Hiver Alternative: Why Teams Are Breaking Free from Gmail Dependency

Hiver built its business on a simple promise: turn Gmail into a helpdesk. But that promise comes with a catch—you're locked into Gmail's limitations while paying helpdesk prices. Add in sudden 60% price increases and AI as a $20/user add-on, and many teams are questioning whether the convenience is worth the constraints.

If you're searching for a Hiver alternative, Support Station offers a better path: flat-rate pricing with AI included, no Gmail dependency, and no surprise price hikes.

Quick Pricing Comparison

Team Size	Support Station (Standard)	Hiver (Pro + AI)	Annual Savings
5 agents	$175/month	$395/month	$2,940/year
10 agents	$175/month	$790/month	$7,680/year
25 agents	$175/month	$1,975/month	$21,900/year
50 agents	$175/month	$3,950/month	$45,600/year

Hiver Pro at $59/user + Harvey AI at $20/user = $79/user/month. Support Station Standard at $175/month flat.

Hiver Has Its Place, But...

Hiver works well for teams who live in Gmail and want minimal change to their workflow. The native Gmail integration means no new interface to learn—just enhanced Gmail.

But that strength is also a limitation. And Hiver's pricing practices have frustrated many loyal customers.

The 60% Price Increase Problem

Hiver users report sudden, significant price increases—sometimes with less than 24 hours notice.

“They recently increased pricing significantly with less than 24 hours' notice.”

“Hiver changes their plans hugely every so often and forces existing customers onto these new plans... how can they justify wild price increases like 60%?”

“Even in multi-year agreements Hiver will push for a price increase YoY.”

Support Station offers transparent, predictable pricing. No surprise increases, no forced plan migrations, no annual renegotiations.

Harvey AI: Another $20/User

Hiver's AI assistant, Harvey, isn't included in any plan. It's a $20/user/month add-on—on top of whatever tier you're already paying.

“What if AI gives the wrong response? Can agents edit it? Absolutely. Every AI suggestion, whether a reply or a summary, is editable. Think of it as a starting point, not a final answer.”

That quote reveals two problems: Harvey's AI is explicitly described as potentially wrong, and Hiver acknowledges it's just a "starting point"—not reliable enough to trust without human review.

Here's what Harvey AI costs:

Base Plan	Per User	+ Harvey AI	Total Per User
Lite	$24	$20	$44
Growth	$34	$20	$54
Pro	$59	$20	$79
Elite	Custom	$20	Custom

A 10-person team on Growth with Harvey: $540/month ($54 × 10).

Support Station includes AI in every paid plan. Our Standard plan comes with 10,000 AI interactions—no add-on required, and our AI is RAG-powered to only answer from your knowledge base.

The Gmail Ceiling

Hiver's Gmail dependency creates inherent limitations that frustrate growing teams.

“The fact that I use it on top of Gmail makes it limited to how an e-mail tool works.”

“Hiver is limited to a degree by working as a Gmail add-on.”

Specific limitations users report:

• No ticket merging: Can't combine related conversations
• Search restrictions: Limited to specific folders
• Assignment tracking: Difficult to track emails after assignment
• Gmail dependency: If Gmail changes, Hiver breaks

Support Station is a standalone platform—you get full control over your support infrastructure without being limited by email client constraints.

Support Quality Concerns

For a helpdesk company, Hiver's support has drawn concerning feedback.

“When we called Hiver's India-based support team, they were loudly making obvious, derogatory remarks about our being female and unable to understand their tool.”

“Support is slow. The replies are there, but they are rarely able to solve the problems. Usually the bugs get blamed on Google.”

At Support Station, we believe support software companies should demonstrate excellent support. We respond promptly and work to solve your actual problems.

Limited Analytics

Users describe Hiver's analytics as lacking depth.

“The analytics module is very limited.”

For teams needing comprehensive reporting on response times, resolution rates, and agent performance, Hiver's built-in analytics may fall short.

Support Station includes detailed analytics in every plan, with advanced reporting and custom reports available on Pro.

Feature Comparison

What You Might Miss

We believe in honest comparisons. Here's where Hiver has advantages:

• Native Gmail/Outlook integration: If your team lives in Gmail, Hiver's interface is seamless.
• No new tool to learn: Works inside the email client your team already knows.
• WhatsApp integration: Native WhatsApp support for customer communication.
• Voice via Aircall: Phone integration through Aircall partnership.
• Customer portal: Dedicated portal for customers to track their tickets.

For teams deeply committed to Gmail who want minimal workflow disruption, Hiver's native integration is a genuine benefit.

Who Should Switch

Support Station is ideal for:

• Teams tired of price increases and unpredictable billing
• Growing companies who want AI without per-user add-ons
• Organizations outgrowing Gmail who need a full-featured platform
• Startups who want predictable, flat-rate pricing

Consider staying with Hiver if:

• Your team lives in Gmail and refuses to use anything else
• WhatsApp is critical to your support workflow
• You've negotiated favorable long-term pricing
• The Gmail limitations don't affect your workflows

Making the Switch

Migrating from Hiver to Support Station is straightforward:

1. Export your shared inbox data from Hiver
2. Set up your knowledge base in Support Station
3. Configure your widget on your website
4. Set up email forwarding (works with any email provider)
5. Connect Slack for team notifications

Most teams complete migration in under a day.

The Bottom Line

Hiver works if you want Gmail with extra features. But Gmail dependency limits your growth, 60% price increases punish loyalty, and AI as a $20/user add-on makes automation expensive.

Support Station offers freedom from email client constraints: a full-featured platform with flat-rate pricing and AI included.

For a 10-person team with AI, switching saves over $7,680 per year. For a 50-person team, you're looking at $45,600+ in annual savings.

Ready to break free from Gmail limitations? Start your free trial and see the difference a purpose-built platform makes.