20 Best Zendesk Alternatives Reviewed in 2025
Best Zendesk Alternatives Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Zendesk is a popular CRM software known for its user-friendly interface and extensive customer support features. However, some users might seek alternatives due to its higher cost and limited customization options.
Using my experience with revenue operations software, I tested and compared several of the top Zendesk alternatives available. From there, I compiled my results into detailed reviews to help you find the best software for your unique needs.
What Is Zendesk?
Zendesk is a CRM software used to manage customer support and relationships. It's used by customer service teams, IT professionals, and sales departments to improve customer interactions and satisfaction.
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Features like ticketing systems, analytics, and integrations help organize customer inquiries, analyze performance, and connect with other tools. Overall, Zendesk provides value by enhancing your team's ability to deliver efficient and responsive customer service.
Why Look For A Zendesk Alternative?
While Zendesk is a valuable CRM software, there are a number of reasons why some users seek out alternative solutions. You might be looking for a Zendesk alternative because:
- It doesn't fit your budget
- You need more customization options
- It's too complex for small teams
- You require better integration with other tools
- You need support in more languages
- Its reporting features are limited
If any of these sound like you, you’ve come to the right place. My list contains several CRM software options suited for teams facing these challenges with Zendesk and looking for alternative solutions.
Best Zendesk Alternatives Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top Zendesk alternative selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  CRM Creatio CRM Creatio's service management dashboard lets users track and manage customer service requests and interactions. | Best for custom service workflows | 14-day free trial | From $25/user/month | Website |
| 2 |  HelpCrunch HelpCrunch combines CRM with live chat, email automation, and customer segmentation. | Best for multichannel customer communication | 14-day free trial | From $12/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 3 |  Vision Helpdesk Vision Helpdesk supports CRM with multi-channel communication and automated workflows. | Best for multi-company support management | 30-day free trial | From $10/agent/month | Website |
| 4 |  HappyFox HappyFox offers CRM with multi-channel support, ticket management, and automation. | Best for customizable IT support solutions | Free demo available | From $29/user/month | Website |
| 5 |  SolarWinds Service Desk SolarWinds Service Desk combines CRM with IT service management and satisfaction monitoring. | Best for unified IT service management | 30-day free trial | From $19/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 6 |  Intercom Intercom streamlines CRM with real-time messaging, automation, and personalized communication. | Best for AI-first customer service | 14-day free trial | From $74/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 7 |  TeamSupport TeamSupport focuses on B2B CRM with collaborative tools and good support features. | Best for B2B customer support | 14-day free trial | From $50/user/month | Website |
| 8 |  Crisp Crisp enhances CRM with real-time messaging and automated responses. | Best for business messaging for startups | 14-day free trial | From $6.25/user/month | Website |
| 9 |  Gorgias Gorgias centralizes CRM with automated communication and ecommerce integration. | Best for ecommerce customer experience | Not available | From $300/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 10 |  Zoho Desk Zoho Desk offers CRM with contextual support and real-time reporting. | Best for context-aware customer service | 15-day free trial | From $14/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
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Best Zendesk Alternatives
In this analysis, I will provide an in-depth overview of each Zendesk alternative. I’ll walk through the pros and cons of each tool, features, and best use cases.
CRM Creatio is a versatile customer relationship management platform designed for businesses seeking to enhance customer service and optimize sales.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: For businesses looking to centralize customer service and communication, CRM Creatio provides a no-code interface where you can efficiently manage every customer touchpoint. Its case and knowledge management tools help your team resolve issues faster, ensuring quick access to important information. CRM Creatio’s service automation tools also let you set up processes for consistent, quality service delivery without repetitive manual tasks. It even offers customizable workflows, so your team can adjust service processes to match your unique requirements,
Standout features & integrations:
Features include AI tools, 360-degree customer views, a contact center with queue management and case distribution, task management, agent scheduling management, and communication tools.
Integrations include Accelo, Act!, ActiveCampaign, Acumatica, Adobe Analytics, Asana, Microsoft Exchange, Excel, Mailchimp, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Google Calendar, and Tableau.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scalable for businesses of different sizes
- Comprehensive view of customers
- No-code platform
Cons:
- Data migration may be complex
- Customization can be time-consuming
HelpCrunch is a customer communication platform designed to simplify support, marketing, and sales interactions. It offers multichannel customer communication by integrating live chat, and email marketing into a single platform.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose HelpCrunch for this list because it offers a suite of communication tools that can replace multiple standalone solutions. Its multi-channel capabilities make it a good contender for businesses looking to consolidate customer interaction channels. HelpCrunch stands out with its user-friendly interface and feature set, making it a versatile alternative to Zendesk.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include live chat, chatbot, shared inbox, knowledge base, email marketing, and popups. These tools help businesses manage customer interactions efficiently and improve engagement. Additionally, HelpCrunch supports mobile apps and SDKs for on-the-go customer support.
Integrations include Zapier, Slack, WordPress, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google Analytics, Shopify, Telegram, Viber, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Aircall.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Free migration from other platforms
- User-friendly interface
- Multichannel communication tools
Cons:
- Some features still in development (e.g., AI capabilities)
- Limited advanced automation features
Vision Helpdesk is a customer service software tool that offers a satellite help desk, service desk, and live chat software. Its multi-company support management is not commonly found in other help desk software.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose Vision Helpdesk for the list because it stands out with its multi-company support management feature. This feature allows businesses to manage customer support or IT service desk functionality for multiple companies, brands, or products in one place. This makes it a good alternative to Zendesk for businesses that need to manage support for multiple entities under one platform.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include multi-channel ticket management, ITIL/ITSM-compliant service desk, and a real-time multi-company live chat messaging platform. These features help improve customer engagement and support team productivity.
Integrations include Active Directory, Google Hosted Emails, Live Chat Inc, GoToMeeting, Twilio, and Facebook.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Real-time multi-company live chat
- ITIL/ITSM compliant
- Supports multiple companies, brands, or products
Cons:
- Limited customization options compared to some competitors
- May require a learning curve for new users
HappyFox is a versatile help desk ticket management software that offers a ticketing system for customer service, IT, and internal help desk needs. It offers tailored support experiences across various industries.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose HappyFox for the list because it has customizable IT support solutions, making it a good alternative to Zendesk. Its ability to integrate with multiple platforms and provide tools for customer support teams and IT support makes it a versatile option.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include live chat, AI transformation, process automation, and business intelligence. It supports various industries and departments, aiming to improve customer service and support.
Integrations include Salesforce, Aircall, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook, Jira, Okta, Azure, Google Analytics, and Dropbox.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Complex setup for beginners
- Versatile ticketing system
- Highly customizable
Cons:
- Setup can be complex for new users
- Limited customization options
SolarWinds Service Desk is a cloud-based IT service management platform designed to simplify IT operations and improve user experiences. Its unified platform for monitoring, observability, and service management stands out, especially for organizations looking to consolidate IT operations.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose SolarWinds Service Desk for the list because it offers features that cater to IT service management needs, making it a good alternative to Zendesk. It is best for unified IT service management as its tools integrate incident management, asset management, and service-level agreement (SLA) management into a single platform.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include intelligent incident management, IT asset management, and a self-service portal. It also offers AI-powered service management to assist agents and users with scalable service delivery and issue resolution.
Integrations include Splunk, LogRhythm, and IBM QRadar.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scalability and flexibility
- AI-powered incident management
- IT service management features
Cons:
- Limited customization in lower-tier plans
- Complex licensing structure
Intercom is a customer service platform that leverages AI to provide instant support and enhance agent productivity. It integrates AI at every level, offering support tools like the Fin AI Agent and AI-enhanced inbox to simplify support operations.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose Intercom for this list because of its AI integration, which sets it apart from other customer service platforms. I believe it’s best for AI-first customer service and its ability to provide instant, accurate answers makes it a good alternative to Zendesk.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include the Fin AI Agent for instant customer support and an AI-enhanced inbox for agents. It also has advanced features like reporting metrics for support leaders.
Integrations include Shopify, HubSpot, and Salesforce.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Reporting and insights
- Omnichannel support
- AI integration
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Steep learning curve for some users
TeamSupport is a customer support software designed specifically for B2B companies, offering features that cater to the unique needs of business-to-business customer service. It provides tools for managing complex customer relationships and support processes.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose TeamSupport for the list because it stands out with its focus on B2B customer support, which is a niche that many other platforms do not specifically address. Its features are tailored to handle the complexities of B2B interactions, making it a good alternative to Zendesk for businesses in this sector.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced ticketing, customer management, and collaboration tools that are essential for B2B support. It also includes a customer database, product database, and reporting tools to help businesses manage support operations.
Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, and Salesforce CRM.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Tailored for B2B customer support
- Customer and product databases
- Strong reporting and analytics tools
Cons:
- Mobile application is limited
- Limited customization options
Crisp is an all-in-one business messaging platform designed to help startups and SMBs manage customer interactions efficiently. It stands out due to its suite of tools that centralize conversations, automate tasks, and provide real-time assistance.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose Crisp for the list because it offers features in line with business messaging tailored for startups and SMBs, making it a good contender against Zendesk. Its ability to centralize various communication channels and automate repetitive tasks makes it a practical choice for businesses looking to simplify their customer support operations.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a shared inbox that centralizes conversations from live chat, emails, Instagram DM, WhatsApp, and phone calls. It also includes a chatbot builder, co-browsing software, and a knowledge base for customer self-service.
Integrations include Cloudflare, Facebook Messenger, Joomla, Mailchimp, Prestashop, Segment, Telegram, Webflow, and WhatsApp.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Real-time co-browsing
- Visual chatbot builder
- Centralized communication channels
Cons:
- May require customization for specific needs
- Limited advanced reporting features
Gorgias is an AI customer experience platform for ecommerce that centralizes customer interactions and automates support tasks. It provides personalized, efficient customer service tailored for ecommerce businesses.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose Gorgias for its specialized focus on ecommerce, which makes it a good alternative to Zendesk. I believe it is best for ecommerce customer experience and its ability to integrate with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, combined with its AI-driven automation, sets it apart.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include an all-in-one support inbox, AI-driven automation for repetitive tasks, and tools to boost website conversion rates. It also provides real-time performance monitoring and customer satisfaction surveys.
Integrations include Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, Magento, Recharge, ShipStation, ShipBob, and RingCentral.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Deep integration with ecommerce platforms
- Strong AI automation capabilities
- Specialized for ecommerce
Cons:
- Limited reporting capabilities
- Limited to ecommerce businesses
Zoho Desk is a help desk software designed to enhance customer service through context-aware features. It integrates easily with other Zoho products and offers a wide range of functionalities to simplify support operations.
Why it's a good Zendesk alternative: I chose Zoho Desk for its feature set and competitive pricing, making it a good contender against Zendesk. It is best for context-aware customer service and its high level of customization and automation capabilities stand out, providing businesses with the tools needed to deliver efficient and personalized customer support.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include automated ticket routing, social media integration, and a contextual AI assistant named Zia. The platform supports multi-channel communication, allowing businesses to manage customer interactions across email, chat, and social media.
Integrations include Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Slack, Jira, Trello, Asana, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, GitHub, Bitbucket, Zendesk, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Freshdesk.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highly configurable
- Extensive feature list
- Tight integration with other Zoho products
Cons:
- Somewhat complex to use and customize
- Stodgy user interface
Other Zendesk Alternatives
Below is a list of additional Zendesk alternatives that I shortlisted, but did not make it to the top list. Definitely still worth checking them out!
- Freshservice
For AI-driven IT service management
- Freshdesk
For scalable ticketing and AI automation
- Front
For omnichannel inbox management
- LiveAgent
For live chat and call center features
- Help Scout
For professional services
- Salesforce Service Cloud
For CRM integration
- Groove
For knowledge management
- Jira Service Management
For incident management
- Kayako
For multi-channel support
- Hiver
For Gmail integration
Related CRM Software Reviews
If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these tools closely related to CRM software that we've tested and evaluated.
- Sales Software
- Lead Management Software
- Business Intelligence Software
- Contract Management Software
- Revenue Management System
- CPQ Software
Zendesk Alternatives Selection Criteria
When selecting the best Zendesk alternatives in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points related to CRM software products, like customization options and integration capabilities. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Manage customer communications
- Track sales leads and customer data
- Automate workflows
- Provide analytics and reporting
- Offer multi-channel support
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for advanced features, such as:
- AI-driven insights
- Customizable dashboards
- Advanced automation
- Omnichannel communication
- Real-time collaboration
- Additional add-ons
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Intuitive interface
- Easy navigation
- Accessibility across devices (cloud-based, mobile, etc.)
- Customization options
- Efficient workflow and project management
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Access to templates
- Live webinars
- Supportive chatbots
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 availability
- Multichannel support
- Knowledge base ecosystem
- Responsive communication
- Personalized assistance
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Pricing transparency
- Cost-effectiveness
- Flexible payment plans
- Feature-to-price ratio
- Free trial availability
- Discounts for annual plans
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- User satisfaction ratings
- Commonly mentioned pros and cons
- Feedback on customer support
- Ease of integration
- Overall reliability and performance
Zendesk Alternative Key Features
Here are some of the key features of Zendesk, to help you contrast and compare what alternative solutions offer:
- Ticketing System: Manage customer inquiries efficiently by organizing them into tickets for easy follow-up and resolution.
- Multi-Channel Support: Connect with your customers in one platform through email, chat, phone, and social media.
- Knowledge Base: Provide self-service options for your customers by creating a library of FAQs and helpful articles.
- Live Chat: Engage with visitors on your website in real time to offer immediate support and assistance.
- Analytics and Reporting: Track your team's performance and customer satisfaction through detailed insights and metrics.
- Automation: Reduce manual tasks and speed up response times with automated workflows and triggers.
- Customer Profiles: Access an in-depth view of each customer’s history and interactions to personalize support.
- SLA Management: Set and track service level agreements to ensure your team meets customer service standards.
- Mobile Apps: Stay connected and responsive on the go with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
- Community Forums: Foster a sense of community and allow customers to help each other through discussion boards.
What’s Next?
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