The Problem
Why teams leave Freshdesk
Essential features (SLA, CSAT) locked to Pro/Enterprise
Freshworks ecosystem cross-sell pressure
Freddy AI requires Enterprise tier
Limited ticket customization on lower plans
Omnichannel support is a separate product
What We Build Instead
Your custom customer support tool
Help desk with SLAs, CSAT, and automation from day one
Omnichannel support in a single platform
AI-powered ticket routing and response suggestions
Custom ticket types, fields, and workflows
Customer portal and knowledge base
The Math
Freshdesk vs. custom build
Based on 25 seats at $49/seat/month, with ~10% annual SaaS price increases.
Keep paying Freshdesk
Build with 86 SaaS
3-year savings with 25 seats
$12,260
25% less than Freshdesk
Pricing Breakdown
Freshdesk tier pricing vs. one-time custom build
Compare what you pay per seat across Freshdesk's tiers against a single investment in software you own forever.
| Tier | Monthly/Seat | Annual/Seat | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free | Up to 10 agents, Email ticketing, Knowledge base, Team inbox |
| Growth | $15/mo | $15/mo | Automations, Marketplace apps, Custom ticket views, SLA management |
| Pro | $49/mo | $49/mo | CSAT surveys, Custom roles, Average handling time, Custom objects |
| Enterprise | $79/mo | $79/mo | Freddy AI, Audit logs, Skill-based routing, Sandbox |
| Custom Build by 86 SaaS | $15,000–$35,000 one-time | $0/seat | Unlimited users, full ownership, no recurring fees |
Migration Timeline
From Freshdesk to ownership — week by week
A structured migration plan to move off Freshdesk in 4-8 weeks with zero downtime.
Discovery & Audit
1 weekMap Freshdesk ticket types, automations, SLA policies, and help center content. Identify cross-product dependencies.
Architecture & Design
1 weekDesign omnichannel help desk with SLAs, CSAT, and AI routing built into the core platform.
Core Development
2-4 weeksBuild ticket management, omnichannel inbox, AI routing, SLA tracking, CSAT, and knowledge base.
Data Migration & Testing
1 weekMigrate tickets, contacts, help articles, and canned responses from Freshdesk. Validate automations.
Deployment & Training
1 weekDeploy platform, connect support channels, train agents, validate SLA tracking.
Total build time
4-8 weeks
Feature Comparison
What you keep, what you skip, and why
A transparent comparison of Freshdesk features vs. your custom-built alternative.
| Feature | Freshdesk | Custom Build | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket Management | |||
| Omnichannel Support | All channels in one platform — not a separate product | ||
| SLA Management | |||
| CSAT Surveys | |||
| AI Ticket Routing | Built-in — no Enterprise tier required | ||
| Knowledge Base | |||
| Custom Ticket Types | |||
| Automation Workflows | |||
| Unlimited Agents | No per-agent pricing | ||
| Freddy AI Chatbot | Replaced by custom AI with better training on your data | ||
| Freshworks Marketplace | Replaced by direct integrations | ||
| Data Ownership | Your support data on your infrastructure |
Your custom build focuses on the features your team actually uses — typically 15-20% of what Freshdesk offers — built exactly for your workflow.
How It Works
From Freshdesk to ownership in 4-8 weeks
Free Audit
We analyze your Freshdesk usage and identify exactly which features your team actually uses.
Scope & Build
We build your custom customer support tool with only the features you need. 4-8 weeks.
Deploy & Migrate
We deploy to your infrastructure, migrate your data from Freshdesk, and train your team.
You Own It
Full source code, documentation, and optional maintenance retainer. No vendor lock-in. Ever.