Meet a modern and affordable alternative to Zendesk
How does Crisp's AI features compare to Zendesk's? Is an omnichannel shared inbox more efficient than Zendesk's ticketing system? What makes Crisp an attractive competitor to Zendesk? Why are small companies switching from Zendesk to Crisp? Discover why Crisp is a great competitor to Zendesk and how similar it is to the leading ticketing system.
14 days free trial — No commitment
Looking for Zendesk competitors?
Zendesk, a customer service software platform born in Copenhagen in 2007, strives to enhance customer experiences with streamlined support and efficient response management. By offering a robust ticketing system, live chat support, comprehensive analytics, and a range of integrations with other tools, Zendesk seeks to make managing customer inquiries and support tickets simpler and more elegant. These features collectively enable businesses to provide timely and effective assistance to their customers.
In a similar vein, Crisp offers a customer experience platform but sets itself apart with a user-friendly interface, that makes it easy to use and get started with. While it shares core features with Zendesk, such as live chat, automations, and multiple integrations, Crisp’s emphasis on simplicity aims to minimize the learning curve for new users. By dedicating itself to accessible support solutions, Crisp targets enhanced customer satisfaction, making it a potentially attractive option for businesses eager to swiftly adopt effective and modern customer service practices.
Simple and Effortless Customer Messaging
What the teams at
Zendesk have built is great, however, there's one thing they could improve: UX. Whether it's for agents or customers,
Zendesk design could be improved.
By using Crisp, you'll open your teams to a brand new world where design and autonomy are keys to getting started with our customer communication platform. Just have a quick look at what offer our live chat software so you can get an idea of the worlds that opposes the two company.
Build a real multichannel customer support experience
Standalone live chat isn't enough anymore. Customers want immediate support on multiple channels.
With Crisp, you can connect your live chat to a team inbox that will let you connect social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, emails or even WhatsApp.
Crisp live chat also offers the ability to build chatbots and benefit from dedicated features such as canned responses or internal notes to increase collaboration between teams.
FAQ about Zendesk
This FAQ offers a comparative overview of Zendesk and Crisp, covering key areas such as pricing, inbox features, livechat, chatbot functions, AI capabilities, campaigns, knowledge base solutions, and contact management. Use this guide to quickly understand the strengths of each platform and make the best decision for your business.
Is the platform's pricing structure cost-effective for team usage?
Zendesk offers their highest plan starting at 115€ per month per agent with unlimited contacts, but each additional seat costs the same full price. Crisp provides much better value with their highest plan at 295€ monthly including 20 seats built-in, and additional agents only costing 10€ per month per agent.
What collaborative inbox capabilities does the service provide?
What features come with their website chat widget?
How adaptable is the AI chatbot solution they provide?
Does the platform offer AI capabilities to streamline support operations?
What marketing campaign features does the platform include?
Does the help center solution meet modern self-service requirements?
What contact and customer relationship tools does the service provide?
Make your customers more autonomous
Compared to our competitor, Crisp offers broader customer lifecycle coverage with key benefits that enhance your support system. Our AI Chatbot can be trained with any content, making it highly adaptable to your needs. It integrates seamlessly with the Crisp ecosystem, providing automatic answers to customer inquiries. This reduces the workload on your team and allows customers to find solutions quickly on their own. With Crisp, everyone wins: your team handles fewer requests, and your customers get instant help whenever they need it.
Bring customers' experience to another level
The best companies realize that crafting a world-class customer experience builds sustainable growth.
On the other side, websites and software tend to become more and more complex, at every stage of the customer's lifecycle. To help customers, Crisp offers the ability to co-browse with your users to assist them.
You can even take control of their screen without any additional plugins. With our co-browsing software, our customers can assist their users in real-time, close more deals and better understand UX issues.
We're being transparent on our pricing
Crisp stands out as a compelling customer communication solution with a straightforward and highly attractive pricing model, offering a flat rate regardless of the company's size, number of agents, or contacts. This transparent pricing structure eliminates the complexities and hidden costs often associated with scaling your business. Unlike Zendesk, where costs can quickly escalate with added features or agents, Crisp provides a clear and predictable plan, simplifying budget management. Starting at $0 per month, Crisp offers unlimited usage, allowing businesses to leverage its full capabilities without worrying about exceeding usage limits, making it ideal for both small startups and large enterprises.
Built for scale
Whether you’re the brain behind a bustling start-up or steering the ship at a Fortune 500 giant, Crisp is your go-to for scaling customer communication. Crafted with simplicity and sophistication, no matter the size of your company, you can connect with customers effortlessly and stylishly.
Easy Data Migration
Migrating to Crisp? You’ll be pleased to know that transitioning is not only feasible but straightforward. Your switch will be smooth and hassle-free, allowing to migrate your chats, help center articles, and contacts.
Fair Pricing Policy
Crisp offers a range of both free and paid plans, designed to cater to different business needs while ensuring transparency and predictability in billing. All plans come with flat pricing, which means there are no hidden fees or unexpected charges.
We are here to help
We are available nearly around the clock, operating 24 hours a day, and 5 days a week. This schedule ensures that we can offer timely assistance during the majority of the business week, allowing to help all the week with any question you may have.
Security at Every Step
At Crisp, your security is never an afterthought—it's our foundation. We're committed to protecting your data with state-of-the-art security measures, ensuring every interaction is shielded with the highest standards of privacy and compliance.
No engagement
You have the freedom to upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your service at any time without penalty. This flexibility is perfect for businesses that experience seasonal fluctuations or those on the path of rapid growth.
What Zendesk's users tell about Crisp?
Discover how Zendesk compare with Crisp
Enjoy a detailed comparison table about features and pricing
| Zendesk | Crisp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
Highest Plan | from $115/mo/agent | $295/mo |
Chat Seat Included | 1 | 20 |
Additional seat | from $115/mo/agent | $10 / mo / agent |
Contacts | Unlimited | 200 000 |
Annual billing for 10 users | $27,600 | $3,540 |
| Shared Inbox | ||
Cloud-hosted | ||
Mobile apps | ||
Desktop apps | ||
Customers' ratings | ||
Routing rules | ||
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email & WhatsApp | ||
Private notes & mentions | ||
Reminders | ||
API | ||
Visitor banning | ||
File sharing | ||
Canned responses | ||
Contact form | ||
Customer portal | ||
Shared email | ||
| Livechat | ||
Visitors details | ||
Javascript integration | ||
Chat trigger | ||
Live chat Web SDK | - | |
Sneak peak message | ||
Live translate | ||
Chat transcript | ||
Customizable chat widget | ||
Co Browsing | ||
Multisite | ||
Video and audio calls | ||
Speed Impact | - | 1,6s |
Branding removal | ||
Multilingual website chat | ||
| Chatbot | ||
Chatbot builder | ||
Draft scenarios | ||
Input fields | ||
Carousels | ||
Multichannel | ||
Custom iframe | ||
Keyword intents | ||
Condition blocks | ||
Artificial intelligence | ||
Chatbot API | ||
Analytics | ||
| Artificial intelligence | ||
Internal data ingestion | ||
Copilot | ||
Virtual assistant | ||
Categorization | ||
Speech-to-text | ||
Summary | ||
Multilingual AI | ||
Custom LLM | ||
| Campaigns | ||
Targeting options | ||
Dynamic data | ||
Email, WhatsApp & Chat sequences | ||
Templates | ||
| Knowledge base | ||
Knowledge base | ||
Web SDK | ||
Password protected | ||
Multilingual | ||
Personalization | ||
Custom domain name | ||
| Contact management | ||
User profile | ||
Advanced filters | ||
Tags & Segments | ||
CRM integrations | ||
Zapier, Make or N8N integrations | ||
Contact import | ||
Users' activity | ||
| See detailed pricing | Learn more | Learn more |
More competitors
Popular competitors to Zendesk
Intercom
Description
The all-in-one AI-powered customer service platform that connects businesses with customers in real-time. With Intercom, transform customer conversations into growth engines with personalized, AI-driven, conversations that boost customer satisfaction. Through a modern and powerful software, companies can scale their support team efficiently, reduce response times, and turn every customer interaction into an opportunity for revenue growth and loyalty building.
Key features
- AI agent (Fin)
- Live chat
- Help desk
- Proactive support
- Targeted campaigns
- Customer analytics
Pros
- Powerful real-time customer interaction
- Advanced AI agent capabilities
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Seamless integration with business tools
Cons
- Higher pricing than competitors
- Complex features require training
- Functionality limited during outages
- Unexpected auto-renewal policy issues
Freshdesk
Description
The traditional ticketing solution for customer support across multiple channels. With Freshdesk, which get often compared with Zendesk, companies unlock all the essentials help desk features a company need to improve customer support. With AI-features built-in, Freshdesk offers the best use of automations and reporting in your data-driven strategy.
Key features
- Ticketing system
- Multi-channel support
- Knowledge base creation
- Automation workflows
- Self-service portal
- Analytics and reporting
Pros
- User-friendly interface for quick adoption
- Comprehensive automation capabilities available
- Strong multi-channel support integration
- Affordable pricing for small businesses
Cons
- Advanced features require higher tiers
- Limited customization on lower plans
- Reporting tools need improvement
- Mobile app has functionality gaps
Gorgias
Description
The AI-powered customer service platform built specifically for ecommerce businesses. With Gorgias, companies can improve their customer support and encourage online merchants to leverage exceptional customer experiences to drive sales. Through meaningful integrations such as Klaviyo, Shopify or Recharge, Gorgias offers a complete solutions for online merchants around the world.
Key features
- Ecommerce-specific ticketing system
- Order management integration
- AI customer service agent
- Live chat with automation
- Social media integration
- Revenue attribution analytics
Pros
- Seamless integration with ecommerce platforms
- Order management within helpdesk interface
- Powerful automation for support tasks
- Centralized social media management capabilities
Cons
- Higher pricing than general helpdesks
- Limited features outside ecommerce focus
- Steep learning curve initially
- Advanced features require premium tiers
HelpScout
Description
The human-centered customer support platform with a focus on simplicity and collaboration. With HelpScout, email-first companies can experience life-changing results with a simple and intuitive platform that offers built-in AI features to scale effortlessly. Often chosen against Zendesk for its cost attractive plans, HelpScout is also easier to get started with.
Key features
- Shared inbox management
- Live chat capabilities
- Knowledge base creation
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Collaboration tools
- Multichannel support options
Pros
- Clean intuitive interface for teams
- Strong email management capabilities
- Built-in knowledge base functionality
- Excellent collaboration tools available
Cons
- Limited advanced automation features
- Fewer integrations than competitors
- Higher pricing for small teams
- Basic reporting functionality only
ZohoDesk
Description
The context-aware help desk software for streamlined customer service operations. With Zoho Desk, companies that are using Zoho CRM or Zoho SalesIQ can improve their customer support. THanks to a meaningful integration with Zoho CRM or Zoho SalesIQ, Zoho Desk offers a complete solutions. Often compared with Zendesk, Zoho Desk suffer from a reputation of being not user-friendly and complex to setup.
Key features
- Omnichannel communication
- Ticket management system
- Conversational AI assistants
- Guided conversation workflows
- Automation tools
- Customer self-service portal
Pros
- Affordable pricing across multiple tiers
- Strong integration with Zoho ecosystem
- Powerful automation capabilities available
- Extensive knowledge base functionality
Cons
- Analytics features need improvement
- Interface can feel overwhelming
- Integration with non-Zoho products limited
- Customer support could be better
HubSpot Service Hub
Description
The fast growing CRM software comes with an AI-powered customer service addons integrated with HubSpot's unified CRM ecosystem. With Hubspot Service Hub, companies can take advantage of the entire Hubspot ecosystem while offering dedicated customer service experiences. A lot of companies are satisfied with transitioning from Zendesk to Service Hub.
Key features
- Ticketing system and automation
- Omnichannel communication tools
- Knowledge base creation
- Customer feedback collection
- AI-powered customer agent
- Reporting and analytics dashboard
Pros
- Seamless integration with HubSpot suite
- Powerful automation and workflow capabilities
- Comprehensive customer data accessibility
- AI agent enhances support
Cons
- Higher pricing than standalone solutions
- Complex feature set requires training
- Limited functionality on lower tiers
- Overwhelming for small teams
Salesforce Service Cloud
Description
Enterprise-grade customer service platform powered by Salesforce's CRM ecosystem. The worldwide leader and most popular CRM platform has a dedicated help desk solution. With SF Service Cloud, companies can leverage all the possibilities offered by the Salesforce ecosystem. However, SF Service Cloud is super expensive compared to the other alternatives.
Key features
- Case management
- Omnichannel routing
- AI-powered service automation
- Customer self-service portals
- Real-time conversation monitoring
- Detailed analytics and reporting
Pros
- Seamless integration with Salesforce products
- Comprehensive case management capabilities
- Advanced AI-powered service features
- Robust omnichannel support options
Cons
- Higher price point than competitors
- Complex implementation requires expertise
- Subpar customer support experience
- Steep learning curve for users
Compare Crisp to market leaders
Alternative to Shopify Inbox 
Alternative to Kayako 
Alternative to Genesys Cloud CX 
Alternative to Sendinblue 
Alternative to Drift 
Alternative to Userlike 
Alternative to 3CX 
Alternative to HelpShift 
Alternative to LiveAgent 
Alternative to AgileCRM 
Alternative to Proprofs 
Alternative to Acquire 
Alternative to HappyFox 
Alternative to Livehelp Now 
Alternative to Smartsupp 
Alternative to Pure Chat 
Alternative to Lucky Orange 
Alternative to Rocket.Chat 
Alternative to Jivochat 
Alternative to ReAmaze 
Alternative to Kustomer 
Alternative to Team Support (Ex Snap Engage) 
Alternative to Chatra 
Alternative to Formilla Live Chat 
Alternative to HelpCrunch 
Alternative to HiverHQ 
Alternative to User.com 
Alternative to iAdvize 
Alternative to Trengo 
Alternative to Chatlio 
Alternative to eDesk 
Alternative to Gmelius 
Alternative to Gladly 
Alternative to HelpWise 
Alternative to Comet Chat 
Alternative to Verloop 
Alternative to RichPanel 
Alternative to Desk365
