Top 10 Free Alternatives to Zendesk in 2025
Zendesk has become synonymous with customer service solutions. However, numerous free alternatives have emerged by 2025, offering robust features tailored to various business needs. This article delves into the top 10 free Zendesk alternatives available in 2025, detailing their features, ideal use cases, and target audiences.
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1. HubSpot Service Hub
- Free Plan Details: Offers a free plan suitable for small businesses, including email support (one inbox) and basic ticketing, limited to two users.
- Key Features: CRM integration, ticketing, knowledge base, email support, and reporting.
- Ideal for: Small businesses looking for an integrated solution with CRM, marketing, and sales. Learn more about HubSpot Service Hub
2. Freshdesk
- Free Plan Details: Free for a limited number of agents (typically two), includes email support and basic help desk functionalities.
- Key Features: Ticketing, knowledge base, email support, and automation.
- Ideal for: Businesses looking for a feature-rich help desk with a variety of integrations. Explore Freshdesk
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3. Zoho Desk
- Free Plan Details: Offers a free plan for up to three users, providing email support and features for knowledge management.
- Key Features: Ticketing, knowledge management, customer portals, and community forums.
- Ideal for: Small to mid-sized businesses requiring a customizable and scalable solution. Discover Zoho Desk
4. Jira Service Management
- Free Plan Details: Offers a free plan for up to three agents, including a customer portal, ideal for technical support.
- Key Features: Ticketing, IT support focus, customer portal, reporting, and Atlassian Community support.
- Ideal for: IT teams looking for integrated ticketing and project management. Check out Jira Service Management
5. Help Scout
- Free Plan Details: Some sources mention "free", but most listings do not. Focus is on affordability and ease of use; may offer a free trial.
- Key Features: Shared inboxes, knowledge base, and reporting.
- Ideal for: Teams seeking a simpler, user-friendly alternative to Zendesk. Learn more about Help Scout
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6. Hiver
- Free Plan Details: Primarily a paid tool but may offer a free trial or a limited free version; integrates with Gmail and Outlook.
- Key Features: Email management, collaboration, live chat (in some plans), and shared inboxes.
- Ideal for: Teams using Gmail or Outlook, looking for seamless integration of customer support features. Discover Hiver
7. osTicket
- Free Plan Details: Completely free and open-source, requires self-hosting.
- Key Features: Ticketing, customer portals, and knowledge management.
- Ideal for: Businesses comfortable with self-hosting and looking for a cost-free open-source solution. Explore osTicket
8. Spiceworks
- Free Plan Details: Completely free, focusing on IT support.
- Key Features: Ticketing, community support, and IT asset management.
- Ideal for: IT departments needing a free help desk and community resources. Learn more about Spiceworks
9. HelpDesk
- Free Plan Details: Offers a 14-day free trial, focusing on a user-friendly interface and customizable workflows.
- Key Features: Ticket management, AI-powered tools, and customizable reporting.
- Ideal for: Businesses looking to manage customer inquiries and issues efficiently. Discover HelpDesk
10. LiveAgent
- Free Plan Details: Offers a free plan with limited features, focusing on live chat capabilities.
- Key Features: Ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base.
- Ideal for: Teams needing a live chat feature. Explore LiveAgent
Additional Notes:
- "Free" Limitations: Keep in mind that free plans often come with limitations in terms of users, features, and support.
- Trials: Many platforms offer free trials of their paid plans, providing an opportunity to test features before committing.
- Specific Needs: Choose the right tool based on your specific business needs, size, and technical expertise.
Disclaimer: Pricing, free plan features, and availability can change. Ensure to verify the latest information directly with the software providers before making any decisions.
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FAQ
1. What is the best free alternative to Zendesk for small businesses?
HubSpot Service Hub is ideal for small businesses, offering CRM integration, ticketing, and email support. Learn more about HubSpot Service Hub
2. Does Freshdesk offer a free plan?
Yes, Freshdesk provides a free plan for up to two agents, including email support and basic help desk functionalities. Explore Freshdesk
3. Which free alternative provides community forums and is highly customizable?
Zoho Desk allows for community forums and offers a free plan for up to three users. Discover Zoho Desk
4. What is a good free alternative for IT teams?
Jira Service Management is ideal for IT teams, providing ticketing and project management integration. Learn more about Jira Service Management
5. Is Help Scout free to use?
Help Scout generally does not have a free plan but is noted for its affordability and ease of use.
6. Which alternative integrates with Gmail and Outlook for customer support?
Hiver integrates directly with Gmail and Outlook inboxes for seamless customer support. Explore Hiver
7. Is there a free open-source alternative to Zendesk?
Yes, osTicket is a free and open-source help desk system that requires self-hosting. Learn more about osTicket
8. Which alternative is favored by IT professionals for its comprehensive free plan?
Spiceworks offers a completely free help desk system and is popular among IT professionals. Discover Spiceworks
9. Does HelpDesk offer a free trial?
HelpDesk offers a 14-day free trial, focusing on a user-friendly interface and customizable workflows. Explore HelpDesk
10. Which free alternative focuses on live chat functionality?
LiveAgent provides a free plan with limited features, focusing on live chat support. Learn more about LiveAgent
References
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
