Softabase

Front vs Hiver: Complete Comparison 2026

An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.

Front logo

Front

4.5(987 reviews)

Shared inbox platform for teams managing email at scale with collaboration features.

Hiver logo

Hiver

8.3(1,890 reviews)

Gmail-based help desk that turns your inbox into a shared workspace with ticketing, SLAs, and automation. Free for up to 10 users.

Quick Comparison

AspectFrontHiver
Best ForTeams managing high-volume email communicationTeams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email
Pricing ModelSubscriptionFreemium
Starting Price$19/moFree
Deploymentcloudcloud
PlatformsWEB, IOS, ANDROIDWEB
Rating4.5/108.3/10

Pros & Cons

Front

Pros

  • Email-native approach feels personal to customers
  • Strong collaboration without sacrificing familiarity
  • Clean interface that teams adopt quickly
  • Multi-channel support in one inbox
  • Good analytics and SLA tracking

Cons

  • More expensive than basic shared inbox tools
  • May not scale for very large support operations
  • Less structured than traditional ticketing
  • Knowledge base is basic compared to competitors

Hiver

Pros

  • Zero learning curve if your team already uses Gmail
  • Free plan genuinely useful for up to 10 users β€” not a crippled trial
  • Collision detection stops agents from duplicating replies
  • Internal notes and email assignments feel native to Gmail
  • Live chat feeds into the same Gmail workflow, keeping everything unified
  • SLA and automation features rival standalone help desks

Cons

  • Only works with Gmail β€” if you use Outlook or another client, forget it
  • No standalone web app β€” you depend entirely on the Gmail extension
  • Live chat features are basic compared to dedicated tools like Intercom
  • Limited customization since everything runs within Gmail constraints
  • Advanced automation and AI features are locked behind the $49/user Elite plan

Pricing Comparison

ProductPricing ModelStarting Price
Frontsubscription$19/mo
HiverfreemiumFree0

Our Verdict

Choose Front if...

Teams managing high-volume email communication

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Choose Hiver if...

Teams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email

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Still Not Sure?

Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.