Zendesk is a cloud-based customer service platform. Using it, you can manage customer support through ticketing, live chat, and automation. Despite its extensive features, it has challenges such as a complex setup, limited direct customer support, and high pricing. This prompts companies to look for Zendesk competitors that offer more cost-effective and user-friendly alternatives.
Zendesk is a popular customer service platform. It helps businesses manage customer support through a customisable interface, various apps, and integrations. However, Zendesk can be expensive! Even its basic plan may not be ideal for small businesses with limited budgets.
So, what’s the good news? There are several Zendesk competitors. These cloud-based platforms offer similar customer relationship management (CRM) tools at different price points. Since there is strong competition in this space, you as a business owner can find alternatives that fit your needs and budgets.
To help with this, we have researched and identified nine top Zendesk competitors that provide similar features and benefits. But, first, let’s start with an important question!
Why Should You Look for Zendesk Competitors?
As per the organisation itself, Zendesk is used by more than 100,000 businesses across different industries and languages. Many of its clients are small businesses that sell products or services to other businesses (B2B).
However, some companies look for Zendesk competitors because of certain challenges:
1. Complex System
Setting up Zendesk can be difficult. The onboarding process is not straightforward. Most of its users struggle to understand features like:
- Triggers
- Time-based automation
This makes it hard for businesses to get started quickly.
2. Limited Customer Support
Some users find it difficult to get help when they need it. Zendesk’s customer support does not always provide quick access to human agents. This is particularly frustrating when trying to solve technical issues.
3. High Pricing
Zendesk works on a subscription model. Its pricing can be too expensive for small businesses, especially if they want access to all its features. Thus, many business leaders look for companies like Zendesk in pursuit of a more affordable solution.
9 Top Zendesk Competitors
To help you find a better fit, we made a deep analysis and researched top customer service software options based on:
- Features
- Customer support
- Integrations
- Deployment options
- Pricing
Below is a list of the top nine Zendesk competitors you can consider:
1. Pardot – Best for B2B Companies
Pardot is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform often considered a strong Zendesk competitor. It is focused on businesses that sell products or services to other businesses (B2B). It is owned by Salesforce and offers advanced:
- Marketing automation
and
- Lead management tools
Key Features
- Lead Nurturing and Qualification: Helps businesses track and score potential customers.
- A/B Testing: Tests different email and webpage designs to see what works best.
- Advanced Analytics: Provides detailed reports on customer interactions and marketing efforts.
Pros
- Powerful lead management tools for tracking potential customers.
- A/B testing to improve email and website performance.
- Comprehensive analytics for marketing and customer interactions.
Cons
- The best features require expensive plans.
- No built-in content management system (CMS) for website building.
Pricing
- Growth: $1,250/month
- Plus: $2,500/month
- Advanced: $4,000/month
- Premium: $15,000/month
2. HelpCrunch – Best for SaaS Companies
HelpCrunch is designed for businesses that focus on marketing and sales. It combines customer support with tools that improve conversions. It includes:
- A CRM system
- Live chat
- Automated messaging
- Email marketing tools
Pros
- Advanced help desk management
- Service level agreement (SLA) tracking
- Knowledge base for self-service support
Cons
- No free version (only a short trial)
- Its mobile app can be slow
Pricing
- 14-day free trial available
- Basic: $12/month per user
- Pro: $20/month per user
- Unlimited: $495/month per user
3. HubSpot Service Hub – Best for Businesses Seeking an All-in-One CRM
HubSpot is best known for its marketing and sales tools. It also offers a customer service platform called HubSpot Service Hub. This platform acts as a Zendesk competitor and provides a combination of:
- Customer support
- Marketing
- Sales features
This makes it a strong all-in-one solution for businesses that want everything in one place.
Key Features
- CRM Integration: Syncs customer interactions with HubSpot’s CRM.
- Ticketing System: Tracks customer inquiries from different communication channels.
- Automation: Automates customer responses and ticket assignments.
- Knowledge Base: Allows businesses to create self-service resources for customers.
- Live Chat and Chatbots: Helps engage customers instantly.
Pros
- Over 1,000 third-party integrations, including Shopify, Slack, and Salesforce.
- Simple and user-friendly interface.
- Allows businesses to set user permissions for different team members.
Cons
- Paid plans can be expensive, especially for small businesses.
- The free plan offers limited customer support.
Pricing
- Free version available
- Professional: $90/month per seat
- Enterprise: $150/month per seat
4. Intercom – Best for Large Businesses
Intercom provides customer service tools along with advanced automation features. It allows businesses to:
- Create rules for chatbots
and
- Automatically categorise visitors to improve communication
It is highly customisable but may be difficult to set up.
Pros
- Customisable interface
- Automated help desk support
- Collision detection to prevent duplicate responses
Cons
- Expensive and not ideal for small businesses
- Steep learning curve
Pricing
- 14-day free trial available
- Essential: $29/month per user
- Advanced: $85/month per user
- Expert: $132/month per user
5. Front – Best for Ecommerce and Online Marketplaces
Front is another Zendesk competitor. It is specifically designed for businesses that rely heavily on email communication. Unlike Zendesk, Front puts a stronger focus on email rather than live chat or automation.
Also, this tool provides a user-friendly experience with traditional ticketing software. Most of its users report that this feature makes it easier to respond to customer inquiries both quickly and personally.
Key Features
- Ticketing System: Converts customer emails into support tickets for easy tracking.
- CRM Features: Helps manage customer interactions and history.
- Mobile & Desktop Apps: Works on both computers and smartphones for remote access.
- Team Collaboration: Allows teams to work together on customer inquiries.
- API Customisation: Businesses can integrate Front with other tools and customise workflows.
Pros
- Has extensive training resources to learn the system.
- Supports remote team collaboration (makes it ideal for distributed teams).
- Customisable with API integrations.
Cons
- Customer support is difficult to reach.
- Some users report technical issues with the Android app.
Pricing
- Starter: $19/month per user
- Growth: $59/month per user
- Scale: $99/month per user
- Premier: Contact their sales team
6. Tidio – Best for Small to Medium Businesses
Tidio is a popular Zendesk competitor. It is a CX platform that allows businesses to communicate with website visitors in real time. It is easy to use and offers more than just live chat. Some of its common features are:
- AI-powered chatbots
- A shared inbox for managing messages
- Email marketing tools
- Analytics dashboards
- Help desk automation
- Ticketing system
Tidio is an affordable Zendesk competitors and can be installed on your website for free. It also supports over 120 integrations and has mobile apps for both Android and iOS.
Pricing
- Free version available
- Starter: $24.17/month
- Growth: Starts at $49.17/month
- Plus: Starts at $749/month
- Premium: Starts at $2,999/month
7. Olark – Best for Small Customer Support Teams
Olark is a CX platform that provides a live chat solution. It is more focused on simple and direct customer support. This tool is highly customisable which allows making interfaces more user-friendly.
Pros
- Chat routing to direct customers to the right agent
- Simple and user-friendly interface
- Multiple add-ons and integrations
Cons
- Fewer features than other Zendesk competitors
- Screen sharing for live chat may have issues
Pricing
- 14-day free trial available
- Standard: $29/month per user
- Pro: Contact their sales team
8. Drift – Best for Large Companies
Drift is a cloud-based customer service platform. It focuses on automating sales processes. This platform offers:
- Chatbots
- An offline self-service portal
- Location-based targeting to improve customer interactions
Pros
- Highly customisable
- Marketing reports to track customer behaviour
- Community forums for support and discussions
Cons
- Available only in English
- Expensive premium plans
Pricing
- Advanced and Premium versions are available. For pricing, contact their support team.
9. LiveChat – Best for Small and Medium Businesses
LiveChat is a Zendesk competitor that specialises in real-time customer support through live chat. It allows businesses to integrate chat features into their websites. This significantly improves customer engagement.
Key Features
- Live Chat: Provides instant customer support through a website chat window.
- Ticket Escalation: Automatically sends urgent issues to the right team member.
- Geo-targeting: Identifies where customers are located for personalised interactions.
- Email Response Control: Allows to manage email-based customer inquiries.
Pros
- Offers a dedicated customer portal for support requests.
- Over 200 integrations, including popular apps like Facebook Messenger, Zapier, and Slack.
- Time tracking feature to measure agent performance.
Cons
- Pricing may be high for smaller businesses.
- Some users report issues with the spam filter (it leads to irrelevant messages).
Pricing
- 14-day free trial available
- Starter: $20/month per user
- Team: $41/month per user
- Business: $59/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing
Searching Zendesk Competitors? Why not Outsource to Atidiv?
Zendesk is used by over 100,000 businesses worldwide. However, due to its complexity and high pricing, most are now looking for Zendesk competitors. Some of the top Zendesk competitors are:
- HubSpot Service Hub
- LiveChat
- Intercom
- Tidio
- Front
- Pardot
All of them provide excellent functionality at various price points. However, choosing the right platform depends on your company’s size, industry, and support requirements.
Finding customer support tough? You don’t have to do it alone! At Atidiv, we take customer service optimisation to the next level with our data-driven approach. Recently, we helped a top U.S. online tire retailer save $1.3 million and achieve a #1 customer service ranking. Our clients also report savings of up to 60% compared to in-house teams!
Being a CX specialist, we are backed by a 98% QA score and a 4.8 CSAT rating. Partner with Atidiv to transform your customer support operations today!
FAQs on Zendesk Competitors.
1. Why is Zendesk considered expensive for small businesses?
Zendesk’s pricing structure includes per-agent costs and add-ons. Most advanced features like automation and analytics require higher-tier plans. This makes it a costly tool.
As a business owner, you can look for budget-friendly Zendesk competitors with similar capabilities but lower costs.
2. Is Zendesk difficult to set up and use?
Yes, Zendesk has a complex setup process that requires technical expertise. Additionally, it can be time-consuming to:
- Customise workflows
- Integrate third-party tools
- Configure automation
Many business owners also find the interface overwhelming. Thus they prefer simpler, plug-and-play solutions with intuitive dashboards offered by Zendesk competitors.
3. Who are Zendesk Competitors?
There are several companies like Zendesk offering similar features. Some popular examples of Zendesk competitors are:
- Pardot
- Tidio
- HubSpot CRM
- Front
These alternatives often provide better customer support and carry user-friendly interfaces. Also, they have more flexible pricing, which makes them more suitable for growing businesses.
