Bouts / Freshdesk vs Salesforce Service Cloud
Freshdesk vs Salesforce Service Cloud
Red cornerFreshdesk
$19 per agent a month, billed annually (Freshdesk Growth)
Blue cornerSalesforce Service Cloud
$25 per user a month on Starter Suite, billed monthly or annually
Freshdesk: Plain Freshdesk no longer offers WhatsApp to accounts created from December 2025; live chat, WhatsApp, Instagram and the chat AI agent now come with Freshdesk Omni.
Salesforce Service Cloud: Salesforce renamed Service Cloud to Agentforce Service in October 2025 and went back to the Service Cloud name in September 2026; current editions are Starter Suite, Pro Suite, Core, Advanced and Max.
Salesforce Service Cloud wins 3–2 at 10 agents (close call). Freshdesk takes the bill and price tags; Salesforce Service Cloud takes AI, desk basics and security; one round is even.
The judges' card
| Round | Freshdesk | What happened | Salesforce Service Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1The bill | W | At 10 agents with AI on: Freshdesk $1,325, Salesforce Service Cloud $6,200 a month. Freshdesk is 79% cheaper and takes the round. | |
| Round 2Price tags | W | Freshdesk offers every price in public, monthly billing and no minimum; Salesforce Service Cloud offers AI prices in public, but with a minimum, annual-only terms or vague limits. Freshdesk takes the round. | |
| Round 3AI | Salesforce Service Cloud offers an action-taking AI agent on chat, email and phone, with test runs and reporting; Freshdesk offers an AI agent that also takes actions in other systems. Salesforce Service Cloud takes the round. | W | |
| Round 4Desk basics | Salesforce Service Cloud offers every channel natively, skills-based routing and 300+ integrations; Freshdesk offers all that plus phone and messaging apps. Salesforce Service Cloud takes the round. | W | |
| Round 5Security | Salesforce Service Cloud offers SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, EU hosting, a HIPAA BAA and a no-training promise; Freshdesk offers SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, plus EU hosting, a HIPAA BAA or a no-training promise. Salesforce Service Cloud takes the round. | W | |
| Round 6User verdict | = | On G2: Freshdesk 4.4 from 3,779 reviews, Salesforce Service Cloud 4.4 from 8,437 reviews. Too close to call. Even. | = |
| Rounds won | 2 | Salesforce Service Cloud wins, 1 even | 3 |
Does team size change it?
Only the bill round depends on team size. Here is the full result in each weight class.
Small team
- Freshdesk
- $422
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $1,860
3 agents, 750 conversations a month. Salesforce Service Cloud wins 3–2.
Mid-size team
- Freshdesk
- $1,325
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $6,200
10 agents, 2,500 conversations a month. Salesforce Service Cloud wins 3–2.
Large team
- Freshdesk
- $3,337
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- $15,500
25 agents, 6,250 conversations a month. Salesforce Service Cloud wins 3–2.
Monthly bills from USD list prices, annual billing where offered, with the AI agent resolving 20% of conversations and agent assist for every agent. Plans: Freshdesk Freshdesk Omni Pro; Salesforce Service Cloud Advanced.
Tale of the tape
| Freshworks | Made by | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| per agent | Pricing | per agent |
| $19 per agent a month, billed annually (Freshdesk Growth) | Paid plans from | $25 per user a month on Starter Suite, billed monthly or annually |
| Freshdesk Omni Pro | Plan we priced | Advanced |
| $422 | 3 agents, AI on | $1,860 |
| $1,325 | 10 agents, AI on | $6,200 |
| $3,337 | 25 agents, AI on | $15,500 |
| $49 per 100 sessions | AI agent price | $2 per resolution; $2 per conversation; $500 per 100,000 credits |
| Email, Live chat, WhatsApp, Social | Channels | Email, Live chat, Phone, WhatsApp, SMS, Social |
| No | Free plan | No |
| 14 days | Free trial | 30 days |
| Yes | Monthly billing | Yes |
| SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 1 Type II, CSA STAR Level 1 | Audit reports | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, PCI DSS, HITRUST |
| US, EU, Australia, India and Middle East regions on AWS | Data hosting | Service Cloud data can be hosted in Europe and other regions, including on Hyperforce |
| 4.4 (3,779) | G2 rating | 4.4 (8,437) |
| 4.5 (3,486) | Capterra rating | 4.5 (832) |
Questions
Which is better, Freshdesk or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Salesforce Service Cloud wins 3–2 at 10 agents (close call). Freshdesk takes the bill and price tags; Salesforce Service Cloud takes AI, desk basics and security; one round is even.
Is Freshdesk cheaper than Salesforce Service Cloud?
At 10 agents with the AI agent and agent assist on, Freshdesk comes to $1,325 a month and Salesforce Service Cloud to $6,200, from list prices. Freshdesk takes the bill round.
Which has the better AI, Freshdesk or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Salesforce Service Cloud offers an action-taking AI agent on chat, email and phone, with test runs and reporting; Freshdesk offers an AI agent that also takes actions in other systems. Salesforce Service Cloud takes the round.
