Backlog by Nulab Inc vs Freshservice by Freshworks
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Quick verdict: Pick Backlog if you're a software or small-business team that wants flat-rate project management with built-in Git, and pick Freshservice if you run an IT help desk that needs ITIL-aligned, AI-assisted service management.
Best for: Software teams that want issue tracking and code hosting under one roof, Agile teams that plan with Kanban boards or Gantt charts
Read the full Backlog by Nulab Inc reviewBest for: Mid-sized IT teams (roughly 10–200 agents) replacing email- and spreadsheet-based ticketing with a structured service desk, Organizations that want ITIL-aligned processes and a CMDB without the cost and implementation weight of enterprise suites like ServiceNow
Read the full Freshservice by Freshworks reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
Backlog by Nulab Inc vs Freshservice by Freshworks: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose Backlog by Nulab Inc if
- Your developers need Git, SVN, and tasks in one tool
Choose Freshservice by Freshworks if
- You run an IT help desk and want ITIL-aligned workflows
- You need Freddy AI triage plus no-code automation for tickets
- You're consolidating IT, HR, and facilities requests in one platform
Backlog by Nulab Inc vs Freshservice by Freshworks: pros and cons
Backlog by Nulab Inc
Backlog bundles task tracking, Gantt and Kanban views, docs, and built-in Git and SVN behind flat-rate pricing that never climbs with headcount. The AI Assistant, unlimited Gantt views, and enterprise SSO sit on pricier tiers, though, and storage caps run tight. Overall, it's a solid pick for growing teams that want projects and code on one predictable bill.
Pros
- Flat-rate team pricing instead of per-seat fees — the $35/month Starter plan covers up to 30 users, and Standard and above support unlimited users, so adding teammates never raises the bill
- Built-in Git and Subversion hosting inside the platform—developers can manage repositories, review pull requests, and link commits directly to tasks without switching between a code host and a project tracker
- A working AI Assistant (included on Premium and Enterprise) that builds daily to-do lists, summarizes documents and project progress, flags blockers, and pulls up files and deadlines on demand
Cons
- The AI Assistant is locked behind the $175/month Premium tier or custom-priced Enterprise, and heavy AI usage requires paid credit top-ups ($60–$210/month for 2,000–9,000 additional credits), which erodes the flat-rate value proposition
- Storage limits are tight at every tier—100 MB on Free, 1 GB on Starter, 30 GB on Standard, and 100 GB on Premium—so file-heavy teams may hit ceilings well before user limits
- The Starter plan caps at 30 users and 5 projects, forcing a jump to the $100/month Standard tier for teams just over that line, and Standard restricts Gantt charts to a 6-month view (unlimited views require Premium)
Freshservice by Freshworks
Freshservice gives IT teams a genuinely quick path from email chaos to structured, ITIL-aligned service management, with Freddy AI and no-code automation trimming manual triage. The trade-offs are real: the deepest features sit in higher tiers, and per-agent costs can climb as you scale. Overall, it's a strong pick for mid-sized teams that want ITIL discipline without enterprise-suite weight.
Pros
- Deploys quickly compared to legacy ITSM suites—configuration is form- and workflow-driven, so small teams can launch a functional service desk in days rather than months
- Freddy AI provides practical, time-saving assistance — automatic categorization, thread summarization, and suggested replies reduce per-ticket handling time
- The no-code Workflow Automator lets non-developer admins build approvals, conditional routing, and webhooks without scripting
Cons
- The most valuable modules—CMDB, Orchestration Centre, advanced analytics, and multi-workspace support—are restricted to upper tiers, so entry-level plans can feel constrained
- Enterprises with deeply customized processes or non-standard data models may hit customization ceilings compared to platforms like ServiceNow
- Per-agent subscription costs plus add-ons and premium support can climb meaningfully as headcount and module requirements grow
Backlog by Nulab Inc and Freshservice by Freshworks in detail
Backlog by Nulab Inc
Backlog is a project management platform from Nulab Inc. It combines task tracking, Agile boards, Gantt charts, bug tracking, and team documentation in one tool.
Developers can manage Git and SVN code without leaving the app, and an AI assistant summarizes updates and drafts documents. Nulab says more than 4 million users worldwide rely on it.
Standout features
- Plan work your way
- Your AI teammate for smarter project management
- Manage code where your work lives
- Keep everything in one place
Use cases
- Run Agile sprints without the guesswork
- Keep code and tasks in one place
- Coordinate marketing campaigns and deadlines
- Grow your team without growing the bill
Freshservice by Freshworks
Freshservice is an IT Operations Platform delivered entirely from the cloud. At its core is a multi-channel ticketing system that consolidates requests from email, a self-service portal, and other intake points, with SLA policies, business hours, and escalation rules enforcing response commitments. Around that core sit modules for the service catalog, knowledge base, asset management and CMDB, change and release management, project tracking, and reporting. No-code automation and the Freddy AI assistant handle repetitive work like ticket categorization, routing, summarization, and suggested replies.
Standout features
- Ticketing and Incident Management
- Freddy AI and No-Code Automation
- Asset Management and CMDB
- Change, Release, and Service Catalog
- Reporting, Integrations, and Multi-Team Support
Use cases
- Modernizing an Overloaded IT Help Desk
- Employee Onboarding and Offboarding Across Departments
- Auditable Change Management for Compliance-Minded Teams
- Hardware and Asset Lifecycle Tracking
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | Backlog by Nulab Inc | Freshservice by Freshworks |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $35/mo Starter | $19/mo Freshservice for IT teams · per user |
| Free plan | Yes 10 users | No |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | — | — |
| Pricing model | Flat price | Per user |
| Cost for 1 user | FreeCheaper Free plan, billed monthly | $19/mo Freshservice for IT teams plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 5 users | FreeCheaper Free plan, billed monthly | $95/mo Freshservice for IT teams plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 10 users | FreeCheaper Free plan, billed monthly | $190/mo Freshservice for IT teams plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 25 users | $35/moCheaper Starter plan, billed monthly | $475/mo Freshservice for IT teams plan, billed monthly |
| Plans | 5 | 5 |
| Prices checked | Checked Oct 13, 2026 | Checked Oct 12, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Sep 9, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 5 users (billed monthly), Backlog by Nulab Inc costs $0/mo vs Freshservice by Freshworks at $95/mo.
- Backlog by Nulab Inc is cheaper at every team size we checked (1 to 25 users).
- For 1 user (billed monthly), Backlog by Nulab Inc costs $0/mo vs Freshservice by Freshworks at $19/mo.
- For 10 users (billed monthly), Backlog by Nulab Inc costs $0/mo vs Freshservice by Freshworks at $190/mo.
- For 25 users (billed monthly), Backlog by Nulab Inc costs $35/mo vs Freshservice by Freshworks at $475/mo.
- Only Backlog by Nulab Inc has a free plan.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
More comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between Backlog and Freshservice?
Backlog is flat-rate project management with built-in Git for software and marketing teams. Freshservice is an ITSM platform for running structured IT service desks. They overlap on tickets and boards, but they serve different core jobs.
Can either tool scale as we grow?
Yes. Backlog supports unlimited users from the Standard plan up. Freshservice supports multi-department workspaces and suits teams of roughly 10–200 agents, with deeper modules on higher tiers.