FreshDesk vs Freshservice: What are the differences?

Introduction

Here are 6 key differences between FreshDesk and Freshservice:

1. Purpose: FreshDesk is a customer support software designed for businesses to manage and resolve customer inquiries and issues. It focuses on providing excellent customer service through various channels like emails, phone calls, social media, and live chat. Freshservice, on the other hand, is an IT service management (ITSM) software specifically built for IT teams to manage internal support requests, incidents, and assets. It focuses on streamlining IT operations and improving efficiency in handling IT-related tasks.

2. Features: FreshDesk offers features like ticket management, knowledge base, customer portal, automation, and reporting, all of which cater to providing exceptional customer support. Freshservice, in addition to the customer support features, also offers IT-specific features like asset management, change management, problem management, service catalog, and CMDB (configuration management database). These features are designed to help IT teams effectively manage and resolve internal IT issues.

3. Integration: FreshDesk integrates well with various third-party applications like CRM systems, productivity tools, and document management software. It allows businesses to streamline their customer support processes by connecting FreshDesk with other software solutions in their tech stack. Freshservice, being an IT-focused software, offers extensive integrations with popular IT tools and platforms, such as network monitoring tools, remote desktop software, and IT asset management software. This allows IT teams to seamlessly integrate Freshservice with their existing IT infrastructure.

4. Customization: FreshDesk provides customization options to tailor the software according to the branding and requirements of the business. Users can customize the support portal, email templates, and ticket fields to match their company's branding and workflow. Freshservice, on the other hand, offers more extensive customization options. Users can create custom forms, define SLAs (service level agreements), design service catalogs, and build workflows to align the software with their specific IT processes and requirements.

5. User Interface: FreshDesk has a user-friendly and intuitive interface focused on providing a pleasant experience for both support agents and customers. It is designed to prioritize ticket management and customer interactions. Freshservice, being an ITSM software, has a clean and organized interface that caters more towards managing IT assets, incidents, and changes. The user interface is optimized for IT teams to efficiently handle and track IT-related tasks.

6. Pricing: FreshDesk offers various pricing plans based on the number of support agents and features required. It is more affordable for businesses primarily focused on customer support. Freshservice has pricing plans specifically designed for IT teams, considering the number of IT agents and the IT features required. It may have a higher price point compared to FreshDesk due to its IT-focused functionalities.

In summary, FreshDesk is a customer support software catering to businesses to provide exceptional customer service, while Freshservice is an ITSM software targeting IT teams for efficient management of internal support requests and IT processes. FreshDesk focuses on customer interactions, while Freshservice focuses on IT asset and incident management. Overall, FreshDesk is more configurable for branding and provides an intuitive interface, whereas Freshservice is tailored towards IT-specific features and integrations.