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Guide

How to Choose Help Desk Software for a Small Team

Raimundo Oliveira

By , founder & editor · Published · Updated · 1 min read

Fact-checked against official vendor pages · How we review

A help desk turns support emails and chats into tickets one team can share. Small teams should look for a shared inbox, live chat, a help center and clear AI pricing; SparrowDesk is free for 3 agents.

Illustration of a support inbox with tickets, chat bubbles and a headset, on a blue background

Key takeaways

  • Start with a shared inbox, chat widget and help center.
  • Price = seats × plan + AI usage.
  • SparrowDesk is free for up to 3 agents and 500 conversations a month.
  • Add an AI agent only after your help center answers the top questions.

SparrowDesk · Free help desk

Free · from $16/seat/mo (yearly)

Start SparrowDesk free

Quick answer

Quick answer

Need a shared inbox, chat and FAQ page for 1–3 agents? Start free with SparrowDesk. Upgrade when you need AI Copilot, workflows or more agents.

Our pick at a glance

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Must-have features

FeatureWhy it matters
Shared inboxNo lost emails, clear owners
Live chat widgetAnswers buyers before they leave
Help centerCustomers find answers themselves
ReportingSee response times and volume
AI agentResolves repeat questions 24/7

How pricing works

  • Seats: SparrowDesk Starter $16, Professional $49, Enterprise $89 per seat/month billed annually.
  • AI: free quota, then $0.49 per AI resolution.

Reference · checked on SparrowDesk's pricing article on November 14, 2026 (USD).

Read our full SparrowDesk review.

Step-by-step setup

  1. Connect your support email.
  2. Add the chat widget to your site.
  3. Write 10 help center articles for your top questions.
  4. Create tags and saved replies.
  5. Turn on the AI agent and review its answers weekly.

Social media messages too?

If many questions arrive by Instagram or Facebook, a social inbox like Vista Social can help.

Ready to leave the shared Gmail inbox?

SparrowDesk is free for 3 agents; paid seats start at $16/mo billed annually.

Start SparrowDesk free

Frequently asked questions

What is help desk software?

A tool that collects customer emails, chats and messages into tickets so a team can assign, answer and track them.

Is there a free help desk?

Yes. SparrowDesk's free plan covers 3 agents, 500 conversations a month and one help center.

How is AI priced in help desks?

Often per resolution. SparrowDesk charges $0.49 per AI resolution after the free quota (November 14, 2026).

Sources checked

General information, not professional advice. Plans, prices and features change: confirm them on the vendor’s official site before you buy. Affiliate disclosure · How we review

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