Freshdesk's Free program (previously Sprout) is specifically designed for small businesses and startups, aiming to streamline their customer support operations. It is available for free for 6 months, making it an ideal choice for new businesses. For those requiring more sophisticated capabilities, Freshdesk also offers a range of paid plans with advanced features.

Key features of the Free program

  • Integrated Ticketing Across Email and Social: Manage all your customer communications in one place.
  • Ticket Dispatch: Automatically assign tickets to the right agents.
  • Knowledge Base: Create a self-service portal for your customers.
  • Ticket Trend Report: Analyze ticket patterns and improve support.
  • Out-of-the-Box Analytics and Reporting: Access pre-built reports and dashboards.
  • Choose Your Data Center Location: Ensure your data is stored where you need it.
  • Team Collaboration: Collaborate efficiently with your team on tickets.
  • 24x5 Email Support: Get round-the-clock support via email.

Activate the Free program

To activate Free program:

  1. Navigate to Admin > Account > Plans and Billing.
  2. Click Switch to Free.

  3. If you are downgrading from a higher plan or trial instance, certain features and their configurations will be lost. You can see the details.
  4. Review the changes and click Yes, Proceed.

Manage agents and explore upgrades 

Within the Free Program, you can add up to two agents. While this is ideal for small operations, if the needs of your team evolve and you require more agents, Freshdesk will prompt an upgrade, unlocking additional benefits and increasing capacity for a larger team.

Existing and new Free Program users will have the opportunity to try higher plans for a 14-day period. Click on Try Higher Plan for Free on the top right of your Freshdesk account to browse and choose a higher plan for trial.

Understand agent limits and the implications

If you start a trial of a higher plan and add more agents during this period, here are some important considerations to take into account.

  • If you decide not to upgrade after the trial is completed, you will be required to reduce the number of agents to the Free program's limit of 2. If you don’t reduce the agent count, you will be temporarily blocked from reverting to the Free program.
  • Alternatively, you can subscribe to one of the paid plans, which will accommodate your larger team and provide additional features and support.
  • If you choose to cancel the trial, you’ll be prompted to remove the extra agents before finalizing the cancellation. Freshdesk ensures that any suspended accounts due to exceeding agent limits are deleted after 90 days, promoting active and compliant use of the platform.

Upgrade to higher plan from Free

As an Account Administrator, follow the steps below to upgrade to a higher plan.

  1. Navigate to Admin > Account > Plans and Billing.
  2. Choose the desired plan, number of agents, add-ons etc.
  3. Complete payment via credit card or contact billing@freshdesk.com for offline payments.

FAQs

  1. What happens to my account if I try a higher plan and don't upgrade?
    If you try a higher plan and don't upgrade, your account will revert to the original plan after the trial period ends. All configurations made during the trial will be lost.
  2. Can I switch back to the Free Program after upgrading?
    Yes, you can switch back to the Free Program. However, you may need to adjust your agent count and other settings.
  3. What if I need more than 2 agents or want to continue using the Free Program after 6 months?
    The Free Program supports up to 2 agents without additional charges. If you need more than two agents or wish to continue using the Free Program beyond the six-month period, you must upgrade to a paid plan.
  4. Are there any promotional offers for upgrading from the Free Program?

    You can contact your sales representative to inquire about potential discounts on paid plans. Discounts may vary based on your subscription length and the number of agents.

Additional resources and support

For more information and support, please refer to the following resources:

  • Contact Support: If you need assistance, our support team is available 24/5. You can reach out to us at support@freshdesk.com.
  • Sales Inquiries: For sales-related questions or to discuss potential discounts on paid plans, please contact your sales representative and they will be happy to work with you on a customized solution that fits your specific needs.
  • Pricing Page: For detailed information on our paid plans and to compare different options, visit our Pricing Page.