Customer Support · head to head
LiveAgent vs Freshworks Customer Service Suite
Freshworks Customer Service Suite
Customer Support
Unified customer service powered by AI
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: LiveAgent social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price; Freshworks Customer Service Suite separate products for support, chat, and CRM create context fragmentation between teams
- They diverge on capability: LiveAgent covers Live chat, Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which LiveAgent and Freshworks Customer Service Suite actually diverge.
| Attribute | LiveAgent | Freshworks Customer Service Suite |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Mobile (iOS, Android) |
| Founded | 2004 | 2010 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 LiveAgent
- Live chat
- Call center
- Social media
- Knowledge base
- Customer portal
- WordPress
- Magento
- SSL
Only in Freshworks Customer Service Suite
- Unified inbox
- AI-powered chatbot
- Self-service portal
- Analytics
- Automation
- Microsoft Teams
- Salesforce
- SOC2
Both cover
- Ticketing system
- Shopify
- Slack
- Zapier
- GDPR
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
LiveAgent
- Multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messagesnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
- Ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teamsnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
Freshworks Customer Service Suite
- Customer supportnot LiveAgent
- Help desknot LiveAgent
- Self-servicenot LiveAgent
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
LiveAgent
- Social and messaging channels are separately priced add ons rather than plan features, at $19 to $39 a month each on top of the seat price
- The entry plan is limited to 3 email accounts, 2 live chat buttons and 3 contact forms
- WhatsApp numbers are rationed by plan, at 5 on Large Business and 20 on Enterprise
- The advertised prices require annual billing, and monthly billing raises the entry plan from $10 to $13 per agent
- Every published price is a discounted rate against a higher regular price
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
LiveAgent
Free- FreeFree
- 7-day ticket history
- 1 chat button
- 1 email account
- Small$9/month
- Unlimited ticket history
- 3 email accounts
- Customer portal
- Medium$29/month
- Call center
- 10 email accounts
- Advanced reporting
- Large$49/month
- Everything unlimited
- Senior account manager
- White glove setup
Freshworks Customer Service Suite
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Freshworks Customer Service Suite review.
Which should you pick?
Choose LiveAgent if
- You need live chat.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want call center.
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 LiveAgent or Freshworks Customer Service Suite better?
- Neither clearly leads. LiveAgent starts at Free 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, LiveAgent or Freshworks Customer Service Suite?
- LiveAgent starts at Free and Freshworks Customer Service Suite at Free.
- Does LiveAgent or Freshworks Customer Service Suite run on more platforms?
- LiveAgent runs on Web, Ios, Android. Freshworks Customer Service Suite runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
- Can I use LiveAgent for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is LiveAgent best used for?
- LiveAgent is most often used for multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages, ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams. Of those, multichannel help desk covering email, chat, calls and social messages and ticketing and shared inbox for customer support teams are not what Freshworks Customer Service Suite is typically brought in for.
- What can LiveAgent do that Freshworks Customer Service Suite cannot?
- LiveAgent covers Live chat, Call center, Social media, Knowledge base. Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox, AI-powered chatbot, Self-service portal, Analytics. Both handle Ticketing system, Shopify, Slack, Zapier.
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.
SourceFreshworks 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.
SourceFreshworks 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