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Software · head to head

Crisp vs Freshdesk

Crisp logo

Crisp

Software

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Software

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier; Freshdesk growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Live chat, Freshdesk covers Ticketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Freshdesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Freshdesk differ
AttributeCrispFreshdesk
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb
Founded20152010

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 Crisp

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • Zapier
  • Segment

Only in Freshdesk

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with AI automationnot Freshdesk
  • Teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagramnot Freshdesk

Freshdesk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier
  • Free tier customer profile limit of 100; higher limits require upgrade
  • Omnichannel support and workflow automation excluded from Free and Mini tiers
  • White labelling only available in Plus tier ($295+/month)

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

Crisp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crisp review.

Freshdesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Freshdesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want shared inbox.
Crisp review

Choose Freshdesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Freshdesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Freshdesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Freshdesk?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $19/month for Freshdesk.
Does Crisp or Freshdesk run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Freshdesk runs on Web.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Freshdesk starts at $19/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation, teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram. Of those, growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation and teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram are not what Freshdesk is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Freshdesk cannot?
Crisp covers Live chat, Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base. Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration. Both handle Slack, WordPress, Shopify, GDPR.
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Related pages

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