Freshdesk vs Gladly
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Freshdesk | Gladly |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $79/seat/mo | From $180/seat/mo |
| Best For | Mid-sized businesses needing traditional helpdesk with automation | Enterprise brands wanting people-centered customer service |
| Standout Feature | Freddy AI for automated ticket classification and responses | Unified customer timeline showing all interactions across channels |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.7/5 |
Freshdesk and Gladly represent two different philosophies in customer support software. Freshdesk offers a traditional helpdesk approach with affordable pricing starting from free, while Gladly focuses on people-centered support with premium pricing.
With G2 ratings of 4.4/5 for Freshdesk and 4.7/5 for Gladly, both platforms have strong user satisfaction, but serve different market segments and budgets.
Feature Comparison
Freshdesk provides traditional helpdesk functionality with multi-channel support, though users note its interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives.
Gladly's standout feature is its unified customer timeline that consolidates all interactions across channels, providing a complete view of each customer relationship. This people-centered approach covers all communication channels in one interface.
While Freshdesk excels in affordability and basic functionality, Gladly focuses on advanced customer relationship management and modern user experience.
Pricing Comparison
The pricing difference between these platforms is substantial. Freshdesk ranges from $0-$79 per agent per month, making it accessible for small teams and startups with its free tier.
Gladly costs $180-$210 per user per month, positioning it as a premium solution that requires significant budget commitment. This 3-4x price difference makes team size a critical factor in decision-making.
For larger teams, the per-agent costs can quickly escalate with both platforms, making total cost of ownership an important consideration.
Freshdesk
Pros
- ✓ Mature platform with proven reliability
- ✓ Strong automation and workflow capabilities
- ✓ Good integration ecosystem
Cons
- ✗ Messaging channels require add-ons
- ✗ Interface can feel dated
- ✗ Complex setup for multi-channel
Gladly
Pros
- ✓ People-centered approach
- ✓ Unified customer timeline
- ✓ All channels in one view
Cons
- ✗ Very expensive
- ✗ Enterprise-focused
- ✗ Overkill for small teams
Verdict
Choose Freshdesk if you need an affordable, traditional helpdesk solution with a free tier option. Choose Gladly if you can justify the premium pricing for unified customer timelines and advanced people-centered features.
Choose Freshdesk if: You need an affordable solution with a free tier, can work with a traditional interface, and want to minimize per-agent costs.
Choose Gladly if: You require unified customer timelines, can justify premium pricing for advanced features, and prioritize modern people-centered support workflows.
Alternative consideration: Converge offers up to 15 agents for a flat $49/month, potentially providing better value for growing teams than either per-agent pricing model.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Freshdesk comparisons and all Gladly comparisons.