Customer support is one of the biggest differentiators in today’s competitive market. Platforms like Zendesk have been helping businesses for years with ticket management, automation, and customer interaction. But Zendesk isn’t always the best choice—some companies find it too expensive, too complex, or lacking customization.
That’s where Zendesk alternatives come in. From affordable ticketing systems to AI-driven live chat tools, there are plenty of options to explore.
Why Do Businesses Look for Zendesk Alternatives?
- High Pricing: Zendesk can get costly as your team scales.
- Complex Interface: The platform has a steep learning curve.
- Support Issues: Ironically, many users complain about slow Zendesk support.
- Customization Gaps: Some businesses want more flexible options.
If you’re looking for a better match for your needs, here’s a detailed list of 10+ Zendesk alternatives (free & paid) worth considering.
10+ Best Zendesk Alternatives in 2025
1. Freshdesk
Freshdesk by Freshworks is one of the most widely adopted Zendesk competitors. It offers email ticketing, live chat, automation, and a knowledge base—all wrapped in an easy-to-use interface. Teams love its gamification features, where support agents can earn points for solving tickets faster.
- Best for: Startups and growing businesses.
- Free plan: Available for up to 10 agents.
- Pricing: Paid plans start at $15/user/month.
- Highlight: Strong automation tools at an affordable price.
2. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk integrates seamlessly with the Zoho ecosystem (CRM, projects, analytics), making it ideal for businesses already using Zoho tools. It provides multi-channel support (email, social, live chat, and calls), along with AI-driven features like sentiment analysis and self-service portals.
- Best for: Teams already using Zoho products.
- Free plan: Yes (3 agents).
- Pricing: Paid plans from $14/user/month.
- Highlight: AI assistant “Zia” helps classify and prioritize tickets.
3. Help Scout
Help Scout is designed for simplicity. Instead of a clunky ticketing system, it looks and feels like a shared email inbox. It also provides knowledge bases, live chat, and in-app messaging. Customers appreciate its minimalist, no-frills approach that makes agents more productive without overwhelming them.
- Best for: Small and mid-sized teams.
- Free plan: No, but offers a 15-day trial.
- Pricing: Starts at $20/user/month.
- Highlight: Customer-centric email-style interface.
4. LiveAgent
LiveAgent is a full-fledged support platform with ticketing, live chat, call center features, and social media integration (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). It’s well-suited for companies handling a large volume of customer inquiries.
- Best for: Businesses with high-volume customer interactions.
- Free plan: Yes (with limited features).
- Pricing: From $9/user/month.
- Highlight: Combines live chat, call center, and ticketing in one tool.
5. Intercom
Intercom is more than just customer support—it’s a customer engagement platform. It offers chatbots, automated workflows, product tours, and advanced targeting. While expensive, it’s extremely powerful for SaaS and tech businesses that want to guide users inside their product.
- Best for: SaaS companies and startups scaling fast.
- Free plan: No, only trial.
- Pricing: Starts at around $74/month.
- Highlight: Conversational AI and in-app guidance tools.
6. Gorgias
Gorgias is built specifically for eCommerce stores. It integrates deeply with Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, letting agents view orders, issue refunds, and manage customer requests directly from the support dashboard.
- Best for: Online stores and eCommerce businesses.
- Free plan: None.
- Pricing: Starts at $10/month (with ticket limits).
- Highlight: E-commerce-first customer support with Shopify integration.
7. Kayako
Kayako is a long-time player in the help desk market. It focuses on delivering personalized customer experiences with omnichannel ticketing (email, social, chat). Unlike others, Kayako puts emphasis on customer journey tracking, helping you see a customer’s history across multiple touchpoints.
- Best for: Businesses that value deep personalization.
- Free plan: None.
- Pricing: From $30/user/month.
- Highlight: Journey mapping for better customer insights.
8. ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs is an easy-to-use help desk tool that comes with ticket management, automation, shared inboxes, and a knowledge base. It’s particularly useful for smaller teams who want an affordable but reliable solution.
- Best for: Small and medium businesses.
- Free plan: Yes (basic version).
- Pricing: Paid plans start at $10/user/month.
- Highlight: Clean interface with simple automation.
9. HubSpot Service Hub
HubSpot’s Service Hub is an extension of its CRM. It allows teams to track tickets, build knowledge bases, manage SLAs, and use customer feedback surveys. If you already use HubSpot for sales or marketing, this tool integrates seamlessly.
- Best for: Businesses using HubSpot ecosystem.
- Free plan: Yes (basic features).
- Pricing: From $20/user/month.
- Highlight: Unified CRM + support system in one platform.
10. Hiver
Hiver turns Gmail into a help desk, making it perfect for teams that prefer working directly in their inbox. Features include shared inboxes, ticket assignments, internal notes, and performance tracking.
- Best for: Teams heavily using Gmail.
- Free plan: None.
- Pricing: Starts at $15/user/month.
- Highlight: No need to leave Gmail—support runs directly in your inbox.
11. Tidio
Tidio is primarily a live chat and chatbot platform, designed to help websites and eCommerce stores reply to customers in real time. Its chatbots can handle common FAQs, order tracking, and abandoned cart recovery.
- Best for: Small eCommerce and websites.
- Free plan: Yes (with limitations).
- Pricing: Paid plans from $19/month.
- Highlight: AI chatbots for automation and sales recovery.
12. Crisp
Crisp offers live chat, knowledge base, video calls, and chatbot automation. It has a modern design and integrates with Slack, WordPress, and CRMs. Crisp also includes a feature called “Magic Browse” that lets you see what a visitor is typing before they hit send.
- Best for: Startups and SaaS companies.
- Free plan: Available.
- Pricing: Paid plans start at $25/month.
- Highlight: Real-time visitor insights with Magic Browse.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Plan | Pricing (Paid) | Best For | Highlight Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshdesk | ✅ | $15/user/month | Startups | Gamified ticketing |
| Zoho Desk | ✅ | $14/user/month | Zoho users | AI assistant “Zia” |
| Help Scout | ❌ | $20/user/month | Small teams | Gmail-like ticketing |
| LiveAgent | ✅ | $9/user/month | High-volume businesses | Call center + social support |
| Intercom | ❌ | $74/month | SaaS companies | In-app guidance & chatbots |
| Gorgias | ❌ | $10/month | eCommerce stores | Shopify/Magento integration |
| Kayako | ❌ | $30/user/month | Personalization seekers | Customer journey mapping |
| ProProfs | ✅ | $10/user/month | SMBs | Shared inbox simplicity |
| HubSpot Hub | ✅ | $20/user/month | HubSpot CRM users | Unified CRM + support |
| Hiver | ❌ | $15/user/month | Gmail teams | Inbox-based ticketing |
| Tidio | ✅ | $19/month | eCommerce/websites | AI chatbots & cart recovery |
| Crisp | ✅ | $25/month | Startups/SaaS | Magic Browse visitor view |
Final Thoughts
While Zendesk remains a top choice, many businesses find more affordable, flexible, and easier-to-use tools elsewhere.
- Best for Startups: Freshdesk, Zoho Desk, Crisp.
- Best for eCommerce: Gorgias, Tidio.
- Best for SaaS: Intercom, HubSpot Service Hub.
- Best for Small Teams: Help Scout, Hiver.
Your choice should depend on your team size, budget, and the channels you need to support. The right tool will not only reduce your workload but also improve customer satisfaction.
