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Customer Support · head to head

Freshdesk vs Pipedrive

Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Customer Support

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Pipedrive logo

Pipedrive

CRM

The CRM that sales teams love to use

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

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; Pipedrive email account connectivity restricted to maximum of five email accounts per user
  • They diverge on capability: Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Pipedrive covers Visual pipeline.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshdesk and Pipedrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshdesk and Pipedrive differ
AttributeFreshdeskPipedrive
Starting priceFreeOn request
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
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Salesforce

Only in Pipedrive

  • Visual pipeline
  • Deal tracking
  • Activity reminders
  • Email integration
  • Goal tracking
  • Lead management
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps
  • Slack
  • 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 Pipedrive
  • Customer support portal and knowledge basenot Pipedrive
  • Multi-channel support coordinationnot Pipedrive
  • AI-assisted support agent interactionnot Pipedrive

Pipedrive

  • Sales pipeline management with kanban-style dashboardsnot Freshdesk
  • Multi-channel communication with email and calendar syncnot Freshdesk
  • Sales automation for small to mid-market teamsnot 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)

Pipedrive

  • Email account connectivity restricted to maximum of five email accounts per user

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

Pipedrive

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Pipedrive review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshdesk if

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

Choose Pipedrive if

  • You need visual pipeline.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Pipedrive review

Questions people ask

Is Freshdesk or Pipedrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshdesk starts at Free and Pipedrive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshdesk or Pipedrive?
Freshdesk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshdesk and On request for Pipedrive.
Does Freshdesk or Pipedrive run on more platforms?
Freshdesk runs on Web. Pipedrive runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Freshdesk for free?
Yes. Freshdesk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pipedrive starts at On request.
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 Pipedrive is typically brought in for.
What can Freshdesk do that Pipedrive cannot?
Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration. Pipedrive covers Visual pipeline, Deal tracking, Activity reminders, Email integration. Both handle Reporting, Mobile apps, Slack, SOC2.

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
Pipedrive: How long is Pipedrive's free trial and what's required to start?

Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial with full platform access. No credit card is required to begin the trial, making it accessible to businesses of any size.

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
Pipedrive: Are specific pricing tiers and costs detailed on the homepage?

The homepage does not list specific pricing amounts or tier names. Detailed subscription information and pricing costs are available on Pipedrive's dedicated pricing page.

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
Pipedrive: What core features does Pipedrive include?

Pipedrive includes pipeline management, automation, AI capabilities, email sync, and reporting features. Feature availability at different price levels is detailed on their pricing page.

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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