Best help desk for small business
5 agents and 100 AI resolutions a month, monthly billing so you can cancel. Self-serve plans a small team can start without a sales call; AI overage counted where the vendor publishes it.
| # | Tool | Bill /mo | Plan | From | Free? | Why on this list | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LiveAgent | $75 | Starter | $15/agent/mo | 30-day trial | Budget omnichannel help desk with no AI fees: $15/agent/mo Starter offer ($11 annual), 30-day trial | Visit |
| 2 |  Help Scout | $75 | Free | $30/agent/mo | Yes | Shared-inbox help desk with a free plan for 5 users and $25/user/mo Standard (annual) | Visit |
| 3 |  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 |
| 4 |  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 |
| 5 |  Freshdesk | $115 | Growth | $23/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 |
| 6 |  HappyFox | $145 | Basic | $29/agent/mo | No | Help desk with monthly, annual or two-year terms: Basic $29/agent/mo ($24 annual) up to 5 agents | Visit |
| 7 |  Jira Service Management | $207.50 | 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 |  Re:amaze | $208.75 | Basic | $29/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Ecommerce-friendly help desk: $29/member/mo Basic with 5 AI resolutions per user included | Visit |
| 9 |  HelpDesk | $224 | Essential | $25/agent/mo | 14-day trial | Ticketing from the LiveChat team: $25/user/mo Essential ($19 annual) with 10 AI resolutions included | Visit |
| 10 |  Intercom | $294 | Essential | $39/agent/mo | No | AI-first support suite: Essential $39/seat/mo ($29 annual) plus Fin AI Agent from $0.99 per outcome | Visit |
FAQ
What is the best help desk for small business?
Ranked for 5 agents, 100 AI resolutions a month, monthly billing: LiveAgent $75/mo, Help Scout $75/mo, Crisp $95/mo, Zendesk $95/mo. Self-serve plans a small team can start without a sales call; AI overage counted where the vendor publishes it.
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.