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Customer Support · head to head

Freshdesk vs HubSpot Service Hub

Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Customer Support

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot Service Hub logo

HubSpot Service Hub

Customer Support

Customer service software for scaling companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Freshdesk growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards; HubSpot Service Hub the free tier is capped at 2 users
  • They diverge on capability: Freshdesk covers Automation, HubSpot Service Hub covers Knowledge base.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshdesk and HubSpot Service Hub actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshdesk and HubSpot Service Hub differ
AttributeFreshdeskHubSpot Service Hub
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

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

  • Automation
  • Self-service
  • Team collaboration
  • Multi-channel support
  • SLA management
  • Mobile apps
  • Jira
  • Google Calendar

Only in HubSpot Service Hub

  • Knowledge base
  • Customer feedback
  • Live chat
  • Conversational bots
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Zoom
  • SSO
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Ticketing
  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Freshdesk

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

HubSpot Service Hub

  • Shared inbox and ticketing for a support teamnot Freshdesk
  • Knowledge base and customer self-servicenot Freshdesk
  • Live chat and chatbots on a websitenot Freshdesk
  • Customer feedback surveys and CSATnot Freshdesk
  • Support reporting tied into the HubSpot CRMnot 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)

HubSpot Service Hub

  • The free tier is capped at 2 users
  • Professional carries a one-off onboarding fee of $1,500, and Enterprise $3,500, on top of the seat price
  • Seats are $90 a month billed monthly against $100 billed annually on Professional, so the annual commitment is not the cheaper option per month
  • AI features run on monthly credits, 500 on Starter and 3,000 on Professional, which do not roll over
  • Extra credits cost $0.010 each once the monthly allocation is spent

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

HubSpot Service Hub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Contact management
    • Ticketing
    • Team email
  • Starter$10/month
    • Simple ticket automation
    • Multiple ticket pipelines
    • Live chat
  • Professional$100/month
    • Help desk workspace
    • Customer success workspace
    • Customer agent
  • Enterprise$150/month
    • Skill-based routing
    • Conditional SLAs
    • Customer journey analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshdesk if

  • You need automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want self-service.
Freshdesk review

Choose HubSpot Service Hub if

  • You need knowledge base.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want customer feedback.
HubSpot Service Hub review

Questions people ask

Is Freshdesk or HubSpot Service Hub better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshdesk starts at Free and HubSpot Service Hub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshdesk or HubSpot Service Hub?
Freshdesk starts at Free and HubSpot Service Hub at Free.
Does Freshdesk or HubSpot Service Hub run on more platforms?
Freshdesk runs on Web. HubSpot Service Hub runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Freshdesk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 HubSpot Service Hub is typically brought in for.
What can Freshdesk do that HubSpot Service Hub cannot?
Freshdesk covers Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration, Multi-channel support. HubSpot Service Hub covers Knowledge base, Customer feedback, Live chat, Conversational bots. Both handle Ticketing, Reporting, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

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
HubSpot Service Hub: How much does HubSpot Service Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month. Starter at $10/month per seat (new customers; regular $20/month), Professional at $100/month per seat, Enterprise at $150/month per seat.

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
HubSpot Service Hub: What is the free trial length for HubSpot Service Hub?

A 14-day free trial is available for evaluating Service Hub functionality before commitment to a paid plan.

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
HubSpot Service Hub: Does HubSpot Service Hub have a free permanent plan?

Yes, the free plan includes contact management, ticketing, and team email features at $0/month with no credit card required.

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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