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Customer Support · head to head

Freshdesk vs Freshsales

Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Customer Support

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Freshsales logo

Freshsales

CRM

Smart CRM for growing businesses

From
$19/month
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Only Freshdesk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshdesk growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards; Freshsales contact scoring, sales sequences and territory management require the Pro plan at $39 per user per month, more than four times the Growth price
  • They diverge on capability: Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Freshsales covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshdesk and Freshsales actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshdesk and Freshsales differ
AttributeFreshdeskFreshsales
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportCRM

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2010).

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 Freshdesk

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

Only in Freshsales

  • Contact management
  • Lead scoring
  • Sales pipeline
  • Activity tracking
  • Email sync
  • AI insights
  • Workflow automation
  • Gmail

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Shopify
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Freshdesk

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

Freshsales

  • Sales CRM with built in email, phone and chatnot Freshdesk
  • Managing deals, pipelines and sales sequencesnot Freshdesk

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Freshsales

  • Contact scoring, sales sequences and territory management require the Pro plan at $39 per user per month, more than four times the Growth price
  • Forecasting insights, custom modules, sandbox and audit logs are Enterprise only at $59 per user per month
  • Every published price requires annual billing
  • The Freddy AI agent is billed separately at $49 per 100 sessions
  • Branded documents are a further $19 per user add on
  • No contact limits are stated for any tier on the pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

Freshdesk

Free
  • Growth$19/month per agent
    • Basic ticketing, shared inbox, customer portal
    • Freddy AI Agent (500 sessions included)
    • Billed annually, 20% discount vs. monthly
  • Pro$55/month per agent
    • Multilingual support, custom dashboards
    • Intelligent routing, multiple SLA policies
    • Billed annually, 20% discount vs. monthly
  • Enterprise$89/month per agent
    • Skill-based routing, audit logs, IP whitelisting
    • Freddy AI Insights
    • Billed annually, 20% discount vs. monthly

Freshsales

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Contact & account management
    • Pipeline management
  • Growth$39/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Sales automation
    • Territory management
  • Pro$65/month
    • Everything in Growth
    • Forecasting
    • Advanced customization

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshdesk if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automation.

Choose Freshsales if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want lead scoring.

Questions people ask

Is Freshdesk or Freshsales better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshdesk starts at Free and Freshsales at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshdesk or Freshsales?
Freshdesk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshdesk and $19/month for Freshsales.
Does Freshdesk or Freshsales run on more platforms?
Freshdesk runs on Web. Freshsales runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Freshdesk for free?
Yes. Freshdesk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Freshsales starts at $19/month.
What is Freshdesk best used for?
Freshdesk is most often used for help desk and ticketing system, customer support portal and knowledge base, multi-channel support coordination, ai-assisted support agent interaction. Of those, help desk and ticketing system and customer support portal and knowledge base are not what Freshsales is typically brought in for.
What can Freshdesk do that Freshsales cannot?
Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration. Freshsales covers Contact management, Lead scoring, Sales pipeline, Activity tracking. Both handle Slack, Shopify, SOC2, ISO27001.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshdesk: What is Freshdesk's Growth plan pricing?

The Growth plan costs $19 per agent per month when billed annually and includes basic ticketing, shared inbox, customer portal, and 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions.

Source
Freshsales: Is there a free trial for Freshsales?

Yes, Freshsales offers a 21-day free trial with no credit card required and no strings attached.

Source
Freshdesk: Does Freshdesk offer a free trial?

Freshdesk offers a 14-day free trial with full Enterprise plan access, allowing customers to test all features before committing.

Source
Freshsales: How do I learn pricing for Freshsales?

Pricing is not listed on the main product pages. The site directs users to request a demo or sign up for the free trial to discuss pricing with the sales team.

Source
Freshdesk: What is the difference between Freshdesk plans?

Growth ($19/agent) provides basics; Pro ($55/agent) adds multilingual support and advanced routing; Enterprise ($89/agent) includes skill-based routing and audit logs. All prices are annual billing rates.

Source
Freshsales: Is a demo required to see pricing?

The site prominently features demo and trial signup options, suggesting that pricing is discussed during the sales consultation process rather than published as standard tiers.

Source
Freshdesk: What are Freshdesk's add-on costs?

Optional add-ons include Freddy AI Copilot at $29/agent/month, additional AI Agent sessions at $49 per 100 sessions, and day passes at $2-$12 per pass.

Source
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