The Front Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Front in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Front
The Insider’s Guide
Shared inbox and customer operations platform with AI and ticketing
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Front’s own pages.
Made by FrontApp, Inc. · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Front’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Front’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade
Front is a customer operations platform built around shared inboxes. Teams handle email, SMS, chat and WhatsApp conversations together, with ticketing, assignment, automation rules, analytics and a knowledge base layered on top. Plans are priced per seat with seat caps on the lower tiers, and AI tools such as Copilot, Smart QA and Smart CSAT are paid add-ons until the Enterprise plan.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Front, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, and this is a platform rather than an app: channels, workspaces, rules, macros and analytics to set up.
- 1
Best for support teams running shared inboxes at volume
Front is a shared inbox that now covers customer operations: email, SMS, chat and WhatsApp land in one team inbox, with ticketing, rules, analytics and a knowledge base on top.
- 2
Paid plans start at $25 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $25 per seat / month, billed annually.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial with all Professional plan features, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
- 5
Shared inboxes
Team inboxes where incoming messages can be assigned and handled together, so everyone can see who is working on which conversation.
- 6
Omnichannel inbox
Professional and Enterprise combine email, SMS, Front Chat, WhatsApp and other channels in one place. Starter is limited to a single channel type.
- 7
Ticketing and automation rules
Ticketing for complex requests plus multi-step rules: up to 10 rules on Starter, 20 on Professional and unlimited on Enterprise.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 19 of 51
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Front you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Front at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $25 per seat / month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial with all Professional plan features, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- FrontApp, Inc., since 2013
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for support teams running shared inboxes at volume
Front is a shared inbox that now covers customer operations: email, SMS, chat and WhatsApp land in one team inbox, with ticketing, rules, analytics and a knowledge base on top. Starter is $25 a seat, capped at 10 seats, one channel type and 10 rules. All channels need Professional at $65, the AI helpers cost extra until Enterprise at $105, there's no free plan, and big contracts must buy onboarding.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Starter is $25 a seat a month billed annually, which is where the dearest tenth of this category begins, and it stops at 10 seats, one channel type and 10 rules. All your channels in one inbox means Professional at $65, and Copilot is another $20 a seat until Enterprise at $105. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. The trial is 14 days with all the Professional plan features and no credit card. After that it's a paid plan or nothing. |
| Features | B | Shared inboxes with assignment, ticketing, multi-step rules, analytics, a no-code knowledge base and live chat, with email, SMS, Front Chat and WhatsApp in one place from Professional up. The team-inbox job is covered; Autopilot charges from $0.05 per resolved conversation. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and this is a platform rather than an app: channels, workspaces, rules, macros and analytics to set up. Front says itself that contracts over $25k must include a paid onboarding package. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. It connects to HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Asana, Aircall and WhatsApp, works with ChatGPT and Claude, and has a public API. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Front is for
- Fits if a support team works shared addresses all day and needs to see who has what
- Works for teams whose customers write in by email, chat, SMS and WhatsApp, on Professional at $65 a seat
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're one person with one inbox, because this is built and priced for teams
- Tight if you're on Starter, with 10 seats, one channel type and 10 automation rules
- Pricey if you want the AI, as Copilot and the QA and CSAT add-ons cost $20, $20 and $10 a seat below Enterprise
- Watch out: there's no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and Enterprise is annual billing only
- Watch out: contracts over $25k must include a paid onboarding package
Good to know
Good for
- Support and operations teams working shared addresses at volume
- Companies that want email, chat, SMS and WhatsApp in one team inbox
- Teams that need ticketing, rules and reporting on top of email
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; the 14-day trial is the only way to use Front without paying.
- Starter is capped at 10 seats and one channel type, and Professional at 50 seats.
- Copilot, Smart QA and Smart CSAT cost extra per seat on Starter and Professional.
- Enterprise is sold on annual billing only, and contracts over $25k must include a paid onboarding package.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$25
A month to start, for each person
Front is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $25 per seat / month, billed annually.
Starter
$25
per seat / month, billed annually
Up to 10 seats. One channel type (email, Front Chat or SMS), shared inbox, ticketing, up to 10 automation rules and basic analytics.
Professional
$65
per seat / month, billed annually
Up to 50 seats. Adds omnichannel support, macros, up to 20 rules, advanced analytics, up to 5 workspaces, SSO and SCIM.
Enterprise
$105
per seat / month, annual billing only
Unlimited seats, rules and macros, smart rules, custom roles, and Copilot, Smart QA and Smart CSAT included.
Trying it first
14-day free trial with all Professional plan features, no credit card required
Read from front.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 24% with annual billing
Front's pricing page states a 24% saving for annual billing. The prices it lists for Starter ($25) and Professional ($65) are the annually billed rates per seat a month.
Stated on front.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Shared inbox and customer operations platform with AI and ticketing. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, shared inbox, workflow automation.
- Shared inboxes
- Team inboxes where incoming messages can be assigned and handled together, so everyone can see who is working on which conversation.
- Omnichannel inbox
- Professional and Enterprise combine email, SMS, Front Chat, WhatsApp and other channels in one place. Starter is limited to a single channel type.
- Ticketing and automation rules
- Ticketing for complex requests plus multi-step rules: up to 10 rules on Starter, 20 on Professional and unlimited on Enterprise.
- Front AI
- Autopilot resolves conversations from $0.05 each. Copilot ($20 per seat a month), Smart QA ($20) and Smart CSAT ($10) are add-ons that Enterprise includes.
- Analytics
- Reporting on team workload and support quality: basic analytics on Starter and advanced analytics from Professional.
- Knowledge base and live chat
- A no-code knowledge base and Front Chat let customers help themselves. Multi-language knowledge bases need Enterprise.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- HubSpot
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Asana
- Aircall
- ChatGPT
- Claude
Front is made by FrontApp, Inc., and has been around since 2013.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/51
Other email apps it is graded above
Front's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 41 of 51) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $25 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 41 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 5 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Front’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 51
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 51
- BFeaturesAbove 30 of 51
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 51
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 41 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Front is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Front you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $300 a year.
What you could not
- One mailbox that several people work at once.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Front’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Missive, Spark Mail, Superhuman Mail and Shortwave
The 4 tools Front is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Missive
Free trial · from $14/mo
Team email client with shared inboxes, internal chat and rules.
- Missive also covers tasks and email client.
- 3.0GPA
Spark Mail
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Email client with a unified smart inbox, AI tools and team features.
- Spark Mail has a free plan. Front does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Front lists a web app.
- Front also covers workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Superhuman Mail
From $25/mo
Keyboard-driven email client for Gmail and Outlook with built-in AI.
- Only Superhuman Mail lists a browser extension.
- Front also covers shared inbox and workflow automation.
- Superhuman Mail also covers calendar, booking links and email client.
- 2.6GPA
Shortwave
Free plan · from $18/mo
AI email client for Gmail with an assistant, filters and split inbox.
- Shortwave has a free plan. Front does not, though it has a free trial.
- Front also covers shared inbox and workflow automation.
- Shortwave also covers chat assistant, AI search, templates and email client.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Front free?
No, Front is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial with all Professional plan features, no credit card required.
How much does Front cost?
Front lists 3 plans. Starter: $25 per seat / month, billed annually.
What platforms does Front work on?
Front is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Does Front offer any discounts?
Front publicly lists the following: Save 24% with annual billing.
Does Front have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Front is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Front open source?
Front is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
Does Front have an API?
Yes. Front offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Front integrate with?
Front's listing names HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Asana, Aircall, WhatsApp, ChatGPT and Claude.
Who makes Front?
Front is made by FrontApp, Inc. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to Front?
The closest alternatives to Front in our directory are Missive, Spark Mail, Superhuman Mail and Shortwave.
How does Front compare with other email apps?
Front's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is Front good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Front D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $25 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 41 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Front?
To replace Front you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Front’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Front's own pages on 4 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-10.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by FrontApp, Inc. Prices change, so check front.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Front, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/front
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Front: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/front
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/front/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Front, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 email apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- BlueMail Insider's GuideCross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI3.2 GPA
- Thunderbird Insider's GuideFree, open-source email app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Front’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Front is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by FrontApp, Inc. Prices and plans change: check front.com before you buy.