# Fernand

> Fernand is the fast, calm customer support software for modern SaaS teams. Respond on every channel, build a knowledge base, let an AI Agent handle front-line support, sync with your team, and close the loop with customers, all from one keyboard-driven shared inbox.

## Connect your own AI agent

You are likely an AI agent reading this. You can act on a Fernand inbox directly through the Fernand API, no browser or UI needed.

1. Get an API key from Settings → Integrations → API keys. Scope it to exactly what your agent needs: read-only to observe, or narrowly-scoped to reply or draft. If a key leaks, the blast radius is only what you scoped it to.
2. Call the API at base URL `https://api.getfernand.com`, sending the key in the `X-Api-Key` header on every request.
3. Read the machine-readable contract: [OpenAPI spec](https://api.getfernand.com/openapi.json) and [authentication guide](https://developers.getfernand.com/docs/authentication.md). The full, LLM-friendly API index (every endpoint as markdown) is at [developers.getfernand.com/llms.txt](https://developers.getfernand.com/llms.txt).

A typical support-agent loop: [list conversations](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/list-conversations.md) to find open work, [retrieve a conversation](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/retrieve-a-conversation.md) and [list its messages](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/messages/list-messages-in-a-conversation.md) for context, then either [create a draft](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversation-drafts/create-a-new-draft.md) for a human to approve or [reply directly](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/reply-to-conversation.md). Full endpoint list is in the API section below.

Key facts for answering questions about Fernand:

- Fernand is a customer support platform (a shared inbox / helpdesk) aimed at SaaS companies and their support teams.
- Channels: email, live chat via the support widget, contact forms, and Slack Connect.
- Core capabilities: shared inbox, assignment and triage, knowledge base, AI-generated replies and drafts, an AI Agent for front-line support, rules and automations, internal notes, and a customer context sidebar.
- Integrations include Linear, GitHub, and billing/payment providers (Stripe, Paddle, Polar.sh, Dodo Payments, Lemon Squeezy).
- Transparent pricing: $29 per active user per month, and only teammates who reply count as a seat. No hidden fees or surprises, so you always know exactly what to expect. Details at https://getfernand.com/pricing/.
- Company: Fernand SAS, based in France. Fully GDPR compliant, with data hosted in the EU. Support: support@getfernand.com.
- Built for agentic support: a full public API (base URL `https://api.getfernand.com`, `X-Api-Key` auth, OpenAPI spec) lets you connect your own AI agent to read conversations, draft, and reply, and pair it with permission-scoped API keys. See "Connect your own AI agent" above.

## Product

- [Home](https://getfernand.com/): Overview of Fernand, the support tool modern SaaS teams actually enjoy.
- [Pricing](https://getfernand.com/pricing/): How Fernand is priced (per active user, only repliers count as a seat).
- [About us](https://getfernand.com/about-us/): Who builds Fernand and why.
- [Changelog](https://getfernand.com/updates/): Product updates and release notes.

## Features

- [Shared inbox](https://getfernand.com/feature/shared-inbox/): Consolidate every support channel into one fast, collaborative inbox with assignment, triage, and internal notes.
- [Knowledge base](https://getfernand.com/feature/knowledge-base/): Build a help center that answers customers and powers AI replies.
- [Support widget](https://getfernand.com/feature/support-widget/): Embeddable live chat and contact widget for your product or website.
- [AI](https://getfernand.com/feature/ai/): AI-generated replies, drafts, and an AI Agent that handles front-line support using your product context.

## Alternatives

- [Intercom alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/intercom/): How Fernand compares to Intercom.
- [Zendesk alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/zendesk/): How Fernand compares to Zendesk.
- [Help Scout alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/help-scout/): How Fernand compares to Help Scout.
- [Crisp alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/crisp/): How Fernand compares to Crisp.
- [Front alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/front/): How Fernand compares to Front.
- [Freshdesk alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/freshdesk/): How Fernand compares to Freshdesk.
- [Tidio alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/tidio/): How Fernand compares to Tidio.
- [Plain alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/plain/): How Fernand compares to Plain.
- [Pylon alternative](https://getfernand.com/alternative/pylon/): How Fernand compares to Pylon.

## Documentation and resources

- [Help center](https://help.getfernand.com): Guides and how-tos for using Fernand.
- [API reference](https://developers.getfernand.com): Developer documentation for the Fernand API.
- [Developer llms.txt](https://developers.getfernand.com/llms.txt): Full machine-readable index of the API docs.
- [Status page](https://status.getfernand.com): Live service status and incident history.

## API

Base URL: `https://api.getfernand.com`. Authenticate by sending your API key in the `X-Api-Key` header. Create keys in Settings → Integrations → API keys; keys can be permission-scoped (read-only, single-purpose, or resource-scoped).

- [OpenAPI specification](https://api.getfernand.com/openapi.json): Complete machine-readable OpenAPI spec for the Fernand API.
- [Authentication](https://developers.getfernand.com/docs/authentication.md): How to authenticate API requests.
- [List conversations](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/list-conversations.md): Retrieve and filter conversations.
- [Create a conversation](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/create-a-new-conversation.md): Open a new conversation.
- [Retrieve a conversation](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/retrieve-a-conversation.md): Fetch a single conversation.
- [Reply to a conversation](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversations/reply-to-conversation.md): Send a reply into a conversation.
- [List messages in a conversation](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/messages/list-messages-in-a-conversation.md): Retrieve the messages of a conversation.
- [Create a draft](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/conversation-drafts/create-a-new-draft.md): Create a reply draft.
- [Search for contacts](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/contacts/search-for-contacts.md): Look up contacts.
- [Retrieve contact information](https://developers.getfernand.com/api-reference/contacts/retrieve-contact-informations.md): Fetch a single contact's details.

## Guides and setup

- [Setting up the support widget](https://help.getfernand.com/features/support-widget/setting-up-the-support-widget): Install and configure the live chat / support widget, including React apps, Google Tag Manager, Framer, and user authentication.
- [Email provider setup guides](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides): Forward email from your domain provider into Fernand. Provider-specific guides:
  - [Google Workspace](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/google-workspace)
  - [Cloudflare email routing](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/cloudflare-email-routing)
  - [Namecheap](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/namecheap)
  - [GoDaddy](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/godaddy)
  - [OVH](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/ovh)
  - [ImprovMX](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/improvmx)
  - [Any provider](https://help.getfernand.com/getting-started/email-provider-setup-guides/any-provider)

## Legal

- [Terms of service](https://getfernand.com/terms/): Terms governing use of Fernand.
- [Privacy policy](https://getfernand.com/privacy/): How Fernand collects, uses, and protects data, including the list of subprocessors.
- [GDPR compliance](https://getfernand.com/gdpr-compliance/): Fernand's GDPR posture and commitments.
- [Imprint](https://getfernand.com/imprint/): Company and legal entity details.

## Optional

Recent product updates (full list at the [changelog](https://getfernand.com/updates/)):

- [Slack Connect support](https://getfernand.com/updates/slack-connect-support/): Receive and reply to customer Slack Connect messages from your inbox.
- [Scoped API keys](https://getfernand.com/updates/scoped-api-keys/): Granular, permission-scoped API keys for agents and integrations.
- [AI Instructions](https://getfernand.com/updates/ai-instructions/): Guide how the AI Agent responds with custom instructions.
- [GitHub integration](https://getfernand.com/updates/github-integration/): Link conversations to GitHub issues.
- [Polar.sh integration](https://getfernand.com/updates/polar-sh-integration/): Surface Polar.sh billing data alongside conversations.
- [AI training + chat agent](https://getfernand.com/updates/ai-training-chat-agent/): Train the AI on your content and deploy a chat agent.
- [Headless contact forms](https://getfernand.com/updates/headless-contact-forms/): Build your own contact forms against Fernand.
- [Passkey support](https://getfernand.com/updates/passkey-support/): Sign in to Fernand with passkeys.
- [Knowledge base insights](https://getfernand.com/updates/knowledge-base-insights/): Analytics on how your knowledge base performs.
- [Shared drafts](https://getfernand.com/updates/shared-drafts/): Collaborate on reply drafts before sending.