Head-to-head · helpdesks · facts checked 13 Sept 2026
Front vs Hiver
Front scores 7.6 to Hiver's 7.4 among the helpdesks we rate, and is the better pick for 2 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
The verdict
Front wins, 7.6 to 7.4
Hiver and Front both charge $35 a month per seat to start. Hiver bundles its AI into every plan with no separate usage charge; Front's Autopilot is priced per outcome, from $0.05 for a triage to $0.89 for a full resolution. Front also covers two data regions, US and EU, against Hiver's US only, and Front can remove its own chat widget branding on the Professional plan, something Hiver does not offer at any tier.
Pick Front if you want more data regions and removable branding.
Pick Hiver if you want AI bundled in with no per-outcome charges.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
Small teams on a budget
Front
Front 5.5 · Hiver 5.0 on pricing
- Free trial: 14 days against 7 days
Answering customers with AI
Hiver
Front 5.8 · Hiver 8.5 on ai that answers your customers
- AI included in the price: Included against Per_resolution
- What the AI learns from: Help_center, notion against Help_center
Support teams on many channels
Too close to call
Front 8.8 · Hiver 8.8 on channels and running a support team
- Channels it works in: Front Email, live_chat, slack, whatsapp, messenger, instagram, Hiver Email, live_chat, slack, voice, whatsapp, sms
Regulated industries
Front
Front 9.5 · Hiver 8.0 on security and privacy
- Audit log: Front yes, Hiver no
- Choice of data region: Us, eu against Us
Section 01
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other helpdesks we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Front leads on 4 of 7 criteria.
AI that answers your customers25% of the score
Front5.8
Hiver8.5
Pricing20% of the score
Front5.5
Hiver5.0
Channels15% of the score
Front8.0
Hiver8.0
Security and privacy15% of the score
Front9.5
Hiver8.0
Running a support team10% of the score
Front10.0
Hiver10.0
Integrations10% of the score
Front10.0
Hiver7.5
Support and branding5% of the score
Front8.8
Hiver2.5
Section 02
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Connects to Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify and others
Front
Published by only one of them
Languages the AI answers in
Hiver
Not published
Channels it works in
Ways to reach support
Hiver
Not published
Where they match (12)
Section 03
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Front
Starter
$35/seat/mo · $300/seat/yr
Up to 10 seats; single-channel support, shared inbox, ticketing, basic analytics, up to 10 automation rules
Professional
$85/seat/mo · $780/seat/yr
Up to 50 seats; omnichannel, macros, up to 20 automation rules, advanced analytics, SSO, SCIM
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited seats; smart rules, unlimited rules/macros, multi-language KB, custom roles, AI Copilot/QA/CSAT included
Autopilot (AI Add-on)
$0.05/conversation
Omnichannel AI agent for complex customer work; available on all plans
Copilot (AI Add-on)
$20/seat/mo
Real-time AI assistant for agents; included in Enterprise, add-on for Starter/Professional
Smart QA (AI Add-on)
$20/seat/mo
Automated AI-powered QA; included in Enterprise, add-on for Starter/Professional
Smart CSAT (AI Add-on)
$10/seat/mo
AI-inferred customer satisfaction ratings; included in Enterprise, add-on for Starter/Professional
Smart QA + Smart CSAT Bundle
$25/seat/mo
Combined QA and CSAT add-on bundle
Native WhatsApp Channel
Meta-billed costs + 20% admin fee
Connect WhatsApp Business numbers directly; available on Professional and Enterprise
API Rate Limit Increase
$200 per 100 API requests/min
Available on all plans for high-volume API workflows
Hiver
Growth
$35/user/mo · $300/user/yr
Ideal for small teams to deliver effortless, multi-channel support
Pro
$65/user/mo · $660/user/yr
Most Popular; for teams looking to transform their support with advanced features
Elite
$95/user/mo · $1,020/user/yr
For teams looking to transform their support with advanced features
Voice
$30/user/mo
2000 minutes/mo, Call recording and transcripts, AI call summaries, Call notes
Section 04
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
Front
Pros
- Front combines shared inboxes, omnichannel conversations, ticket routing, live chat, and a knowledge base into a single coordinated platform.
- The AI Autopilot can autonomously resolve incoming support requests without human input, with Front claiming up to 70% resolution rates on simpler cases.
- A separate AI Copilot mode assists human agents in real time, giving teams two distinct AI modes suited to different use cases.
- The platform is purpose-built for complex B2B workflows and multi-department operations, making it a strong fit for logistics, manufacturing, financial services, and travel sectors.
- Front's narrower market focus means the product is more honest about what it does rather than trying to be everything to everyone like larger competitors.
- Over 9,300 companies use Front, suggesting meaningful market validation for teams with complex coordination needs.
- The distinction between autonomous AI resolution and AI-assisted agent support gives operations teams flexibility in how they deploy automation.
Cons
- The autonomous resolution rate varies significantly with the complexity of incoming requests.
- Front is not designed for high-volume, general-purpose helpdesk use, making it a poor fit for teams that need Zendesk or Freshdesk-style scale.
- The customer base of 9,300 companies is small next to category giants.
- The platform's narrow targeting toward B2B and complex workflows means smaller or simpler support teams may find it over-engineered for their needs.
Hiver
Pros
- Hiver lives inside Gmail and Outlook, eliminating the need for a separate helpdesk login or tab, which reduces friction for teams already working in email.
- Harvey AI is powered by OpenAI and can be trained on your own knowledge base, making suggestions more relevant than generic AI alternatives.
- Collision detection prevents two agents from replying to the same email simultaneously, reducing duplicate responses and confusion.
- The platform includes SLA policies with breach alerts, helping support teams stay accountable to response time commitments.
- Over 10,000 businesses use Hiver, indicating proven adoption for a narrowly focused tool in a competitive space.
- Built-in live chat widget, CSAT surveys, and a self-service knowledge base provide a reasonable support feature surface without requiring third-party add-ons.
- A REST API is available for teams that need to build custom integrations or extend the platform's functionality.
Cons
- Hiver is narrowly focused on Gmail and Outlook users, making it a poor fit for teams not already centered around those email clients.
- The product's tight niche means teams with more complex or multi-channel support needs will likely hit platform limitations quickly.
- Live chat is only available on higher-tier Growth and Elite plans, locking a key feature behind a more expensive subscription.
- It is not designed to compete with full-scale helpdesks like Zendesk, so teams needing advanced functionality may find it insufficient.
- The AI and automation features, while useful, are not exotic or differentiated enough to stand out against broader helpdesk competitors.
- Teams outside the specific shared-inbox-in-email use case may find the tool frustrating rather than helpful.
Section 05
Front vs Hiver: common questions
Which is better, Front or Hiver?
Front scores 7.6 and Hiver 7.4 out of 10 among the helpdesks we rate. Front is ahead on pricing, security and privacy, integrations and support and branding. Hiver is ahead on aI that answers your customers.
Is Front or Hiver cheaper?
Front's cheapest paid plan is $35/seat/mo and Hiver's is $35/user/mo. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Do Front and Hiver have a free plan?
Neither has a free plan.
What can Front do that Hiver cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: audit log.
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