Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Freshdesk vs ServiceNow

Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Customer Support

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ServiceNow logo

ServiceNow

Customer Support

The world works with ServiceNow

From
On request
Rated
-
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; ServiceNow listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller UP3 Services Ltd at £81.00 per licence per month for ServiceNow
  • They diverge on capability: Freshdesk covers Ticketing, ServiceNow covers ITSM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshdesk and ServiceNow actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshdesk and ServiceNow differ
AttributeFreshdeskServiceNow
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102004

Identical on both: 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

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

Only in ServiceNow

  • ITSM
  • IT Operations
  • Customer workflows
  • Employee workflows
  • App development
  • AI/ML capabilities
  • SAP
  • AWS

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Freshdesk

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

ServiceNow

  • Enterprise IT managementnot Freshdesk
  • Digital transformationnot Freshdesk
  • Workflow automationnot 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)

ServiceNow

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller UP3 Services Ltd at £81.00 per licence per month for ServiceNow

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

ServiceNow

On request
  • IT Service Management$undefined/month
    • Incident management
    • Problem management
    • Change management
  • IT Operations Management$undefined/month
    • Discovery
    • Service mapping
    • Event management
  • Customer Service Management$undefined/month
    • Omnichannel engagement
    • Self-service
    • Case management

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshdesk if

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

Choose ServiceNow if

  • You need itsm.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want it operations.
ServiceNow review

Questions people ask

Is Freshdesk or ServiceNow better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshdesk starts at Free and ServiceNow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshdesk or ServiceNow?
Freshdesk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshdesk and On request for ServiceNow.
Does Freshdesk or ServiceNow run on more platforms?
Freshdesk runs on Web. ServiceNow runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Freshdesk for free?
Yes. Freshdesk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ServiceNow 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 ServiceNow is typically brought in for.
What can Freshdesk do that ServiceNow cannot?
Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration. ServiceNow covers ITSM, IT Operations, Customer workflows, Employee workflows. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, 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
ServiceNow: Does ServiceNow offer a free trial?

ServiceNow provides product trials and demos for prospects. Organizations can request a demo to see the platform capabilities for IT service management, customer service management, and business workflows.

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
ServiceNow: How is ServiceNow priced?

ServiceNow uses subscription-based pricing with custom quotes based on the number of users and modules selected. Organizations must contact ServiceNow directly to receive pricing for their specific deployment needs.

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
ServiceNow: What implementation support does ServiceNow provide?

ServiceNow offers professional services, customer success management, and training programs to help organizations maximize value from the platform. Implementation support is available through direct services teams and certified implementation partners.

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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