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Zendesk, the OG of customer support software, is jam-packed with everything you need for support but is often criticized for its complexity. They are the perfect example of ‘Great features come with great complexity.’
On the other hand, Zoho Desk is a cloud-based help desk software that helps businesses of all sizes manage their customer support operations. It offers a wide range of features, including ticket management, a knowledge base, a self-service portal, automation, reporting, and analytics.
As these platforms go head-to-head as help desk for enterprise, we’ll dissect their strengths, delve into their unique AI-powered capabilities, and help you determine which one holds the key to elevating your customer support and engagement strategies. So, get ready for an insightful journey through the landscapes of Zendesk and Intercom, where support excellence converges with AI innovation.
QUICK NOTE: If you are a startup or SMB, Zendesk or Zoho Desk might not be a good fit for you. Check out ThriveDesk, our take on customer support software for startups or SMBs.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk – Help Desk for Enterprise at a glance
| Criteria | Zendesk | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Niche | Small to mid-sized businesses | Small to mid-sized businesses |
| Starting price | $55 | $14 |
| Free trial | 30 days | 15 days |
Overview of Zendesk
Zendesk is your trusted ally when it comes to enterprise customer service. Started for small business now moved towards a complete helpdesk software for enterprise, it’s the secret weapon that keeps customers happy.
With Zendesk, customer questions are a breeze to handle. You get a dashboard that makes creating, tracking, and organizing tickets super easy. It’s like your customer support command center.
Zendesk lets you chat with customers through email, chat, social media, or even over the phone. So, no matter where your customers are, you’re there too.
Big names like Airbnb and Shopify already trust Zendesk. It’s like having a global support team at your fingertips.
Zendesk also plays well with others. It can team up with tools like Salesforce and Slack, so everything runs smoothly.
So, whether you’re a startup or a global giant, Zendesk’s got your back for top-notch customer support.
Overview of Zoho Desk
Experience efficient customer support with Zoho Desk‘s comprehensive helpdesk solution. Manage and resolve customer queries effortlessly using the powerful ticketing system, providing a centralized dashboard for clear visibility and prompt issue resolution.
Go beyond ticketing with Zoho Desk’s integrated suite of customer support tools. Engage customers through live chat, knowledge base management, community forums, and self-service portals, offering a range of support options and empowering customers to find solutions independently.
Integrate Zoho Desk seamlessly with other Zoho applications and popular third-party tools to create a unified ecosystem, ensuring smooth data flow and collaboration across teams. Scale your support operations effortlessly with customizable features and pricing plans to meet your evolving needs.
Trusted by top companies like BMW, Bose, and OnePlus, Zoho Desk delivers exceptional support experiences across industries. Join the ranks of satisfied businesses and provide timely resolutions with Zoho Desk’s comprehensive suite of customer support tools.
Zoho Desk is a streamlined helpdesk solution that combines robust ticketing
Comparative Analysis: Key Features and Functionality
When comparing Zendesk and Zoho Desk, evaluating their core features and functionalities is essential to determine which platform best suits your organization’s customer support needs. Let’s explore how Zendesk and Zoho Desk stack up in terms of basic functionalities required by a helpdesk software.
| Features | Zendesk | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Zendesk integrates with over 1,000 apps, including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Google Workspace | Zoho Desk integrates with over 650 apps, including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and Google Workspace |
| Self-service portal | Zendesk offers a self-service portal where customers can find answers to their questions and troubleshoot issues on their own | Zoho Desk offers a self-service portal where customers can find answers to their questions, troubleshoot issues, and access knowledge articles |
| Live chat | Zendesk offers live chat for customer support agents to communicate with customers in real time | Zoho Desk offers live chat for customer support agents to communicate with customers in real time |
| Reporting | Zendesk offers a variety of reports that help businesses track customer support metrics, such as ticket volume, response time, and customer satisfaction | Zoho Desk offers a variety of reports that help businesses track customer support metrics, such as ticket volume, response time, and customer satisfaction |
| Mobile app | Zendesk offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android | Zoho Desk offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android |
| AI | Zendesk’s AI chatbots are powered by Answer Bot, Zendesk’s own AI technology. Answer Bot can understand and answer common customer queries using your knowledge base. Answer Bot can also be used to create custom chatbots that can answer specific customer questions or provide support for specific products or services. | Zoho Desk’s AI chatbots are powered by Zia, Zoho Desk’s own AI technology. Zia is considerably more powerful than Answer Bot and can process more information and handle more complex tasks, making it more capable than Answer Bot. |
| Customer support | Zendesk offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat | Zoho Desk offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat |
| Ticket Management | Zendesk excels in ticket management, providing a user-friendly interface for creating, tracking, and organizing customer tickets. Its customizable ticketing system allows agents to prioritize and assign tickets efficiently, ensuring timely responses and resolutions | Zoho Desk offers robust ticket management with multi-channel support, automation, and analytics for efficient customer support. |
| Automation | Zendesk offers powerful automation capabilities through its “Triggers” and “Automation” features. These allow businesses to automate repetitive tasks, send notifications, and set predefined actions based on specified conditions, saving time and improving efficiency. | Zoho Desk’s helpdesk solution provides automation features through its “Blueprint” functionality. With Blueprint, businesses can create automated workflows that guide agents through predefined steps, ensuring consistent and standardized support processes. |
Our pick: Zendesk
Some additional Comparison metrics
Unique Features
Zendesk
Zendesk stands out with its extensive marketplace of third-party integrations and extensions, allowing businesses to extend the platform’s functionality. It also offers a chatbot feature called “Answer Bot,” which leverages AI to provide automated responses to customer queries, improving response times.
Zoho Desk
Zoho’s helpdesk solution stands out with its comprehensive suite of integrated applications, including CRM, desk, and analytics tools. This integration creates a seamless ecosystem, enabling businesses to leverage customer data from various touchpoints and streamline their support processes. Zoho Desk also boasts an AI powered chatbot named Zia.
Our pick: Tie. Both have unique and useful features that can serve businesses in various ways
Pricing and Plans
When considering helpdesk solutions like Zendesk and Zoho Desk, understanding the pricing models and plans is crucial to make an informed decision. Let’s compare the pricing structures of both platforms, evaluate their value for money and scalability, and analyze any additional costs or hidden charges that may be associated with each platform.
| Pricing | Zendesk | Zoho Desk | ThriveDesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per user per month | Per user per month | Per user per month |
| Number of Pricing Tiers | 4 (Suite Team, Growth, Professional, Enterprise) | 3 (Standard, Professional, Enterprise) | 3 (Starter, Plus, Enterprise) |
| Trial Period | 14 days | 15 days | 7 days |
| Free Plan Available | No | No | No |
| Lowest Priced Paid Plan | $55/agent/month billed annually (Suite Team) | $14/user/month billed annually (Standard | $25/month billed annually (Starter) |
| Highest Priced Published Plan | $149/agent/month billed monthly (Suite Professional) | $50/user/month billed monthly (Enterprise) | $49/month billed annually (Plus) |
| Custom Enterprise Pricing | Yes | No | No |
| Annual Billing Discount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Add-on/Integration Pricing | Additional cost | No added cost | No added cost |
| Ease of Cost Evaluation | Easy | Easy | Easy |
If your business is on a tight budget, a Zoho Desk alternative or Zendesk alternative worth considering is ThriveDesk. They provide uncomplicated pricing plans tailored to accommodate various business needs. With just two options to select from, it simplifies the decision-making process for business owners. Opt for the plan that aligns with your support needs and budget, whether you operate as a small team or a burgeoning enterprise.
| Starter | $25/month (4 seats) |
| Plus | $85/month (10 seats) |
Our pick: Zoho Desk
Value for Money and Scalability
Zendesk
Zendesk’s pricing tiers offer increasing levels of features and capabilities, allowing businesses to scale their support operations as they grow. The higher-tier plans provide advanced functionalities like chatbots, knowledge base customization, and performance dashboards, which can deliver added value for businesses seeking advanced support capabilities.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk’s pricing plans also offer scalability, enabling businesses to upgrade to higher-tier plans as their support needs expand. With the integrated suite of applications, Zoho provides a comprehensive solution that can bring additional value to businesses looking for a unified ecosystem to manage customer interactions.
Our pick: Zendesk
Additional Costs and Hidden Charges
When evaluating helpdesk solutions such as Zendesk and Zoho Desk, it is essential to grasp the pricing models and plans to ensure an informed choice. Let’s examine the pricing structures of both platforms, assess their cost-effectiveness and scalability, and scrutinize any potential extra expenses or undisclosed fees associated with each platform.
Zendesk
Zendesk’s pricing is relatively straightforward, with a per-agent per-month model. However, it’s essential to be aware of potential additional costs that might arise. Some of these costs could include:
- Customizations: Zendesk offers options like branding, fields, and workflows for tailored solutions. Customizations can be pricey and might need Zendesk support.
- Add-on modules: Enhance Zendesk with modules like Talk (voice call), Chat (live chat), and Sell (CRM). These boost functionality but come at an added cost and may require Zendesk support.
- API usage fees: Zendesk bills for API use beyond a limit, potentially costly for heavy API users.
- Overage fees: Exceeding monthly plan limits results in overage fees, with costs varying by plan and resource usage.
Zoho Desk
- Pay-per-use pricing: Zoho Desk’s pay-per-use option covers features like SMS and live chat support. Ideal for occasional users, it offers flexibility. Watch out for per-use fees to control costs.
- Customizations: Zoho Desk provides customization features like branding and custom fields. Tailor it to your needs, but remember, customizations can be costly and may need Zoho’s support.
- Add-on modules: Enhance Zoho Desk with add-ons like SalesIQ CRM and Desk360. These modules offer extra functionality but come at an added cost and may require Zoho’s support.
Our pick: Zoho Desk
User Experience and Interface
A helpdesk solution’s user experience and interface play a crucial role in ensuring efficient and intuitive customer support. Let’s evaluate the user experience and interface of both Zendesk and Zoho, considering factors such as ease of navigation, customization options, and overall intuitiveness. We will also consider customer feedback and reviews to provide insights into the usability of each platform.
Zendesk
- Zendesk offers a clean and intuitive interface that facilitates ease of navigation. The dashboard provides a centralized view of tickets, customer interactions, and performance metrics, allowing agents to access relevant information quickly.
- The platform offers a range of customization options, enabling businesses to tailor the interface to their specific needs. Customizable ticket fields, branding elements, and knowledge base designs allow organizations to align Zendesk with their brand identity.
- Customer feedback indicates that Zendesk’s interface is user-friendly, with positive reviews praising its intuitive design and ease of use. Users appreciate the straightforward ticket management system and the ability to customize workflows to match their support processes.
Zoho Desk
- Zoho Desk’s interface is designed to provide a seamless user experience, focusing on ease of navigation and accessibility. The platform offers a clean and organized dashboard that presents relevant information in a structured manner.
- Zoho Desk provides extensive customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the interface to their requirements. Users can customize ticket forms, workflows, and layouts, ensuring the platform adapts to their specific support processes.
- Reviews highlight Zoho Desk’s user-friendly interface, with users appreciating its simplicity and ease of navigation. The intuitive design of the platform, coupled with its comprehensive features, contributes to a positive user experience.
Our pick: Zendesk
Customer Feedback and Reviews
In terms of G2 ratings, Zendesk and Zoho Desk are both well-rated platforms. Zendesk has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on over 5,600 reviews. Zoho Desk has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on over 4,700 reviews.
Zendesk
Zendesk is known for its intuitive interface and its wide range of integrations. The platform also offers a variety of reporting tools that can help businesses track the performance of their customer support team. However, Zendesk can be expensive, and it can be difficult to customize the platform to meet the specific needs of a business.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a more affordable option. The platform also offers a high degree of customization, making it a good choice for businesses of all sizes and requirements.
The general consensus between their customers focuses on a few common patterns.
Our pick: Zendesk. Acknowledging that this is a subjective category we looked at 100 reviews for each and considering the limited sample size, Zendesk had more reviews over 4 stars compared to Zoho Desk.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: Pros and Cons Face-Off
Zendesk
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wide range of features, including ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, and automation | Can be expensive, especially for larger businesses |
| Excellent customer support | The mobile app is not as user-friendly as the web app |
| Easy to use and customizable | Some users have reported issues with performance |
| Integrations with other popular software |
Zoho Desk
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| More affordable than Zendesk | Not as many features as Zendesk |
| Good customer support | Mobile app is not as user-friendly as the web app |
| Easy to use and customizable | Some users have reported issues with performance |
| Integrations with other popular software | |
| Offers a free plan for up to 10 users |
Which is right for you?
Zendesk is a more comprehensive and feature-rich solution but can be more expensive. Zoho Desk is a more affordable option but doesn’t offer as many features. Ultimately, the best solution for you will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Here is a table that summarizes the pros and cons of each platform:
| Feature | Zendesk | Zoho Desk | ThriveDesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Starts at $69/month | Starts at $20/month | Starts at $25/month |
| Features | Live chat, ticket management, knowledge base, self-service portal, automation, reporting and analytics | Ticket management, Self-service portal, knowledge base, automation and reporting | Ticket management, live chat, knowledge base, shared inbox, self-service portal and reporting |
| Ease of use | High complexity | Easy to use and configure | Easy to use and configure |
| Scalability | Scalable with good growth speed to value ratio but only at enterprise level | Scalable to meet the needs of growing businesses | Better utilized for small to mid-sized businesses |
| Community | Large and active community of users and developers | Large and active community of users and developers | Active community of developers and contributors |
| Customer support | 24/7 support via email, chat and phone | 24/7 support via email, chat and phone | 24/7 support via email, chat |
ThriveDesk: Customer Support solution for Startups and SMBs
In addition to Zoho Desk vs JIRA Service Management, alternative helpdesk solutions are available in the market. One such alternative worth considering is ThriveDesk. ThriveDesk is a feature-rich helpdesk solution that offers a comprehensive set of tools to manage customer support effectively.
ThriveDesk is a help desk software tailor-made for businesses seeking extensive features and a powerful yet simple live chat assistant. Even better, it’s the most cost-effective, lightweight, and speedy live chat solution available for Shopify business owners.
ThriveDesk empowers small businesses to manage real-time customer communications. Packed with convenient built-in features like shared inbox, instant replies, file sharing directly from the chat widget, emojis for effective communication, satisfaction surveys, sales tracking reports for eCommerce, knowledge base search, and monitoring capabilities, you can efficiently handle your Wix store operations.
Rest assured, ThriveDesk’s lightweight design and speed won’t impact the performance of your Wix-powered eCommerce website. The optimized agent interface ensures rapid responses for maximum efficiency, all while keeping your website running smoothly.
Rated 5 stars out of 5 on G2, ThriveDesk is highly regarded by users.
Key Features of ThriveDesk:
- Anonymous Live Chat
- Self Service Portal (WPPortal)
- Third-party Integrations
- Performance Metrics
- Live Chat
- Workflow Management
- Alerts / Escalation
- Ticket Management
- Customer Database
- Email Management
- Extensive Knowledge Base
- Surveys & Feedback
- Pricing for ThriveDesk starts at just $25 per month.
Pros of ThriveDesk:
- Cost-effective, reducing agent costs
- Minimizes customer effort
- Easy installation and usage
- Smooth onboarding experience
- Seamless navigation between chat interactions
- Real-time responses
- ThriveDesk’s user-friendly interface comprehensive resources (including a community, shared mailbox, and live chat), have made it a popular and trusted choice for Wix users. It comes highly recommended for its reliability and ease of use.
Cons of ThriveDesk:
- Lack of native mobile alerts
With ThriveDesk, you can supercharge your website’s growth and stream
Conclusion: Zendesk vs Zoho Desk for Your Business
When choosing between Zendesk and Zoho Desk for your business, it’s essential to consider various factors, including your specific needs, budget, and growth expectations. Both platforms offer valuable features and capabilities, but the ideal choice depends on your unique circumstances.
The choice between Zendesk and Zoho Desk remains similar in businesses across various industries. Zoho Desk continues to be an excellent, cost-effective solution for businesses prioritizing budget-conscious decisions. Its robust feature set, affordability, and scalability make it a compelling option.
On the other hand, Zendesk appeals to businesses seeking a comprehensive platform with a wide array of features, even though it may come at a higher price point. This choice suits larger enterprises or those with specific needs that require advanced functionality.
Consider your business’s size and requirements, budget constraints, and long-term growth plans when selecting between Zendesk and Zoho Desk. Additionally, exploring alternative options like ThriveDesk may provide a more tailored and cost-effective solution for your unique business needs.
