-service help center from Core
AI agents and assistance
Full Agentforce for Service suite on Max; Casey help agent on Advanced
Reporting and SLA tracking
Tableau Next on Max, otherwise add-on
Integrations
AgentExchange marketplace from Pro Suite; Slack included in Core and up
Pricing model
Per user per month, annual contracts, add-ons for AI and channels
Target company size
Mid-market to enterprise

What users like

  • Highly customizable automation
  • Fits tightly with Salesforce CRM data

Common complaints

  • Training is hard because there are several ways to do one task
  • Price

Full Salesforce Service Cloud profileRequest an offer

10

HelpDesk

$19 per user/month billed yearly ($25 monthly)

HelpDesk comes from the company behind LiveChat and charges per agent, from $19 on yearly billing, without ticket fees. It combines a team inbox, website chat and an AI agent. Essential allows three automation rules and ten AI resolutions each month, and reviewers rate setup very easy.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: poor fit

Best for

  • Small support teams that want flat per-user pricing with no per-ticket fees
  • Shopify sellers wanting chat plus tickets

Look elsewhere if

  • Teams needing ITSM or deep enterprise customization
  • Buyers who need a large review base, G2 count is small

Key features

Channel coverage
Email, website chat, Messenger, SMS, Shopify selling
Ticket automation and routing
3 ticketing rules on Essential, 10 on Growth
AI agents and assistance
AI Agent with 10 resolutions/month (Essential), 200 (Growth); extra 50 resolutions $49.50
Reporting and SLA tracking
Agent activity and performance reports on Growth; scheduled reports on Enterprise
Integrations
10,000 API calls/month on Essential; MCP server access
Pricing model
Per user, monthly or yearly, AI resolution packs as add-on
Target company size
Small teams (60.6% of G2 reviewers are small business)

What users like

  • Very easy setup (ease of setup 9.8 on G2)
  • Easy to use

Common complaints

  • Product direction scored weakest (7.5 on G2)

Full HelpDesk profileRequest an offer

11

Jira Service Management

Free up to 3 agents

Atlassian built Jira Service Management for IT service desks, covering incidents, changes and assets. The free plan serves up to 3 agents, and Standard is $25 per agent for small groups. Automation steps are metered, and reviewers describe a steep learning curve.

  • 1-10: strong fit
  • 11-50: strong fit
  • 51-500: workable
  • 500+: strong fit

Best for

  • IT teams that already run Jira and need ITSM workflows
  • Small IT teams of up to 3 agents who can use the free plan

Look elsewhere if

  • Customer-facing ecommerce support teams wanting a simple inbox
  • Non-technical teams, G2 reviewers cite a steep learning curve

Key features

Ticket automation and routing
Automation steps metered; Premium 6,500 steps per user per month
AI agents and assistance
Virtual service agent and AIOps on Premium; Rovo credits metered
Reporting and SLA tracking
Analytics and Data Lake on Enterprise
Pricing model
Per agent in graduated bands plus metered usage from 3 Dec 2026
Target company size
Small IT teams (free) to large enterprise (Enterprise from 201 agents)

What users like

  • Solid SLA tracking and issue management
  • Customizable workflows and automation

Common complaints

  • Steep learning curve
  • Complex setup and interface

Full Jira Service Management profileRequest an offer

How to choose help desk software

Channel coverage

This is about how many ways customers can reach you while agents still work from one queue. Strong tools include email, chat and messaging in the base plan and show the full history on a ticket. Weak ones bolt on voice or WhatsApp as separate usage-billed products.

Ticket automation and routing

Automation covers routing, assignment, triggers and service-level timers that run without an agent clicking. Strong products offer skill-based routing and several SLA policies without a top-tier upgrade. Weak ones cap rules on entry plans or meter automation steps.

Knowledge base and self-service

A knowledge base lets customers solve problems before they write in. Strong tools offer searchable articles, a branded portal and multiple languages on regular plans. Weak ones limit the number of help sites or charge for additional ones.

AI agents and assistance

This covers reply drafting, summaries and agents that answer customers directly. Strong tools state their AI pricing clearly and let you cap spend. Weak ones mix seat charges, credits and per-resolution fees so the monthly bill is hard to predict.

Reporting and SLA tracking

Reporting shows response times, resolution times, volume by channel and customer satisfaction. Strong tools offer custom dashboards and SLA reports for managers. Weak ones provide only fixed charts or move anything customizable to the most expensive plan.

Integrations

Integrations give agents context from CRM, store and chat tools right on the ticket. Strong products offer a marketplace, a documented API and generous call quotas. Weak ones meter connector tasks or restrict the marketplace to higher plans.

Pricing model

This criterion is about how the product is billed, whether per agent, per ticket or per seat plus usage, and which parts are extra. Strong models are predictable and list each plan's limits. Weak ones add onboarding fees, AI charges and add-ons that change the total.

Target company size

This describes who a tool was designed for, from a handful of agents sharing an inbox to a large contact center. Lighter products are quick to learn, while bigger suites add customization and governance. If you choose wrongly, you either outgrow the product or need a dedicated admin to run it.

The SaaSBid view

Which help desk tool fits your company size

Fit of each tool by company size
Tool1-10 people11-50 people51-500 people500+ people
FreshdeskWorkableStrong fitStrong fitNo data
HubSpot Service HubStrong fitStrong fitWorkableWorkable
Zoho DeskStrong fitStrong fitWorkableWorkable
FrontWorkableStrong fitStrong fitWorkable
Help ScoutStrong fitStrong fitWorkableNo data
GorgiasWorkableStrong fitWorkableWorkable
IntercomPoor fitWorkableStrong fitWorkable
ZendeskPoor fitWorkableStrong fitStrong fit
Salesforce Service CloudPoor fitPoor fitStrong fitStrong fit
HelpDeskStrong fitStrong fitWorkablePoor fit
Jira Service ManagementStrong fitStrong fitWorkableStrong fit

Strong fitWorkablePoor fitNo data from the vendor

Ratings reflect each vendor's stated audience, free plan and seat limits, plan structure and whether enterprise tiers exist. Where nothing is stated about a size, the cell stays empty.

  • 1-10 people

    Price and speed of setup matter most here. Help Scout is free up to 5 users, Zoho Desk up to 3 and HubSpot Service Hub up to 2, so you can begin at no cost. HelpDesk is another option when you prefer a plain per-agent fee.

  • 11-50 people

    Routing, SLAs and a knowledge base start to matter. Freshdesk, Front, Help Scout, HelpDesk, Zoho Desk and Gorgias all fit, with Gorgias aimed at online stores. Check where each vendor starts charging for AI.

  • 51-500 people

    Permissions, reporting and a wider channel mix decide the choice. Freshdesk, Front, Zendesk and Intercom list support for this range. Salesforce Service Cloud makes sense if your company already uses Salesforce CRM.

  • 500+ people

    Large teams need contact-center features, deep customization and audit controls. Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud and Jira Service Management (Enterprise from 201 agents) cover this size. Plan for admin resources and training.

Feature coverage at a glance

Documented features by tool
ToolChannel coverageTicket automation and routingKnowledge base and self-serviceAI agents and assistanceReporting and SLA trackingIntegrationsShare
FreshdeskNot documentedDocumented: Intelligent routing and multiple SLA policies on Pro; skill-based routing on EnterpriseDocumented: Knowledge base and customer portal on all plansDocumented: Freddy AI Agent: 500 sessions included, extra $49 per 100; Copilot $29/agent/month (add-on on Pro, included on Enterprise)Documented: Custom dashboards on Pro; Freddy AI Insights on EnterpriseDocumented: Connector app tasks $80 per 5,00083%
HubSpot Service HubNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: Knowledge base SSO with up to 2 access groups on Professional, 100 on EnterpriseDocumented: Customer Agent and Data Agent consume HubSpot Credits; 14-day Customer Agent trial with Pro/Enterprise seatNot documentedNot documented33%
Zoho DeskNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedDocumented: Zia AI from Professional; Express supports AI agents with your own LLM key or Zoho LLM (30M free tokens per month)Not documentedNot documented17%
FrontDocumented: Email, chat, SMS; native WhatsApp on Professional and up (Meta costs plus 20% admin fee)Not documentedNot documentedDocumented: Autopilot AI agent from $0.05 per conversation; Copilot $20/seat/month (included in Enterprise)Documented: QA and CSAT included on EnterpriseNot documented50%
Help ScoutNot documentedDocumented: Advanced workflows and round robin on Plus; unlimited workflows and SLAs on ProDocumented: Docs site included (1 on Free; additional sites $20/month annual)Documented: AI Answers $0.75 per resolution; monthly spend cap available; 3 months free for new accountsNot documentedDocumented: Salesforce, Jira, HubSpot on Plus67%
GorgiasDocumented: Email, chat, voice and SMS (Voice and SMS as add-ons billed by usage)Not documentedNot documentedDocumented: AI Agent priced per automated interactionNot documentedNot documented33%
IntercomDocumented: Live chat, email, in-app chat, plus WhatsApp, SMS and phone as usage-billed channelsDocumented: Workflows and round robin from AdvancedDocumented: Help Center included; multilingual Help Center from AdvancedDocumented: Fin AI Agent at $0.99 per outcome; Copilot add-on $29/agent/month annualDocumented: SLAs on ExpertNot documented83%
ZendeskDocumented: Suite plans bundle email, messaging and voice channels; Contact Center add-on $83/agent/monthNot documentedDocumented: Guide knowledge base included in Suite plansDocumented: AI agents billed per automated resolution; Copilot $50/agent/month on Professional and upNot documentedNot documented50%
Salesforce Service CloudDocumented: Digital channels and contact center on Max; Digital Channels otherwise add-onDocumented: Case management from Core; more automation from Pro Suite upDocumented: Self-service help center from CoreDocumented: Full Agentforce for Service suite on Max; Casey help agent on AdvancedDocumented: Tableau Next on Max, otherwise add-onDocumented: AgentExchange marketplace from Pro Suite; Slack included in Core and up100%
HelpDeskDocumented: Email, website chat, Messenger, SMS, Shopify sellingDocumented: 3 ticketing rules on Essential, 10 on GrowthNot documentedDocumented: AI Agent with 10 resolutions/month (Essential), 200 (Growth); extra 50 resolutions $49.50Documented: Agent activity and performance reports on Growth; scheduled reports on EnterpriseDocumented: 10,000 API calls/month on Essential; MCP server access83%
Jira Service ManagementNot documentedDocumented: Automation steps metered; Premium 6,500 steps per user per monthNot documentedDocumented: Virtual service agent and AIOps on Premium; Rovo credits meteredDocumented: Analytics and Data Lake on EnterpriseNot documented50%

A check means the vendor documents the capability publicly (hover for the detail). A dash means we found no public documentation, which is a question to put in your request, not proof the feature is missing.

Help Desk Software requirements checklist

Use this list to write down what your team actually needs. Sorting requirements into must-have, should-have and nice-to-have is what lets vendors quote accurately instead of pitching their biggest plan.

Must have

  • A shared inbox that turns email into assigned ticketsIt is the basic unit of every help desk, but seat and mailbox limits vary.
  • Live chat and messaging channels in the same queue as emailSome channels are usage-billed add-ons rather than part of the plan.
  • Automatic routing with response-time SLA rulesSLA policies and skill-based routing are often held back for higher tiers.
  • A public knowledge base customers can searchIt cuts ticket volume, and the number of help sites can be capped.
  • Reports on response time, resolution time and satisfactionCustom dashboards are frequently a paid-tier feature.

Should have

  • AI-drafted replies and thread summaries for agentsCopilot-style tools are usually sold per agent as an add-on.
  • Connection to our store, CRM or Slack for customer contextAgents answer faster when order and account data sit next to the ticket.
  • Internal notes and mentions on ticketsCollaboration inside a ticket avoids side conversations in other tools.
  • Read-only or light agent seats for occasional usersCheaper seat types reduce the total when many colleagues only need to look.

Nice to have

  • AI agent that resolves simple questions without a personPricing per resolution or session makes the total harder to predict.
  • SSO and audit logsSecurity teams may require them, and they often sit on the top plan.
  • Phone and SMS support inside the help deskVoice is commonly billed by usage on top of seat prices.

Turn this checklist into a request

Questions vendors will ask you

Have answers ready for these, and your first conversation with a vendor starts at pricing instead of discovery.

  1. How many agents handle tickets, and how many colleagues only need to read them?Light or read-only seats can lower the per-seat total.
  2. Roughly how many tickets arrive each month?Volume decides whether per-agent or per-ticket pricing is cheaper.
  3. Which channels must be covered at launch, such as email, chat, WhatsApp or phone?Messaging and voice may be billed separately from the base plan.
  4. Do you want AI to answer customers directly or only help agents write replies?Per-resolution and per-seat AI pricing work very differently.
  5. Which systems must share data with the help desk?Connector quotas and API access can be limited by plan.
  6. Do you have compliance needs such as HIPAA, SSO or data hosting in a specific region?These controls usually require a higher plan or an add-on.

Example request

What a strong help desk software request looks like
We are an online retailer with 40 employees, and a support team of six agents answering about 3,000 messages a month by email and website chat. Today everything lands in a shared Gmail account, so replies get duplicated and nobody sees response times. We need ticket assignment, internal notes, automatic routing with a first-reply deadline and a searchable help center. The help desk must connect to Shopify so agents see order data. AI-written reply drafts would be useful. We would like to launch before the holiday season in about eight weeks, and expect a budget in the low to mid four figures per year.

Write your own request

Help Desk Software FAQ

What does help desk software do?

Messages from customers or staff, arriving on any channel, become tickets that agents assign, answer and close. Most products add a knowledge base, routing rules and speed reports, so everyone can see who is still waiting.

Which help desk suits a small business best?

Help Scout, Zoho Desk and HelpDesk are built for small teams, and the first two have free tiers. Freshdesk is another low-cost per-agent option. If you run an online store, Gorgias bills by ticket volume instead of seats.

Are there free help desk tools?

Yes, within limits. Help Scout is free for up to 5 users, Zoho Desk for 3 and HubSpot Service Hub for 2, and Jira Service Management allows 3 agents at no cost. Check which features the free plan leaves out before you commit.

How does a help desk differ from a service desk?

A help desk usually answers customers' questions, while a service desk handles internal requests, incidents and changes under IT service management. Jira Service Management is built for the second job. Many products can do both at small scale.

Which features should a help desk have?

Look for a shared inbox, routing rules, SLA timers, a knowledge base and basic reports. Add channel coverage, integrations with your store or CRM and clear AI terms to the list if they matter to you.

What belongs in a help desk request for offers?

Say how many agents you have, your monthly ticket volume, the channels you support and the systems to connect. Include compliance needs, go-live date and a budget range so vendors can quote the correct plan.

The bottom line

Begin with how your team is billed, because per-agent, per-ticket and usage-based AI pricing give very different totals at the same size. Remove tools that cannot cover your channels or integrations, then compare the rest. A specific request on SaaSBid tells vendors your volume, channels and AI expectations, so their offers describe the same setup and can be compared directly.

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