Cheapest help desk software
Lowest verified bill for 5 agents with no AI, billed annually. Ranked by our calculator for the stated shape — agent minimums, caps and flat-plan seat limits applied — not by sticker price.
| # | Tool | Bill /mo | Plan | From | Free? | Why on this list | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Help Scout | $0 | Free | $25/agent/mo | Yes | Shared-inbox help desk with a free plan for 5 users and $25/user/mo Standard (annual) | Visit |
| 2 |  LiveAgent | $55 | Starter | $11/agent/mo | 30-day trial | Budget omnichannel help desk with no AI fees: $15/agent/mo Starter offer ($11 annual), 30-day trial | Visit |
| 3 |  Zendesk | $95 | Support Team | $19/agent/mo | 14-day trial | The default enterprise help desk: Support Team from $19/agent/mo and Suite Team $55, billed yearly | Visit |
| 4 |  Freshdesk | $95 | Growth | $19/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Freshworks help desk with an AI agent on every plan: $19/agent/mo Growth (annual), 500 AI sessions included | Visit |
| 5 |  Crisp | $95 | Essentials | $45/mo | Yes | Flat-priced support inbox per workspace: $45/mo for 4 agents, $95 for 10, free plan for 2 | Visit |
| 6 |  HelpDesk | $95 | Essential | $19/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Ticketing from the LiveChat team: $25/user/mo Essential ($19 annual) with 10 AI resolutions included | Visit |
| 7 |  Jira Service Management | $107.50 | Standard | $21.50/agent/mo | Yes | Atlassian service desk: free for 3 agents, Standard $21.50/agent/mo, AI agent at $1 per resolution | Visit |
| 8 |  HappyFox | $120 | Basic | $24/agent/mo | No | Help desk with monthly, annual or two-year terms: Basic $29/agent/mo ($24 annual) up to 5 agents | Visit |
| 9 |  Front | $125 | Starter | $25/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Email-first customer operations platform: $25/seat/mo Starter for up to 10 seats, billed annually | Visit |
| 10 |  Re:amaze | $130.50 | Basic | $26.10/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Ecommerce-friendly help desk: $29/member/mo Basic with 5 AI resolutions per user included | Visit |
| 11 |  Intercom | $145 | Essential | $29/agent/mo | No | AI-first support suite: Essential $39/seat/mo ($29 annual) plus Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome | Visit |
| 12 |  Deskpro | $195 | Team | $39/agent/mo | No | Configurable help desk with cloud or on-prem options: $39/agent/mo Team (minimum 5 agents) | Visit |
FAQ
What is the cheapest help desk software?
Ranked for 5 agents, 0 AI resolutions a month, annual billing: Help Scout $0/mo, LiveAgent $55/mo, Zendesk $95/mo, Freshdesk $95/mo. Ranked by our calculator for the stated shape — agent minimums, caps and flat-plan seat limits applied — not by sticker price.
Is the cheapest help desk always the best pick?
No. Check channels (email, chat, phone), SLAs, reporting, integrations and whether AI is billed per resolution on each tool page before you switch.
How were these prices checked?
Official pricing pages captured with Playwright on 2026-11-03. Anything unpublished stays Not listed.