CRM by Industry

Helpdesk Software

Helpdesk and ticketing platforms — from enterprise multi-channel suites to collaborative inboxes and AI-first auto-resolution agents.

Helpdesk software in 2026 is a wider category than it used to be. The traditional ticketing stack (queue, status, assignee, SLA) is still the operational core, but the buying conversation now rotates around AI deflection rates, multi-channel coverage, and how cleanly the platform integrates with the rest of the customer record. The vendors below cluster into four shapes — full-suite enterprise platforms, AI-first conversational tools, collaborative inboxes for teams that hate ticketing, and vertical-specific helpdesks built for ecommerce or B2B SaaS. For a ranked shortlist, see Best Helpdesk Software (2026).

BoldDesk

Modern cloud help desk with omnichannel ticketing, live chat, knowledge base, and AI-powered assistance. Positioned as a cost-effective alternative to Zendesk and Freshdesk for growing support teams.

Capacity

AI Support Automation

Enterprise AI support automation platform that deflects customer and employee inquiries across chat, voice, email, and SMS before they reach a human agent. Positioned as an AI layer over your existing support stack.

Deskpro

Omnichannel helpdesk platform with cloud and self-hosted deployment options, built for teams that need serious ticket management, customizable workflows, and strict data governance.

eDesk

AI-powered help desk built specifically for ecommerce sellers, unifying messages from Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and 300+ other channels into one inbox.

EngageBay

All-in-one CRM, marketing automation, and help desk platform aimed squarely at small businesses that want HubSpot-style functionality without the price tag.

FreeScout

Free, open-source help desk and shared inbox you self-host — a Zendesk or Help Scout alternative with no per-agent fees and full data ownership.

Front

Customer Engagement

Shared inbox and customer service platform for teams handling complex, multi-channel customer operations — combining email, chat, SMS, and ticketing with AI automation and cross-team workflows.

Gorgias

Ecommerce-focused customer support helpdesk with deep Shopify integration and AI automation built to resolve tickets and drive sales simultaneously.

Groove

Simple, AI-augmented ticketing platform for growing support teams that need shared inboxes, smart automation, and clean analytics without enterprise complexity.

Halo Service Solutions

ITSM / Service Management

Enterprise workflow automation and service management platform spanning IT, HR, facilities, and customer-facing operations under one unified system.

HappyFox

AI-powered help desk and ITSM platform that bundles ticketing, chatbots, live chat, and workflow automation for customer service and IT teams alike.

Help Scout

Human-centric customer support platform that pairs AI automation with a shared inbox designed to feel like email, keeping interactions personal at scale.

HelpDesk

Cloud-based ticketing platform by LiveChat that turns multi-channel customer messages into organized, automatable support tickets with built-in AI tools.

HelpSpot

Privately held, no-frills help desk software with flat annual pricing that includes every feature — no tiers, no per-ticket charges, and built-in AI tools.

Hiver

Gmail-native customer service platform that layers shared inboxes, AI agents, and omnichannel support on top of Google Workspace without replacing it.

LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a multi-channel help desk platform combining live chat, ticketing, call center, and social media support for customer service teams of all sizes.

LiveHelpNow

LiveHelpNow is an AI-powered customer support platform combining live chat, ticketing, knowledge base, and omnichannel tools for growing support teams.

monday service

monday service is monday.com's dedicated service desk and IT support product, combining ticketing, automation, and AI triage in the same work OS platform used by operations and project teams.

Odoo Helpdesk

Odoo Helpdesk is the customer support ticketing module within the Odoo ERP suite, offering multi-channel ticket management, SLA tracking, and deep integration with Odoo CRM, inventory, and billing.

osTicket

Widely adopted open-source support ticketing system that consolidates email, phone, and web form requests into a single multi-user web interface. Free to self-host with an optional paid cloud edition.

OTRS Community Edition

Free, open-source web-based ticketing system for help desk, customer service, and IT service management. Community-maintained fork of the original OTRS platform following OTRS AG's discontinuation of the open-source line.

ProProfs Help Desk

Straightforward cloud-based help desk with shared inbox, ticket automation, and knowledgebase integration. Designed for small teams that want a simple multi-channel support setup without heavy configuration.

Re:amaze

Customer Service

AI-powered customer support and live chat platform designed for ecommerce and online businesses. Consolidates email, live chat, social, and SMS into one inbox with strong Shopify and ecommerce integrations.

Request Tracker (RT)

Open-source ticketing and help desk system with 20+ years of production history, built for teams that need deep customization without vendor lock-in.

Richpanel

AI-powered customer service platform built specifically for ecommerce brands, combining a unified helpdesk with a self-service customer portal.

SaaS First

Customer Engagement

All-in-one customer engagement platform combining live chat, AI chatbot, CRM, and marketing campaigns at a flat per-member price.

Salesforce Service Cloud

Enterprise customer service platform from Salesforce with omnichannel case management, AI-powered automation, and deep integration with the broader Salesforce ecosystem.

SherpaDesk

PSA and help desk platform for small IT businesses and MSPs, combining ticketing, time tracking, billing, and project management with a generous free-agent-for-life entry point.

SmarterTrack

On-premises and hosted help desk software from SmarterTools with ticketing, live chat, call logging, and a self-service portal under one roof.

Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk

Free-to-start cloud-based IT help desk for small IT teams, with a self-service portal, asset tracking, and mobile app — no server required.

Spiceworks

Free on-premises IT management suite that auto-discovers network devices, monitors hardware health, and handles help desk ticketing — all installed on your own Windows machine.

SupportBee

Minimalist shared-inbox help desk for small support teams that want email ticketing without the overhead of a full platform — simple, affordable, and deliberately focused.

SupportPal

Self-hosted help desk software with flat-rate pricing and unlimited operators, designed for teams that need full data control without paying per-seat licensing fees.

Syncro

All-in-one RMM, PSA, and help desk platform built specifically for managed service providers and internal IT teams. One price, unlimited devices.

TeamSupport

Customer Support

B2B customer support platform with account-level tracking and a Customer Distress Index to help tech companies identify and retain at-risk clients.

Teamwork Desk

Help desk software that integrates tightly with Teamwork's project management platform, built for agencies managing client support alongside project work.

Unthread

Slack-native AI help desk that automatically tracks and resolves support tickets from Slack channels — built for teams that live in Slack.

Vivantio

Flexible ITSM platform built on ITIL principles for IT and enterprise service teams. Handles incident, problem, change, and asset management with configurable workflows and multi-channel ticketing.

Vtiger CRM

All-in-one CRM combining sales, marketing, help desk, and inventory in a single platform for small and mid-size businesses. Available as a cloud product or free open-source self-hosted edition.

Wavity

AI-powered no-code platform that unifies ITSM, help desk, and enterprise workflows in one tool. Designed for teams that want to build and automate custom processes without writing code.

Zammad

Open-source web-based help desk and ticketing system with a generous free self-hosted tier. Merges support channels into one queue with strong LDAP, SSO, and API support for technical teams.

Zendesk

Industry-leading customer support platform combining ticketing, live chat, voice, and help center in the Zendesk Suite. The default choice for scaling support operations, with depth and ecosystem to match.

Zoho Desk

Context-aware help desk software from Zoho with multi-channel ticketing, AI assistance, and deep integration with the Zoho ecosystem. A strong value option for support teams already using Zoho products.