10 Best Simple Help Desk Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 25 tools reviewed.
In the fast-paced world of customer service, you're often juggling multiple tasks and striving to keep your customers satisfied. I understand that challenge. Simple help desk software can make a difference by organizing your inquiries and improving your response times.
I've spent time testing and reviewing various options to bring you an unbiased perspective on the best solutions available. You'll find insights into features, usability, and what makes each tool unique.
In this article, I'll guide you through my top picks, focusing on what helps your team succeed. Whether you're looking to boost efficiency or enhance communication, there's a solution here for you.
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Best Simple Help Desk Software Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top simple help desk software selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best customer support solution for diverse issues | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $15/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 2 | Best for simple, customizable support workflows | Free trial available | From $26/seat/month (3 seat minimum) | Website | |
| 3 | Best for for advanced help desk features | Free plan available | From $25/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 4 | Best for providing remote access support | 15-day free trial available | From $12/month | Website | |
| 5 | Best AI-powered help desk software | 14-day free trial | From $49/user/month | Website | |
| 6 | Best AI-powered support chatbot | Free trial available | From $9/member/month | Website | |
| 7 | Best help desk software for businesses of all sizes | 15-day free trial | From $7/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 8 | Best for easy ticket organization | 7-day free trial + free plan available | From $25/user/month | Website | |
| 9 | Best for AI-powered personalization | Free trial + free demo available | From $25/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 10 | Best for MSP and IT teams | Free trial available | From $79/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
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Hiver
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
CRM Creatio
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
monday service
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6
Best Simple Help Desk Software Review
Below are my detailed summaries of the best simple help desk software that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Freshdesk is a powerful help desk that enables support teams to deliver effective and timely customer assistance through various channels. It allows businesses to handle various customer issues, from minor concerns to complex resolutions that require collaboration across multiple teams and timeframes.
Why I picked Freshdesk: I chose Freshdesk because of its exceptional ticket automation feature, which greatly improves response times and simplifies customer support procedures. By automating ticket management and routing, support teams can offer efficient and prompt assistance to customers through different channels.
Freshdesk Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include multichannel support where businesses can engage with customers across various channels. The software also provides a customer portal where customers can track their tickets and access helpful resources. Furthermore, Freshdesk can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each business, ensuring consistency and alignment with your brand identity.
Integrations include AI Smart Assist, Attachment Manager, Google Analytics, Mailchimp, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Shopify, Slack, TeamViewer, and WhatsApp. You can also integrate with 1,000+ apps on Freshdesk’s marketplace, spanning different categories like agent productivity, social media, reporting, and analytics.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Omnichannel support
- Comprehensive customization
- Can be scaled
Cons:
- No advanced reporting
- Slight learning curve
monday service offers ticket management, multi-channel support, and AI-powered automations for service teams. It enables teams to organize, track, and resolve customer requests through customizable, no-code workflows.
Why I picked monday service: The software lets you create custom support workflows without needing any coding knowledge. You can customize workflows to match your team’s processes, ensuring smoother operations. Meanwhile, automations help reduce repetitive tasks, so your team can respond faster to customer requests, and visual dashboards make it easy to track service performance and prioritize tickets.
monday service Standout Features and Integrations
Features include no-code customizable workflows, automations for repetitive tasks, visual dashboards to track performance, centralized customer request management, reporting tools for team insights, and task assignment and prioritization.
Integrations include Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Dropbox, Jira, HubSpot, Salesforce, GitHub, and Gmail.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scales well with growing teams
- Easy visual tracking of tasks
- Simple customizable workflows
Cons:
- Automations may require fine-tuning
- Setup can be time-consuming
New Product Updates from monday service
AI Copilot Enhances Ticket Resolution
The Monday service update introduces an AI copilot to auto-resolve tickets by responding to routine requests using past resolutions, with user-controlled confidence levels. For more details, visit monday.com/whats-new.
Hiver is a modern AI-driven help desk solution built for teams that want ease of use without compromising on advanced features. You get all of the important features needed for providing good customer support from a familiar, email-like interface, so there’s virtually no learning curve.
Why I picked Hiver: Teams can manage queries from all channels, like email, live chat, WhatsApp, voice, SMS, and social media from a panel on the left-hand side of your screen. You also get a built-in knowledge base for self-service, detailed analytics to track team performance, and collaboration tools such as notes and shared drafts to make teamwork seamless. Hiver’s support stands out, too. Regardless of which pricing plan you’re on (including the free one), you get access to human-led email and chat support 24x7.
Hiver Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include its advanced AI capabilities, which are embedded across all touchpoints of the customer support journey. For example, AI Copilot helps agents respond to customers through contextual answers, reply drafts, and more, while AI Agents help you set up autonomous workflows to handle FAQs, follow-ups, and other actions. It also has AI Insights that use conversations to forecast issues and risks.
Integrations include Aircall, Asana, Jira, Okta, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Slack, WhatsApp, and Zapier and 100+ other platforms.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- AI features embedded at all stages of customer support journey
- Customer support from real humans available 24/7 via chat or email, across all plans (including free one)
- Helps you schedule CSAT surveys to check on how customers are feeling
Cons:
- Compared to some other platforms, Hiver offers fewer third party integrations
- Mobile experience isn’t as strong as the desktop one
New Product Updates from Hiver
Hiver's Layout Settings, Outlook Import, and Conversation Downloads
Hiver's updates boost your email workflow with a new side-by-side interface, Outlook data import, and one-click conversation downloads for offline access. Visit Hiver’s official site for more information.
Zoho Assist is a cloud-based remote support and remote access software. It helps you support customers from a distance through web-based, on-demand remote support sessions, and is compatible with the rest of the Zoho product suite.
Why I picked Zoho Assist: Whether or not you're using other Zoho products, this software works well as a help desk solution for providing remote access support. You can initiate live chats with customers or use voice or video chat. You can also transfer files to facilitate quicker resolutions, and schedule sessions as needed for providing customer support.
Zoho Assist Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include both on-demand and unattended remote support, which means you can help out your customers or team members whether they're at their computer or not. This feature helps you deploy remote updates in bulk and diagnose issues through remote access. You can also record remote sessions for record keeping, training, and auditing purposes.
Integrations include the Zoho product suite, Zendesk, ServiceNow, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Freshdesk, Spiceworks, and the Google Suite, among others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Ability to deploy bulk updates
- High-level security (SSL, 256-bit AES encryption, 2FA)
- On-demand and unattended remote access
Cons:
- Might not be ideal for non-Zoho users
- Some features may require coding knowledge
New Product Updates from Zoho Assist
Zoho Assist's New Diagnostic Tools Access
Zoho Assist introduces access to diagnostic tools directly in the native viewer. This allows users to manage essential system functions without switching platforms. For more information, visit Zoho Assist's official site.
Zendesk offers a user-friendly and adjustable platform for businesses to enhance customer experiences using AI and bots. This platform allows organizations to provide self-service portals, collect valuable insights, and deliver personalized client experiences.
Why I picked Zendesk: I decided to go with Zendesk for its customer support software that offers a wide range of features to enhance client interactions. They have a unified agent workspace that makes it easy for customers to communicate, AI and bots that automate responses for improved productivity, and self-service options that let clients find solutions on their own time.
Zendesk Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include a comprehensive ticketing system that allows businesses to handle customer inquiries and issues efficiently. With messaging and live chat capabilities, real-time customer engagement is possible. Furthermore, an integrated help center and community forum empower customers to find self-service solutions and actively participate in discussions.
Zendesk Integrates with 1,200+ apps. Telephony and SMS integrations include AI customer service, Dialpad, and Viibe and Ada for support, Klaus and Nicereply for analytics and reporting, and Zendesk-built apps like Bookmarks and Print Ticket History.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Includes agent productivity tools
- Extensive integrations
- Omnichannel customer support
Cons:
- Slight learning curve
- Free trial details are not transparent
SAAS First is an all-in-one help desk platform designed to enhance customer relations through AI-powered tools. It offers a suite of features aimed at improving communication and customer engagement across various support channels.
Why I picked SAAS First: I really like its omnichannel inbox, which consolidates communications from email, live chat, and social media into a single interface. This centralization ensures that your team can efficiently manage all customer inquiries without toggling between different platforms. Another notable feature is the AI-powered chatbot, Milly. Milly learns from your company's help center articles and website content to provide accurate, real-time responses to customer queries 24/7.
SAAS First Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include a knowledge base for self-service, campaign scheduling, email campaign management, automated responses, mobile optimization, engagement tracking, ticket management, live chat, and customer feedback collection.
Integrations include WhatsApp, Facebook, and SMS by Twilio.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Facilitates collaboration among team members
- Centralized customer interaction management
- AI-driven features, such as a chatbot
Cons:
- Limited integrations available
- Potential scalability issues
Zoho Desk is a comprehensive help desk solution designed for businesses looking to simplify customer service, improve agent productivity, and foster lasting customer relationships.
Why I picked Zoho Desk: I selected Zoho Desk because it offers a wide range of features that improve customer service operations and help agents work more efficiently. By combining multiple support channels with artificial intelligence tools, Zoho Desk allows for swift and customized responses.
Zoho Desk Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include sentiment analysis, which helps agents understand customers' sentiments and identify areas for improvement. Zoho Desk also offers service level agreements (SLAs) to ensure timely issue resolution and contextual support. An advanced response editor ensures consistent and professional communication, while built-in analytics help businesses gain insights and optimize customer service performance.
Zoho Desk integrates with 200+ apps, including Asana, Clearbit, HubSpot, Jira, Mailchimp, Microsoft Teams, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Trello, and 45 native apps like Zoho Analytics.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Mobile app
- Customizable workspace
- Data protection compliance
Cons:
- Limited live chat customizations
- No desktop app
Tidio is an AI-powered customer service platform designed to enhance how you interact with your customers. It offers real-time communication tools and automated support features that make managing customer inquiries easier.
Why I picked Tidio: Tidio’s ticketing system is built to keep your support organized. You can turn emails, chat messages, and social media DMs into tickets, assign them to team members, and set priorities based on urgency. The system also lets you add internal notes and tags, which helps your team stay aligned on customer issues. I also like Tidio’s AI-powered automation, which can scan incoming inquiries and solve common problems in seconds.
Tidio Standout Features and Integrations
Features include canned responses that let your team reply to common questions quickly, saving time and maintaining consistency. The live typing preview shows what customers are typing in real-time, allowing agents to prepare responses before the message is sent.
Integrations include Shopify, WordPress, Squarespace, WIX, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Google Analytics, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and Zendesk.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Provides insights into team performance and customer satisfaction
- Lyro AI handles a significant portion of customer inquiries
- Multichannel support, including for chats, emails, and social media
Cons:
- Limitations when integrating with certain third-party tools
- Many automation features limited to higher tier plans
Salesforce Service Cloud is a helpdesk software designed to help businesses deliver superior customer service experiences leveraging AI. It allows companies to manage customer support across various channels efficiently, using automation and AI to streamline processes.
Why I picked Salesforce Service Cloud: This software stands out for its AI and automation capabilities, which support a more streamlined workflow and alleviate repetitive tasks for agents. Its AI chatbots and automatic triaging not only save time but also ensure that customer queries are directed to the most qualified agents, enhancing both efficiency and support quality. The drag-and-drop editor for creating a self-service center empowers customers to find solutions independently, further easing the workload on support teams.
Salesforce Service Cloud Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include a unified service console, giving agents a 360-degree view of customer data and interactions. This holistic view enables more personalized and context-aware support. The platform also integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce products, creating a cohesive ecosystem that improves overall business operations. Its mobile app ensures that agents can provide support from anywhere, maintaining high service standards even on the go.
Integrations include Freshdesk, CloudTalk, Twilio, Brandwatch, Paligo, Mailchimp, HubSpot CRM, Trello, TeamViewer, Smartsheet, Klaviyo, Aircall, Gainsight, and Conversocial.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multiple pricing tiers to support various stages of growth
- Customizable and adaptable to user needs
- Effectively simplifies support procedures
Cons:
- Some usability features are locked to higher-tier plans
- Implementation can be time-consuming
SuperOps is an AI-powered platform designed to help IT teams and managed service providers (MSPs) manage service requests, automate workflows, and improve response times.
Why I picked SuperOps: SuperOps stands out for its smart ticketing features that help you prioritize and resolve issues faster. You can sort and assign tickets by status, priority, or technician using a Kanban-style board. The platform also lets you set up automated SLAs and assign tickets based on technician skills and availability, ensuring that the right person handles each issue promptly.
SuperOps Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a built-in AI assistant, Monica, that offers instant suggestions for resolving tickets by analyzing similar past issues and relevant web content. It also includes side conversations that let you manage client and vendor communications within the same ticket window, reducing the need to switch between tools.
Integrations include ConnectWise, TeamViewer, Xero, Stripe, QuickBooks, SentinelOne, Lifecycle Manager, Guardz, and Microsoft Azure.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Monica AI assists in ticket resolution by suggesting fixes
- Built-in time tracker ensures accurate logging of time spent on tickets
- Manages resource allocation and technician availability
Cons:
- Compared to competitors, SuperOps offers fewer third-party integrations
- While powerful, customization options can be complex to navigate
Other Simple Help Desk Software
Here are some additional simple help desk software options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- ProProfs Help Desk
Help desk software for Parent-Child ticketing
- Intercom
Multilingual help desk software
- SysAid
Help desk software for automated IT services
- LiveAgent
For gamification features
- HappyFox Help Desk
For automated customer support
- Front
For personalized customer support
- Gorgias
Help desk software for ecommerce
- LiveAgent
For gamification features
- Help Scout
For intuitive customer service management
- Issuetrak
For omnichannel ticket submission
- HubSpot Service Hub
For deepening customer relationships
- Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Free help desk solution
- Jira Service Management
For high-velocity service management
- SolarWinds Web Help Desk
Ticketing help desk software
- ManageEngine
For IT help desk management
Simple Help Desk Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best simple help desk software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like ease of use and integration capabilities. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Ticket management
- Email integration
- Customer communication tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Multi-channel support
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- AI-driven response suggestions
- Customizable automation workflows
- Multilingual support
- Social media integration
- Mobile app functionality
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Intuitive interface
- Easy navigation
- Customizable dashboards
- Quick setup process
- Minimal training required
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Access to templates
- Supportive chatbots
- Webinars for new users
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 availability
- Response time
- Multichannel support options
- Knowledge base accessibility
- Personalized assistance
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Competitive pricing
- Flexible subscription plans
- Free trial availability
- Scalability options
- Cost versus features offered
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- User experience feedback
- Support service quality
- Feature satisfaction
- Ease of implementation
- Overall tool reliability
How to Choose Simple Help Desk Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
| Factor | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Scalability | Consider if the software can grow with your business. Will it handle an increase in tickets or users without extra cost or complexity? |
| Integrations | Check if it connects with your existing tools like CRM systems or email platforms. Seamless integrations can save time and reduce errors. |
| Customizability | Look for options to tailor workflows or dashboards. Ensure it fits your team’s processes without needing extensive development resources. |
| Ease of use | Evaluate if your team can quickly learn the tool. A user-friendly interface reduces training time and increases adoption. |
| Implementation and onboarding | Assess the setup time and resources needed. A smooth onboarding process with adequate support can minimize disruption to your operations. |
| Cost | Compare pricing plans against your budget. Watch for hidden fees or limitations in cheaper plans, like caps on users or features. |
| Security safeguards | Ensure it meets your security standards. Look for data encryption, regular updates, and compliance with regulations like GDPR if applicable. |
| Support availability | Determine the level of support offered. 24/7 support can be crucial if you operate across different time zones or have urgent needs. |
What Is Simple Help Desk Software?
Simple help desk software is a tool designed to manage and organize customer support inquiries efficiently. Customer support teams and service desk professionals typically use these tools to enhance communication and resolve issues swiftly. Ticket management, email integration, and customer communication tracking features help with organizing requests and improving response times. Overall, these tools simplify the support process, making it easier for teams to deliver effective service.
Features
When selecting simple help desk software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Ticket management: Organizes customer inquiries into manageable tickets, allowing for efficient tracking and resolution.
- Email integration: Connects with your email platform to centralize support communications and keep everything in one place.
- Customer communication tracking: Logs interactions with customers, providing a complete history to improve service quality.
- Reporting and analytics: Offers insights into support performance and customer satisfaction, helping to identify areas for improvement.
- Multi-channel support: Enables handling of customer inquiries from various channels like email, chat, and social media.
- Customizable automation workflows: Automates repetitive tasks, freeing up time for support agents to focus on complex issues.
- AI-driven response suggestions: Provides suggested replies to common inquiries, speeding up response times.
- Mobile app functionality: Allows support agents to manage tickets on the go, ensuring continuous service.
- Interactive product tours: Guides users through the software's features, enhancing the onboarding experience.
- Social media integration: Connects with social platforms to manage customer interactions across different channels.
Benefits
Implementing simple help desk software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Improved efficiency: Ticket management and automation features reduce manual work, allowing your team to focus on more complex tasks.
- Enhanced communication: Centralizing customer interactions through email integration helps maintain clear and consistent communication.
- Better customer satisfaction: Quick response times and comprehensive communication tracking lead to happier customers.
- Informed decision-making: Reporting and analytics offer insights into support performance, helping you make data-driven improvements.
- Multi-channel presence: Supporting inquiries from various channels ensures you meet customers where they are.
- Flexibility and mobility: Mobile app functionality allows your team to manage support tasks from anywhere, maintaining service continuity.
- Ease of onboarding: Interactive product tours and training resources simplify the learning curve for new users.
Costs & Pricing
Selecting simple help desk software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in simple help desk software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for Simple Help Desk Software
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic ticket management, email integration, and limited reporting. |
| Personal Plan | $5-$25/user/month | Ticket management, email integration, basic analytics, and limited customization options. |
| Business Plan | $30-$60/user/month | Advanced ticket management, multi-channel support, customizable workflows, and detailed reporting. |
| Enterprise Plan | $70-$120/user/month | Comprehensive analytics, full customization, multi-language support, and premium customer support. |
Simple Help Desk Software FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about simple help desk software:
How can help desk software help my business?
Using help desk software can improve customer service and communication. It centralizes inquiries and support tickets, streamlines communication channels, and offers team coordination and reporting capabilities. Ultimately, it leads to higher customer satisfaction, better team collaboration, and loyalty.
What is the difference between help desk software and a ticketing system?
Switching can be easy if the new software offers data import tools or migration assistance. Before making a switch, ensure the new provider supports data migration from your current system. Plan the transition to minimize downtime and involve your IT team to handle technical aspects. This helps maintain service continuity during the switch.
Do I need technical expertise to set up simple help desk software?
No, you don’t need technical expertise for most simple help desk software. Many solutions are designed for easy setup with guided tutorials or product tours. However, for more complex configurations, involving your IT team might be beneficial. They can help with integrations and customizations, ensuring the software meets your specific needs.
What are the most important elements of a help ticketing system and why?
A helpful ticketing system should have several key features, including various ticket categories, support across multiple channels, support for multiple languages, effective management of the knowledge base, and informative data reporting dashboards.
What’s Next:
If you're in the process of researching simple help desk software, connect with a SoftwareSelect advisor for free recommendations.
You fill out a form and have a quick chat where they get into the specifics of your needs. Then you'll get a shortlist of software to review. They'll even support you through the entire buying process, including price negotiations.
