Migration guide

Migrate from Freshdesk to Helpzen

Step-by-step guide. Free migration tool. Most teams switch in under a day and save $5,412 per year.

Start the migration →See full comparison

Average yearly savings (10-agent team)

$5,412

Flat $39/mo on Helpzen vs. per-agent pricing on Freshdesk

Why teams leave Freshdesk

  • Still per-agent pricing ($15-$99/agent/mo) — scales poorly as you hire
  • AI Copilot requires Enterprise tier ($99/agent)
  • Dated UI slows down agent productivity
  • Limited AI capabilities without significant configuration
  • Closed source — no self-host option

What gets imported from Freshdesk

All tickets with threaded conversations
Contacts and companies
Solution articles and folders
Canned responses
Automations and dispatcher rules
Custom fields, tags, and ticket types
Agent groups and roles
SLA policies and business hours

Step-by-step migration

  1. 1

    Create Helpzen workspace

    2 min

    Sign up, choose subdomain, verify email.

  2. 2

    Connect Freshdesk

    3 min

    Settings → Migrations → Freshdesk. Enter your Freshdesk subdomain and API key from Profile Settings.

  3. 3

    Preview imports

    2 min

    Review ticket counts, contacts, articles. Pick a start date for historical tickets.

  4. 4

    Run the migration

    1-3 hours

    Helpzen imports in the background. Most Freshdesk migrations complete in 1-3 hours.

  5. 5

    Point email forwarding

    5 min

    Update your [email protected] forwarding from Freshdesk to Helpzen.

  6. 6

    Configure automations

    20 min

    Review imported automations in Helpzen. Tune triggers and conditions as needed.

  7. 7

    Invite agents and go live

    15 min

    Add team members. They can work in Helpzen immediately — the UI is modern and familiar.

  8. 8

    Cancel Freshdesk

    2 min

    After a week of parallel running, cancel your Freshdesk subscription.

What to plan for

A few Freshdesk features don't 1:1 map — here's how to handle them.

  • Freshdesk custom apps → replace with Helpzen integrations
  • Freshworks CRM sync → replace with Helpzen's native HubSpot/Salesforce sync
  • Freshcaller voice → separate tool (Helpzen focuses on digital channels)

Timeline: 1-2 business days for most Freshdesk migrations.

FAQ

How long does it take to migrate from Freshdesk to Helpzen?+

1-2 business days for most Freshdesk migrations.

Is the Freshdesk migration tool free?+

Yes. The Helpzen migration tool is free for all customers. Teams over 10 agents get free white-glove migration assistance from our team.

Will we lose any data from Freshdesk?+

No. Helpzen imports tickets, contacts, articles, macros, automations, and custom fields. Your historical conversations are preserved with full thread history.

How much will we save by switching from Freshdesk?+

A 10-agent team saves approximately $5,412 per year switching from Freshdesk to Helpzen. Larger teams save proportionally more.

Can we run Freshdesk and Helpzen in parallel during the migration?+

Yes — we recommend 1 week of parallel running. Route a percentage of new tickets to Helpzen while your team gets comfortable, then cut over fully.

Migrating from a different tool?

From Zendesk

Save $13,332/yr →

From Intercom

Save $8,412/yr →

From HubSpot Service Hub

Save $10,332/yr →

Ready to leave Freshdesk?

Free migration tool. White-glove support for teams of 10+. Start your Helpzen free trial in under 2 minutes.

Start free trial →See pricing