SupportBee vs Hiver: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
SupportBee
Simple email-based help desk with shared inbox, knowledge base, and customer portal. No bloat, no fuss.
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
| Aspect | SupportBee | Hiver |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small teams that handle all support through email | Teams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $13/mo | Free |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB | WEB |
| Rating | 7.2/10 | 8.3/10 |
Pros & Cons
SupportBee
Pros
- Dead simple interface that feels like regular email
- Among the cheapest help desks at $13-17/user/month
- No learning curve — any team can start using it immediately
- Unlimited tickets and inboxes on all plans
- Knowledge base included even on the cheapest plan
Cons
- No live chat, phone, or chatbot functionality
- No mobile app available
- Reporting is extremely basic — no custom dashboards
- No SLA management or advanced automation
- Limited integrations compared to modern help desk tools
Hiver
Pros
- Zero learning curve if your team already uses Gmail
- Free plan genuinely useful for up to 10 users — 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 — if you use Outlook or another client, forget it
- No standalone web app — 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
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| SupportBee | subscription | $13/mo |
| Hiver | freemium | Free0 |
Our Verdict
Choose SupportBee if...
Small teams that handle all support through email
Choose Hiver if...
Teams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.