Choose support software on real numbers, not vendor hype.
Free calculators for the metrics you report every month, plus plain-English comparisons of AI receptionists and helpdesks with the prices vendors actually publish.
What will your helpdesk really cost?
Enter your team size and how many conversations you expect AI to resolve. We add published seat prices and AI fees for six helpdesks, side by side.
Helpdesk True Cost Calculator
Seat price is only half the bill. Add your AI usage to see what each helpdesk really costs per month.
| Helpdesk (plan) | Seats | AI | Total / month |
|---|
Calculators and cost tools
Nine free tools. Each runs in your browser and shows its formula, so you can trust the number.
NPS Calculator
Promoters, passives and detractors into one loyalty score.
% promoters − % detractors
CSAT Calculator
Satisfaction percentage and average rating from a 1–5 survey.
(4s + 5s) ÷ responses
First Response Time
Average wait for a first human reply, against your target.
total wait ÷ tickets replied
Ticket Deflection
How many customers solved it themselves, and what that saved.
self-serve ÷ (self-serve + tickets)
AI Chatbot ROI
Whether an AI agent pays for itself at your ticket volume.
savings − AI cost ÷ AI cost
30 Reply Templates
Canned responses for refunds, delays, bugs and billing, with copy buttons.
copy · personalise · send
AI Receptionist Cost
Your call volume priced on 5 vendors’ published plans, cheapest first.
minutes · calls · callersHelpdesk True Cost
Seats plus AI resolution fees for Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk and more.
seats + AI meterMissed Call Revenue
What unanswered calls cost you each month, against an AI receptionist.
missed × booked × job value
Same 200 calls, very different bills
A business with 200 calls a month, 3 minutes each, from 120 different callers. Priced on each vendor’s published plans:
What changed in 2026
Vendors rarely announce price rises. We log them with dates.
Freshdesk
Growth $15 → $19, Pro $49 → $55 per agent. First rise in five years.
Zendesk
Suite Growth ($89) dropped. Jump is now $55 → $115, with Copilot at $50/agent.
Help Scout
Envoy AI added at $0.75 per resolved conversation (April 2026).
AI receptionists and helpdesks
What each tool costs at your volume, and which pricing model will surprise you later.
AI receptionists for small business
Answer every call, book jobs and get a summary by text. Entry plans published by vendors in November 2026:
- Upfirst$24.95/mo
- Dialzara$29/mo · 60 min
- Rosie$49/mo · 250 min
- Goodcall$79/mo · 100 callers
- Smith.aiFree · 25 calls
Helpdesk software and alternatives
Seat price is only half the bill once AI resolutions are metered. Starting seat prices, annual billing:
- Zoho Deskfrom $7/user
- Freshdesk$19/agent
- Zendesk$19/agent
- Help ScoutFree · $25/user
- Intercom$29/seat + $0.99/AI fix
How we keep it honest
Prices from the source
Every price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page and carries the month we checked it.
Real cost, not sticker price
We model per-minute, per-call and per-resolution fees at realistic volumes.
Open source included
Self-hosted tools like Zammad, Chatwoot and Helpin sit next to the big brands.
Disclosed affiliates
Some links earn a commission. It never changes a ranking. Read the disclosure.