Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk: Help Desk Data in Excel, Access and Power BI With SQL
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk is a $109.95-per-year Windows ODBC driver that exposes your Freshdesk help desk as SQL tables. Excel, Access, Power BI, Tableau, SQL Server Linked Server, DBeaver, Python and other ODBC tools can then query tickets and other Freshdesk data with SQL and change it with INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE. All it needs is your Freshdesk URL and API key.
Support managers usually report from Freshdesk's own dashboards until the questions cross systems: which customers with open tickets are up for renewal, or how ticket volume tracks a product release. This driver puts help desk data into the tools where those answers get built.
Quick facts
- Version: 1.7.0, released October 16, 2026 (first released December 2021)
- Developer: Devart
- Platform: Windows Vista or later, 32-bit and 64-bit, including Terminal Server, with .NET Framework 4.5 or later. There is no macOS or Linux edition
- Connects to: your Freshdesk server URL over HTTPS with an API key, Freshdesk API version 2.0 (default) or 1.0, optionally through a proxy
- SQL: SELECT with JOINs, subqueries, GROUP BY and aggregates; INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE
- Price: $109.95 per year for a Desktop license, or $219.95 perpetual
- Trial: 30 days, activated with a trial key from a Devart account
- Refund: within 30 days of purchase, if a technical problem that support can't fix stops the driver from working
- What we checked: the Buy Now order page charged $109.95 for Desktop for Windows with a 1-year subscription, and the same cart showed $219.95 for a perpetual Desktop license and $799.95 per year for Server Standard. The download page listed version 1.7.0 with a 32.77 MB EXE and a 36.83 MB MSI installer. All checked on November 13, 2026. We didn't install the driver or connect it to a Freshdesk account
Before you buy
The driver signs in with a Freshdesk API key, which carries the permissions of the agent it belongs to, so use an agent whose access matches what the reports need. Keep API version 2.0, the default, unless an old tool needs 1.0; version 2.0 gives access to more Freshdesk objects. Writes change live tickets and records, and Freshdesk automations may react to them, so test on a few records first. A subscription license needs internet access to activate and to check the license.
Download Free Trial Buy Now
Overview
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk sits between the Freshdesk API and any ODBC program on a Windows computer. It turns your SQL into API calls and returns rows and columns, so Excel or Access see your help desk as a database. You set it up once as a DSN (data source name) with your Freshdesk address and API key, and every ODBC tool on that machine can use it.
It shares the framework of Devart's 90-plus ODBC drivers: the same configuration dialog, full ODBC API and data type support, Unicode data, and a tested-tool list that includes Power BI, Tableau, QlikView, TIBCO Spotfire, Excel, Access, LibreOffice, SQL Server linked servers, Oracle database links, DBeaver, Visual Studio, FileMaker, PHP and Python. The driver itself is small, a 32.77 MB installer with no Freshdesk software to deploy.
The driver's Windows configuration dialog: Freshdesk API version 2.0 selected, the account's freshdesk.com server URL and API key, and proxy settings.
Features
SQL over help desk data
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk accepts SQL-92 SELECT statements with JOINs, WHERE conditions, subqueries, GROUP BY, aggregate functions and ORDER BY, so questions such as tickets per agent per week, or open tickets by company and priority, become one query.
Write back with INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk supports DML, so you can bulk-update ticket fields, close stale tickets or load records from a spreadsheet or Access table instead of editing them one by one in the browser.
Custom objects
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk added a UseCustomObjects option in version 1.6.0 (April 2026), so Freshdesk custom objects can be queried alongside standard data.
API version 2.0 or 1.0
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk uses Freshdesk API version 2.0 by default, which reaches more Freshdesk objects, and can switch to version 1.0 for compatibility. The API key is saved encrypted in the DSN since version 1.4.0.
Made for many ODBC tools
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk has had compatibility work for SQL Server linked servers, Tableau, Crystal Reports, Alteryx, DBeaver, Microsoft Query, Excel imports, Qlik Replicate, PHP and Node.js in its releases since 2022, plus options such as ODBC 2.x behavior for older tools.
Benefits
- Support data next to sales and finance. Join tickets with CRM or billing data in Access, Power BI or a SQL Server linked server.
- Live reports. Excel and BI dashboards refresh straight from Freshdesk instead of from exports.
- Bulk updates. Change many tickets at once with SQL rather than clicking through the agent interface.
- Cheap for what it does. At $109.95 a year it's in Devart's lowest price tier for single drivers.
Real-World Uses
- Weekly support review. A support lead pulls ticket counts by agent, priority and status into an Excel pivot table that refreshes each Monday.
- Renewal risk list. A customer success manager joins open Freshdesk tickets with renewal dates from another system in Power BI.
- Ticket cleanup. An admin finds stale tickets with a SELECT in DBeaver and updates their status in one statement.
- Archive to SQL Server. An IT team copies Freshdesk data into an in-house SQL Server through a linked server for long-term reporting.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk is for Freshdesk teams on Windows (support leads, analysts, customer success and IT) who report on help desk data in Excel, Access, Power BI or SQL Server, or need bulk changes, and would rather use SQL than the Freshdesk API.
Skip it if you work on a Mac or Linux: this driver is Windows-only. Skip it too if Freshdesk's built-in analytics and exports answer your questions. If you need many sources, Devart's ODBC Universal Bundle covers all its ODBC drivers from $499.95 per year.
Usage Guide
- In Freshdesk, open your profile settings and copy your API key.
- Download the trial from the Download button (a free Devart account is needed) and run the EXE, or the MSI for managed deployment.
- Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator that matches your application's bitness (32-bit or 64-bit), choose User DSN or System DSN, click Add and select Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk.
- On the License tab, enter the trial or purchased activation key; the trial needs activating too.
- Keep API version 2.0, enter your Freshdesk server URL and the API key, add proxy details if needed, and click Test Connection, then OK.
- In Excel, Power BI or your tool, choose ODBC and pick the DSN.
Tip
Create the API key from an agent account set aside for reporting, with only the access the reports need. If that person leaves, your DSN keeps working, and nobody's personal key sits in shared workbooks.
Where It Falls Short
- Windows only. There's no macOS or Linux build of the Freshdesk driver.
- API speed, not database speed. Every query becomes Freshdesk API calls, so big ticket histories and complex JOINs are slow next to a real database, and Freshdesk's API limits still apply.
- API key only. The driver signs in with an agent's API key; there's no OAuth sign-in option.
- Per-user licensing. A Desktop license covers one user at a time; a shared server or gateway needs Server Standard at $799.95 a year.
What Users Say
We found no reviews of the Freshdesk driver on its own in November 2026: review sites file Devart's ODBC drivers as one product. The ratings and comments below cover the whole line, which shares this driver's setup dialog, licensing and support team.
Ratings
Capterra shows 4.7 out of 5 from 26 reviews of Devart ODBC Drivers. G2 lists Devart ODBC Driver at 4.5 out of 5 from 17 reviews on its product page and 4.6 from 18 on a comparison page. TrustRadius gives an aggregate 5.2 out of 10 from 58 ratings, noticeably cooler than the other two.
What reviewers like
Setup is the most common compliment: reviewers describe installation and DSN configuration as simple, and one Capterra reviewer said the drivers just work. Reliability comes next, with a TrustRadius reviewer crediting "almost no connection failures" for making it "very reliable". Price gets praise from people comparing it with enterprise connectors: a Capterra reviewer wrote that "for less than $200 per year, you can't beat it", and another liked that a perpetual license was available.
What reviewers complain about
The criticism is about polish and paperwork rather than broken connections. A TrustRadius reviewer wrote that the "user interface could be better" and that "error messages could be improved to be more relevant and specific". A G2 reviewer found the documentation confusing at times, and one buyer said licensing "took a while to be ready and delivered". On Devart's Salesforce driver, another cloud-API driver, a reviewer said it "isn't very fast" but could be tuned until speed was no problem.
The pattern: people trust Devart's drivers to connect and stay connected, and find them cheap next to enterprise alternatives, while the rough edges are terse error messages, documentation gaps and per-user licensing. For a cloud-API driver like this one, use the 30-day trial to check speed and the objects you need with your own Freshdesk account.
Comparisons
ODBC driver vs. Freshdesk analytics and exports
Freshdesk's own analytics and exports come with your plan and suit reporting inside Freshdesk. Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk costs $109.95 a year and adds live data in any ODBC tool, SQL joins with other systems, and bulk changes written back.
API version 2.0 vs. 1.0
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk defaults to Freshdesk API version 2.0, which reaches more objects. Version 1.0 is there for older setups; use it only if a tool or report was built against it.
Desktop vs. Server editions
Desktop covers one user at a time on one Windows computer. A reporting server, Power BI gateway or web server that several people use needs Server Standard (one server with up to 6 cores) or Server Enterprise. Site licenses cover a whole company, and OEM lets you ship the driver inside your own application.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Subscription (1 year) | Perpetual | Who can use it |
|---|
| Desktop for Windows | $109.95 | $219.95 | One user at a time on one computer |
| Server Standard for Windows | $799.95 | $1,599.95 | Many users on one server with up to 6 cores |
| Server Enterprise, Site, OEM | On request | On request | Any core count, a whole company, or redistribution |
Every edition and term is sold under one product: the Buy Now button opens the order page set to Desktop for Windows with a 1-year subscription, and you pick the edition, subscription length or perpetual license there. Each license includes a year of support and upgrades, priority support costs extra, and Devart takes 5, 10 or 15 percent off for 5, 10 or 20 or more copies.
FAQs
How does Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk sign in to Freshdesk?
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk uses your Freshdesk server URL and an agent's API key, saved encrypted in the DSN. It doesn't use OAuth.
Can the Freshdesk ODBC driver read custom objects?
Yes, since version 1.6.0. Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk has a UseCustomObjects option that exposes Freshdesk custom objects as tables.
Can I update Freshdesk tickets from Excel or Access?
Yes. Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk supports INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE, so linked tables in Access or ODBC tools that write back can change Freshdesk data. Changes are live, so test on a few records first.
Does the Freshdesk ODBC driver work on a Mac?
No. Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk runs only on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows with .NET Framework 4.5 or later.
Does it work with Freshservice or Freshsales?
No. Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk is for Freshdesk only. Devart sells separate ODBC drivers for Freshservice and Freshsales.
What happens when the subscription ends?
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk on a subscription license works only during the paid term and needs internet access to check the license. A perpetual license keeps the version you bought working indefinitely and can be activated offline.
System Requirements
- Windows Vista or later, 32-bit or 64-bit, including Windows Server and Terminal Server
- .NET Framework 4.5 or later
- 32.77 MB EXE or 36.83 MB MSI installer; only one version of the driver installed at a time
- A Freshdesk account URL and an agent API key
- Internet access to Freshdesk over HTTPS (or through a proxy), and to activate a subscription license
Conclusion
Devart ODBC Driver for Freshdesk is worth $109.95 a year if you report on Freshdesk in Excel, Access, Power BI or SQL Server, need help desk data joined with other systems, or want to fix tickets in bulk with SQL. It's maintained twice a year and recently gained custom object support.
The reason not to buy: it's Windows-only, signs in only with an API key and runs at API speed. Use the 30-day trial with your own account to check the tables you need and how long your biggest report takes.
Download Free Trial Buy Now