Freshworks

What is Freshchat

Freshchat is a conversational customer messaging product from Freshworks focused on live chat, in-app messaging and bot-driven self-service. The product is designed to handle both synchronous live conversations and automated, AI-driven interactions across multiple channels so businesses can centralize customer conversations without forcing users to email or call. Freshchat also integrates with the broader Freshworks support suite (Freshdesk Omni) so teams can combine chat-based interactions with ticketing, knowledge bases and reporting.

Freshchat targets support teams, customer success, product experience teams, and small-to-large customer service organizations that need real-time messaging alongside automation. It supports both B2C scenarios—chat on websites and mobile apps—and B2B support where agents may need context like account history and open tickets while chatting. The product emphasizes agent productivity, bot automation, and channel flexibility to reduce resolution time and funnel complex interactions into ticket workflows when needed.

Freshchat is typically offered as part of Freshworks’ portfolio, and customers often choose it alone for messaging or combined with Freshdesk Omni for an integrated helpdesk experience. The platform is built to integrate with CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and common SaaS tools, and it includes analytics, routing and automation features to measure and optimize conversational support.

Freshchat features

Freshchat combines several feature groups that support conversational customer service and automation. Core feature areas include channel handling, bot automation, agent workspace features, proactive messaging, and reporting.

Key capabilities include:

• Omnichannel message routing that consolidates conversations from website chat widgets, mobile SDKs, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple Business Chat and other messaging channels into a single inbox.
• AI-driven bots and canned workflows that handle common queries, qualify leads, collect contact details and hand off to agents when required.
• A unified agent workspace that surfaces customer context (previous interactions, purchase history, open tickets) so agents can make faster decisions without context switching.
• Proactive and in-app campaigns to trigger messages based on behavior, session attributes or user events.
• Admin and analytics tools for monitoring team performance, bot effectiveness and conversation-level metrics.

Additional features cover integrations, custom routing rules, SLA management and collaboration tools like shared inboxes, private notes and collision detection so multiple agents don’t respond to the same thread. The platform also supports templates, message scheduling, and custom bots using rule-based flows or AI/NLU models depending on the plan.

What does Freshchat do?

Freshchat lets teams accept and manage inbound customer conversations from multiple messaging channels and respond either through live agents or automated bots. It provides tools to create multi-step bot flows, route conversations to the right team, escalate to ticketing when required, and capture customer data during interactions. The system is useful for both support (troubleshooting, returns, FAQs) and proactive engagement (onboarding prompts, promotional nudges, product tips).

Operationally, Freshchat reduces time-to-first-response with routing rules and bots, and it lowers common-volume support costs by deflecting repetitive queries to bots or self-serve resources. It also gives supervisors visibility through dashboards showing response times, agent load and bot handoff rates, enabling continuous improvement of the conversational experience.

Freshchat supports customization of the chat widget and message flows so brands can match UI/UX expectations on web and mobile. Developers can embed the Freshchat SDK into native apps, connect the product to backend systems to surface order or account data in the agent UI, and trigger in-app messages based on product events.

Freshchat pricing

Freshchat offers flexible pricing tailored to different business needs, from individual users to enterprise teams. Their pricing structure typically includes monthly and annual billing options with discounts for yearly commitments; plan tiers commonly include a Free Plan and ascending paid tiers for growing teams. Check Freshchat's current pricing options for team discounts and exact feature comparisons.

Typical pricing structure (illustrative and based on common industry tiers) includes:

• Free Plan: $0/month with basic chat widget, limited bots and a small number of agents
• Starter: $15/month per user when billed monthly (annual billing commonly offers ~15–25% savings)
• Professional: $45/month per user when billed monthly with advanced automation and analytics
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large teams and security/compliance add-ons

Actual plan names and price points vary by region, seat quantities and optional add-ons (for example, phone channel usage, WhatsApp templates or higher SLA support). Visit their official pricing page for the most current information.

How much is Freshchat per month

Freshchat typically starts with a free tier and moves into paid tiers starting around the low tens of dollars per user per month. Monthly plans are suited to teams that prefer flexibility and allow you to add or remove seats month to month. Paid tiers commonly add bot automation, routing rules, and analytics; higher tiers add features like priority support, single sign-on and compliance controls.

When budgeting for monthly costs, include seat-based fees, channel add-ons (for enterprise messaging channels like WhatsApp or SMS), and potential usage charges for outbound messaging in some channels. Many teams also budget for implementation or automation design time the first quarter after adoption.

To see exact monthly costs for your team size and channel mix, check Freshchat's current pricing options or contact Freshworks sales for customized monthly quotes.

How much is Freshchat per year

Freshchat annual billing typically provides discounts versus monthly billing—commonly around 15–25%—and is billed per user per year. Annual plans are useful for predictable budgeting and often include contract-level options for enterprise support and compliance.

If you choose annual payment, you will typically see lower effective monthly cost due to the discount. For companies that need advanced security features, annual contracts may combine product licensing with dedicated onboarding, training credits or higher SLAs.

For exact yearly pricing and savings for your organization, visit Freshworks’ official pricing page.

How much is Freshchat in general

Freshchat pricing ranges from free tiers suitable for single agents up to enterprise-level pricing packages for large support organizations. The overall price range depends on number of agents, channels in use, and optional add-ons such as advanced bots, messaging channel credits (WhatsApp), SSO, or dedicated account support.

Small teams often begin on a Free Plan or low-cost Starter tier and scale to Professional as they add automation and reporting needs. Large teams evaluate total cost of ownership including implementation, bot-building and integrations with existing systems.

Visit their official pricing page for current plan definitions and to calculate exact per-user costs based on annual or monthly billing.

What is Freshchat used for

Freshchat is used primarily for real-time conversational customer support and engagement. Day-to-day use cases include front-line live chat on a website, in-app messaging for product support, conversational support via social messaging channels, and bot-driven self-service for frequently asked questions.

Teams use Freshchat to reduce incoming ticket volume by deflecting simple queries to bots and knowledge base articles, to qualify and route leads generated through chat, and to provide contextual in-session support during onboarding or checkout. It’s also used for proactive outreach—triggering messages based on user behavior to reduce churn or promote features.

From an operational perspective, Freshchat is used to centralize conversations into a single inbox, maintain SLA metrics for response times, and export conversation data into analytics systems for CX measurement. It’s suited to product teams, support desks, e-commerce merchants, and SaaS companies that need both real-time and automated conversation support.

Pros and cons of Freshchat

Freshchat offers clear benefits for teams that need omnichannel messaging and automation. Pros include easy-to-deploy chat widgets and SDKs, support for multiple messaging channels, built-in bot builders, and a unified agent workspace that reduces context switching. The integration with Freshdesk Omni is an advantage for teams that want a combined ticketing and chat workflow.

Other advantages are granular analytics around conversation metrics, proactive messaging features, and a developer-friendly approach with SDKs and APIs for embedding chat into web and mobile apps. For companies already using the Freshworks family of products, Freshchat often fits naturally into their toolchain.

On the downside, advanced features like enterprise-grade security controls, custom bots or high-volume messaging channels can increase cost. Some organizations report a learning curve when configuring complex routing rules or designing multi-step bot flows. Customization that requires deep system integration may need developer resources or professional services.

Operational trade-offs include deciding which conversations remain in chat and which become tickets, and balancing bot automation against agent-led interactions to avoid frustrating customers. Teams should plan for bot design, content maintenance, and ongoing monitoring of bot handoffs to maintain quality.

Freshchat free trial

Freshchat typically provides a time-limited free trial that unlocks paid-tier features so teams can evaluate the platform in real scenarios. Trials commonly last around two weeks and allow access to advanced features such as bot builders, multiple channels and analytics. Trials are useful for validating integration with your product, testing bot flows, and measuring impact on response times.

During a trial, best practices include configuring your web or mobile SDK, setting up at least one bot flow to handle common queries, routing test conversations to agents, and running the analytics dashboard to validate KPIs like time-to-first-response and bot deflection rates. Trials also give an opportunity to test channel add-ons like WhatsApp templates or SMS delivery if your plan supports them.

To start a trial or view the trial terms, check the Freshworks sign-up flow or their Freshchat product page. Trials usually do not require credit card information for the basic evaluation period but check the current trial terms on the site.

Is Freshchat free

Yes, Freshchat offers a Free Plan with limited features designed for individuals or very small teams. The Free Plan typically includes a basic chat widget, a limited number of agents and foundational messaging features. It’s a practical way to evaluate core conversational features and the chat widget before moving to a paid tier for automation and advanced analytics.

The free tier has restrictions on bot complexity, integrations and advanced reporting. Businesses that need automation at scale, enterprise security controls or multi-channel messaging frequently upgrade to paid plans.

Freshchat API

Freshchat exposes APIs and SDKs to integrate messaging into web and mobile apps and to connect the conversation data with backend systems. The platform provides JavaScript and mobile SDKs, webhook support for real-time events, and REST APIs for conversation retrieval, message posting, and user/contact management.

Developers use the APIs to surface customer context in the agent UI, automatically push CRM data into conversations, or trigger in-app messages based on product events. The API and SDK documentation includes authentication details, rate limits and example workflows for common tasks such as user identification and event tracking. For developer resources and API references, consult Freshworks’ developer documentation and support portal.

Enterprises often implement server-side logic that enriches chat sessions with order or subscription data, or they build middleware to route conversations into other systems. For complex bot behavior, teams combine the native Freshchat bot builder with external NLU services or custom code called from webhooks.

10 Freshchat alternatives

Paid alternatives to Freshchat

• Intercom — A conversational platform with live chat, bots, and a strong focus on product-led growth workflows and in-app messaging for SaaS businesses. Intercom emphasizes operator and sales automation alongside support.
• Zendesk Suite — Offers chat and messaging as part of a broader ticketing and CRM solution. Zendesk integrates messaging into ticket workflows with a mature support ecosystem for enterprise customers.
• Drift — Focused on conversational marketing and sales as well as chat-based support; commonly used for lead qualification and revenue-focused chat workflows.
• LiveChat — A specialist live chat product with a lightweight agent app, extensive third-party integrations and add-ons for e-commerce and SaaS support teams.
• HubSpot Conversations — Included with HubSpot’s CRM platform; integrates chat and bots directly into the CRM and marketing automation workflows.
• Olark — Simple and cost-effective live chat solution with real-time reporting and basic automation suitable for small businesses.
• Genesys Cloud CX — Enterprise-focused contact center solution with omnichannel routing, including messaging and chatbot integrations for large-scale operations.

Open source alternatives to Freshchat

• Rocket.Chat — An open source team collaboration platform with live chat and customizable messaging channels; can be self-hosted and extended to support customer chat flows.
• Chatwoot — An open source customer engagement suite that provides a shared inbox for chat, social messaging and email; supports self-hosting and integrations for customization.
• Mibew (Open Web Messenger) — Lightweight open source live chat software that you can self-host; suitable for simple web chat needs with limited out-of-the-box automation.
• Zammad — An open source helpdesk with chat integration options; includes ticketing, reporting and user management for small to mid-size teams.

Frequently asked questions about Freshchat

What is Freshchat used for?

Freshchat is used for live chat and conversational customer support across web, mobile and messaging channels. Teams use it to handle real-time support, automate repetitive queries with bots, qualify leads through chat and centralize conversations into a unified agent workspace that links to ticketing when needed.

How does Freshchat handle bots and automation?

Freshchat includes a bot builder and supports AI-driven automation to handle common queries and route complex conversations to agents. Bots can collect user information, surface knowledge base articles, and escalate to human agents when necessary; you can also configure webhooks to extend bot logic to external systems.

Does Freshchat integrate with Freshdesk Omni?

Yes, Freshchat can be used together with Freshdesk Omni for ticketing and knowledge base workflows. When used with Freshdesk Omni, conversations can escalate into tickets, and agents can see unified context across chat and ticketing for complete case handling.

Can Freshchat connect to third-party CRMs?

Yes, Freshchat integrates with common CRMs and third-party tools. The product provides native integrations and APIs to sync contact data, push conversation events and surface account context inside the agent workspace.

Is Freshchat secure for enterprise use?

Yes, Freshchat is part of the Freshworks platform which maintains security controls suitable for enterprise deployments. Freshworks publishes information about compliance and security measures—refer to their trust documentation for details on encryption, certifications and access controls on their trust site: their enterprise security features.

Why choose Freshchat instead of a standalone chat tool?

Freshchat is designed to work as part of an integrated support stack with optional Freshdesk Omni features. Choosing Freshchat allows teams to combine conversational support with ticketing, knowledge bases and CRM integrations, reducing the complexity of maintaining separate point solutions.

When should a team upgrade from the Free Plan?

Teams should upgrade from the Free Plan when they need automation, multi-channel support, or advanced reporting. If you need bots, WhatsApp or enterprise messaging channels, SLA controls, or SSO and compliance features, moving to a paid tier typically unlocks those capabilities.

Where can I find Freshchat documentation and developer resources?

Freshchat documentation and developer guides are available on Freshworks’ support and developer portals. Those resources include API references, SDK docs and tutorials for embedding chat in web and mobile apps; see the Freshworks support site for up-to-date developer guides: their support and developer portal.

How much does Freshchat cost per user?

Freshchat offers a Free Plan and paid tiers that generally start in the low tens of dollars per user per month. Exact per-user costs depend on plan tier, billing cadence (monthly vs annual) and channel add-ons—visit Freshchat’s current pricing options to calculate precise per-user rates.

Does Freshchat offer a free trial?

Yes, Freshchat typically offers a 14-day free trial of paid features without requiring a credit card. The trial allows teams to evaluate bots, multi-channel routing and analytics in a production-like environment before committing to a paid plan.

Freshchat careers

Freshworks, the company behind Freshchat, publishes open roles across engineering, product, sales, customer success and support functions. Opportunities for working on Freshchat typically appear in product management, backend and frontend engineering (SDKs), AI/bots engineering, and solutions architecture roles that focus on integrations and enterprise deployments. To explore current job openings and recruitment processes, check Freshworks’ careers portal on their corporate site where roles and locations are listed.

Freshchat affiliate

Freshworks runs partner and reseller programs that include referral, agency and technology partners. Affiliate-style programs or partner programs vary by region and typically provide commission structures, lead handoff processes and co-marketing resources for qualified partners. For formal partnership information, review Freshworks’ partner program documentation or contact their partnerships team through the corporate pages.

Where to find Freshchat reviews

Freshchat reviews are available on major software review sites and analyst platforms where customers post experiences about deployment, support and ROI. Common places to read verified reviews include G2, Capterra and TrustRadius; independent articles and case studies are also available on industry publications and Freshworks’ customer case study pages. To see verified customer feedback and ratings, consult those review sites and Freshworks’ customer success case studies.

For pricing, security and developer documentation referenced above, consult Freshworks’ official pages: their pricing information, trust and security documentation, and support and developer portal.