The 15 best Zendesk alternatives

Zendesk is a popular customer support solution. With its wide range of features including ticketing and knowledge management, Zendesk is a big hitter in the customer service industry.

While Zendesk is an undeniably powerful tool, why not keep your options open? Let’s take a look at 15 Zendesk alternatives that you might consider switching to.

Why consider alternatives to Zendesk?

Every business has its requirements, specific use cases, and preferences, so it’s only natural that Zendesk’s solution isn’t the most suitable for all.

Here are some of the reasons businesses tend to turn away from Zendesk:

• Lack of flexibility – another issue that may deter customers from continuing to use Zendesk is their lack of flexibility when it comes to pricing and subscription downgrades. This can cause considerable problems for smaller businesses that might not have a big enough budget to wait a few weeks or months to downgrade their subscription plan.
• Neglecting customer feedback – Zendesk customers who left report that they were not heard and understood, regardless of how much they paid. Zendesk’s failure to consider feedback and user experience is highlighted by multiple reviews across review platforms.
• High costs – Zendesk’s software comes with a hefty price tag that many smaller teams simply can’t afford.

Zendesk might be a big name, but don’t let that stop you from exploring. According to our research 1/3 of consumers could abandon your service after one negative interaction, and a staggering 91% might depart without warning, so your choice of customer support solution could be pivotal. Fortunately, numerous flexible alternatives are available, enabling you to select the best fit, and enhancing client retention.

A comparison chart of the top 5 Zendesk alternatives

The 15 best Zendesk alternatives

1. LiveAgent

LiveAgent offers fully-featured help desk software used across all industries. Despite it boasting over 180 features and functionalities, it remains one of the most affordable options out there. With a user-friendly interface and 24/7 customer service, the software is accessible even to less tech-savvy users, while keeping the options open for those who are well-versed in coding.

LiveAgent features

Over 175 powerful features contribute to LiveAgent’s omnichannel customer-centric approach. On top of that, you can connect LiveAgent to 220+ third-party applications including Shopify, Magento, Jira, Slack, Salesforce, and many social media integrations.

Listed below are some of the most significant functionalities included in both LiveAgent and Zendesk feature sets.

• Ticketing system
• Multi-channel support
• Live chat
• SLA management
• Automation features
• Customer portals
• Knowledge management
• Ticket routing
• Advanced reporting features and analytics

In addition, here are some features you can find in LiveAgent that are missing from Zendesk’s toolbelt:

• Built-in call center
• Social media monitoring
• Self-service portal
• Team collaboration tools
• Gamification

What are the main differences between LiveAgent and Zendesk?

Now, let’s discuss some of the key differences between LiveAgent and Zendesk.

• Pricing structure – LiveAgent offers a more affordable and flexible pricing structure than Zendesk. With a forever free plan and paid plans starting at just $9 per agent per month, LiveAgent is an accessible solution for everyone.
• All-in-one solution – LiveAgent is an all-encompassing customer service platform containing a wide range of features and integrations, whereas Zendesk offers multiple products you have to purchase separately.
• Customer support quality – Zendesk often struggles to keep up with its customer queries. On the other hand, LiveAgent continuously receives high ratings regarding their customer support.
• Built-in call center – LiveAgent offers built-in call center functionality, allowing you to handle phone support within the platform. Zendesk offers phone support through its Zendesk Talk product, which requires a separate subscription.

Best for small and medium-sized businesses

LiveAgent is the best choice for individuals, small and medium businesses. Nevertheless, LiveAgent’s Enterprise plan provides advanced features for large businesses as well. Features like the ticketing system, live chat, and knowledge bases are perfect for eCommerce, software development and IT, and finance and legal services. A multi-channel ticket management, self-service options, and a fast live chat widget are also features that make LiveAgent a great choice for healthcare, education, and tourism.

LiveAgent pricing

Besides offering a 30-day free trial, LiveAgent’s software is also available for free with some limitations. However, if you decide to invest in this customer support platform, you can choose from four pricing options:

• Small for $9 per agent per month
• Medium for $29 per agent per month
• Large for $49 per agent per month
• Enterprise for $69 per agent per month.

Expert’s opinion

From a user’s perspective, LiveAgent leaves little to be desired. It’s a robust fully-featured solution that runs like a dream without breaking your budget. To point out the two most-often-mentioned differences between LiveAgent and Zendesk, we have to discuss the pricing structure and the comprehensiveness of each software.

Zendesk’s pricing is often talked about as downright excessive, while LiveAgent is one of the top-rated affordable help desk solutions on the market. And that leads me to the next point, which is that when you pay for LiveAgent, you get an all-in-one solution. There are also no hidden paywalls or roadblocks designed to make you spend more.

When it comes to Zendesk competitors, LiveAgent is hands-down the best option for those looking for an affordable, robust, and user-friendly platform.

Customer review

“I appreciate how well it integrates and how satisfying the overall experience is. Having a system in place to track tickets and provide the highest quality support to customers is invaluable.”

Source: Capterra

Try out LiveAgent, the top Zendesk competitor, for 30 days for free and get acquainted with its features.

2. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a multichannel customer support software solution with a user base of over 60,000 customers. Their main goal is to streamline processes and communication and help deliver amazing customer experiences.

Freshdesk features

Freshdesk comes equipped with dozens of helpful features that can elevate your customer support. To extend its functionality, Freshdesk also comes with 500+ integrations including Shopify, Slack, Trello, AWS, and Mailchimp.

Here are some features Freshdesk and Zendesk have in common:

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Multi-channel support
• Agent collision detection
• Knowledge management
• Ticket automation

Now, let’s look at some of Freshdesk’s features that Zendesk doesn’t offer:

• Freddy AI
• Field service management
• Parent/child ticketing
• Remote access/control

What are the main differences between Freshdesk and Zendesk?

To help you get a clearer picture of both software options, let’s discuss some of the main differences between Freshdesk and Zendesk.

• Customer support – Freshdesk offers 24/7 phone support to its customers even with lower subscription tiers, whereas Zendesk provides this option only for more expensive Premier plans.
• Integration – Zendesk comes with a wide set of its own paid apps and add-ons, so there is less need for integration with third-party applications. On the other hand, Freshdesk is easy to pair and integrate with a large set of third-party software.
• User interface – In comparison to Zendesk, Freshdesk offers a more intuitive user interface, although it is less customizable.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Due to its affordable and user-friendly approach, Freshdesk’s software is often found in smaller teams, budget-oriented companies, and non-profit organizations. Fields like eCommerce, education, and hospitality benefit from Freshdesk’s multi-channel approach, knowledge management, and ticketing features. IT teams also use it to automate mundane repetitive tasks and collaborate on development projects.

Freshdesk pricing

Freshdesk’s support desk solution includes a free plan with limitations for up to 10 agents. If you’d like to invest in this option, you can choose from the following options: €15, €49, and €79 per agent/month billed annually. You can also buy additional bot sessions for €75.

Expert’s opinion

Working with Freshdesk is intuitive. Its user-friendly nature makes it a great option for everybody, no matter their technical background or experience. Compared to Zendesk, where you have to spend a considerable amount of time reading through documentation and watching tutorials just to get started, Freshdesk saves a lot of time right from the start.

Of course, as with any other help desk solution, Freshdesk has its kinks. Occasional slow loading speed, small bugs, or missing notifications is something you might have to get used to.

To wrap it up, Freshdesk is one of the strongest Zendesk competitors because it’s easy to use, the features are great, and any small hiccups I’ve come across have never been show-stoppers.

Check out a full Freshdesk alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

3. Front

Front is a collaborative inbox tool trusted by over 8000 users worldwide. Front’s software helps customer service teams manage all customer messages and build long-lasting relationships.

Front features

Besides an impressive catalog of features, Front offers many different integrations, including Asana, Aircall, Shopify, Salesforce, Shipamax, Calixa, and many others.

Here are some functionalities you can find both in Front and Zendesk:

• Live chat feature
• Customer database
• Customer portals
• Ticket management
• Ticket automation
• Workflow configuration

Take a look at some features Front has, but Zendesk doesn’t:

• Inbox management
• Extensive internal collaboration tools

What are the main differences between Front and Zendesk?

To make it easier for you to make an informed decision, here is a quick breakdown of Front’s and Zendesk’s most significant differences.

• Intuitive user interface – Front is very user-focused, so it’s no surprise that their user interface is accessible and easy to navigate, even without prior experience.
• Collaboration – Front’s software is full of collaborative features that promote proactive teamwork. Although Zendesk offers something similar to collaboration tools, they are focused primarily on individual ticket assignments.
• Centralized communication – Both Zendesk and Front provide multi-channel communication, but Front’s channel configuration is easier and quicker than Zendesk’s which requires more extensive configuration and integration.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Front’s accessible and easy-to-use platform is the most suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. Features like ticket management, real-time collaboration, and customer database are favorites in eCommerce, hospitality, and tourism.

Front pricing

Front offers four main pricing packages. The Starter pricing plan is designed for small teams and costs $19 per seat/month. The three remaining pricing plans are aimed at businesses and include the Growth plan for $59 per seat/month, the Scale plan for $99 per seat/month, and the Premier plan for $229 per seat/month.

Before signing up for any of these plans, Front offers a 7-day free trial period.

Expert’s opinion

Summarizing an experience with Front is not an easy task. Sometimes it takes time to learn the ropes, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes one of your most favorite tools. It’s easy to use, comes with many valuable features, and doesn’t break the bank.

As any other tool that encompasses many functionalities and fits many scenarios, Front has its shortcomings. However, compared to Zendesk, it’s a solid option users usually don’t regret choosing.

Check out a full Front alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

4. Kustomer

Kustomer’s software brings all customer communication together in a unified environment. With its vast automation capabilities, businesses use it to bring their customer service to the modern era.

Kustomer features

You can pair Kustomer with various third-party apps including Dialpad, Magento, Shopify, Salesforce, Calibrio, and Helpshift. To discuss this Zendesk competitor’s features, let’s first have a look at those they have in common:

• Ticket management
• Ticket automation
• Knowledge base
• Live chat

The following features are Kustomer-specific and you can’t find them in Zendesk:

• Single-platform customer relationship management
  24/7 live rep support
• Customer segmentation and profiles
• Conversational AI

What are the main differences between Kustomer and Zendesk?

The best way to choose between multiple help desk software solutions is to clearly point out their key differences. So, let’s check out the most distinguishing factors between Kustomer and Zendesk.

• The overall approach to customer service – Kustomer delivers a more holistic and customer-centric approach to handling inquiries compared to Zendesk. The latter is mainly focused on ticket management.
• Advanced automation – Although Zendesk has some automation features, they can hardly compare to Kustomer’s conversational AI with chatbots, AI-powered suggestions, and sentiment analysis.
• Data-driven approach – Kustomer is a spectacular platform for analyzing customer data including sentiment, customer timeline, and lifecycle. Compared to Zendesk, Kustomer allows its users to make more data-driven decisions.

Best for mid-sized and large businesses

Kustomer’s software is most suitable for mid-sized and large companies with greater resources due to its higher pricing. Thanks to its powerful CRM (customer relationship management)and customer profiling, companies in eCommerce, retail, and telecommunications are often Kustomer’s loyal clients. Besides that, SaaS companies like to take advantage of Kustomer’s artificial intelligence capabilities.

Kustomer pricing

If you’re considering purchasing Kustomer’s customer support software, you can choose from four pricing tiers: Professional for $29 per user/month, Business for $49 per user/month, Enterprise for $89 per user/month, and Ultimate for $139 per user/month.

Before subscribing to any of the paid plans, you can test Kustomer out with their 14-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Kustomer’s software makes you feel like stepping into the future. Although a little overwhelming and hard to grasp in the beginning, it opens many new possibilities for your customer service efforts. Conversational AI and advanced automation are amazing helpers when delivering customer support. Compared to Zendesk’s automation features, Kurstomer feels like stepping into the Matrix. Even though you may struggle with navigating the UI at first, Kustomer offers a rich library of resources that will help you get started.

It must be said that Kustomer’s solution isn’t on the affordable end of the spectrum, and it’s understandable when smaller businesses and startups opt for more affordable solutions.

Check out a full Kustomer alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

5. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a customer support solution that puts the user experience at the forefront. With a huge customer base of 100 000 clients, Zoho Desk is a well-known solution focused on empowering customers and engaging customer service agents.

Zoho Desk features

To extend Zoho Desk’s functionality, you can choose from many add-ons and integrations, including Twilio, Jira, Trello, Screen Magic, and Slack. Let’s look at some of Zoho Desk’s features you can also spot in Zendesk:

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Automation
• Multi-channel support
• Time tracking
• Knowledge base management

And now for the functionalities, you can’t find in Zendesk:

• Telephony
• AI-powered chatbot
• Team collaboration features

What are the main differences between Zoho Desk and Zendesk?

Let’s talk about what distinguishes the two solutions the most:

• Affordability – Zoho Desk offers a free plan that is accessible even to small teams with limited budgets. Zendesk caters mostly to larger teams with higher financial resources.
• Integration ecosystem – Compared to Zendesk, Zoho Desk offers a highly-developed ecosystem. This makes it very easy for users to integrate Zoho Desk with other Zoho products without having to integrate with third-party apps.
• Automation – While Zendesk offers automation features, Zoho Desk is mainly focused on their AI-powered chatbot.

What are the main differences between Zoho Desk and Zendesk?

Let’s talk about what distinguishes the two solutions the most:

• Affordability – Zoho Desk offers a free plan that is accessible even to small teams with limited budgets. Zendesk caters mostly to larger teams with higher financial resources.
• Integration ecosystem – Compared to Zendesk, Zoho Desk offers a highly-developed ecosystem. This makes it very easy for users to integrate Zoho Desk with other Zoho products without having to integrate with third-party apps.
• Automation – While Zendesk offers automation features, Zoho Desk is mainly focused on their AI-powered chatbot.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Zoho Desk’s affordable pricing caters mostly to small to medium businesses, startups, and non-profits. You can spot Zoho Desk being used in industries such as IT, eCommerce, and retail, where the ticketing system helps improve customer service operations. Education is a field where Zoho Desk’s knowledge base and self-service options facilitate support for students and staff.

Zoho Desk pricing

Recently, Zoho Desk came up with a free plan that contains some limited features. Besides that, Zoho Desk offers three main pricing options, plus one extra. You can choose from €20, €35, or €50 tiers. All three prices are for a user per month billed monthly, but you can also set up annual billing. The one special tier is Zoho Desk Express for €9 per user per month billed monthly. This somewhat limited option is available to small teams with a tighter budget.

Besides these plans, Zoho Desk lets you get acquainted with their customer service software solution during a 15-day free trial period.

Expert’s opinion

Zoho Desk is an accessible customer service solution offering many powerful features. One of its biggest advantages is the Zoho ecosystem. Apps within this ecosystem are incredibly easy to pair up and use, and even troubleshoot any potential issues.

Compared to Zendesk, Zoho Desk provides a way more user-friendly experience right off the bat. It’s also highly customizable, so if you’re not happy with some aspects of the software, you can, for the most part, adjust them to your liking. Although Zoho Desk doesn’t provide as many social media integrations as Zendesk, it’s still a strong competitor that is worth considering.

Check out a full Zoho Desk alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

6. Intercom

Over 25 000 businesses trust Intercom with their customer service needs. Their unified platform heavily utilizes automation to streamline all customer communication.

Intercom features

Besides Intercom’s core functionalities, you can pair the software up with many integrations, such as Jira, Salesforce, Aircall, Stripe, Surfboard, and Shopify.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the key features Intercom and Zendesk have in common:

• Ticketing system
• Reporting and statistics
• Knowledge management
• Multi-channel support

And now, let’s examine the most important features behind Intercom’s toolbelt that Zendesk lacks:

• Audience segmentation and targeting
• Call center
• AI chatbots and advanced automation
• Product tour and onboarding tools

What are the main differences between Intercom and Zendesk?

To help you make the right choice, here are some main differences between Intercom and Zendesk.

• User interface design – Intercom’s UI is modern and sleek, emphasizing ease of use and collaboration. In comparison, Zendesk’s UI may feel more structured and restrictive.
• Messaging-centric approach – While Zendesk is mostly focused on ticket management, Intercom offers a more messaging-centric approach. Using personalized and contextualized messaging, businesses can boost customer engagement throughout their journey with interactive conversations.

Best for medium to large businesses

With the focus on streamlining a high volume of customer inquiries, Intercom’s software is best suited for medium companies to enterprises. Intercom’s automation features and modern design prove to be useful in SaaS companies, IT development, and tech, as well as consulting firms and marketing agencies.

Intercom pricing

Intercom’s pricing plans include a more accessible option for small teams. The Starter package costs $74 per month. Besides this tier, you can choose from three more robust plans: Support, Engage, and Convert. All of them have custom pricing.
Before you decide to commit to a paid subscription, you can test the software out during the 14-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Using Intercom is a quite pleasant experience. Its UI is very easy to understand and navigate, but still interesting and innovative. This Zendesk alternative offers many valuable features, mostly focused on customer conversations, segmentation, and a data-driven personalized approach. It’s a little difficult to compare Intercom and Zendesk just because Intercom seems like a different wheelhouse. However, they have some things in common and one sometimes performs better than the other. For example, Zendesk is easier to integrate within the Zendesk ecosystem, but Intercom is overall more robust so it doesn’t need as many additions.

To sum it up, Intercom is a powerful competitor to Zendesk and if you’re searching for a modern solution full of artificial intelligence and automation, it might be the option for you.

Check out a full Intercom alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

7. HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is a part of the HubSpot family that offers multiple B2B solutions for sales, marketing, customer service, and other operations. You can use HubSpot Service Hub on its own or combine it with other software solutions from HubSpot.

HubSpot Service Hub features

Besides connections with applications such as Wistia, Jira, Aircall, and MailChimp, HubSpot Service Hub is highly compatible with all the products in the HubSpot family.

These are some of the features you can find in both HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk:

• Ticket management
• Knowledge management
• Workflow automation

And here are features specific to HubSpot Service Hub you won’t find in Zendesk:

• Advanced conversational tools
• Access controls/permissions
• Customer satisfaction surveys

What are the main differences between HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk?

After talking about key features, let’s take a look at some of the main differences between HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk.

• HubSpot ecosystem – We can’t talk about HubSpot Service Hub without mentioning the entire HubSpot ecosystem that makes it super easy to integrate different HubSpot applications. Although Zendsk offers some additions, the ecosystem is nowhere as developed as HubSpot’s.
• Marketing, sales, and support alignment – HubSpot Service Hub, as a part of the HubSpot family, emphasizes the importance of aligning your marketing, sales, and support efforts to deliver personalized service. On the other hand, Zendesk is designed to handle individual ticket assignments which can result in a less personalized approach.

Best for small to large businesses

Although the paid subscription plans can get quite high, HubSpot Service Hub doesn’t alienate small businesses and startups. HubSpot Service Hub’s holistic approach to customer service wins over customers in eCommerce businesses and online retail. Besides these, HubSpot Service Hub is also a popular choice for education and eLearning due to its multi-channel communication and robust knowledge base.

HubSpot Service Hub pricing

HubSpot Service Hub’s pricing consists of four main pricing tiers. The first is free and includes limited features. Then, the Starter plan comes up to $20 per month, the Professional plan costs $490 per month, and the Enterprise plan has custom pricing.
Besides these packages, HubSpot Service Hub also offers a 14-day trial, free of charge.

Expert’s opinion

HubSpot Service Hub may seem overwhelming at first. After all, it’s part of a popular, well-established ecosystem of applications full of their own features. After you get over the initial intimidation, you’ll find it’s a very user-friendly platform. The best thing is that if you want to use it by itself and never pair it up with any other HubSpot products, you’re more than welcome to do that. However, if you want to get more out of it, you can integrate it with its sister products with ease. That is where HubSpot Service Hub is a clear winner over Zendesk. You’re never missing the key functionalities, but you can build on top of them at any time.

Of course, high pricing and somewhat of a steep learning curve can be considered drawbacks, however, if you’re looking for a truly robust well-integrated customer service solution, this Zendesk alternative is an awesome option.

Check out our full HubSpot Service Hub alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

8. HappyFox

HappyFox’s customer support software solution is packed with helpful features designed to streamline customer communication across all customer-facing channels. Trusted by big names in various industries like Jabra and Metroland Media, they provide a reliable business solution.

HappyFox features

You can enrich your HappyFox account by pairing it up with integrations such as Slack, Jira, Magento, Shopify, Aircall, OneLogin, and more.

Below are some main features HappyFox and Zendesk have in common:

• Customer database
• Ticketing system
• Reporting and analytics
• Agent collision detection
• Live chat

And here are the features Zendesk doesn’t offer:

• Help Desk gamification
• Smart rules
• Advanced task management

What are the main differences between HappyFox and Zendesk?

Now that we discussed the main features, let’s look at the key differences between HappyFox and Zendesk.

• Smart rules – Compared to Zendesk’s automation features, HappyFoxe’s smart rules take automated workflow optimization to another level. You can use smart rules to trigger webhooks, workflows, and much more.
• Agent engagement – With gamification features using HappyFox is a much more engaging experience for support agents. Leaderboards and reward systems help motivate them and keep their workdays interesting. Zendesk, unfortunately, doesn’t have such a feature.
• Task management – HappyFox offers a task management feature that helps agents streamline their workflows and stay on top of their duties. Although you can integrate Zendesk with some task management solutions, the platform doesn’t provide one on its own.

Best for medium businesses to enterprises

HappyFox’s higher subscription prices make it ideal for medium and large businesses with larger budgets. Its automation features and customizable workflows are popular in fields like telecommunication, tech, and SaaS. HappyFoxe’s task management features are often used in healthcare and medical services to schedule appointments and keep up with daily administration.

HappyFox pricing

HappyFox offers two types of pricing plans. The Unlimited Agents costs $1499, $1999, $2999, and $4999 per month for a varying number of tickets. The Agent-based pricing options include $29, $49, $69, and $89 per agent/month.
Besides these paid plans, HappyFox lets you use their software for 14 days free of charge.

Expert’s opinion

HappyFox’s help desk solution is a fantastic option for everybody who gets easily overwhelmed by smaller daily tasks. The smart rules and advanced task management without a doubt outshine Zendesk counterpart features.

Of course, we have to talk about a few minor issues that pop up while using Happy Fox. The first one is the limited number of integrations. Although it’s not a showstopper for me, some businesses may find it a little restrictive. Another thing I noticed is that the website response speed sometimes drops. Again, it’s nothing major, but I can see that it can get a little frustrating. All in all, if you’re willing to overlook some minor inconveniences, HappyFox is an eligible competitor to Zendesk.

Check out a full HappyFox alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

9. Groove

Groove is a customer-experience-centric Zendesk alternative with multichannel capabilities. With a customer base exceeding 2000 clients, they are building a tight-knit community of customer service professionals.

Groove features

Extending Groove’s functionality is easy with integrations like Trello, MailChimp, Slack, Shopify, Salesforce, and Jira.
Groove shares some key features with Zendesk, so let’s take a look:

• Ticketing system
• Customer database
• Live chat

Here you can see features you won’t find in Zendesk but are part of Groove’s catalog:

• Remote access and control
• Shared inbox

What are the main differences between Groove and Zendesk?

Let’s discuss the main distinguishing factors between Groove and Zendesk.

• Simplicity and ease of use – Groove is designed to be accessible and easy to use for everybody. Although not as customizable as Zendesk, Groove is very easy to set up and use efficiently no matter the level of your expertise.
• Personalized approach – Groove prides itself on its personalized approach and customer-centricity. On the other hand, Zendesk often receives complaints of insufficient customer support.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Groove is a simpler alternative to Zendesk, catering to small to medium-sized businesses. Its simplicity and ease of use make it a great choice for startups and small eCommerce businesses. Its ticketing system is also often used in hospitality and travel.

Groove pricing

When looking for a subscription plan, Groove gives you three options to choose from: the Starter plan for $20 per user/month, the Plus plan for $40 per user/month, and the Pro plan for $65 per user/month.
On top of that, you can sign up for a 15-day free trial and get acquainted with Groove’s features and functionalities.

Expert’s opinion

If you’re expecting enterprise-level help desk software packed with AI, Groove probably isn’t the one for you. However, if you’re after a user-friendly platform that is easy to use and focuses on customer satisfaction, you may find just what you’re looking for. Compared to Zendesk’s advanced features and many integrations, Groove falls short. On the other hand, Groove comes with a friendly team of customer support agents who are quick to respond to your queries. And we can hardly say that about Zendesk.

All in all, Groove delivers exactly what it promises, performs well, and adds just a touch of personalization that can take a user experience to another level.

Check out a full Groove alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

10. Hiver

Hiver offers a customer service platform for streamlined communication and improved customer experience. Designed especially for Google Workspace, Hiver is trusted by more than 2000 businesses worldwide.

Hiver features

Hiver uses Zapier to integrate with applications like Slack, Asana, Trello, Salesforce, and Twilio.

Some of the features you can find both in Hiver’s and Zendesk’s toolbelts are:

• Knowledge base management
• Reporting and analytics
• Ticket automation
• Ticket management

And here are some specific to Hiver:

• Email notes and internal discussions
• Advanced email analytics and insights

What are the main differences between Hiver and Zendesk?

Below, we’ll talk about some of the main factors that differentiate Hiver and Zendesk.

• Gmail integration – Hiver is a platform specifically designed for Gmail integration. It allows teams to manage customer support directly from their Gmail inbox, taking advantage of Gmail’s familiar environment.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Hiver’s software is the most suitable for small and medium-sized companies that primarily use Google Workspace for their customer service operations. Consulting firms, marketing agencies, and companies working in legal services can benefit from Hiver’s accessible user interface and email collaboration features.

Hiver pricing

When considering subscribing to one of Hiver’s paid plans, you can opt for the Lite package for $15 per user/month, the Pro package for $39 per user/month, or the Elite package for $59 per user/month.
To try the platform out, you can sign up for Hiver’s 7-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Taking advantage of Google Workspace’s familiarity, Hiver’s developers developed user-friendly software that is easy to navigate. Comparatively, Hiver isn’t as robust as Zendesk, however, it’s not its main goal. Sure, you may miss some advanced ticket automation or integrations. Hiver focuses on delivering a solution customers enjoy using and interacting with. Its seamless integration with Gmail is probably its biggest plus, closely followed by collaboration features and insightful analytics.

While this Zendesk alternative comes with a smaller repertoire of features, it’s a great option for individuals and teams that value accessibility and familiarity.

Check out a full Hiver alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

11. Helpjuice

Helpjuice is a well-known knowledge base software used to build knowledge bases for internal use, or for customer support.

Helpjuice features

To extend HelpJiuce’s capabilities, you can pair it with Salesforce, Shopify, Slack, Drift, Olark, and others.
Now, let’s look at some features Helpjuice and Zendesk share:

• Knowledge base management
• Article creation and editing
• Content management
• Customizable branding

Here you can find features Helpjuice offers, but Zendesk doesn’t:

• Advanced search functionality
• Document management

What are the main differences between Helpjuice and Zendesk?

The most distinctive difference between the two is their focus. Zendesk’s focal point is ticket management, while Helpjuice’s primary focus is building and maintaining internal and external knowledge bases. This competitor to Zendesk emphasizes team collaboration and content management above all else.

Best for small and medium-sized businesses

Helpjuice’s knowledge base builder is most suitable for small and medium businesses that want an organized and well-maintained knowledge base. This Zendesk alternative is popular in IT where knowledge bases provide a valuable resource for different departments, as well as customers. Other than that, you can find Helpjuice mostly in eCommerce and online retail.

Helpjuice pricing

Helpjuice’s customers can choose from four pricing options including the Starter plan for $120/month, the Run-up for $200/month, the Premium Limited for $289/month, and Premium Unlimited for $499/month.

Before purchasing a plan, you can give Helpjuice a test ride during a 14-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

When it comes to designing knowledge bases, Helpjuice is a dream to work with. If you don’t require too much customization, you can create quite effective internal and external knowledge bases that are easy to manage and expand. The search functionality is also great, as it helps navigate large volumes of content.

A bit of a drawback is the lack of integration with project management applications. This would be a nice addition that could make working with Helpjuice even better. However, if you don’t mind this bit of inconvenience, you’ll probably enjoy using this competitor to Zendesk.

12. Gladly

Gladly is a customer-centric Zendesk alternative that prides itself on its accessibility and ease of use. Gladly helps hundreds of brands effectively communicate with their customers and foster long-lasting relationships.

Gladly features

Among the apps you can integrate with Gladly are Shopify, Calabrio, Big Commerce, Medallia, Flip, and Formstack.

Let’s discuss the features Gladly and Zendesk have in common:

• Customer database
• Live chat
• Ticket management
• Knowledge management
• Customizable branding

And now, let’s talk about some of the features that are specific to Gladly:

• Unified customer view
• Voice calling
• Inbox management

What are the main differences between Gladly and Zendesk?

After we’ve looked at the features, let’s examine the main differences between the two solutions.

• Customer-centric approach – Gladly is a very customer-centric platform that organizes customer conversations based on individuals rather than tickets. Zendesk, on the other hand, mainly focuses on ticket management.
• Conversation history – Although both solutions provide conversation history, Gladly’s emphasis on customer context and conversation continuity sets them apart.

Best for larger businesses

Gladly’s pricing structure primarily targets larger businesses with more substantial budgets. Its customer-centric approach makes it a popular choice in various sectors, including healthcare, financial, and legal services. Additionally, eCommerce, retail, hospitality, and travel companies also make use of Gladly’s unified customer view.

Gladly pricing

Gladly offers two pricing options. The Hero plan for $150 per agent/month with a minimum of 10 seats includes all the essential features one would need to run a contact center. The Super Hero plan costs $180 per agent/month with a minimum of 10 seats and includes all features from the Hero plan, plus 99.9% uptime, custom reporting, extensive API capabilities, and premium support.

Expert’s opinion

When it comes to customer-centricity, Gladly is the clear winner over Zendesk. The platform treats each customer interaction as a part of a larger unified conversation, which makes it easier to provide a more personalized experience. It’s also very easy to use, compared to Zendesk which can feel cluttered and overwhelming.

With all that said, Gladly comes with its kinks. The website can be laggy at times, but I don’t find it too bothersome. Another drawback is Gladly’s price. Although you’re paying for a solid piece of software, it can still hinder a small company’s budget.

13. Help Scout

Help Scout is a customer service platform that emphasizes efficient communication and streamlined customer conversations. With over 12, 000 customers, Help Scout’s wide range of helpful features helps companies all around the world in eCommerce, Finance, Healthcare, SaaS, and Education.

Help Scout features

The most notable third-party apps you can pair Help Scout with include Shopify, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Jira, Zapier, and Survey Funnel.

Here are some key features both Help Scout and Zendesk have in their toolbelts:

• Knowledge management
• Workflow automation
• Live chat

And here are some features Zendesk is missing:

• Beacon (help center widget)
• Shared inbox
• Customer satisfaction rating

What are the main differences between Help Scout and Zendesk?

Now, let’s look at what sets Help Scout and Zendesk apart.

• Ease of use – Help Scout comes with a very user-friendly interface that doesn’t feel overwhelming even for the first time. Zendesk’s UI has been reported to be a bit confusing for new users.
• Focus on the shared inbox – Help Scout emphasizes the shared inbox model. It facilitates seamless collaboration between customer support teams on customer inquiries and information sharing. Although Zendesk also offers collaboration features, Help Scout’s unified inbox is a central aspect of its platform.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

Help Scout’s customer service tool is most suitable for smaller teams to medium-sized businesses. Its shared inboxes are the most popular among companies working in eCommerce, retail, financial services, and education.

Help Scout pricing

Help Scout’s pricing tiers include the Standard package which costs $25 per user per month and the Plus tier for $50 per user per month. Both of these can be either billed monthly or annually. The most expensive plan is called Pro and you have to contact Help Scout’s customer support team to discuss this option. The Pro package can be only billed annually.

If you’re not ready to sign up for any of these just yet, you can give Help Scout a try with their 15-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Help Scout stands out as a user-friendly and hassle-free platform focused on team collaboration. Although it lacks a robust ticket management system, it is mostly designed to handle email inquiries. You can see this mostly if you compare Zendesk’s and Help Scout’s communication channels. However, if you conduct most of your business via email, Help Scout more than suffices.

To sum it up, although Help Scout and Zendesk aren’t cut from exactly the same cloth, they share some similarities. But as someone that values user-centricity and accessible UI, I’d say Help Scout is a strong Zendesk competitor in more than one area.

Check out a full Help Scout alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

14. ServiceNow

ServiceNow provides an array of IT service management (ITSM) solutions. It enhances collaboration across departments, streamlines IT operations, and automates workflows.

ServiceNow features

ServiceNow’s Integration Hub allows you to connect software like SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, Jira, Okta, and many others.

Here are some features ServiceNow and Zendesk have in common:

• Ticketing system
• Knowledge base
• SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

And now let’s look at some ServiceNow-specific features:

• IT Service Management (ITSM)
• IT Operations Management (ITOM)
• IT Business Management (ITBM)
• Service management

What are the main differences between ServiceNow and Zendesk?

Now, let’s look at what sets ServiceNow and Zendesk apart:

• Scope and functionality – ServiceNow offers a wide range of IT service management catering to companies working in IT and tech. On the other hand, Zendesk primarily focuses on customer support and service management.
• Customization options – ServiceNow provides a highly customizable platform you can tailor to your specific needs. Zendesk also offers customization options, but they are more limited compared to ServiceNow.

Best for medium-sized to large companies

ServiceNow caters mostly to larger teams working in IT service management, development, and other IT operations. However, as it can be paired up with many third-party applications, businesses in eCommerce, retail, and finance also use it.

ServiceNow pricing

ServiceNow offers fully-featured Personal Developer Instances that act as a free trial for registered users. To learn more about the software’s pricing, you have to register and reach out to ServiceNow’s sales team to get a custom quote.

Expert’s opinion

ServiceNow has a very distinctive target audience. With its emphasis on ITSM and other IT-specific features, it can be quite daunting to new users who never experienced such software and aren’t familiar with the industry-specific lingo. Even though I have had some prior experience with similar software, it still needs some getting used to.

Due to their different approaches, ServiceNow and Zendesk are difficult to compare. Nonetheless, if I were an IT department head, I would choose the solution with my industry-specific features.

15. Gorgias

Gorgias is a Zendesk alternative specially designed for Shopify. Over 11,000 brands rely on its features to keep track of each customer query and build long-lasting relationships.

Gorgias features

With Gorgia’s eCommerce-focused business model, you can pair it with third-party applications like Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, Yotpo, Loop Returns, Aircall, and Konnektive.

Listed below are some features included both in Gorgias and Zendesk:

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Ticket automation
• Customer database
• Multichannel communication with customers

Additionally, you can look at some features you can find in Gorgias that are missing from Zendesk:

• Order management
• Unified inbox
• Customer data enrichment
• Advanced collaboration tools

What are the main differences between Gorgias and Zendesk?

Now, let’s discuss the most important differences between Gorgias’ platform and Zendesk.

• Main purpose – Gorgias is specifically designed for e-commerce businesses, integrating with many eCommerce platforms. Zendesk, on the other hand, is a more general customer service software.
• User interface – Compared to Zendesk, Gorgias comes with a more modern and user-friendly interface.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses

With its emphasis on maximizing the potential of each customer interaction, Gorgias is the most suitable for smaller to medium businesses. Gorgias is designed to support eCommerce brands and online retailers. However, you can also find Gorgias in travel and hospitality due to its ticketing system and customer database.

Gorgias pricing

When it comes to pricing plans, Gorgias offers five of them when you pay monthly, or four when you’re billed annually. The Starter plan costs $10 for 50 tickets per month, the Basic plan comes up to $60 for 300 tickets per month, the most popular Pro plan costs $360 for 2000 tickets per month, and the Advanced plan will cost you $900 for 5000 tickets per month. If you’re looking for an even more extensive pricing package, contact Gorgia’s sales team about their Enterprise plan.
Before choosing a plaid plan, you can test Gorgia’s software with their one-week free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Gorgias is an eCommerce-focused solution. It prides itself on easily integrating with popular eCommerce websites. Its user interface is easy to navigate, so everyone can use it no matter their technical background.

To be completely honest, for an eCommerce platform, Gorgias could improve its analytics and reporting capabilities. Although it’s not a total showstopper, I can see it becoming an issue down the road. All in all, Gorgias is a reliable customer communication platform that is being continuously improved, so who knows, maybe in the future there won’t be much to criticize.

Check out a full Gorgias alternative comparison and find out how it holds up against LiveAgent.

How to choose the right Zendesk alternative?

Understand your needs

Every business has unique needs and requirements that their Zendesk alternative has to cover. Look at things like the number of agents, your daily customer communication volumes, the types of customer requests you tend to receive through which communication channels, what standard features will suffice, and where you need upgrades.
When choosing a Zendesk alternative, don’t give in to peer pressure and go with the “big guy”. Evaluate what your business and customer service team need and then start digging into whether you’ll go with a household name or an emerging startup.

Evaluate pricing and budget

Although it seems like a no-brainer, we can’t stress enough how important it is to not blow your budget on a solution just because it seems right at first. Circling back to the previous point, once you have a clear outline of the features and functionalities you require, do a deep dive into different solutions, and what they offer and at what price. Of course, we don’t recommend choosing something just because it is cheap, but remember that help desk software should be a helper, not a huge burden on your company’s budget.

Assess ease of use and user experience

If you can, get a free trial. That’s the best way to know what the user experience is like, how much training your staff will need, and how easy it will be to integrate a particular solution into your daily operations.
If you don’t have the option to give it a test drive, look up reviews from professionals. Read a few on different review sites, and you’ll get a pretty good picture of what the software is like. Don’t forget to look out for common customer issues as they may provide a window into your own experience.

Compare features and customization options

This goes hand in hand with the first point, realizing which features your help desk tool has to have is crucial to make an informed decision. Once you’re settled on a few providers, write down their feature lists and compare the number of features, and how customizable they are. Although more isn’t always better, look for a solution that gives you the most bang for your buck.

Analyze integration capabilities

Another important thing you should consider is how well your future customer service software solution integrates with third-party applications. The chance is you already know about a handful of integrations you’ll definitely need. For example, if you’re working in eCommerce, you’ll probably benefit from having a Shopify integration. Or if you’re planning on running a call center, Twilio comes in handy. Look for Zendesk alternative that let you integrate most, if not all, of the third-party apps you need to smoothly run your contact center.

Examine customer support and resources

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to check out the vendor’s customer support, customer service portal, and support documentation. They can offer a great solution, but if you run into problems, it’s the support you’ll turn to. When reading reviews, pay attention to mentions of customer support. You don’t want to find yourself trying to call an unreachable hotline or be continuously blown off by a poorly programmed chatbot. Look for a solution which, in case the help is needed, can provide expert support on demand.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is no shortage of customer service support solutions to choose from, so don’t worry that you won’t be able to find the right one for you. As long as you carefully evaluate your business needs and requirements, and stay within your budget, you can have excellent Zendesk alternative.

Take LiveAgent into consideration. Even if you have virtually a non-existent budget, LiveAgent has an answer. If you’re willing to spend a little, even $9 can get you pretty far. That’s without considering the entirely free option. LiveAgent’s multichannel customer communication, ticketing, live chat, over 200 integrations, and reliable and professional customer support is a player worth competing with Zendesk.

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