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Software · head to head

15Five vs Freshdesk

15Five logo

15Five

Software

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Software

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; Freshdesk growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, Freshdesk covers Ticketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and Freshdesk actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and Freshdesk differ
Attribute15FiveFreshdesk
Starting price$4/month$19/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded20112010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 15Five

  • Weekly check-ins
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • OKRs & goal tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • High fives recognition
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in Freshdesk

  • Ticketing
  • Automation
  • Self-service
  • Team collaboration
  • Multi-channel support
  • SLA management
  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Google Calendar
  • Jira
  • Salesforce
  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

15Five

  • Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot Freshdesk
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot Freshdesk
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot Freshdesk
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot Freshdesk
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot Freshdesk

Freshdesk

  • Help desk and ticketing systemnot 15Five
  • Customer support portal and knowledge basenot 15Five
  • Multi-channel support coordinationnot 15Five
  • AI-assisted support agent interactionnot 15Five

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

15Five

  • Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
  • Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
  • Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
  • The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

Freshdesk

  • Growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards
  • Skill-based routing available only on Enterprise tier
  • Freddy AI Copilot requires separate £29/agent/month add-on on Pro and Enterprise plans
  • AI agent sessions charged beyond initial 500 sessions: £49 per additional 100 sessions
  • Day passes for non-agents vary by tier: £2 (Growth), £7 (Pro), £12 (Enterprise)

Pricing, plan by plan

15Five

$4/month
  • Engage$4/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$10/month
    • Weekly check-ins
    • 1-on-1s
    • Performance reviews
  • Total Platform$16/month
    • Everything in Engage & Perform
    • Career paths
    • Competencies

Freshdesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Freshdesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose 15Five if

  • You need weekly check-ins.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
15Five review

Choose Freshdesk if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You also want automation.
Freshdesk review

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or Freshdesk better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and Freshdesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Freshdesk?
15Five starts at $4/month and Freshdesk at $19/month.
Does 15Five or Freshdesk run on more platforms?
15Five runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Freshdesk runs on Web.
What is 15Five best used for?
15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what Freshdesk is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that Freshdesk cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, Jira.
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