Softwr

Software · head to head

15Five vs Freshworks Customer Service Suite

15Five logo

15Five

Software

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Freshworks Customer Service Suite logo

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Software

Unified customer service powered by AI

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Freshworks Customer Service Suite separate products for support, chat, and CRM create context fragmentation between teams
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and Freshworks Customer Service Suite actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and Freshworks Customer Service Suite differ
Attribute15FiveFreshworks Customer Service Suite
Starting price$4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Mobile (iOS, Android)
Founded20112010

Identical on both: 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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Unified inbox
  • AI-powered chatbot
  • Ticketing system
  • Self-service portal
  • Analytics
  • Automation
  • Shopify
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • 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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Customer supportnot 15Five
  • Help desknot 15Five
  • Self-servicenot 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

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Separate products for support, chat, and CRM create context fragmentation between teams
  • Add-ons and renewal uplifts typically increase real costs 30-50% above published pricing
  • Customization beyond default configurations requires significant training and consulting fees

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

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Freshworks Customer Service Suite 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.

Choose Freshworks Customer Service Suite if

  • You need unified inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
  • You also want ai-powered chatbot.

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or Freshworks Customer Service Suite better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and Freshworks Customer Service Suite at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Freshworks Customer Service Suite?
Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4/month for 15Five and Free for Freshworks Customer Service Suite.
Does 15Five or Freshworks Customer Service Suite run on more platforms?
15Five runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Freshworks Customer Service Suite runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
Can I use Freshworks Customer Service Suite for free?
Yes. Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 15Five starts at $4/month.
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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that Freshworks Customer Service Suite cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox, AI-powered chatbot, Ticketing system, Self-service portal. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshworks Customer Service Suite: What products are included in Freshworks Customer Service Suite?

The suite includes Freshdesk for support ticketing, Freshchat for live chat and messaging, and Freshsales for CRM. Pricing varies per product based on features and user count.

Source
Freshworks Customer Service Suite: Does Freshworks offer a free tier?

Yes. Freshdesk offers a free plan for 1-2 agents for 6 months. Paid plans start at $19/agent/month for Growth tier.

Source
Freshworks Customer Service Suite: Does Freshworks integrate with Slack?

Yes. Freshworks offers official Slack integration via the Freshdesk and Freshservice Slack apps, enabling ticket creation, notifications, and agent messaging directly in Slack.

Source

Related pages

Other head to heads