Top Zendesk Alternatives: Live Chat & Help Desk Solutions

The article discusses various alternatives to Help Scout, a popular customer service software, focusing on features, pricing, and suitability for different business needs. The list includes prominent players like Zendesk, LiveAgent, Freshdesk, Intercom, Zoho Desk, and more. It highlights their key features, including live chat, ticketing, and knowledge bases, and provides a detailed comparison of pricing plans.

Zendesk Alternatives: Live Chat & Help Desk Solutions

The article explores various Zendesk alternatives, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the best solution for your business. It dives into specific features like live chat, ticketing systems, knowledge bases, and pricing plans, offering a comprehensive comparison of each option.

Alternative #1: LiveAgent

LiveAgent offers an all-in-one customer service solution with a focus on live chat functionality. Its key features include a universal inbox for managing SMS, email, and chat tickets, and a commitment to 24/7 customer service.

• No setup fees for getting started.
• 24/7 customer service for onboarding and support.
• Anytime cancellation option.
• Universal inbox for all SMS, email, and chat ticketing.

Alternative #2: Zendesk Support Suite

Zendesk, a renowned name in the customer service software industry, offers a comprehensive support suite, including Zendesk for Support and Zendesk for Sales. This article focuses on the Zendesk Support Suite, which provides an "all-in-one" approach similar to Help Scout.

• Robust support channels: Email, voice, SMS, live chat.
• Single help desk available with their lowest pricing tier.
• Up to 50 AI-powered automated answers for customer questions.

Alternative #3: Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a strong contender as a Zendesk alternative, offering a free option for businesses to try out their features before committing to a paid plan. This makes it ideal for smaller businesses or those unsure about the extent of their need for customer service software.

• Free option with limited features.
• Email and social ticketing available in the free tier.
• "Ticket dispatch" feature for organizing tickets with minimal overlap.

Alternative #4: Intercom

Intercom is targeted towards businesses managing numerous customer relationships and offers robust live chat support features and self-service capabilities, making it easier for customers to resolve issues independently.

• Live chat for support.
• Role-based permissions for managing your customer support team.
• "Resolution" bot for the lowest "Business" pricing tier.

Alternative #5: LiveChat

LiveChat, not to be confused with LiveAgent, is a Zendesk alternative emphasizing live chat interactions with customers. It provides features like chat history and widget customization, enhancing customer engagement.

• 60-day chat history included with the lowest pricing tier.
• Unlimited chat history on the second pricing tier.
• Plenty of widget customization options for branding.

Alternative #6: Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk offers a comprehensive "all-in-one" customer service solution with a free version for smaller businesses. Upgrading to their lowest paid tier unlocks additional features, making it an affordable and feature-rich Zendesk alternative.

• Free version for basic ticketing features.
• Social and community channels for engagement.
• Product-based ticket management for organization.
• Knowledge bases for self-service support.

Alternative #7: Spiceworks Help Desk

Spiceworks Help Desk stands out as a completely free, unlimited Zendesk alternative, focusing on IT support rather than general customer service. It offers essential features like ticket management and dashboards for IT-related issues.

• Unlimited agents, tickets, and devices.
• Basic features include ticket management and dashboards.

Alternative #8: Freshservice

Freshservice provides a paid IT-focused customer support solution, offering a robust platform for managing technical incidents, knowledge bases, and analytics. While not ideal for non-technical customer support or sales, it's a compelling option for businesses requiring a comprehensive IT help desk system.

• Incidence management for logging and organizing errors.
• Custom SSL with the lowest pricing tier.
• Starter analytics package for performance tracking.

Alternative #9: ClickDesk

ClickDesk's strength lies in its advanced live chat features, including keystroke previews, file transfers, and video chat. This platform is particularly suitable for handling technical customer issues and sales interactions. While its full potential is unlocked with the Enterprise tier, all tiers are relatively affordable, allowing for experimentation.

• Keystroke previews for real-time interaction.
• Analytics for performance insights.
• Video chat available with higher pricing tiers.

Alternative #10: Gist

Gist offers a straightforward approach to customer service, providing basic features like live chat, team inbox, and a public knowledge base. Its lower tiers are ideal for businesses starting with customer support, while higher tiers integrate with social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, expanding your reach and engagement.

• Live chat and team inbox in the free tier.
• Public knowledge base and social media integration in higher tiers.
• Chat transcripts for record-keeping.

Alternative #11: Agiloft Flexible Service Desk Suite

Agiloft's Flexible Service Desk Suite combines customer support and internal help desk functionalities, streamlining processes and enhancing responsiveness. Its IT ticketing system is geared towards technical issues, making it suitable for businesses with a heavy focus on IT support. However, its case monitoring and customer interaction history provide valuable insights for personalized engagement.

• Active case monitoring for tracking issues.
• Escalation rules for technical issues.
• IT ticketing system with customizable tickets.

Alternative #12: ThriveDesk

ThriveDesk presents a cost-effective Zendesk alternative, offering a comprehensive set of features at a reasonable price point. It provides features like knowledge bases, mailboxes, users, and unlimited conversations, making it a scalable solution for managing a wide range of customers.

• Unlimited conversations with a limited-time price of $25/month.
• 1 community feature included in the basic package.
• Additional mailboxes available with the basic package.

Alternative #13: Kayako

Kayako offers live chat features across various media like Facebook, Twitter, and email. It also provides basic and advanced reporting capabilities, even on the lowest tier. While its pricing is slightly higher than some other alternatives, its comprehensive feature set makes it a compelling option for businesses seeking a robust customer service platform.

• Live Facebook, Twitter, and email features.
• Basic and advanced reporting.
• Slack integration for team communication.