Tidio vs Freshdesk

Website live chat with an AI agent (Lyro) that answers common customer questions. Customer support help desk with email, chat and an AI agent add-on.

	Tidio	Freshdesk
Price	Free plan. Starter from 24.17 a month billed annually (100 billable conversations). Growth from 49.17 a month. Lyro AI from 32.50 a month. Plus from 300 a month. Currency as shown on the pricing page.	From $19 per agent a month, billed annually; higher plan from $55. Freddy AI Copilot $29 per agent a month extra.
Free plan	Yes. 50 billable conversations a month and your first 50 Lyro AI conversations (lifetime).	No. Free trial available.
Best for	Online shops and service businesses that get the same questions through their website.	Businesses handling a steady flow of customer emails and questions.
Watch out for	Conversation-based pricing: count your monthly chats first.	AI features are paid add-ons.
UK notes	Check currency at checkout.	Priced in US dollars.
Made by	Tidio	Freshworks
Checked	2026-10-14	2026-10-14

Our verdict

For most small UK businesses starting out, Tidio is the easier first pick because it has a free plan. Pick Freshdesk instead if this sounds like you: businesses handling a steady flow of customer emails and questions.

UK price difference

Freshdesk's cheapest paid plan is $19 (entry plan, per agent a month, billed annually). Tidio doesn't publish a comparable entry price, so ask for a quote or check its pricing page. Check on the provider page whether VAT is included before you buy.

Who should pick which?

Choose Tidio for: online shops and service businesses that get the same questions through their website.
Choose Freshdesk for: businesses handling a steady flow of customer emails and questions.

Only Tidio has a free plan, so you can try it first at no cost. Prices change, so check the provider's page before buying.

Full details

Tidio tool page · Freshdesk tool page · How we check prices

Sources

Free daily email

One useful AI tool each weekday: what it costs, who it suits and a tip to try. Five minutes to read.

Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.