The recent times have shown that companies are setting new standards of customer support everyday and making it imperative for you to improve yours as well.

Zendesk is the largest company in the help desk space and as a market leader dictates pricing.

To help businesses find better and more suitable help desk softwares we created a detailed list of some amazing Zendesk alternatives.

Keeping in mind, the different types of businesses that need a help desk solution. We have divided this article into 2 parts. Part 1 suggests Zendesk alternatives that are suitable for startups and solopreneurs. The platforms mentioned in Part 1 offer a free trial and provide a clear pay-as-you-grow pricing which makes it a lot easier for you to decide as a young company.

Part 2 of the article are for more serious and matured companies. These platforms are ideal for established businesses and the onboarding can be done only via a Demo.

(We mention the hidden gems 💎 on top of our list, to give them more exposure, over the already popular ones)

Part A – Zendesk alternatives for Startups

💎 HIDDEN GEMS

1. Gorgias

Have an eCommerce store? Gorgias is the all-in-one customer support software that you need. Decked up with a comprehensive set of features, it is the first choice for many online businesses.

Pros

✔️ Shared database for one-click data access.

✔️ A holistic view of the customer’s buying journey.

✔️ Convert visitors to buyers, guiding them through the app.

✔️ Live chat support to increase sales.

Cons

❌  Doesn’t support integration with Amazon or eBay.

❌   User interface is not streamlined or easy to use

Pricing

💰 Basic: $60/month

💰 Pro: $300/month

💰 Advanced: $750/month

💰 Enterprise: Custom

What is it best known for?

Streamlined user interface that is easy to integrate into any website. Gorgias helps facilitate data driven decisions with advanced analytics.

2. HelpDesk

Known to be the ticketing system for all of your teams, HelpDesk helps you manage all your emails under a single head. The platform is equipped with fascinating features including tagging, ticket assignment, adding private notes, etc. With end-to-end encryption, HelpDesk will keep all of your customer data safe and Private.

Pros

✔️ Simplifies tracking issues and fixing customer problems.

✔️ An affordable solution that can be used by all business types.

✔️ User-friendly interface with a steeper learning curve.

✔️ One-click setup and onboarding process.

Cons

❌  Faces problems when integrating the option of LiveChat.

❌  Doesn’t support report generation.

Pricing

💰 Starter – $5/month/agent

💰 Team – $24/month/agent

💰 Custom Pricing for Enterprises

What is it best known for?

Tagging, responding, and getting feedback, HelpDesk’s end-to-end collaboration makes team communication swift and easy. The ticket management features in the helpdesk platform are also very advanced.

3. GrooveHQ

With 8000+ customers and a super responsive portal, GrooveHQ is all you need to enhance your customer service. It offers promising results and has a knack to reduce customer-conversion cost with their software.

Pros

✔️ Has an exceptional knowledge base.

✔️ An organized dashboard to keep you updated with all the tickets raised, solved, and in operation.

✔️ Fast customer support.

✔️ Enables canned response fostering quicker QnA.

Cons

❌  Requires significant training to work over the software.

❌  Faces issues in handling requests.

Pricing

💰 Starter: $12/month/user

💰 Plus: $25/month/user

💰 Pro: $34/month/user

💰 Company: Custom Plan

What is it best known for?

Optimizing communication and collaboration which enables reduction in the cost of conversion. Additionally, the user-friendly dashboard is streamlined and boosts efficiency.

4. Hiver

Primarily an email collaboration tool, Hiver enables its clients to chalk out an exceptional customer service journey. With Hiver, your in-house team can effectively share different inboxes, facilitating all-round collaboration. The tool allows you to assign, access, and track your email list on the go. You will never miss an update and stay updated 24/7 with push notifications from the same.

Pros

✔️ Integrated communication tools to collaborate seamlessly with your customers and teams.

✔️ Allows you to delegate emails easily

✔️ Easily automate everyday mundane activities.

✔️ Robust analytics features.

Cons

❌ Too many updates create a mess.

❌  Lack of customer support

Pricing

💰 Lite: $11 per user per month

💰 Growth: $27 per user per month

💰 Pro: $47 per user per month

💰 Elite: $69 per user per month

What is it best known for?

Hassle-free email integration enhances productivity and intelligent automation leads to streamlining of tasks while reducing errors.

🥇 TOP PERFORMERS

5. Zoho Desk

Placed at the core of customer service, Zoho Desk is an excellent alternative to Zendesk. What sets Zoho Desk apart from the rest is its context-awareness and multi-channel capabilities. What’s more is that it will unite all your apps on a single platform for smoother workflows and hassle-free smart integrations, managed effortlessly by Zoho.

Pros

✔️ Simple interface

✔️ Easy to set-up for your sales funnel.

✔️ It has a classic UI and embeds complete transparency.

✔️ Zoho Desk is equipped with powerful automation features promoting productivity.

✔️ Ticket response powerful.

Cons

❌  Complicated email features.

❌  Lack of analytics features compared to peers

Pricing

💰 Free: Up to 3 agents

💰 Standard: $18/agent/month

💰 Professional: $30/agent/month

💰 Enterprise: $45/agent/month

What is it best known for?

Being part of the Zoho One software suite, Zoho Desk is suitable for all kinds of organizations, but it has extra merits for those who use Zoho CRM and know how that software works. The transparent user interface and one-click response feature accounts for its widespread popularity.

6. Teamwork Desk

Known to be a powerful ticketing platform, Teamwork Desk offers a 360° view of your customer support journey. It provides total visibility of all the interactions and engagements, enabling customer executives to deliver exceptional customer service. With Teamwork Desk, leaders can easily organize their end-to-end tasks and boost productivity.

Pros

✔️ Turn email into tickets and keep an eye on all your customer engagement.

✔️ Declutter your email box to organize customer support and emphasize out-of-box customer experience.

✔️ Centralize all of your customer information, removing silos.

✔️ A holistic view of organizational data.

Cons

❌  Complicated learning curve.

❌  Desk tickets do not have app support

Pricing

💰 Starter: $8.75/month Per user

💰 Pro: $16.25/month Per user

💰 Premium: $31.25/month Per user

💰 Enterprise: Custom pricing

What is it best known for?

The feature-rich and customer-centric approach makes it an ideal customer support tool. It’s capability to offer a holistic view of the entire customer journey adds to the brand value.

7. Help Scout

A one-stop-shop solution to all your customer interaction and engagement needs, Help Scout offers quick solutions with ease. They allow 50+ integration of enterprise applications within the platform making your end- to- end business communication simple and straightforward. To top this, Help Scout is a Zendesk competitor that has an intuitive dashboard facilitating creation of reports and significant insights.

Pros

✔️ Simple to use with loads of features giving a personal touch to customer communication.

✔️ The entire application is customer-centric.

✔️ Appealing interface with attention to detail.

✔️ Advanced enterprise security features

Cons

❌  Email support seems clumsy.

❌  Lack of admin and HR features

Pricing

💰 Standard Plan – $25/month/user

💰 Plus Plan – $40/month/user

💰 Custom pricing available too

What is it best known for?

Clutter-free features help you provide top-notch quality customer experience. What sets Help Scout apart from others is the integrated intelligence that makes comprehension a simple task.

8. Kayako

Designed to provide customer loyalty and improve productivity, Kayako is an integrated cloud-based customer support tool. The platform tailors to the needs of small and medium-sized business organizations, giving them an opportunity to keep up with customer expectations.

Pros

✔️ Out-of-the-box features to improve customer conversion rates.

✔️ Live chat support to never miss an issue from your customers.

✔️ An all-round view of customer data for an improved experience.

✔️ Shared inbox to boost conversion and increase team collaboration.

Cons

❌  Doesn’t allow staff and admin to use the channel at the same time.

❌  Very basic HR and Admin features

Pricing

💰 Inbox: $15/month/agent

💰 Growth: $30/month/agent

💰 Scale $60/month/agent

What is it best known for?

Budget friendliness that leads to better engagement. Apart from this, Kayako offers tons of features in a small pricing window.

9. Front

Designed to deliver exceptional customer service, Front is a tool made by the customer, for the customer, and of the customer. Sticking to customers and their needs, Front has the ability to transform your inbox into an organized customer support channel. One-click chat integration, personalized messages, simplified collaboration, Front is a Zendesk alternative that gives you everything you need to improve your customer service.

Pros:

✔️ A straightforward interface with an easy onboarding process.

✔️ Easy to understand.

✔️ Build custom routing rules and personalize your workflow.

✔️ Support 50+ apps integration.

✔️ Interdepartmental collaboration for better engagement.

Cons

❌  Lacks significant automation.

❌  Knowledge base features are limited compared to peers

Pricing

💰 Starters: $12/user/month

💰 Plus: $29/user/month

💰 Prime: $65/user/month

💰 Enterprises: Custom Pricing

What is it best known for?

Converting the email window to an organized Front dashboard, businesses find the overall interface appealing. Much of the functionality is attributed to its straightforward and intuitive interface.

🌟 RISING STARS

10. DeskPro

With its flexible features and powerful interface, Deskpro has one of the best helpdesk software packages and has a community of thousands of users. From email to chat and voicemail, DeskPro provides an omnichannel approach to make customer support smooth and convenient.

Pros

✔️ Embedded with intelligent tools fostering automation.

✔️ Insights and information to make data-driven decisions.

✔️ Enables workflow customization with third-party app integration.

✔️ Effective team collaboration with a shared inbox.

Cons

❌  Time logs are not merged making it difficult to integrate multiple companies.

❌  Glitches and bugs are common on the portal

Pricing

💰 Cloud: $30/month/agent

💰 On-premise: $1800 USD/10 agents/year

What is it best known for?

Multilingual support with built-in templates, intelligent automation and an omni-channel presence, which leads to better reach.

11. HelpCrunch

Whether it’s sales, marketing, finance or IT, HelpCrunch is one of the best help-desk platforms that provides features for every department. The tools brings every communication feature under a single roof, improving end to end customer support service.

Pros

✔️ Process automation increases efficiency.

✔️ 24/7 chat and email support.

✔️ User-friendly interface with all of the needed features.

✔️ Automatic lists and popups to keep you apprised.

✔️ Customizable dashboard to meet business requirements.

Cons

❌  Lacks drip marketing campaigns.

❌  Lack of HR and admin features

Pricing

💰 Standard: $15/month/team member for livechat, $29/month/member for livechat and emails

💰 Premium $25/month/team member for livechat, $49/month/member for livechat and emails

💰 Enterprise: Custom

What is best known for?

The ability to work as a live chat software & increase collaboration, while the ability to automate end to end processes fuels engagement.

12. Live Agent

With an influential customer support portal, Live Agent is an alternative to Zendesk that helps you stand out in the crowd of competitors.

Pros

✔️ Email ticketing system to track emails.

✔️ Integration support for Viber.

✔️ Greater support and collaboration to improve customer loyalty.

✔️ End to end automation saves time and reduces efforts.

Cons

❌  Lack of admin and IT features.

❌  Very basic mobile app interface

Pricing

💰 Free

💰 Ticket: $15/agent/month

💰 Ticket+chat: $29/agent/month

💰 All-inclusive: $39/agent/month

What is it best known for?

The ability to transfer chats to the appropriate online, along with integration and automation features, helps boost efficiency and streamline business processes.

13. Loop Email

Generating automatic replies and responses, Loop Email allows you to manage your customer e-mails like a pro. Integrating every e-mail from the different departments into a single head, Loop Email makes it easy to communicate with everyone from the single app, saving your time and efforts.

Pros

✔️ Has an integrated view of the system.

✔️ Keeps an eye on your customer executives and knows who is working on what.

✔️ Side chat with emails for better collaboration.

Cons

❌  Doesn’t have mobile support.

❌  Lack of automation features

Pricing

💰 Studio: $9.1/user/month

💰 Business: $15.7/user/month

💰 Enterprise: Custom Pricing

What is it best known for?

The best part of Loop email is that it enables sharing of public account emails. This provides an integrated view optimizing operations.

These were some great help desk softwares ideal for younger companies. Let’s now dive into Zendesk competitors for SMEs

Part B – Zendesk alternatives for SMBs

💎 HIDDEN GEMS

1. AtSpoke

Founded by 3 former Google employees, this high tech start up uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate workplace service and information requests. Atspoke offers IT, HR, Sales and Enterprise solutions for small businesses. It is also fully compatible with Slack and offers 100+ integrations.

Pros

✔️ Auto resolution of 40% of all requests using AI.

✔️ Provides advanced analytics for workplace trends and automation

✔️ Robust case management features for HR teams

✔️ Convenient conversational ticketing features

Cons

❌ Limited campaign and conversion features

❌ Knowledge base features are limited compared to peers

Pricing

💰 $4 for the standard plan

💰 $6 for the plus plan

💰 Customised pricing is also available for enterprise plans

Best known for

AtSpoke specialises in AI and machine learning. Due to this, 40-50% of all tickets get resolved without any manual intervention. Additionally, machine learning features will help improve automated ticket resolution rates even further over time.

2. Richpanel

One of the newer names in the help desk area, Richpanel offers a versatile customer service platform for small businesses. Primarily designed for e-commerce teams, Richpanel is a Zendesk alternative that offers helpdesk, ticketing, and self-service features through a convenient and easy to use platform.

Pros

✔️ AI driven self-service to reduce agent-handled interactions

✔️ Multiple communication and data channels combined into one platform

✔️ Robust tools to monitor and manage team performance

✔️ Customer conversion tools that help boost sales

Cons

❌ Lack of integration options

❌ Lack of enterprise and admin features

Pricing

💰 $100/month starter plan

💰 $300/month regular plan

💰 $750/month pro plan

💰 Custom pricing is also available for enterprise solutions

Best known for

Richpanel is geared towards e-commerce platforms; hence it has a streamlined and easy to use dashboard. This reduces the need to switch between different tabs and platforms to carry out routine tasks.

🥇 TOP PERFORMERS

3. Freshdesk

Falling under the umbrella of Freshworks, Freshdesk is one of the more established business solutions providers in the customer support space. Along with ticketing, their platform also provides security and automation features for their clients. With a truly global reach, Freshdesk is only second to Zendesk.

Pros

✔️ Streamlined ticket management and self-service features

✔️ Gamification and automated reporting to help with teamwork and collaboration

✔️ Ample options for customization or branding

✔️ Unification of all communication channels into one platform through Omnichannel

Cons

❌ Lack of customisation for dashboard

❌ Prices can be hefty for teams with a considerable number of agents

Pricing

💰 Blossom plan ($19/month/agent)

💰 Garden plan ($45/agent/month)

💰 Estate plan ($69/agent/month)

💰 Forest Plan ($125/agent/month)

💰 Omnichannel Estate plan ($99/agent/month)

💰 Omnichannel Forest plan ($169/agent/month)

Best known for

Freshdesk is best known for its Omnichannel features, which combine multiple communication channels into a single platform. Also, because it comes under the Freshworks umbrella, clients can integrate other Freshworks’ products into Freshdesk without any hassle.

4. Podium

Focussing mainly on local businesses, Podium provides communication tools and enterprise solutions that are geared towards customer interaction. Along with reviews and payments, Podium is a Zendesk competitor that is rapidly expanding as a complete customer support solution with its lead generation and collaboration features.

Pros

✔️ Multiple communication and feedback channels combined into a streamlined dashboard

✔️ Advanced features to generate reviews across multiple forums and websites

✔️ Responsive and interactive feedback features

✔️ Effective lead generation features

Cons

❌ Lack of administrative features

❌ Lack of integration options with other platforms

Pricing

💰 Customised pricing plans based on customer requirements, no set pricing plan.

Best known for

Podium, as a platform, is focussed on improving the way businesses network with their customers, and that’s where their features excel. Whether it’s the all-in-one communication feature, or robust lead generation and feedback, interacting with customers becomes easy with this help desk software.

5. HappyFox

Another formidable help desk solutions provider with many large multinational clients, HappyFox offers ticketing and help desk solutions for businesses of all sizes. Along with customer support, HappyFox also offers many enterprise features related to asset management, task management, automation, and HR.

Pros

✔️ Multiple integration options into different platforms, including Slack

✔️ Multi-channel ticketing with automation features

✔️ Detailed agent activity reporting features to boost performance

✔️ Advance features to track and manage hardware and software assets

Cons

❌ Lack of knowledge base features

❌ Rule based system makes automation rigid

Pricing

💰 Customised monthly plans, starting from $24/agent/month

💰 Unlimited agent plans start from $1049/month

Best known for

HappyFox is a comprehensive business solutions provider, with products for customer support, IT support, HR, and facilities management. What makes Happyfox a great alternative to Zendesk is its ticketing system, with features such as bulk replies and canned actions, that can smoothen the process of ticket management effectively.

6. Gladly

Gladly is different from other help desk solutions. Instead of solely focussing on efficiency through ticket management, Gladly aims to make customer support a personal affair between clients and agents. Along with multiple communication channels, the platform also offers features that help with workforce and task management.

Pros

✔️ Multiple integration options

✔️ Multiple communication channels streamlined into one platform

✔️ Workforce management features that are powered with customer-centric data

✔️ Easier collaboration through features that bring together cross functional teams

Cons

❌ Lack of automation features

❌ Very basic enterprise features

Pricing

💰 Free trial plan available

💰 $38/month/user for task based users

💰 $150/month/user for customer facing user

Best known for

Gladly has positioned itself as a very customer-centric help desk software. Interactions between agents and clients become highly personalized through its messaging features, and automated responses are not used widely. For service and customer centric businesses, such as hotels, spas and luxury brands, this help desk solution can be a huge asset.

7. Dixa

This Danish start up aims to differentiate itself from other customer support softwares through ‘conversational customer engagement’. Dixa provides communication, team management and reporting tools that are customer centric, with an emphasis on the European market.

Pros

✔️ Customized integration options available

✔️ Multiple communication channels available on one platform

✔️ Automated workflows to prioritize and route all incoming queries

✔️ Streamlined dashboard that is easy to use

Cons

❌ Lack of enterprise features for HR or admin teams

❌ High pricing compared to peers with similar products and services

Pricing

💰 Professional plan (99/agent/month)

💰 Premium plan ($139/agent/month)

💰 Platinum plan ($179/agent/month)

Best known for

Dixa is known for features that are built for high customer engagement, which help improve agent efficiency and effectiveness. This platform can be very useful for businesses such as luxury brand and hotels, which are very customer-centric.

🌟 RISING STARS

8. Talkative

Talkative is a website driven help desk platform. It embeds features such as live chat, voice and video calls into the online platforms of their clients, that helps integrate their clients’ help desk platform and contact centres.

Pros

✔️ Easily configurable and customizable features

✔️ Customised integration options

✔️ In-depth platform reporting and analytics features

✔️ On-site training and developer assistance offered to clients

Cons

❌ Lack of enterprise features for HR or admin teams

❌ Limited automation features

Pricing

💰 Basic business plan (($248/month)

💰 Enterprise and Salesforce plans have customised pricing.

Best known for

Talkative specialises in providing help desk infrastructure for online businesses. Talkative is also well known for its customer care, and they provide on-site training and SLA support to all their enterprise clients.

Conclusion

We have tried to make this article as comprehensive as possible and not miss out any good product. But if you think we have missed anything, mention them in the comments.