Freshdesk Alternative: Simple Pricing Without the Session Fees

Freshdesk has positioned itself as the affordable Zendesk alternative, and for good reason—it's generally cheaper and easier to use. But as Freshworks has grown, so has the complexity of their pricing, especially around AI features.

If you're evaluating Freshdesk alternatives, you've likely noticed: the advertised pricing and the actual cost are often very different once you add AI features, phone support, and the agents you actually need.

Support Station offers a cleaner approach: flat-rate pricing with AI included, no session fees, and unlimited seats.

Quick Pricing Comparison

Team Size	Support Station (Standard)	Freshdesk Pro	Annual Savings
5 agents	$175/month	$245/month	$1,140/year
10 agents	$175/month	$490/month	$4,080/year
25 agents	$175/month	$1,225/month	$12,900/year
50 agents	$175/month	$2,450/month	$27,600/year

Freshdesk Pro at $49/agent/month. Support Station Standard at $175/month flat.

Freshdesk Works, But the Pricing Gets Complicated

Freshdesk does a lot of things right. Their free tier is generous (up to 10 agents), the UI is clean, and they've built a solid reputation as an easier-to-use alternative to Zendesk.

But once you start adding what you actually need—AI features, phone support, more agents—the costs add up in ways that aren't obvious upfront.

The AI Session Trap

Freshdesk's AI (Freddy) uses a session-based model that can get expensive quickly.

“Freddy AI Copilot is not included in the standard plans. It costs an extra $29/agent/month on top of your Pro or Enterprise subscription. If you're on the Pro plan, that bumps your cost per agent from $49 to $78—a jump of nearly 60%.”

The AI pricing structure is complex:

• Freddy Copilot: $29/agent/month extra
• AI Agent Sessions: $49-100 per 1,000 sessions
• Sessions don't roll over: Unused sessions expire each billing cycle

“Freddy AI sessions cost $100–$1,000 per 1,000 sessions and expire each billing cycle with no rollover.”

Here's what that means for a 10-agent team on the Pro plan:

Item	Monthly Cost
Base Pro plan	$490 (10 × $49)
Freddy Copilot	$290 (10 × $29)
5,000 AI sessions	$250-500
Total	$1,030-$1,280/month

Support Station includes 10,000 AI credits in our Standard plan at $175/month flat. No per-agent AI fees, no expiring sessions.

The Four-Product Problem

Freshworks has split their support tools across multiple products, each with its own pricing:

“Freshdesk is split into 4 separate products: Freshdesk (ticketing), Omni, Freshchat, and Freshcaller, each with its own pricing.”

Want ticketing AND chat AND phone? You're navigating three different products with three different bills. This fragmentation makes it hard to understand your true cost and creates a disjointed experience.

Support Station provides a unified platform—ticketing, knowledge base, AI chat, email, and Slack integration—all in one place, one price.

Support and Billing Issues

Freshworks' support and billing practices have frustrated some users, particularly during cancellation.

“I'm not very satisfied with Freshdesk. They're not very good at providing support, overcharge us, and they are not very cooperative when we have questions or issues.”

“We were on a month-to-month contract yet they continue to charge us for 10 agents when we haven't even gone live yet—they won't work with us on refunding that money.”

Users report:

• Difficulty getting refunds for unused services
• Outdated documentation advertising features that don't exist
• Day passes for occasional agents adding unexpected costs ($5-7 each)

Support Station offers straightforward billing. Monthly plans cancel anytime. No hidden day pass fees, no complicated refund processes.

Feature Comparison

What You Might Miss

Here's where Freshdesk has advantages:

• Generous free tier: Freshdesk's free plan supports 10 agents (though with limited features). Support Station's free tier is 3 seats.
• Native phone support: Freshcaller provides call center capabilities as a separate product.
• Field service management: Freshdesk has specialized tools for field service teams.
• Marketplace maturity: Longer market presence means more third-party integrations.

For teams that need phone support or field service features, these differences matter. For most startups focused on chat, email, and async support, they're less relevant.

Who Should Switch

Support Station is ideal for:

• Teams frustrated by AI session fees that expire and add up
• Growing companies who don't want per-agent pricing
• Startups who need a unified platform, not four separate products
• Cost-conscious teams who want predictable monthly bills

Consider staying with Freshdesk if:

• You need native phone/call center support
• You rely on field service management features
• You have fewer than 10 agents and can stay on the free tier
• You've heavily invested in Freshworks ecosystem integrations

Making the Switch

Migrating from Freshdesk to Support Station is simple:

1. Export your knowledge base articles from Freshdesk
2. Import content into Support Station
3. Set up your support widget (one line of code)
4. Configure email forwarding to route support emails
5. Connect Slack for team notifications

Most teams complete migration within a day.

The Bottom Line

Freshdesk markets itself as affordable, but the actual cost—once you add AI features, the agents you need, and other add-ons—often exceeds what teams expect.

Support Station simplifies the equation: flat-rate pricing, AI included, unlimited seats. No session fees, no per-agent AI costs, no expired credits.

For a 10-person team with AI needs, you could save over $10,000 per year compared to Freshdesk Pro with Freddy Copilot.

Ready for transparent pricing? Start your free trial and experience the difference.