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Zendesk is a major player in customer service software, competing with Freshdesk, Intercom, and Gorgias. With over 160,000 customers, primarily small businesses with B2B models, Zendesk holds a reputable brand name in the industry.
However, since being acquired for $10B in a private equity deal, Zendesk's commitment to customer relationships has been criticized. This blog outlines the best Zendesk competitors fo those seeking alternatives.
Let’s discover popular alternatives to Zendesk, including their top features, pricing, and pros and cons of an ideal customer service platform.
Zendesk is known for its premium pricing, which can be out of reach for startups. The Monthly Zendesk suite plan starts at $55 monthly, which can increase based on your needs. Cheaper options exist but come with limitations, such as fewer supported agents. The professional plan costs $115 per user monthly, and enterprise pricing is not disclosed.
Besides being costly, Zendesk has a steep learning curve due to its feature-heavy platform. Onboarding can be intimidating and overwhelming. In addition to that, Zendesk relies on self-service resources for deployment, meaning you won't have access to a live support team for assistance.
Freshdesk is a cloud-based support platform that is often compared to Zendesk and is designed to streamline the management of customer interactions, queries, and issues. It offers essential help desk features, including omnichannel support, a knowledge base, and automation capabilities.
Freshdesk automatically creates tickets from communications received via email, chat, social media, and phone calls. Its user-friendly ticketing system integrates with numerous third-party applications, enabling efficient multitasking from a single platform. AI-powered Freshdesk leverages automation and analytics to enhance customer relationship management.
According to G2, Freshdesk is preferred for efficiently handling customer emails and making routine tasks engaging. It is also suitable for small teams with its straightforward functionality.
Freshdesk is praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an attractive alternative to the more feature-rich Zendesk. It is well-suited for startups and small businesses seeking a cost-effective solution, with a bundle option at $15 per month that includes Shopify integration and a custom knowledge base. While it may not offer the same level of customization as Zendesk, Freshdesk excels in providing efficient, user-friendly ticket management.
Freshdesk's collaboration features, such as real-time chat, ticket assignment, and internal notes, enhance teamwork among support agents. Additionally, it supports various communication channels, including email, phone, social media, and live chat, making it a robust choice for omnichannel support.
Freshdesk offers a free plan with basic features like ticketing, analytics, and email support. Premium subscriptions start at $15 per month per agent.
For growing businesses seeking robust customer service support, Help Scout presents an affordable yet feature-rich alternative to Zendesk. It offers an intuitive user interface and a lower learning curve, making it accessible and efficient.
According to G2, Help Scout simplifies basic customer email management and enhances agent collaboration. It also offers features without extra charges, which is common with larger brands.
Help Scout offers competitive pricing starting at $20 per user per month and a 15-day free trial for evaluating the tool.
Zoho Desk is a cost-effective alternative to Zendesk, packed with features to manage CRM functionalities. It is particularly suitable for sales-focused teams, offering an easy-to-use customer portal, SLA management, and customizable templates.
According to G2, Zoho Desk is preferred due to its robust feature set at a fair price and being cost-effective for client connections. It is also a great option for budget-conscious small businesses.
Zoho Desk services start at $14 per month per agent, with a free plan available offering limited features.
HubSpot Service Hub is a straightforward customer service software designed to enhance businesses' customer support and service operations. Known for its simplicity, it is one of the most popular solutions in the market.
According to G2, HubSpot Service Hub is preferred due to its direct integration with other HubSpot tools and versatility with pre-built integrations for other software. There is also positive feedback from users who switched from Zendesk to HubSpot.
HubSpot Service Hub pricing begins at $450 per month.
Intercom is a major competitor to Zendesk, offering an "all-in-one" platform that simplifies customer support tasks. It combines human-powered support with AI capabilities for efficient and speedy responses.
According to G2, Intercom is preferred because it improves customer feedback and increases conversion rates. It is simple to use with quick training. There is also constant innovation, which is likened to having a tech-savvy ally.
Front is a customer service software designed to facilitate collaboration across teams and departments to solve complex customer issues. Its team-friendly interface and navigation are built for speed, presenting agents with an email-like interface that minimizes clicks and integrates multi-channel support into a single inbox.
According to G2, Front provides excellent communication and information organization with internal chat on email chains. Its user-friendly interface is similar to a cell phone, which is ideal for teams transitioning from Outlook. It is also highly rated for problem-solving capabilities across different scenarios.
Front pricing starts at $59 per month per seat, with a minimum of two seats required.
Gorgias is a customer service solution tailored for eCommerce businesses, serving around 12,000 merchants. It integrates seamlessly with major eCommerce platforms like BigCommerce, Shopify, and Adobe Connect, providing high-quality customer service with a quick turnaround time.
According to G2, Gorgias is excellent for eCommerce integration. It is specifically designed for Shopify users and offers helpful tools, add-ons, and external integrations.
Gorgias offers a starter plan starting at $10 per month, though it comes with limitations and additional costs for feature upgrades and handling higher support ticket volumes.
HappyFox extends beyond basic helpdesk functionalities by incorporating project management and team collaboration capabilities. It offers features like helpdesk automation, multi-brand SSL support, and shared inboxes, all at a more affordable price than Zendesk. HappyFox is particularly suitable for companies requiring extensive cross-departmental collaboration.
According to G2, HappyFox is simple and user-friendly due to its basic nature. It is excellent for essential ticket handling and management and ideal for transitioning from Gmail to a ticket management system.
HappyFox subscription starts at $39 per agent per month, with a requirement to subscribe to at least five agents for any plan.
LiveAgent is a straightforward customer support platform offering essential CRM features like live chat, a ticketing system, and social media integrations. It is ideal for small teams and startups needing a quick and easy helpdesk implementation without the steep learning curve associated with Zendesk.
According to G2, users say LiveAgent is a reliable system for customer support; it facilitates real-time client communication, and its knowledge base feature exceeds expectations.
LiveAgent offers plans for small businesses starting at $9 per agent per month, with an enterprise plan starting at $69 per month.
Kustomer is a leading customer service platform designed to streamline and enhance customer support operations. With its robust suite of tools and integrations, Kustomer stands out as a top choice for businesses seeking a unified approach to customer relationship management.
According to G2, Kustomer’s automation capabilities significantly reduce response times and manual workloads, and its flexibility and scalability suit businesses of all sizes.
Kustomer offers flexible pricing plans to cater to different business needs, starting at $89 per month per user.
Actioner is a no-code automation platform with a rich App directory of pre-built automations and integrations. It includes apps that enhance ticketing by streamlining tasks like deal management, time-off requests, and office celebrations. Actioner offers ready-made and customizable workflows, enabling businesses to tailor apps to their specific needs. It also supports integrations with tools like Zendesk and Freshdesk for seamless workflow automation.
Actioner's integration with Zendesk and Freshdesk enables teams to manage support-related tasks directly from Slack, enhancing communication and boosting efficiency. You can request seamless Slack integration with your support tool.
Comparing Zendesk alternatives can help you choose the right solution for your business needs 2024. You can enhance customer satisfaction and streamline support operations with the right plan and tools. If you want to improve your ticketing system, be sure to explore Actioner’s customer service solutions. For assistance, you can reach out through our Slack community.
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