Alternatives · Help Desks
HelpSpot alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded HelpSpot alternative is Zammad (2.8 GPA). It's also the best free one.
HelpSpot compared with 5 alternatives: Zammad, FreeScout, osTicket, Deskpro and Hesk.
HelpSpot is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $899 per year for 3 agents. 4 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a HelpSpot sale?
At a glance
Price against what you get
HelpSpot starts at $74.92 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Zammad, FreeScout, osTicket, Deskpro and Hesk start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from HelpSpot
Zammad
Open-source help desk, hosted in Germany or run on your own server
- Zammad starts at €7 per agent / month, billed annually (€9 billed monthly).
- Zammad has a free plan, which HelpSpot lacks.
- Zammad is open source, according to its own site.
- Zammad also covers shared inbox and live chat.
- Zammad does not cover surveys, reports and help center, which HelpSpot does.
Suits: Teams that must keep ticket data in Germany or on their own servers
FreeScout
Free open-source help desk and shared mailbox you host yourself
- FreeScout is free.
- FreeScout has a free plan, which HelpSpot lacks.
- FreeScout also lists iOS and Android apps.
- FreeScout is open source, according to its own site.
- FreeScout also covers shared inbox and live chat.
Suits: Teams that want a free help desk and can run their own server
osTicket
Open-source support ticketing, self-hosted or as a cloud edition
- osTicket starts at $12 per agent / month, for the cloud-hosted edition (billing basis not stated).
- osTicket has a free plan, which HelpSpot lacks.
- osTicket is open source, according to its own site.
- osTicket also covers shared inbox and workflow automation.
- osTicket does not cover surveys, reports and help center, which HelpSpot does.
Suits: Teams with a server and an admin who want ticketing with no license fee
Deskpro
Help desk for cloud or self-hosted use, with seat minimums
- Deskpro starts at $39 per agent / month, billed annually (minimum 5 agents).
- Deskpro also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Deskpro also covers live chat and AI support agent.
- Deskpro does not cover surveys and reports, which HelpSpot does.
Suits: Organizations that must keep support data on their own servers
Hesk
PHP help desk you host yourself, or a flat-fee cloud version
- Hesk starts at $29.99 per month for up to 10 agents (Hesk Cloud).
- Hesk has a free plan, which HelpSpot lacks.
- Hesk also covers ticketing.
- Hesk does not cover surveys and reports, which HelpSpot does.
Suits: Small teams that want a free help desk on their own server
Limits worth knowing in HelpSpot
- Billing is annual only; there is no monthly plan.
- Price is set by agent count in tiers (3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and so on), so adding a fourth agent means moving to the 5-agent tier.
- Customers never need licenses, but every staff member who logs in counts as an agent.
- Qualified non-profits and academic institutions can get 15% off by contacting sales.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to HelpSpot?
The alternatives to HelpSpot in this directory are Zammad, FreeScout, osTicket, Deskpro and Hesk. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with HelpSpot.
Is there a free alternative to HelpSpot?
Yes. FreeScout is free to use. Zammad, osTicket and Hesk have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which HelpSpot alternatives work on Android?
The HelpSpot listing does not include an Android app. FreeScout and Deskpro list one.
Which HelpSpot alternatives work on iOS?
The HelpSpot listing does not include an iOS app. FreeScout and Deskpro list one.
Is there an open-source alternative to HelpSpot?
Zammad, FreeScout and osTicket are described as open source on their own sites.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.