Freshdesk vs Help Scout:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Freshdesk had more branded searches than Help Scout among customer support platforms in New Zealand. Freshdesk had about 320 branded searches, while Help Scout had 110. Freshdesk made up 14.2% of all customer support platform searches we track, and Help Scout accounted for 4.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about customer support platforms, Freshdesk appeared in all four answers and Help Scout in none.
Who do people search for more?
Freshdesk, about 3 searches for every 1 for Help Scout
Who does AI mention more?
Freshdesk, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Freshdesk, the only one of the two named
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Top customer support platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Freshdesk appeared in all four answers. Help Scout did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Zendesk4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers- Freshdesk4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Zoho Desk3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Gorgias3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Intercom3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Help Scout0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Tidio0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Crisp0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about customer support platforms
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which customer support platform should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best customer support platforms in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best customer support platform in New Zealand for a growing service team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“customer support platforms”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“help desk software nz”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Freshdesk or Help Scout more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Freshdesk and Help Scout by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight customer support platforms we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Freshdesk, Help Scout. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Zendesk | Zoho Desk | Freshdesk | Gorgias | Help Scout | Tidio | Intercom | Crisp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48% | 14% | 14% | 11.5% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 0.36% | 0% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.3% | 13% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 6.9% | 5.7% | 0.41% | 0% |
| Dec 2025 | 42.9% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 6.6% | 4.2% | 0.47% | 0.47% |
| Jan 2026 | 43.8% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 16.6% | 4.7% | 7.2% | 0% | 0.43% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.6% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 16.2% | 4.6% | 8.7% | 0.41% | 0% |
| Mar 2026 | 41.1% | 15.4% | 15.4% | 15.4% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 0.4% | 0% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.7% | 15% | 12.2% | 22.5% | 6.6% | 8% | 0.47% | 0.47% |
| May 2026 | 45.2% | 14% | 11.4% | 17.1% | 3.9% | 7.5% | 0.44% | 0.44% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.6% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 16.7% | 6% | 6% | 0.43% | 0% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.3% | 12.8% | 12.8% | 19.2% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 0.49% | 0.49% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.6% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 20.3% | 5.9% | 3.8% | 0.42% | 0% |
| Sep 2026 | 44.9% | 17.3% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 4.9% | 4% | 0.44% | 0% |
How has the Freshdesk and Help Scout comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Freshdesk was ahead of Help Scout in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Freshdesk’s share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand moved from 14% to 14.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 390 to 320.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Help Scout’s share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand moved from 6.1% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 170 to 110.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand customer support platforms in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Zoho Desk overtook Gorgias and Freshdesk to rank 2nd among customer support platforms in New Zealand, with 17.3% of the searches.
In September 2026, Freshdesk gained share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand, from 13.5% to 14.2%.
In September 2026, Help Scout lost share of searches among customer support platforms in New Zealand, from 5.9% to 4.9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Freshdesk’s and Help Scout’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Freshdesk
1 branded search term
- freshdesk
Help Scout
1 branded search term
- helpscout
Other head-to-heads among customer support platforms
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