Front vs Zendesk: the ultimate customer support duel for modern teams
When it comes to modern customer support, two names often come up: Zendesk, the ultra-complete veteran, and Front, the agile challenger that's all about team collaboration. Two tools, two visions... and just one question that matters: which one really fits your business?
Choosing the right customer service solution can transform your users' experience, your agents' productivity and even your bottom line. But be warned, the differences between Front and Zendesk go far beyond a simple question of price or interface design.
👉 Features, automation, integrations, multi-channel experience, usability, pricing ... we've put both tools under the microscope so you don't have to.
What is Front?
General presentation of Front
Front is like the Slack of customer support. Designed for teams looking for fluidity, it transforms the management of emails, chats and other channels into a collaborative experience. Where Zendesk centralises tickets, Front focuses on the transparency of conversations and the simplicity of a shared messaging tool. The result: better coordination between agents, less duplication, and above all, a more human customer service.
🎯 Front has won over thousands of companies, particularly in tech, logistics and B2B services. Its promise is to bring all your channels together in a single inbox, with automated workflows and bespoke integrations.
In short, a 'pre-built' tool for teams who want to combine speed, personalisation and efficiency.
Front's main features
Before diving into the list, a word about Front's product logic: here, we're not talking about traditional ticketing, but about customer conversation, as if every exchange were a team discussion. And everything is designed to make collaboration more fluid, without sacrificing automation or performance.
📌 Here are the key features you need to know about:
- multi-channel shared inbox (email, chat, SMS, social networks) ;
- intelligent assignment of messages to an agent or team;
- internal comments directly in the conversation (no more lengthy email forwards);
- response templates to save time without losing the tone;
- automated workflows: sorting, responses, escalations... everything can be fine-tuned;
- native integrations with over 100 tools (CRM, ticketing tools, etc.);
- advanced statistics to track productivity by agent, by channel, by customer;
- powerful API and webhooks for customising workflows as required;
- full mobile application to stay connected even when you're on the move.
Front
Advantages and disadvantages of Front
Before choosing Front as your future customer support tool, let's take a step back. The experience is fluid, the interface modern, and the teams appreciate this approach, which is more 'conversational' than 'ticketised'. But that doesn't mean it's right for every business.
✅ Above all, Front shines where collaboration is key. Its team-centred approach helps to improve coordination without creating a gas factory. That's a real plus for SMEs and scale-ups. Here are the strengths of this solution:
- fluid experience: the interface is clear, fast and pleasant;
- a more human, conversational approach than traditional ticketing;
- excellent internal collaboration: comments, sharing, mentions, etc;
- highly customisable workflows via rules, tags and integrations;
- time-saving for agents thanks to automation;
- very responsive front-office support from the user's point of view;
- rapid deployment, without extensive training.
❌ But Front is not without its limitations. Its "agile team" orientation can confuse heavier structures used to tools like Zendesk. What's more, some advanced features are reserved for more expensive plans. Here are the tool's weaknesses:
- less suited to very large companies with complex escalation or ITSM needs ;
- no native knowledge base as comprehensive as Zendesk ;
- limited reporting in the early stages (compared with Zendesk);
- high cost per user to access advanced features;
- less advanced automation features for complex workflows.
What is Zendesk?
Overview of Zendesk
If there's one name that sets the standard in the world of customer support, it's Zendesk. For more than 15 years, the platform has equipped thousands of companies around the world, from growing startups to multinationals looking for an ultra-structured omnichannel workflow.
🚀 Zendesk is the "pre-built" tool par excellence: feature-rich, customisable, and capable of managing large volumes of tickets, conversations and channels. Its approach? To centralise all customer communications in a robust, modular and ultra-connected system.
But richness also means complexity. Where Front relies on lightness, Zendesk imposes a more structured framework, perfect for support teams, but sometimes intimidating for smaller organisations.
Zendesk's main features
Zendesk works like a customer support control tower. Through a series of add-on modules (Support, Chat, Talk, Guide, etc.), it covers every need: tickets, knowledge base, messaging, automation, and more.
Here are the key features you need to know about:
- centralised ticketing system for all channels (email, chat, social networks, telephone, etc.) ;
- unified view of customers and their interactions across all media;
- advanced automation: triggers, macros, multi-step scenarios, etc;
- integrated knowledge base (Zendesk Guide) with dynamic suggestions;
- AI-powered live chat and chatbot (Zendesk AI);
- call centre (Talk) with call routing, recording and reporting;
- SLA, escalation and support level management tools;
- customisable interface based on roles (agents, supervisors, admins);
- a marketplace rich in integrations and a comprehensive API.
Zendesk
Advantages and disadvantages of Zendesk
Zendesk is seductive because of its functional power and its ability to structure everything, from simple tickets to complex multi-team management. But this robustness can also be cumbersome. And its pricing plans can quickly escalate for large teams.
✅ Zendesk's greatest asset is its maturity: everything has been thought out, tested and optimised for professional customer service, particularly in complex contexts. But that's not all:
- all-in-one solution, ready for enterprise and scale ;
- excellent workflow automation and management system;
- configurable interface for each user profile;
- excellent native knowledge base with analytics;
- advanced multi-channel management (email, chat, call, networks, etc.);
- extensive ecosystem of integrations and partners;
- proven reliability and security.
❌ But Zendesk is not the miracle solution for everyone. Its functional complexity can be a hindrance, and its business model can represent a substantial investment. So the weaknesses of this tool can be summed up as:
- longer learning curve ;
- less fluid and modern interface than Front ;
- limited customisation and reporting options;
- uneven customer support across regions/plans;
- high costs for advanced features or critical integrations.
Front vs Zendesk: compare features
Front and Zendesk share the same objective: to offer a fluid and responsive customer experience. But their approaches differ radically. Zendesk is based on a structured ticketing logic , designed for large organisations. Front, on the other hand, favours a conversational and collaborative approach, which is more natural for agile teams.
➡️ To make things clearer, here's a table comparing the key features.
| Function | Front | Zendesk |
| Shared inbox | Yes, intuitive and centralised | ❌ No (ticketing approach) |
| Structured ticketing | ❌ No (no numbering) | Yes, ultra-complete |
| Automation | Quick and easy to set up | Advanced, highly customisable |
| Internal collaboration (comments) | Integrated into every conversation | Present but less fluid |
| Native knowledge base | ❌ Not integrated | Yes (Zendesk Guide) |
| Third-party integrations | +100 native integrations | +1,000 via Marketplace |
| Omnichannel support | Email, chat, SMS, social networks | All channels + telephone (Talk) |
| Customisable interface | Modern, quick to learn | Very advanced depending on the role |
| Mobile application | Complete and powerful | Present, but more traditional |
| Chatbots / AI | ❌ Not native | Yes (Zendesk AI) |
| API and advanced automation | Robust API, simple logic | Full API, more complex |
Focus on team collaboration
Where Zendesk offers a strict framework around the ticket, Front focuses on real-time collaboration. Each message can be commented on, shared and assigned to a colleague without leaving the interface. All in a clear, fluid and frictionless environment.
This is where Front comes into its own: for teams who want to work together transparently, without having to 'open a ticket' for every interaction.
Focus on support automation
When it comes to automation, Zendesk stays one step ahead. Its rules engine enables complex workflows to be configured, with multi-stage scenarios, SLAs, customised escalations... in short, a real workflow factory.
Front of course offers effective automation (auto-routing, tagging, templates), but remains more accessible and simple than deep.
Focus on omnichannel management
Front unifies all channels (email, chat, SMS, social networks) in a single inbox, offering a fluid user experience.
Zendesk, on the other hand, segments each channel into a modular system (Support, Chat, Talk, etc.), enabling fine-tuned customisation, but sometimes at the cost of being a little cumbersome to use.
Focus on customising the interface
Front's appeal lies in its simplicity and speed. The UX is designed to resemble a modern mailbox, with functions integrated seamlessly: there's no need to spend a week learning how to use it. On the other hand, customisation options are limited.
Zendesk, on the other hand, offers a highly configurable interface, adapted to different roles (agents, supervisors, admins). But this richness comes at a cost: more complexity, and sometimes a certain cumbersomeness.
Focus on knowledge base management
Good customer support also means knowing how not to respond: it means letting the customer find the answer in a well-designed knowledge base.
On this point, Zendesk scores points with its Zendesk Guide module. Articles, dynamic FAQs, automatic self-service suggestions... everything is designed to reduce the number of incoming tickets. And analytics can be used to optimise content.
Front does not offer a native knowledge base. However, it integrates very well with external tools such as Notion, HelpDocs, Confluence and Document360. That said, it lacks consistency and centralisation.
Front vs Zendesk: compare prices
Front and Zendesk both adopt a per-agent, per-month model, with annual invoicing to take advantage of the best rates.
But where Front's pricing is more straightforward, Zendesk offers a wide and sometimes more segmented range (Support vs Suite, extra AI options, etc.).
| Plan level | Front | Zendesk |
| Free | ❌ No free plan | ❌ No free plan |
| Basic | Starter - from €21.33/month/agent
|
Support Team - from €19/month/agent
|
| Intermediate | Professional - from €55.45/month/agent
|
Team Suite - from €55/month/agent
|
| Professional | ❌ | Suite Professional - from €115/month/agent
|
| Enterprise | Enterprise - from €89.58/month/agent
|
Enterprise Suite - from €169/month/agent
|
Front vs Zendesk: which interface is more intuitive?
Both platforms offer a professional interface, but their approach differs:
- Front plays the simplicity card, inspired by modern customer support;
- Zendesk embraces its modular complexity for maximum customisation.
| Criteria | Front | Zendesk |
| Getting started | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ - fast, intuitive interface | ⭐⭐⭐☆ - more technical, requires training |
| General ergonomics | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ - clear, uncluttered | ⭐⭐⭐☆ - dense but logical once mastered |
| Interface customisation | ⭐⭐⭐☆ - limited but sufficient | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - highly customisable |
| Mobile accessibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ - modern, fluid app | ⭐⭐⭐☆ - decent, but less responsive |
Handling
Front is designed to go fast. In just a few minutes, you understand the logic of the platform: shared box, comments, assignment... everything works like a team messaging system. Perfect for start-ups, SMEs or teams that want to limit training time.
Zendesk, on the other hand, requires a real onboarding phase. You have to learn how to navigate between the modules (Support, Chat, Guide, etc.), understand the ticketing logic and configure the workflows. Once in place, the experience becomes fluid, but it takes time.
Customisation
This is one of the big advantages of Zendesk: each role (agent, supervisor, admin) can have its own view, with its own rules for displaying, sorting and reporting.
Front, which is more minimalist, offers a few options (columns, tags, favourites, etc.), but remains deliberately uncluttered to improve speed and clarity.
Mobile
Both tools have mobile applications. Front is often praised for the fluidity of its application, particularly when it comes to processing messages or managing conversations on the move.
Zendesk Mobile is functional, but a little stiffer and slower according to user feedback.
Overall verdict
- Front impresses with its immediate simplicity and unified experience, ideal for teams that want to get up to speed quickly.
- Zendesk is more comprehensive and suited to complex environments, but requires more effort up front.
Front vs Zendesk: compare integrations
The better a solution integrates with your IT or CRM stack, the more it becomes a central pillar of your software architecture.
For IT managers or tech decision-makers, the breadth of the integration catalogue, ease of configuration and depth of automation are key criteria.
👉 Number of available integrations
- Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Over 1,300 integrations via the Zendesk Marketplace. Ready-to-use connections with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Aircall, Zoom, Shopify, Asana, etc. Zendesk covers virtually all standard business tools (CRM, e-commerce, telephony, chat, analytics, etc.). A truly central brick for professional omnichannel support. - Front: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Around 100 native integrations, but well-chosen: Salesforce, HubSpot, Notion, Asana, Slack, Zapier, Aircall, Clearbit, Segment, etc. Less extensive than Zendesk, but often easier to configure. And the Front API is very well documented, making it easy to create your own connections.
👉 Ease of configuration
- Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Many integrations are well packaged, but as soon as you touch custom workflows or synchronised data, you have to handle triggers, macros and custom fields. It's not full plug & play, especially on complex plans. - Front: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
One of Front's strengths is its ease of integration. Thanks to a logic centred on the inbox, many connections are made without scripting, without a developer, via native connectors or via Zapier. Ideal for non-technical teams who want to move fast.
👉 Customisation and automation
- Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Thanks to its macros, triggers, webhooks and dynamic SLAs, Zendesk lets you create powerful automated workflows triggered by specific events. Very useful for orchestrating escalation scenarios, alerts or intelligent routing. - Front: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Less granular than Zendesk, but extremely effective in its automation logic. The rules are simple to set up (e.g. assigning a message containing "invoice" to the Finance team). And with the API + Zapier, you can go far on customisation.
💡 Conclusion
Zendesk clearly has the edge when it comes to the volume of integrations and the richness of the marketplace, making it a safe bet for large support teams or highly equipped ecosystems.
Front, on the other hand, stands out for its simplicity of integration, ideal for agile teams, scale-ups and customer services that focus on collaboration rather than ticketing.
But beware: with the right technical team, both solutions can become powerful automation hubs.
When should you choose Front or Zendesk?
The right tool depends above all on your operational priorities.
Front and Zendesk were not designed for the same organisations, nor for the same needs. One values the transparency and fluidity of exchanges, the other the comprehensiveness and scalability of support operations.
🎯 Before making a decision, ask yourself the right questions:
- Is your team technical or not?
- Do you work in silos or cross-functionally?
- Do you need highly structured customer support or an agile, responsive communication channel?
Typical use cases for Front
Front is particularly well suited to agile organisations that place human communication and transparency at the heart of their customer support.
Less "IT" oriented, more "team" oriented, it appeals to companies that want to collaborate quickly, without having to build a complex ticketing system. Front becomes a real collective inbox, where every customer message can be treated as a team conversation.
Here are the types of organisation that will get the most out of Front:
- fast-growing start-ups and scale-ups, with a support team of between 3 and 20 people, who want to maintain a personalised customer relationship without getting bogged down in a cumbersome tool;
- Collaborative businesses, where customer management involves several teams (Sales, Ops, Finance, etc.): the shared inbox and internal comments save precious time;
- organisations without a dedicated IT team: Front is frictionless to install and configure, with a UX that requires no complex training;
- simple multi-channel support (email, chat, social networks, SMS) in a context where the volume remains manageable without advanced ticketing logic;
- teams that work like Slack: with flexible workflows, in 'conversation' rather than 'incident' mode.
Typical use cases for Zendesk
Zendesk is designed for mature or scale-up organisations that need structured, industrialised and highly customisablecustomer support .
This is the tool for complex environments where performance depends on well-defined workflows, prioritised support and fine-grained analytical management. It shines as soon as you need to manage large volumes or integrate into a dense software ecosystem.
Here's where Zendesk is particularly recommended:
- medium-sized to large companies, with large volumes of tickets, several levels of escalation, and a need for a strong customer support structure;
- multi-site or international companies, which need advanced SLAs, multi-team reporting, detailed role management and a robust ticketing system;
- customer services with high business complexity: regulated sectors, IT, healthcare, logistics, etc. where each request follows a precise workflow, with validation, follow-up and archiving;
- organisations with a rich software ecosystem (Salesforce, SAP, Jira, etc.), where Zendesk is deeply integrated thanks to its 1,300+ connectors;
- mature self-service structures: Zendesk becomes very powerful when coupled with its knowledge base (Guide) and integrated chatbots.
Front or Zendesk: which will really drive your customer support?
No winner by KO in this match, but two radically different visions of customer relations.
👉 Front is the tool for agile teams who want to move fast, collaborate easily, and maintain fluid communication with their customers without drowning in complex processes. It stands out for its simplicity, immediate learning curve and conversational approach.
👉 Zendesk is the champion of structured support, designed for businesses with high volumes, SLAs, multiple teams, and a strong culture of automation. If you have IT requirements, advanced integrations or critical business workflows: Zendesk ticks the right boxes.
💡 O ur advice:
- opt for Front if your priority is responsiveness, cross-team collaboration and fast, frictionless adoption;
- choose Zendesk if you're aiming for scalability, rigour, and industrialised support management.
In both cases, we recommend that you test trial versions, get your agents involved, and above all... choose a tool that grows with your business.
see also: Zendesk vs Intercom: THE comparison for improving your customer experience in 2025
FAQ - Front vs Zendesk
1. Is Front a good choice for small businesses?
Yes, Front is perfectly suited to small teams (3 to 20 agents), particularly in start-ups or scale-ups. Its intuitive interface, collaborative features and speed of deployment make it a light, efficient solution with no learning curve.
2. Is Zendesk too complex for an SME?
Not necessarily. Zendesk can be suitable for an SME if it already manages a large flow of requests, or if it wants to structure its support rigorously. But beware: some advanced features require time and technical skills to be fully exploited.
3. Which tool offers the best features/price ratio?
It all depends on your needs. Front offers a fluid experience right from the outset, ideal for rapid adoption. Zendesk, which is more expensive at the advanced levels, is still more powerful if you make full use of its automation features, knowledge base and business integrations.
4. Can I use Front or Zendesk with my CRM?
Yes, both tools offer native integrations with the main CRMs on the market, such as Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive. Zendesk has a richer catalogue of integrations, but Front is often easier to connect for non-technical teams.
5. Is it possible to migrate easily from Zendesk to Front (or vice versa)?
It is possible, but it depends on the complexity of your configuration. Front offers onboarding services and connectors for importing data from Zendesk. The reverse is also possible, but you'll have to reconfigure your workflows and automations manually.
Article translated from French