7 Best Hiver Alternatives in 2026: Pricing, Pros & Cons
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Start your free 7-day POC. For Hiver's plans in detail, read our Hiver pricing guide, or open the Hiver alternative page.
Why trust this list?
This list is written by the Master Inbox team and reviewed by our founder, Abdul Mukati. Every price and feature for the other six tools comes from that vendor's own pages, read on 28 October 2026, with a link beside each price. Master Inbox is one of the seven options, and we say so up front. We state only what each vendor publishes, we phrase limits as neutral facts, and we leave out anything we could not read on the page. Each of these tools is a strong product for the work it was built for.
Why teams look for Hiver alternatives
Hiver describes itself as an agentic omnichannel customer service platform, offered as Hiver Omni and as Hiver in Gmail, a Chrome extension. Teams usually start comparing for one of three reasons.
Per-user tiers that scale with the team
Hiver lists Growth at $25, Pro at $55 and Elite at $85 per user per month on annual billing. Per Hiver's FAQ, plans start at 2 seats, then 5, then grow in increments of 5. That suits a support team with steady headcount. Teams where many people touch replies, such as SDRs, account executives and client managers, sometimes prefer a plan that does not change when someone joins. Our Hiver pricing guide shows the arithmetic.
Outbound replies are a different job
Hiver is built for teams that handle inbound requests: support, customer success, inbound sales, finance and HR. Cold outbound replies come in from many sending mailboxes and LinkedIn tools, and they need intent labels and fast routing. Teams working that flow look at tools designed around reply management. Compare the two directly in Master Inbox vs Hiver.
A Gmail add-on, or a platform of its own
Some teams want to stay inside Gmail. Others want one shared inbox across email, chat and messaging, or one unified inbox across every sequencer and LinkedIn tool. The seven options below cover each of those paths, and our Front alternatives list covers the neighbouring ground.
Hiver alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Pricing model (checked 28 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Master Inbox | Outbound teams and agencies working cold email and LinkedIn replies | By connected mailboxes and client workspaces, unlimited users, from $599 a month |
| 2. Gmelius | Teams that work in Gmail or Google Workspace | Per user per month, from $19 billed yearly, Enterprise by quote |
| 3. Front | Customer support and operations teams | Per seat per month, from $25 billed annually |
| 4. Help Scout | Small support teams, startups and non-profits | Per user per month: Free, then $25, $45 and $75 |
| 5. Zendesk | Customer service at scale with ticketing | Per agent per month, plus AI agent pricing per automated resolution |
| 6. Missive | Teams sharing customer-facing mailboxes | Per user per month from $14 billed yearly |
| 7. Intercom | Support, sales and ecommerce conversations with an AI agent | Per seat from $19, plus $0.99 per Fin outcome |
1. Master Inbox
Master Inbox is the reply management platform for outbound teams and agencies: one unified inbox for every sequencer, LinkedIn tool and inbound form, with AI labeling and AI reply agents.
Key features
- Unibox: one AI-labeled inbox for Smartlead, Instantly, EmailBison, Reply.io, Lemlist, HeyReach, Expandi, Aimfox and more. It reads the mailboxes themselves, so it also threads forwards, CC replies and new-address replies that a sequencer's own inbox does not show.
- AI labeling: every email and LinkedIn reply labeled by intent as it lands, with thirteen default labels or your own taxonomy, on your own OpenAI, Anthropic or OpenRouter key.
- Workflows: label-triggered actions inside the inbox, such as Slack cards with an approve button, HubSpot sync, stopping the sequence on a booked meeting and webhooks.
- Client workspaces: one workspace per client with its own mailboxes, labels, members and limits, and client logins scoped to their inbox only.
- Reply Agents: answer every outbound reply, follow up and book meetings on your real calendar, human-in-the-loop first and autonomous when you are ready.
- LinkedIn Inbox, API and reporting: LinkedIn threads next to email per prospect, a REST API with 150+ endpoints and webhooks on every plan, and SLA tracking on every reply.
Pricing
Master Inbox is never priced per seat. Plans scale with connected mailboxes and client workspaces, and every plan includes unlimited users. Full details are on the pricing page.
| Plan | Price | Built for |
|---|---|---|
| Agency | $599 per month | Agencies, with up to 3,000 mailboxes and 15 client workspaces |
| Team | $799 per month | Sales teams, with up to 2,000 mailboxes |
Larger plans are listed on the pricing page. Every plan starts with a free 7-day POC, and onboarding is done with you.
Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan, so adding a rep or a client manager does not change the bill.
- Replies from email and LinkedIn tools land in one queue, labeled by intent.
- Label-triggered workflows and an included API replace stitched-together automations.
- White-glove onboarding and a free 7-day POC before you commit.
Best for
Outbound sales teams and lead generation agencies that send from many mailboxes and LinkedIn accounts and need every reply handled fast. See how outbound teams and agencies use it.
Works alongside
Master Inbox works alongside the tools you already run. Keep Smartlead, Instantly or EmailBison for sending, HeyReach for LinkedIn, HubSpot as your CRM and Slack for alerts. It also sits next to a support desk: teams keep Hiver or any option below for customer support and use Master Inbox for outbound. The full side-by-side is on the Hiver vs Master Inbox page.
2. Gmelius
Gmelius is a Gmail and Google Workspace tool that adds shared inboxes, shared Gmail labels, shared drafts, assignment, automation rules, analytics and AI assistants to Gmail. Its AI assistant is called Meli.
Key features
- Unlimited shared inboxes and shared Gmail labels on every plan.
- Shared drafts, notes with mentions, assignments, collision detection and kanban board views.
- Automation rules, round-robin and load-balanced assignment, and response-time SLA rules.
- A REST API with OAuth 2.0 and webhooks, a two-way Slack integration, and a Gmelius MCP server.
Pricing
Per Gmelius's pricing page, checked 28 October 2026, per user per month:
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Meli | $19 | $21 |
| Growth | $25 | $33 |
| Pro | $40 | $50 |
Enterprise is a custom quote with a minimum of 50 users. The trial is 7 days with a free 30-minute onboarding call.
Pros
- Works natively inside Gmail, with web and mobile apps as well.
- Published prices for three self-serve tiers.
- HubSpot and Salesforce integrations on the Pro plan.
Cons
- It works on Google and Google Workspace accounts only.
- Usage caps apply per plan. Meli covers up to 5 users and 5,000 conversations a month, and Growth covers up to 50 users and 10,000 conversations a month.
- All team members must be on the same plan, and Enterprise starts at 50 users.
Best for
Teams and individuals who work in Gmail or Google Workspace and want shared inboxes and AI help without leaving it.
3. Front
Front describes itself as an AI customer operations platform that combines shared inboxes, ticketing, a knowledge base and AI agents across email, chat, SMS and WhatsApp.
Key features
- Shared inboxes with mentions, escalations and handoffs across a team.
- Copilot, Autopilot, Smart QA and Smart CSAT for support teams.
- 160+ out-of-the-box integrations, an API and a no-code integration builder.
- Salesforce and HubSpot connections, and a Slack integration, on Starter and above.
Pricing
Per Front's pricing page, checked 28 October 2026:
- Starter: $25 per seat per month, billed annually.
- Professional: $65 per seat per month, billed annually.
- Enterprise: $105 per seat per month, billed annually.
- Copilot add-on: $20 per seat per month on Starter and Professional. Autopilot starts from $0.05 per conversation.
- Trial: 14 days of Professional features, no credit card.
Pros
- A broad directory of integrations and a documented API.
- Published attestations: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA.
- Full customer history across channels.
Cons
- Starter covers up to 10 seats and Professional up to 50. The Enterprise cap is not stated.
- Prices are listed per seat per month billed annually, and monthly prices are not shown.
- Front's integrations directory did not list a LinkedIn integration when checked on 28 October 2026.
Best for
Customer support, operations, inbound sales, account management and customer success teams. See our Master Inbox vs Front comparison.
4. Help Scout
Help Scout is a customer communication platform with a shared inbox, a knowledge base (Docs), live chat (Beacon) and AI features. It is described as built for small businesses, high-growth startups and non-profits running customer support.
Key features
- Shared inbox with assignments, internal notes, mentions, saved replies and workflows.
- AI Assist, AI Summarize and AI Drafts for agents.
- Documented Inbox API, Webhooks, Chat API and Docs API.
- 100+ listed integrations, including HubSpot and Salesforce.
Pricing
Per Help Scout's pricing page, checked 28 October 2026:
- Free: $0, up to 5 users, 1 inbox and 100 contacts per month.
- Standard: $25 per user per month. Plus: $45 per user per month. Pro: $75 per user per month.
- Envoy AI add-on: $0.75 per resolution, billed monthly.
- Trial: 15 days, no credit card, on Standard and Plus.
The page shows a 16% annual discount and does not state which billing period the listed prices reflect.
Pros
- A free plan and published per-user prices.
- Unlimited contacts on paid plans.
- A clear developer surface for custom integrations.
Cons
- Standard covers up to 25 users and Plus up to 50. Pro lists a minimum of 10 users.
- The Slack integration sends one-way notifications, and Slack cannot be used to create or manage conversations.
- Pro has no self-serve trial, only a demo.
Best for
Small support teams that want a simple shared inbox with a free starting point.
Running outbound next to a support desk? Start your free 7-day POC and see all your replies in one inbox.
5. Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service platform with ticketing, omnichannel messaging, a help center, AI agents and an agent Copilot. Founded in 2007, it is built for businesses that run customer service at scale.
Key features
- Ticketing across email, messaging, live chat and voice in the Suite plans.
- AI agents billed per automated resolution, plus Copilot and Quality Assurance monitoring.
- Support API, Conversations API, AI Agents API, Webhooks and Custom Objects.
- Up to 3,000 support email addresses per account, and support for multiple brands.
Pricing
Per Zendesk's pricing page, checked 28 October 2026, per agent per month:
| Plan | Paid yearly | Paid monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Support Team | $19 | $25 |
| Suite Team | $55 | $69 |
| Suite Professional | $115 | $149 |
Automated resolutions cost $1.50 committed or $2.00 pay-as-you-go. Copilot is $50 per agent per month, paid yearly. Suite Enterprise is not listed. The trial runs 14 days.
Pros
- Yearly and monthly rates published for three self-serve plans.
- Deep ticketing, routing and automation for service teams.
- Two-way Slack: tickets can be created from Slack and updates sent back.
Cons
- Email becomes tickets that are routed to agents and groups, rather than a shared mailbox.
- Enterprise pricing is not published, and other add-ons carry separate usage charges.
- Tickets cannot be closed or have fields edited from Slack.
Best for
Customer service teams that run ticketing, AI agents and self-service at scale.
6. Missive
Missive is a collaborative inbox where teams work on email, SMS and social conversations together, with assignments, internal comments, tasks and shared drafts. Our Missive alternatives guide goes deeper.
Key features
- Assignments, internal comments, shared drafts and an audit trail inside conversations.
- Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and live website chat in one inbox.
- An AI assistant with a choice of Claude, OpenAI or Gemini models, and an MCP server.
- Rules, a REST API and rule-based webhooks.
Pricing
Per Missive's billing docs, checked 28 October 2026, per user per month:
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $14 | $18 |
| Productive | $24 | $30 |
| Business | $36 | $45 |
The trial is 30 days of Productive with no credit card. Additional shared accounts are sold in blocks of 5 at $15 a month.
Pros
- Collaboration tools sit inside each conversation.
- Several messaging channels in one inbox.
- HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive and Close are listed under its Sales CRM integrations.
Cons
- Starter covers up to 5 users and, per the billing docs, does not include integrations, rules, API or the AI Assistant. Productive covers up to 50 users.
- There is no free plan. After the trial, access pauses until the owner selects a plan.
- A LinkedIn integration or channel was not listed on its features page, integrations page or docs index when checked on 28 October 2026.
Best for
Support, sales and operations teams that share customer-facing mailboxes and want to work them together.
7. Intercom
Intercom is an AI-powered helpdesk that puts conversations, tickets and channels in one shared Inbox, alongside the Fin AI agent and a Copilot for agents. The company was renamed Fin in 2026, and Intercom remains the name of the customer service platform.
Key features
- One Inbox for email, live chat, phone, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.
- Fin, an AI agent priced per outcome, which can also run on top of other helpdesks.
- No-code Workflows for routing, snoozing and closing conversations.
- A two-way Slack channel integration, 450+ apps and integrations, a REST API and webhooks.
Pricing
Per Intercom's pricing page and Fin's pricing page, checked 28 October 2026:
- Essential: $19 per seat per month, shown with $29 struck through for new customers. Advanced: $85 per seat per month. Expert: $132 per seat per month.
- Fin AI agent: $0.99 per outcome, with a 50 outcomes per month minimum when used standalone.
- Copilot add-on: $29 per agent per month billed annually, or $35 billed monthly.
- Trial: 14 days, no credit card.
The pricing page does not say whether the $19 Essential price is monthly or annual.
Pros
- One Inbox across many messaging channels.
- An AI agent that can run on top of other helpdesks.
- Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive connectors are listed on its integrations page.
Cons
- Pricing combines seats and outcomes. Pay-as-you-go usage charges apply for WhatsApp, SMS, email campaigns and phone.
- Email forwarding supports up to 250 addresses per workspace, and Google Groups or shared mailing lists are not supported.
- Tickets cannot be created directly from Slack.
Best for
Businesses running customer support, sales, ecommerce and customer success conversations, from startups to enterprises.
How to choose a Hiver alternative
Start with the job, then check how the bill scales.
- Working cold outbound replies from many mailboxes and LinkedIn: choose Master Inbox. Read the unified inbox guide and the best unified inbox for cold email.
- Staying inside Gmail with a shared inbox: look at Gmelius, or Hiver in Gmail.
- Answering customers across many channels: compare Front, Help Scout, Zendesk and Intercom on seats, channels and AI pricing.
- Sharing customer-facing mailboxes as a team: look at Missive.
- Doing both outbound and support: run two tools. They connect to different parts of the stack and do not overlap. Our shared inbox for outbound teams guide shows the pattern.
Then check the pricing unit. Per-user plans follow headcount, and Master Inbox follows connected mailboxes and client workspaces with unlimited users. Compare the full field on our compare page.
Start your free 7-day POC and send your own replies through Master Inbox before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Hiver alternative for cold outbound replies?
Master Inbox is built for that job. It gathers email and LinkedIn replies from Smartlead, Instantly, EmailBison, HeyReach and more into one AI-labeled inbox, with unlimited users on every plan.
Which Hiver alternative works inside Gmail?
Gmelius adds shared inboxes, shared Gmail labels and AI assistants to Gmail and Google Workspace. Hiver itself also offers Hiver in Gmail, a Chrome extension.
Does Hiver have a free plan?
No free plan is listed on Hiver's pricing page. It offers a 7-day free trial, and sign-up gives instant access to the Elite plan without a credit card.
Which alternatives are priced per user?
Gmelius, Front, Help Scout, Zendesk, Missive and Intercom are priced per user, seat or agent. Master Inbox is priced on connected mailboxes and client workspaces, with unlimited users on every plan.
Can I use Master Inbox together with Hiver?
Yes. Many teams keep Hiver for inbound support and use Master Inbox for the replies their outbound campaigns produce. The two do different jobs.
Which alternatives list a free plan?
Of the tools here, only Help Scout lists a free plan, for up to 5 users, 1 inbox and 100 contacts per month. The others list a trial, and Master Inbox starts with a free 7-day POC.
How do I try Master Inbox?
Every plan starts with a free 7-day POC, and onboarding is done with you. You can start from the pricing page.
Sources
Prices and features checked on 28 October 2026 from each vendor's own pages:
- Hiver pricing and Hiver integrations
- Gmelius pricing and Gmelius integrations
- Front pricing and Front integrations directory
- Help Scout pricing and Help Scout Slack integration
- Zendesk pricing and Zendesk Slack integration
- Missive billing and plans and Missive integrations
- Intercom pricing, Fin pricing and Intercom email forwarding
Master Inbox pricing comes from our pricing page. Hiver is a trademark of its owner. Master Inbox is an independent product and is not affiliated with Hiver, Gmelius, Front, Help Scout, Zendesk, Missive or Intercom, each of which is a trademark of its owner.