10 Best Zendesk Alternatives and Competitors

The customer service software that most people use is Zendesk. However, no universal solutions fit all customers. Whether in price, features, or something else entirely, it’s often important to have a backup option in mind when considering whether to select Zendesk.

Let us here examine the 10 Best Zendesk Alternatives and competitors. We will look into them in more detail in the following paragraphs. Every product is different in some way, and striving for the best by acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses. You don’t always want the best-selling choice. So, let’s explore the 10 best Zendesk alternatives and competitors themselves.

10 Best Zendesk Alternatives and Competitors

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is like a helpful neighbor who is always around if you need help. Communicating with the customers becomes easy and lightweight. It is the best among the available Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• It provides multi-channel support (email, chat, phone)
• Automation tools to save time
• Knowledge base for customer self-service

Pros:

• It is easy to use, even for beginners
• Great for small to medium businesses

Cons:

• The advanced features can get pricey
• Customization options may be limited for organisatios looking for more complicated analysis.

Pricing: Free plan offers upto 10 agents, and the paid plans start at ₹999 per year.

Link: https://www.freshworks.com/freshdesk/

Help Scout

Help Scout is like that organized friend who keeps everything neat and tidy. It’s all about making customer support look simple and convenient.

Features:

• Has a shared inbox for teamwork
• Provides detailed reporting and analytics
• Beacon for on-site chat and contact form

Pros:

• Intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate
• Offers a great customer self-service option

Cons:

• It has limited integrations compared to others
• Pricing can be high for smaller teams or start-ups.

Pricing: The monthly plans start at $25 per month, and the annual plans start at $20 per month.

Link: https://www.helpscout.com/

Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is the tech-savvy cousin who knows a lot about gadgets. It brings smart automation to customer service. It is one of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• Uses artificial Intelligence for ticket sorting
• Social media support
• Customizable help desk

Pros:

• Highly customizable to fit your needs
• Affordable pricing plans

Cons:

• Can be difficult to get used to for a first-time user.
• The mobile app could be improved

Pricing: The monthly plans start at ₹1300 per user per month, and the annual plans start at ₹800 per user per month.

Link: https://www.zoho.com/desk/

LiveAgent

LiveAgent is like the fast runner at school, known for quick responses. It’s all about speed and efficiency in customer service. It is one of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• It provides real-time live chat
• Video call support
• Has an efficient ticket management system

Pros:

• Fast response times for customer support
• Efficient and easy to use features

Cons:

• The user interface can feel cluttered
• Setup process can be time-consuming

Pricing: There is a 14 day free trial available, and the paid plans start at $9 per month per agent for small businesses.

Link: https://www.liveagent.com/

Kayako

Kayako is like the friend who’s good at keeping secrets. It offers personalized customer service with a touch of privacy, making you as well as your customers feel safe.

Features:

• Unified customer view
• Live chat and email support
• Self-service portals

Pros:

• Strong focus on customer relationship
• Easy integration with other tools

Cons:

• It can be expensive for small teams
• The customization features are really complicated.

Pricing: Various plans available

Link: https://kayako.com/

Intercom

Intercom is the trendy one in the group, always up on the latest tech. It blends marketing, sales, and support. It is one of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• Customizable messaging
• Bots for automated conversations
• Targeted email and in-app messages

Pros:

• It is a great tool for engagement and conversion
• It has a user-friendly interface

Cons:

• Can get expensive as you grow
• Some features can be complex to set up

Pricing: There is 14 day free trial available, after which the paid plans start at $39 per month.

Link: https://www.intercom.com/

Groove

Groove is an awesome product, and the visuals and language that accompany it are designed for businesses looking for simplicity . It is one of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• Shared inbox for team collaboration
• Knowledge base for self-service
• Reports and insights generation

Pros:

• It is simple and easy to use
• Affordable for small teams

Cons:

• Limited features for scaling up as your business grows.
• Integration options with other tools are minimal

Pricing: Various plans available depending on number of agents.

Link: https://www.groove.co/

HappyFox

HappyFox is like the cheerful friend who’s always in a good mood. It offers a fuss-free way to manage customer requests. It is one of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors.

Features:

• Ticket management system
• Knowledge base and self-service
• Multichannel support

Pros:

• It has a user-friendly interface and is efficient
• It has good customization options

Cons:

• Reporting features could be better
• Pricing may be high for larger teams

Pricing: The monthly plans start at #39 per month, $29 per month for annual plans and $26 per month for 2-year plans.

Link: https://www.happyfox.com/

Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud is the elite talent who hits home runs on the pitch and takes impressive dives to reach goals with effective results. It’s the top performer with versatility and efficiency.

Features:

• Comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM)
• Provides AI-powered analytics and insights
• Extensive customization and integration capabilities

Pros:

• Highly scalable for growing businesses
• Offers a wide range of features and tools

Cons:

• It can be overwhelming for new users
• Much higher cost compared to other options

Pricing: The starter plan is available at $25 per user per month.

Link: https://www.salesforce.com/products/service-cloud/

HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is like the leading application for all the customer services, and provides better efficiency too. It integrates customer service with sales and marketing to provide a holistic view of the customer.

Features:

• Ticketing system integrated with CRM
• Customer feedback tools
• Knowledge base and live chat

Pros:

• Seamless integration with other HubSpot products
• Easy to use with a clean interface

Cons:

• Can become pricey as you add more features
• Some advanced features require a learning curve

Pricing:

• There are free tools available for small teams, and the paid plans start at $15 per month per seat for small teams, and $800 per month for large teams.

Link: https://www.hubspot.com/products/service

Which Zendesk Alternative is Best in 2024?

Choosing the best customer-centric service tool and Zendesk alternative may seem overwhelming, but Freshdesk stands out. Even for someone new to the platform, it is easy to pick up, has a variety of powerful features as the business grows and one of the lowest entry costs in the industry. What makes it especially powerful is how quickly you can get it up and running. This makes Freshdesk the best way to build a strong customer service component for your business without breaking the bank or fighting with complicated software – a big plus if you’re smaller or a start-up.

It lets beginners jump in and start helping customers faster, but still has advanced capabilities built-in when you need them later on. You don’t have to be an expert to use the basic functions. And as your customer support needs grow more complex over time, Freshdesk can handle that too. The right balance of user-friendly and feature-rich is why Freshdesk stands out as a smart choice, especially for businesses just getting started with improving customer experience. It’s simple to begin with but can level-up as you do.

Conclusion

Choosing the right customer service tool is kind of like finding a good friend at school. You want to look for one that fits well with what’s important to you. Maybe you really care about getting help fast, or having things personalized just for you, or using the newest technology. Whatever matters most, there’s a tool out there that will be a great match for your business.

Once you figure out the best Zendesk Alternative and competitors to use, you’ll be able to find the perfect customer service tool for your business. It will be like finding a new best friend that gets you and can help your business grow.

FAQs – Best Zendesk Alternatives and Competitors

Who is Zendesk’s main competitor?

Some of the best Zendesk alternatives and competitors available in the market are Freshdesk, Zoho Desk and Groove.

Is there a free alternative to Zendesk?

Freshdesk is one of the best Zendesk alternatives. It offers paid plans but also has a free plan which includes a lot of amazing features.

What is Zendesk competitive advantage?

Zendesk offers great value for money. It provides consistent customer service and self service reports among other things, giving it a competitive advantage.

Is Zendesk a CRM or ERP?

Zendesk is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool.