Front Too Expensive for SMEs: Economic Alternatives 2026

Introduction

Front costs €99/month minimum for 2 users. For an SME of 5-10 people, this represents nearly €600 to €1200 per year, a budget often too high for simple team email management needs.

Many SMEs turn to Front thinking they'll find the ideal solution, but quickly discover that:

The price is too high for their budget
Features are too complex for their needs
Configuration is too long and costly
The tool is oversized for their size

In this article, we explain why Front is too expensive for SMEs and what economic alternatives exist to effectively manage your team emails without breaking your budget.

The Front Pricing Problem

Front Pricing in 2026

Starter Plan: €99/month for 2 users

Each additional user: +€49/month
For 5 people: €99 + (3 × €49) = €246/month
For 10 people: €99 + (8 × €49) = €491/month

Growth Plan: €249/month for 2 users

Each additional user: +€99/month
For 5 people: €249 + (3 × €99) = €546/month
For 10 people: €249 + (8 × €99) = €1,041/month

The Real Cost for an SME

Example: SME of 8 people

Starter Plan: €99 + (6 × €49) = €393/month
Per year: €4,716
Over 3 years: €14,148

This is a considerable budget for an SME, especially when compared to alternatives that offer the same essential features for 3 to 5 times less.

Why is Front So Expensive?

Front positions itself as an enterprise solution with:

Advanced features (complex routing, SLA, analytics)
Premium support
Enterprise integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
Robust infrastructure

The problem: Most SMEs don't need these advanced features. They need:

✅ Manage shared emails
✅ Assign emails to the team
✅ Collaborate with internal notes
✅ See who responded to what

These basic needs can be met for 10 to 20 times less.

Front is Oversized for SMEs

Features You'll Probably Never Use

Complex Routing:

Front allows creating very sophisticated routing rules
SME reality: You need simple rules (assign by email type)

Advanced Analytics:

Front offers detailed analytics on performance
SME reality: You need to know who responded, that's it

Enterprise Integrations:

Front integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.
SME reality: You probably use Gmail or Outlook

SLA and Reporting:

Front allows managing complex SLAs
SME reality: You respond to emails when you can

Complexity Hides Simplicity

Front is complex to configure:

Several hours of initial configuration
Training required for the team
Regular maintenance
Significant learning curve

Result: Many SMEs pay for Front but only use a fraction of its features, paying for things they'll never use.

Economic Alternatives

Clearbox: The Simple and Affordable Solution

Clearbox Pricing:

Starter: €29/month for 5 users
Professional: €59/month for 10 users
Business: €99/month for 20 users

Comparison with Front:

| Feature | Front (Starter) | Clearbox (Professional) | |---------|-----------------|--------------------------| | Price/month | €99 (2 users) | €59 (10 users) | | Price/year | €1,188 | €708 | | Savings | - | -€480/year | | Shared emails | ✅ | ✅ | | Assignment | ✅ | ✅ | | Internal notes | ✅ | ✅ | | Collaboration | ✅ | ✅ | | Simplicity | ❌ Complex | ✅ Simple | | Configuration | ⏱️ Several hours | ⏱️ 2 minutes |

For an SME of 8 people:

Front: €393/month = €4,716/year
Clearbox: €59/month = €708/year
Savings: €4,008/year (85% cheaper)

Other Alternatives

Shared Gmail:

✅ Free
❌ No collaboration
❌ No traceability
❌ Security risks

Shared Outlook:

✅ €12/month per user
❌ No advanced collaboration
❌ Complex configuration

Zendesk:

✅ €55/month minimum
❌ Too focused on customer support
❌ Complex for SMEs

Why Choose Clearbox Instead of Front?

1. Price Adapted to SMEs

Clearbox costs 3 to 5 times less than Front for the same essential features. You only pay for what you need, not for enterprise features you'll never use.

2. Ease of Use

2-minute setup vs several hours for Front. Your team will be productive from day one, without long training.

3. Essential Features

Clearbox focuses on what SMEs really need:

Shared email management
Assignment and collaboration
Internal notes
Simple traceability

Without Front's unnecessary complexity.

4. French Support

Clearbox is a French solution with French support, adapted to the needs of French SMEs.

5. Scalable

Clearbox grows with you. You start small and can evolve without changing tools.

Use Case: SME That Left Front

Case 1: Communication Agency (8 people)

Initial situation:

Used Front for 1 year
Cost: €393/month (€4,716/year)
Team used only 30% of features

Migration to Clearbox:

Cost: €59/month (€708/year)
Savings: €4,008/year
Setup: 10 minutes vs 3 hours for Front
Team more productive because tool is simpler

Result:

✅ 85% savings on costs
✅ More satisfied team (simpler tool)
✅ Same level of features used

Case 2: E-commerce SME (12 people)

Initial situation:

Evaluating Front to manage client emails
Estimated cost: €546/month (€6,552/year) for 5 people
Budget too high

Choice of Clearbox:

Cost: €99/month (€1,188/year) for 20 people
Savings: €5,364/year
Immediate setup
Team operational the same day

Result:

✅ 82% savings on costs
✅ More people can use the tool
✅ Immediate ROI

How to Make the Transition

Step 1: Assess Your Real Needs

Questions to ask:

What Front features do you really use?
How many people need email access?
What is your real budget?

Step 2: Test Clearbox

14-day free trial:

No credit card required
2-minute setup
Test with your team
Compare with Front

Step 3: Migrate Progressively

Recommended migration:

Start with a test email inbox
Train your team (10 minutes is enough)
Gradually migrate your email inboxes
Cancel Front once migration is complete

Step 4: Enjoy the Savings

With the savings made, you can:

Invest in other tools
Increase your team
Improve your processes
Reduce your operational costs

Conclusion

Front is an excellent tool, but it's too expensive and too complex for most SMEs. At €99/month minimum, Front represents a budget too high for often simple needs.

Clearbox offers the same essential features for 3 to 5 times less, with ease of use that allows your team to be productive immediately.

3 key points to remember:

Front costs €99/month minimum, too expensive for SMEs
Front is oversized with features you'll never use
Clearbox offers the same essential features for 3 to 5 times less

If you're looking for an economic alternative to Front, try Clearbox free for 14 days. No credit card required, 2-minute setup.

Ready to save on your email management? Start your free Clearbox trial