Exceptional customer service is the cornerstone of business success, but not every company has deep pockets for expensive software. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of free customer service tools available that can help businesses of all sizes deliver top-notch support without straining their budgets. At freetrials.co.uk, our team has hands-on experience with these tools, ensuring our recommendations are both practical and reliable. From intuitive helpdesk systems to powerful live chat solutions, we’ve uncovered the best free customer service tools that can elevate your support game.
HubSpot Service Hub
HubSpot Service Hub is a versatile customer service platform that offers a range of tools to help businesses manage their customer interactions effectively. The free plan provides a solid foundation for small businesses or startups looking to streamline their customer support processes. With HubSpot’s user-friendly interface, teams can easily organise and track customer inquiries, ensuring that no request falls through the cracks.
The platform integrates seamlessly with other HubSpot products, allowing for a unified approach to customer relationship management. We found that the free version offers enough features to get started with professional-level customer service, making it an excellent choice for businesses on a budget.
Key Features
- Ticketing system
- Live chat functionality
- Email integration
- Basic reporting
- Knowledge base creation tools
- Team email
- Conversation inbox
HubSpot Service Hub’s free plan is available indefinitely and includes up to 5 users. For businesses needing more advanced features, paid plans start at £41 per month for the Starter package, which includes additional tools like automation and custom reporting.
Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a customer support software that packs a punch with its feature-rich free plan, making it an ideal solution for small teams looking to provide top-notch customer service without breaking the bank. The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface that allows agents to manage and resolve tickets efficiently.
From our experience, Freshdesk’s free plan is particularly impressive due to its inclusion of multi-channel support, allowing businesses to handle customer queries from email, phone, and social media all in one place. This level of functionality in a free plan is uncommon and gives small businesses access to tools that can significantly enhance their customer service capabilities.
Key Features
- Unlimited agents
- Email and social ticketing
- Ticket dispatch
- Ticket trend reporting
- Knowledge base
- Team collaboration
- Mobile app for Android and iOS
Freshdesk’s free plan is available indefinitely for unlimited agents, making it an excellent choice for growing teams. For businesses requiring more advanced features like automation or SLA management, paid plans start at £12 per agent per month when billed annually.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a context-aware help desk software that offers a surprisingly capable free plan, suitable for small businesses or startups looking to establish a professional customer service operation. The platform’s strengths lie in its ability to provide context to customer interactions, helping agents understand and resolve issues more effectively.
In our testing, we found that Zoho Desk’s free plan offers a good balance of features that can support a growing business’s customer service needs. The software’s clean design and straightforward ticketing system make it easy for teams to adopt and start using quickly, without a steep learning curve.
Key Features
- Email ticketing
- Knowledge base
- Customer management
- Help center
- Mobile apps
- Basic SLAs
- Macros for quick responses
Zoho Desk’s free plan is available for up to 3 agents indefinitely. For teams needing more advanced features or additional agent seats, paid plans start at £11 per agent per month when billed annually, offering features like social and community channels, advanced reporting, and workflow automations.
Crisp
Crisp is a modern customer messaging platform that aims to simplify communication between businesses and their customers. Its free plan offers a solid set of features that can significantly improve customer engagement for small businesses or startups. The platform’s clean, user-friendly interface makes it easy for teams to manage conversations across multiple channels efficiently.
We were particularly impressed with Crisp’s live chat functionality, which is included in the free plan and provides a quick way to connect with website visitors in real-time. The ability to create a basic knowledge base is also a valuable addition, allowing businesses to provide self-service options to their customers.
Key Features
- Live chat
- Basic chatbot
- Mobile apps
- Email support
- Basic knowledge base
- 2 seats included
- Website visitor tracking
Crisp’s free plan is available indefinitely and includes 2 seats. For businesses needing more advanced features like unlimited history, advanced chatbots, or more seats, paid plans start at £22 per month for the Pro plan when billed annually.
Tawk.to
Tawk.to is a unique player in the customer service tool market, offering a completely free live chat and messaging platform with no limitations on users or features. This makes it an exceptionally attractive option for businesses of all sizes looking to implement live chat support without any financial commitment.
In our experience, Tawk.to’s platform is surprisingly feature-rich for a free service, providing businesses with powerful tools to engage with their customers in real-time. The software is easy to set up and use, with a clean interface that allows agents to manage multiple conversations efficiently. We found the ability to customise the chat widget to match brand aesthetics particularly useful for maintaining a consistent brand image.
Key Features
- Unlimited agents
- Live chat
- Ticketing system
- Knowledge base
- Real-time visitor monitoring
- Chat widget customisation
- Mobile apps
Tawk.to’s platform is completely free with no time limit or restrictions on the number of agents or conversations. They generate revenue through optional add-ons like removing the Tawk.to branding or hiring their agents to manage your chat, but these are not necessary to use the core features of the platform.
HelpCrunch
HelpCrunch is a comprehensive customer communication platform that offers a 14-day free trial of its full-featured Pro plan. This trial period provides businesses with an excellent opportunity to explore the platform’s capabilities without any financial commitment. During our trial, we found HelpCrunch to be a powerful tool for managing customer interactions across multiple channels.
The platform’s strength lies in its integrated approach, combining live chat, email marketing, and help desk functionalities in one intuitive interface. This all-in-one solution can significantly streamline customer service operations, making it easier for teams to provide consistent, high-quality support.
Key Features
- Live chat
- Email marketing
- Help desk ticketing
- Knowledge base
- Auto messages
- Chat customisation
- Basic reports and analytics
HelpCrunch offers a 14-day free trial of its Pro plan with all features included. After the trial period, pricing starts at £12 per user per month when billed annually for the Basic plan, which includes core features like live chat and email support.
Userlike
Userlike is a customer messaging platform that offers a free plan with some limitations, making it an attractive option for small businesses or those just starting to explore live chat solutions. The platform focuses on providing a seamless chat experience for both customers and support agents. During our testing, we found Userlike’s interface to be clean and intuitive, allowing for quick setup and ease of use.
The free plan, while limited in some aspects, still provides essential features that can significantly enhance customer engagement on websites. It’s particularly well-suited for businesses looking to dip their toes into live chat support without committing to a paid solution right away.
Key Features
- Live chat widget
- Basic customisation options
- One operator seat
- Chat history (100 chats)
- Mobile app access
- Basic widget customisation
- Email notifications
Userlike’s free plan is available indefinitely but is limited to one operator seat and 100 chat sessions per month. For businesses needing more capacity or advanced features like chatbots or multi-language support, paid plans start at £81 per month for the Team plan when billed annually.
LiveAgent
LiveAgent offers a comprehensive 14-day free trial of its all-inclusive package, providing businesses with a full-featured help desk and live chat solution to explore. This trial period gives companies ample time to test the platform’s extensive capabilities and determine if it meets their customer service needs.
During our trial, we found LiveAgent to be a powerful and versatile tool, capable of handling complex customer service operations with ease. The platform stands out for its wide range of features, from multi-channel support to advanced automation options. We were particularly impressed with the intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for agents to manage multiple interactions efficiently, even in high-volume environments.
Key Features
- Ticketing system
- Live chat
- Video calling
- Knowledge base
- Social media integration
- Time tracking
- Advanced reporting
LiveAgent offers a 14-day free trial of its All-Inclusive plan with full access to all features. After the trial period, pricing starts at £13 per agent per month for the Ticket+Chat plan when billed annually, which includes core features like ticketing and live chat.
Jitbit Helpdesk
Jitbit Helpdesk offers a free plan with limitations, making it an attractive option for small teams or startups looking for a straightforward ticketing system. The platform is known for its simplicity and ease of use, focusing on providing essential help desk functionality without overwhelming users with complex features. During our evaluation, we found Jitbit’s free plan to be particularly suitable for businesses that primarily handle customer inquiries via email and don’t require advanced multi-channel support. The clean, no-frills interface allows agents to quickly adapt to the system and start managing tickets efficiently. While the free plan has limitations, it still provides a solid foundation for basic customer support operations.
Key Features
- Email-to-ticket conversion
- Basic ticket management
- Knowledge base
- Asset management
- Mobile apps
- Basic reporting
- API access
Jitbit Helpdesk’s free plan is available indefinitely but is limited to 2 agents and 100 tickets per month. For businesses needing more capacity or advanced features like automation rules or SLA tracking, paid plans start at £24 per month for 3 agents when billed annually.
Kommunicate
Kommunicate offers a free plan with limitations, focusing on providing businesses with AI-powered chatbot and live chat capabilities. This makes it an appealing choice for companies looking to enhance their customer support with automation while maintaining the option for human intervention.
During our testing, we found Kommunicate’s platform to be particularly strong in its chatbot building capabilities, even in the free tier. The interface is user-friendly, allowing businesses to create and deploy chatbots without extensive technical knowledge. While the free plan has restrictions, it still provides a good opportunity for small businesses to explore the benefits of AI-enhanced customer support and live chat functionality.
Key Features
- AI chatbot builder
- Live chat
- Basic chat analytics
- Widget customisation
- Team inbox
- Mobile SDK
- Integration with third-party apps
Kommunicate’s free plan is available indefinitely but is limited to 100 conversations per month and basic features. For businesses needing more capacity or advanced features like multi-language support or advanced bot capabilities, paid plans start at £33 per month for the Growth plan when billed annually.
How to choose the best customer service tools for you
Assess your specific business needs
Begin by carefully evaluating your company’s unique requirements. Consider factors such as the size of your customer base, the complexity of your products or services, and the channels through which you typically interact with customers. This assessment will help you identify which features are essential for your customer service operations, ensuring you select tools that align perfectly with your business model and customer expectations.
Compare features and integration capabilities
Examine the features offered by different customer service tools, focusing on those that provide value without cost. Look for essentials like ticketing systems, live chat functionality, and knowledge base creation. Additionally, consider how well these tools integrate with your existing software ecosystem. Seamless integration can significantly enhance your team’s efficiency and provide a more cohesive experience for both staff and customers.
Evaluate scalability and user-friendliness
While opting for free tools, it’s crucial to think long-term. Choose solutions that offer scalability to accommodate your business growth without requiring a complete overhaul of your systems. Additionally, prioritise user-friendly interfaces that your team can quickly adapt to, minimising the learning curve and maximising productivity. Consider tools that offer comprehensive tutorials or customer support to ensure smooth implementation and ongoing use.
Which Free Customer Service Tool Is Best?
HubSpot Service Hub offers a great free plan for small businesses seeking an all-encompassing solution. With its ticketing system, live chat, and basic reporting features, it’s a great starting point for companies looking to streamline their customer service operations without initial investment. We recommend this tool if you want a feature-rich platform to grow with your needs.
When it comes to multi-channel support, the Freshdesk free plan supports email, social media, and phone channels, allowing small teams to manage customer interactions across various platforms efficiently. The intuitive interface and automation capabilities make it a strong contender if you aim to provide responsive customer service. This tool is ideal for companies with a strong social media presence.
Zoho Desk offers a free tier for those requiring a balance of features and simplicity. It includes ticket management, a knowledge base, and customer portal functionalities, making it suitable if you’re looking to establish a structured approach to customer support without the complexity of more advanced tools. We recommend Zoho Desk for small teams that value straightforward, no-frills customer service solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions about Free Customer Service Tools
What features are typically included in free customer service tools?
Free customer service tools often include basic ticketing systems, live chat functionality, email support, and knowledge base creation. However, the specific features can vary widely between providers. It’s important to carefully review each tool’s free plan to ensure it meets your needs.
Are free customer service tools suitable for growing businesses?
While free tools can be a great starting point, growing businesses may find they need to upgrade to paid plans as their customer base expands. Free plans often have limitations on the number of users or tickets, which might become restrictive as your business scales.
How do free trials differ from free plans?
Free trials, like those offered by HelpCrunch and LiveAgent, typically provide full access to all features for a limited time (often 14 days). Free plans, on the other hand, offer a limited set of features indefinitely but may restrict usage or omit advanced functionalities.
Can I integrate free customer service tools with other software?
Many free customer service tools offer basic integrations, but more advanced integrations are often reserved for paid plans. For example, HubSpot’s free plan allows integration with some popular tools, while others may have more limited options.
Is it possible to upgrade from a free plan to a paid plan easily?
Yes, most providers make it easy to upgrade from a free plan to a paid one. This allows you to start with the free version and seamlessly transition to a paid plan as your needs grow, without losing your data or setup.
Are there any hidden costs associated with free customer service tools?
While the basic plans are free, some tools may have costs associated with add-ons or increased usage. It’s important to read the terms carefully and understand any potential charges that could occur as your usage increases.
How secure are free customer service tools?
Reputable providers like HubSpot, Freshdesk, and Zoho Desk maintain high security standards even for their free plans. However, it’s always wise to review the security measures and data handling policies of any tool you’re considering.
Can I use multiple free tools together to get more features?
While it’s possible to use multiple free tools, this approach can become complex and time-consuming to manage. It’s often more efficient to choose a single tool that best fits your core needs and upgrade if necessary.
Do free customer service tools offer good customer support?
The level of customer support for free plans varies. Some providers offer community forums and basic email support, while others may limit support options for free users. Paid plans typically offer more comprehensive support.
How do I choose the right free customer service tool for my business?
Consider your specific needs, such as the channels you use to communicate with customers, the size of your team, and your anticipated growth. Try out a few options using their free plans or trials to see which interface and feature set works best for your team.
