The Hesk Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Hesk 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.
Hesk
The Insider’s Guide
PHP help desk you host yourself, or a flat-fee cloud version
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among help desk and live chat tools, read from Hesk’s own pages.
Made by Hesk · checked Nov 12, 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 Hesk’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Hesk’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 36 of the 66 other help desk and live chat tools we grade
Hesk is a help desk and ticket system that runs on your own PHP and MySQL hosting, or as a hosted service called Hesk Cloud. Tickets can be submitted, assigned and answered, and a built-in knowledge base lets customers find answers first. The self-hosted edition is free; cloud plans charge a flat fee instead of a per-agent price.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Hesk, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The free edition needs a PHP and MySQL server and you run the install.
- 1
Best for a small team wanting a plain ticket system
It covers tickets and a knowledge base and not much more, and the free edition has no hosting, backups or email setup.
- 2
Paid plans start at $29.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $29.99 per month for up to 10 agents (Hesk Cloud).
- 3
There is a free plan
Hesk Free: install it on your own PHP/MySQL server at no cost; you handle hosting, updates and backups.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Ticket management
Customers submit tickets that staff track, assign and answer, with canned responses and automatic assignment to cut repeat typing.
- 6
Built-in knowledge base
A self-help knowledge base sits alongside the ticket form so customers can find answers before they write in.
- 7
Self-hosted or cloud
Run it on your own PHP/MySQL hosting, or choose Hesk Cloud in a US, EU or Australian data center.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 36 of 66
That is against the other help desk and live chat tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Hesk you could make: help desk and help center. What surrounds it you could not. The 1 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Hesk at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $29.99 per month for up to 10 agents (Hesk Cloud)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Hesk, since 2005
- Category
- Help Desks & Live Chat
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a small team wanting a plain ticket system
HESK is a PHP help desk you can host yourself for free or rent as a flat-fee cloud, from $29.99 a month for up to 10 agents. It covers tickets and a knowledge base and not much more, and the free edition has no hosting, backups or email setup.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Cloud is $29.99 a month for up to 10 agents, about $6 a seat for a team of five, under 60% of the $19 where support tools start. The self-hosted licences are $49.99 and $199.99 once. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The free edition costs nothing to install on your own PHP and MySQL server. You handle hosting, updates and backups, so it is free only if you have a server. |
| Features | C | Tickets, a built-in knowledge base, self-hosted or cloud, language packs. Some cloud-only modules, such as escalation and surveys, cannot move to a self-hosted install. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. The free edition needs a PHP and MySQL server and you run the install. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only on the listing, with no integrations on record. |
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 Hesk is for
- Fits if you want a basic ticket system with no per-agent fee
- Works for a team with a server and someone to run it
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you have no server or tech help, because the free edition includes no hosting, installation or backups
- Too light for a team that wants automation and integrations, as none are on record
- Watch out: a licence only removes branding links and adds support, it unlocks no features
- Watch out: on Hesk Cloud, email-to-ticket is off by default and you must contact Hesk to turn it on
Good to know
Good for
- Small teams that want a free help desk on their own server
- Teams that prefer a flat fee over per-agent pricing
- Nonprofits and organizations that need a simple ticket form
Worth knowing
- The free edition includes no hosting, installation, backups or email-to-ticket setup; the license does not cover them either.
- A license only removes branding links and adds support; it activates no new features.
- Cloud-only features such as the escalate and survey modules cannot be exported to a self-hosted install.
- Email-to-ticket on Hesk Cloud is switched off by default and has to be enabled by contacting Hesk.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$29.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Hesk has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29.99 per month for up to 10 agents (Hesk Cloud).
The free edition costs nothing to install on your own PHP and MySQL server.
Hesk Free
$0
Self-hosted help desk and knowledge base on your own server, with Powered by Hesk links shown.
Hesk Cloud
$29.99
per month for up to 10 agents, billed monthly
Hosted by Hesk with 10 GB of uploads, unlimited tickets and a statistics module. $299 a year if prepaid.
Hesk Cloud Pro
$49.99
per month for up to 50 agents, billed monthly
Adds escalate and survey modules and recurring tickets, with 50 GB of uploads. $499 a year if prepaid.
Hesk Cloud MAX
$99.99
per month for up to 200 agents, billed monthly
Everything in Pro for large teams, with 200 GB of uploads. $999 a year if prepaid.
Website License
$49.99
one-time, one self-hosted installation
Removes the Powered by Hesk branding and adds a year of email support; unlocks no new features.
Advanced License
$199.99
one-time, five self-hosted installations
Branding removal on five installations and five years of support from the Hesk team.
The free plan
Hesk Free: install it on your own PHP/MySQL server at no cost; you handle hosting, updates and backups.
Read from hesk.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Prepay a year of Hesk Cloud and save
Annual prepayment costs $299 (Cloud), $499 (Pro) or $999 (MAX), which the page says saves $60, $100 and $200 against monthly billing.
Stated on hesk.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
PHP help desk you host yourself, or a flat-fee cloud version. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, help desk, help center, ticketing.
Tickets, a built-in knowledge base, self-hosted or cloud, language packs.
- Ticket management
- Customers submit tickets that staff track, assign and answer, with canned responses and automatic assignment to cut repeat typing.
- Built-in knowledge base
- A self-help knowledge base sits alongside the ticket form so customers can find answers before they write in.
- Self-hosted or cloud
- Run it on your own PHP/MySQL hosting, or choose Hesk Cloud in a US, EU or Australian data center.
- Flat pricing without per-agent fees
- Cloud plans set a staff limit (10, 50 or 200 agents) and a flat monthly or yearly price, rather than charging each agent.
- Cloud-only modules
- Cloud Pro and MAX add escalation, survey and recurring-ticket modules; the site says some modules are not available self-hosted.
- Language packs
- The site lists packs for more than 35 languages that can be enabled in the admin settings.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Hesk is made by Hesk, and has been around since 2005.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
36/66
Other help desk and live chat tools it is graded above
Hesk's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 36 of the 66 other help desk and live chat tools we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 60 of 66) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $29.99 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 35 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. 35 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 67 help desk and live chat tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Hesk’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 60 of 66
- BFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 66
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 66
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 66
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 66
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 help desk and live chat tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Hesk 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
The plain part of Hesk you could make: help desk and help center. What surrounds it you could not. The 1 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $359.88 a year.
What you could make
- Help desk and help center: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Selling tickets and checking them at the door.
What this rests on. Hesk’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
osTicket, FreeScout, UVdesk, Zammad and LiveAgent
The 5 tools Hesk is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
osTicket
Free plan · from $12/mo
Open-source support ticketing, self-hosted or as a cloud edition.
- osTicket is open source, according to its own site.
- Hesk also covers help center and ticketing.
- osTicket also covers shared inbox and workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
FreeScout
Free
Free open-source help desk and shared mailbox you host yourself.
- Only FreeScout lists iOS and Android apps.
- FreeScout is open source, according to its own site.
- Hesk also covers ticketing.
- 2.6GPA
UVdesk
Free plan · from $8/mo
Open-source help desk for online stores with hosted Pro and Enterprise.
- UVdesk is open source, according to its own site.
- Hesk also covers ticketing.
- UVdesk also covers shared inbox and forms.
- 2.8GPA
Zammad
Free plan · from €7/mo
Open-source help desk, hosted in Germany or run on your own server.
- Zammad is open source, according to its own site.
- Hesk also covers help center and ticketing.
- Zammad also covers shared inbox and live chat.
- 2.6GPA
LiveAgent
Free trial · from $15/mo
Help desk with email tickets, live chat, call center and AI agents.
- Hesk has a free plan. LiveAgent does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only LiveAgent lists iOS and Android apps.
- Hesk is self-hostable, according to its own site.
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 Hesk free?
Hesk has a free plan. Hesk Free: install it on your own PHP/MySQL server at no cost; you handle hosting, updates and backups.
How much does Hesk cost?
Hesk lists 6 plans. Hesk Free: $0.
What platforms does Hesk work on?
Hesk is available on Web.
Does Hesk offer any discounts?
Hesk publicly lists the following: Prepay a year of Hesk Cloud and save.
Does Hesk have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Hesk is listed for Web.
Does Hesk have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Hesk is listed for Web.
Is Hesk open source?
Hesk is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Can Hesk be self-hosted?
Yes. Hesk's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Who makes Hesk?
Hesk is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2005.
What are the alternatives to Hesk?
The closest alternatives to Hesk in our directory are osTicket, FreeScout, UVdesk, Zammad and LiveAgent.
How does Hesk compare with other help desk and live chat tools?
Hesk's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 36 of the 66 other help desk and live chat tools we grade, and level with 12.
Is Hesk good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Hesk A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $29.99 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 35 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Hesk?
The plain part of Hesk you could make: help desk and help center. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Hesk’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Hesk's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Hesk. Prices change, so check hesk.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Hesk, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hesk
- 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, "Hesk: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hesk
Know someone choosing between help desk and live chat tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hesk/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded help desk and live chat tools after Hesk, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Help Desks & Live Chat Insider's GuideEvery one of the 67 help desk and live chat tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Desk Insider's GuideLow-cost ticketing help desk with a free plan for three users3.4 GPA
- Tidio Insider's GuideLive chat, ticketing and the Lyro AI agent priced by conversations3.2 GPA
- tawk.to Insider's GuideFree live chat, ticketing and help center, with paid add-ons3.0 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 Hesk’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. Hesk is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Hesk. Prices and plans change: check hesk.com before you buy.