FreeScout vs SupportPal (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FreeScout and SupportPal share a 2.2 GPA, and only FreeScout has a free plan.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreeScout grades higher on the free plan. SupportPal grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreeScout
Free open-source help desk and shared mailbox you host yourself
SupportPal
Self-hosted help desk with flat pricing and unlimited agents
Which one is for you
Pick FreeScout if
- Fits if you can run your own server and want a free help desk
- Works for groups that need control over where support data lives
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want hosting done for you, as there is no official cloud service
- Watch out: modules are lifetime licences per instance and non-refundable
- Not for you if you want someone else to handle updates, backups and security
- Watch out: the module prices are filled in by script and could not be read
Pick SupportPal if
- Fits if you have a server and want a flat price for any number of agents
- Works for agencies that run several brands from one desk
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a hosted service, since the pricing page offers none
- Not for you if you have no one to run a server
- Watch out: removing the Powered by line costs $4.95 a month or $49.95 a year
- Watch out: support is by email only, a remote desktop session is $75 per 30 minutes, and extra IP addresses and Twilio are paid separately
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAFreeScoutFair | 2.2GPASupportPalFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree if you host it yourself, which needs a server, so it is a C and not an A. | B$29.95 a month for unlimited operators is about $6 a seat for five agents, under 60% of the $19 where support tools start, but you must also pay for a server. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree outright with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes, but you pay for a server and your own time. | C30-day free trial of the self-hosted version, no card required. No free plan. |
| Features | CShared mailbox and tickets, with extras like WhatsApp and Telegram sold as modules, whose prices we couldn't read. | CUnified inbox, SLAs and business hours, multi-brand support, a self-service area and an add-ons marketplace. Phone, SMS and WhatsApp need Twilio, paid separately. |
| Ease of use | DYou handle installs, updates, backups and security on your own server. | DNo store rating on record. It is self-hosted, so you install, update and secure the server. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps and an installable web app, with Slack, Jira, WooCommerce, Zapier and Make. | BWeb only, with 3 integrations on record. |
| Best for | a free help desk you host yourself | a team wanting a self-hosted help desk |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreeScout and SupportPal. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreeScout has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SupportPal starts at $29.95 a month and scores 2.0.
They score the same, and FreeScout starts $29.95 a month lower. Of the other help desk and live chat tools on the chart, none scores higher than FreeScout for less, and 33 score higher than SupportPal for less.
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
Where they differ
- FreeScout is open source, according to its own site.
- FreeScout also covers live chat.
- SupportPal also covers ticketing.
At a glance
| FreeScout | SupportPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $29.95 per month, self-hosted license for unlimited operators |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free self-hosted trial, no card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FreeScout | SupportPal Limited |
| Price read from | freescout.net | supportpal.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FreeScout
- There is no official cloud service; the project lists third-party hosts that can install it in one click.
- Modules are sold as lifetime licenses per instance and are non-refundable; their prices are filled in by script and could not be read.
- You handle installs, updates, backups and security on your own server.
SupportPal
- It is self-hosted only; the pricing page offers no hosted edition, and you run the server.
- Removing the Powered by line costs $4.95 a month or $49.95 a year extra.
- Support is by email only; a remote desktop session is $75 per 30 minutes.
- Additional IP addresses and Twilio phone, SMS and WhatsApp are paid separately.
Key features
FreeScout
- Shared mailbox and tickets
- Brings email, plus WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Slack and live chat through modules, into one inbox with notes, tags and saved replies.
- No limits on agents or tickets
- The core software has unlimited support agents, tickets and mailboxes, and installs on ordinary PHP and MySQL hosting.
- Modules marketplace
- Paid modules add workflows and SLAs, an end-user portal, knowledge base, custom fields, time tracking, SAML SSO and an API.
- Email integration
- Connects over SMTP, IMAP or POP3, with OAuth sign-in for Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace.
- Apps and installable web app
- iOS and Android apps and a progressive web app that sends web push notifications; apps use the same modules as your install.
SupportPal
- Unified inbox
- Web forms, email, a help widget, Facebook messages and the REST API all turn into tickets shown in a single filterable grid.
- SLAs and business hours
- Service level plans set first-response and resolution times, with due dates worked out from business hours and pausable when needed.
- Multi-brand support
- Several brands run from one installation, each with its own portal, logo, email templates and self-service area.
- Self-service area
- A knowledge area and an embeddable help widget let customers search articles before contacting support.
- Phone, SMS and WhatsApp
- Calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages can be handled through your own Twilio account, which needs an extra subscription.
- Add-ons marketplace
- Extra modules can be installed from a marketplace, and sensitive ticket fields can be encrypted or purged after closing.
Plans
FreeScout
FreeScout (self-hosted)$0
Download and host it yourself with unlimited agents, tickets and mailboxes. Optional modules are bought separately.
SupportPal
Monthly license$29.95
per month, one brand, unlimited operators
All features, unlimited tickets and users, email support and updates. Extra brands $9.95 a month each.
Annual license$299.95
per year, one brand, unlimited operators
Same license billed yearly, marked as 2 months free; extra brands are $99.95 a year each.
Ways to pay less
FreeScout
- Lifetime license
Modules sold as lifetime licenses
Each module is a one-time purchase for a single FreeScout instance, with lifetime updates included.
SupportPal
- Annual discount
Two months free on annual billing
The annual license is $299.95 against $29.95 a month, which the pricing page labels as 2 months free.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreeScout or SupportPal?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FreeScout is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $29.95 a month for SupportPal. FreeScout is free, and SupportPal starts at $29.95 per month, self-hosted license for unlimited operators.
Which has a free plan, FreeScout or SupportPal?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FreeScout has a free plan. SupportPal does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do FreeScout and SupportPal run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FreeScout lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.