Best help desk and live chat software in 2026

Help desk software turns customer emails, chats and messages into tickets your team can assign, track and resolve. Many also include live chat, a help center and AI that answers common questions automatically.

  1. zendesk.com Free trial

    Zendesk: Leading customer service platform for tickets, chat and help centers

    Key features: Omnichannel ticketing, Help center, Messaging and live chat, AI agents, Analytics.

    Best for: Mid-size and large support teams handling many channels. Web, iOS, Android
  2. freshworks.com Freemium

    Freshdesk: Easy-to-use help desk with a free plan for small teams

    Key features: Ticketing, Knowledge base, Automations, SLA management, AI features.

    Best for: Small and growing support teams. Web, iOS, Android
  3. intercom.com Free trial

    Intercom: AI-first customer service platform with messenger and help desk

    Key features: AI agent (Fin), Messenger, Help desk inbox, Help center, Product tours.

    Best for: Online businesses that want AI to resolve many conversations automatically. Web, iOS, Android
  4. helpscout.com Free trial

    Help Scout: Friendly shared inbox and help desk that feels like email

    Key features: Shared inbox, Docs knowledge base, Beacon chat widget, Customer profiles, Reports.

    Best for: Small and mid-size teams that want personal, email-style support. Web, iOS, Android
  5. zoho.com Freemium

    Zoho Desk: Affordable help desk with AI, part of the Zoho suite

    Key features: Multichannel ticketing, Knowledge base, AI assistant, Automation, Reports.

    Best for: Budget-conscious teams and Zoho users. Web, iOS, Android
  6. gorgias.com Free trial

    Gorgias: Help desk built for e-commerce stores

    Key features: Order data in tickets, Social and chat support, Macros, AI automation, Revenue reporting.

    Best for: Shopify and online stores handling order questions. Web
  7. front.com Free trial

    Front: Shared inbox that combines email, chat and SMS for teams

    Key features: Shared inboxes, Assignment and comments, Rules and automation, Analytics, Integrations.

    Best for: Teams handling customer communication from shared inboxes. Web, Desktop, iOS, Android
  8. livechat.com Free trial

    LiveChat: Live chat software for websites with sales and support features

    Key features: Chat widget, Canned responses, Ticketing, Integrations, Chat reports.

    Best for: Businesses that want fast, polished website chat. Web, Desktop, iOS, Android
  9. tidio.com Freemium

    Tidio: Live chat and AI chatbot for small businesses and stores

    Key features: Live chat, AI chatbot (Lyro), Visual flows, Shopify integration, Help desk.

    Best for: Small businesses and online stores adding chat to their site. Web, iOS, Android
  10. hubspot.com Freemium

    HubSpot CRM: Free CRM that grows into a full marketing, sales and service platform

    Key features: Contacts and companies, Deal pipelines, Email tracking and templates, Meeting scheduler, Marketing, Sales and Service Hubs.

    Best for: Small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later. Web, iOS, Android