Zendesk vs Help Scout: which will really boost your customer experience?
When it comes to customer support tools, Zendesk and Help Scout are the two solutions renowned for their efficiency. So support teams are often faced with a dilemma: which one offers the best experience for agents, the support team and, above all, for customers?
Whether you're looking for a smooth workflow, an intuitive interface, easy integrations with your other tools, or omnichannel support that centralises tickets, chats, and social messages, this comparison will help you identify the solution that best suits your needs.
👉 We'll review the features, pricing plans, self-service options, and efficiency of each suite so you can make an informed decision.
What is Zendesk?
Zendesk overview
Zendesk is a complete customer support solution, designed for teams who want to centralise all conversations with their customers. This tool allows you to manage tickets, chat, emails and social messages from a single interface.
🎯 Suitable for small teams and large enterprises alike, Zendesk offers fluid omnichannel support, with automation and customisation workflow options that simplify agents' day-to-day work.
With Zendesk, your support team can respond quickly, track every ticket and deliver a consistent customer experience across all channels. Companies that adopt Zendesk appreciate its integrated knowledge base, self-service options, and integrations with a multitude of third-party solutions.
Key features of Zendesk
Before detailing the key features, it's important to understand that Zendesk is not just a ticket management tool. It is positioned as a complete suite capable of transforming the way your support team interacts with customers. Each feature aims to optimise response, reduce handling time and improve the overall experience .
Here are the features that differentiate Zendesk in the support tools market:
- ticket management: centralisation of customer requests and tracking of the ticket lifecycle;
- live chat: real-time support for customers on the website or via the application;
- omnichannelsupport: integration of email, chat, social networks and telephone into a single interface;
- knowledge base and self-service: articles and FAQs to reduce incoming tickets;
- customised automation and workflow: automatic ticket assignment, alerts and reminders for agents;
- reporting and analytics: team performance monitoring and customer satisfaction indicators;
- third-party integrations: CRM, marketing tools and other software for seamless management.
Zendesk
Advantages and disadvantages of Zendesk
Before listing the advantages and disadvantages, it's worth remembering that Zendesk shines in terms of its power and flexibility, but this richness may require a familiarisation phase for less technical teams. The choice between advantages and disadvantages often depends on the size of your business and the pricing plan you choose.
✅ Here's what users like most about Zendesk:
- efficient omnichannel support, centralising all communication channels ;
- customisable interface to adapt workflows to the needs of the team;
- advanced automation to reduce agents' manual workload;
- comprehensive knowledge base and self-service, reducing the number of repetitive tickets;
- extensive integrations with other management and marketing tools.
❌ And here are the points that can cause problems:
- learning curve for new teams due to the wealth of functionality ;
- high cost, especially when considering per-agent subscriptions for large teams ;
- some advanced features require higher plans, which can limit the start-up option;
- Notifications and alerts can sometimes be too numerous if the workflow is not optimised.
What is Help Scout?
Overview of Help Scout
Help Scout is a customer support tool designed for teams who want to offer their customers a simple, human experience. Unlike some complex suites, Help Scout focuses on the conversation, with a clear interface and accessible self-service options. Agents can manage tickets, chat, and even some social messages, while remaining focused on customer satisfaction.
🎯 Help Scout is particularly aimed at businesses that want an agile support team, with efficient functionality but without workflow overload. The solution also offers a variety of integrations and automations to simplify the day-to-day management of requests.
Help Scout's main features
Before listing the key features, it should be emphasised that Help Scout focuses on simplicity and user-friendliness. Each feature aims to make support more human, rapid and consistent, whether for agents or customers.
Here are the key features of Help Scout that make it a behemoth of customer support:
- ticket management: clear tracking of incoming requests and complete history of conversations ;
- live chat: real-time communication with customers directly from the interface;
- shared box: enables the whole team to view and manage tickets efficiently;
- knowledge base and self-service: articles and guides available to customers to reduce the number of tickets;
- Simple automation: ticket assignment and reminders to keep the workflow organised;
- reporting and analytics: monitor team performance and satisfaction indicators;
- third-party integrations: connect Help Scout with your CRM, marketing tools and other business solutions.
Help Scout
Advantages and disadvantages of Help Scout
Before going into detail about the pros and cons, it's worth remembering that Help Scout's appeal lies in its simplicity and intuitive interface, but some of its advanced features may be less robust than those of Zendesk. The choice will depend above all on your needs for omnichannel support and customised workflows.
✅ Strengths often cited by users:
- intuitive, easy-to-learn interface for new teams ;
- focus on conversation: fluid, customer-focused communication;
- effective self-service options to reduce the load on agents;
- light automation for simple workflows;
- competitive pricing and flexible plans tailored to small and medium-sized businesses.
❌ Limitations to be aware of before choosing:
- fewer advanced features for omnichannel support compared to Zendesk ;
- more limited third-party integrations for specific business tools ;
- less customisable automations and workflows for large teams;
- some companies may find ticket tracking less comprehensive than on Zendesk.
Zendesk vs Help Scout: compare features
| Functionality | Zendesk | Help Scout |
| Ticket management | Multi-channel centralisation, complete history, automatic assignment | Simple interface, clear ticket tracking, less customisation |
| Live chat | Integrated chat, automatic replies, predictive chat | Real-time chat, easy to configure, simple notifications |
| Omnichannel support | Email, chat, phone, social, full integration | Email and chat mainly, limited social |
| Knowledge base / Self service | Articles, FAQs, advanced guides, powerful search engine | Simple articles and guides, intuitive navigation |
| Automation and workflow | Advanced automation, customisable workflows, alerts, complex rules | Simple automation, basic rules, limited workflow |
| Reporting and analytics | Full dashboard, KPI tracking, agent performance | Basic statistics, customer satisfaction monitoring |
| Third-party integrations | CRM, marketing tools, open API, full suite | Limited number of integrations, API available but less flexible |
| Notifications and alerts | Advanced settings, contextual notifications | Simple notifications, less control over alerts |
| Team collaboration | Ticket sharing, mentions, team performance monitoring | Ticket sharing and simple assignment, fewer advanced options |
| Interface and customisation | Highly customisable, widgets, colours, layout | Clear interface, limited customisation, emphasis on simplicity |
Ticket management
Zendesk centralises all tickets from different channels: email, chat, telephone or social, and offers full tracking with:
- history
- automatic assignment
- and prioritisation of requests.
Agents can add internal notes, track progress and integrate customised workflows for optimum management.
Help Scout is all about simplicity: tickets are easy to view and process, with a clear history and simple assignment options. Ideal for teams looking for fluid management without complexity, but with fewer advanced workflow and automation options.
Live chat
Live chat is an essential channel for providing rapid support and improving the customer experience.
Zendesk offers integrated chat with :
- automatic responses,
- predictive triggers
- and prioritisation of conversations according to the importance of the ticket.
It also enables agents to be tracked in real time and data to be collected on support performance.
Help Scout offers clear, direct chat that's easy for agents to configure and use, with simple notifications so they don't miss a thing. Less advanced than Zendesk in terms of automation, but sufficient for small and medium-sized teams.
Omnichannel support
Omnichannel support is one of Zendesk's strong points. All tickets and messages from different channels are centralised in a single interface. This facilitates :
- collaboration between agents
- monitoring conversations
- and consistency of customer experience across all contact points.
Help Scout offers multi-channel support, but in most cases this is limited to email and chat . Social support is partial and agents have less control over workflows and automation between channels.
Knowledge base and self-service
Zendesk and Help Scout can be used to create a knowledge base for self-service, reducing the volume of repetitive tickets.
Zendesk offers :
- detailed articles
- advanced guides,
- dynamic FAQs
- and a powerful search engine.
Customers can find answers without contacting agents, improving the overall experience.
Help Scout focuses on simplicity:
- accessible articles and guides
- intuitive interface
- and easy navigation for customers.
Fewer advanced features than Zendesk, but perfect for a support team that wants simple, effective self-service.
Automation and workflow
Automations and workflows save time and improve the organisation of agents' work.
Zendesk offers :
- complex rules,
- automatic assignment of tickets
- customisable alerts,
- advanced workflow options for each channel.
This reduces the manual workload and improves the consistency of responses.
Help Scout offers simple automation , sufficient for small teams or standard solutions. The workflows are less customisable, but the tool is still intuitive and quick to configure to manage tickets and conversations effectively.
Zendesk vs Help Scout: compare prices
Before choosing your support software, it's essential to compare the pricing plans and features included in each offering. Both Zendesk and Help Scout offer per-agent pricing, with options suitable for both small teams and larger businesses .
| Plan | Zendesk Suite | Help Scout |
| Free | ❌ Not available | Yes, Free:
|
| Basic | Support Team - from €19/month:
|
Standard - from €42.65/month:
|
| Intermediary | Team Suite - from €55/month:
|
Plus - from €63.97/month:
|
| Advanced / Pro | Suite Professional - from €115/month:
|
On Quote |
| Full | Team Suite/month - from €169:
|
On quotation |
Zendesk vs Help Scout: which interface is more intuitive?
Before choosing a support tool, it's crucial to evaluate the interface and ease of use for your agents. A good interface reduces training time, makes it easier to navigate between tickets, conversations and different channels, and enables the support team to be more efficient from the outset.
| Criteria | Zendesk | Help Scout |
| Getting started | Medium, feature-rich, requires training | Fast, intuitive, ideal for small teams |
| Ergonomics / navigation | Complete interface, multiple menus, customisable dashboards | Clean interface, simple navigation, focus on conversations |
| Customisation | Widgets, colours, layout, dashboards, advanced roles | Limited customisation, colours and custom fields possible |
| Mobile accessibility | iOS & Android mobile apps, full ticket support | iOS & Android mobile apps, main functionalities accessible |
| Complexity | High, power vs simplicity | Low, simplicity vs advanced features |
🔎 Analysis
- Zendesk offers a rich, modular interface. Agents can customise dashboards, widgets and roles to suit their workflow. However, this power means a longer learning curve, especially for new teams. Navigating between tickets, channels and reporting may seem complex at first, but it offers great flexibility for large teams or omnichannel solutions.
- Help Scout focuses on simplicity and user-friendliness. The interface is intuitive and conversation-focused, with clear menus and few distractions. Agents can quickly manage tickets and use chat or self-service without lengthy training. Customisation is more limited than Zendesk, but the experience is fluid, even on mobile.
Zendesk vs Help Scout: 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. Out-of-the-box connections with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Shopify, Aircall, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and more. Zendesk integrates easily with the majority of business solutions, including ticketing and communication tools, making it an ideal choice for an omnichannel support team.
- Help Scout: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Hundreds of connectors available via Help Scout's API and App Directory. Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Zapier, and some marketing tools. Less extensive than Zendesk, but sufficient for teams wanting to centralise tickets, conversations and customer data without complexity.
👉 Ease of configuration
- Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Comprehensive documentation and practical guides, but some advanced integrations may require technical skills, especially when interacting with complex workflows, triggers or automations. Not always total plug & play, but still accessible to IT and tech support teams.
- Help Scout: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Simple configuration for the majority of integrations via the App Directory and Zapier. Little technical complexity, ideal for agents or small teams who want to connect their tool quickly to their CRM or other business solutions.
👉 Customisation and automation
- Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Ability to link integrations to triggers, macros, alerts, conditional SLAs, and custom workflows. Perfect for automating advanced use cases and optimizing agent productivity.
- Help Scout: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
More basic automation, limited to certain rules and triggers. Ideal for simple workflows and small teams, but less suitable for orchestrating complex multi-tool processes.
💡 Conclusion
- Zendesk takes the lead on quantity of integrations and advanced automation capability, making it a great choice for agile or product-focused teams, or those needing full omnichannel support.
- Help Scout remains a solid solution for small teams or businesses looking for a simple interface, fast integrations and a lightweight workflow without technical complexity.
When should you choose Zendesk or Help Scout?
Choosing the right support tool isn't just about features or price: you also need to consider your specific needs, the size of your support team and the workflows you want to put in place. Zendesk and Help Scout each have strengths tailored to specific use cases.
Typical use cases for Zendesk
For companies looking for full omnichannel support and advanced options, Zendesk is often the most suitable solution. Thanks to its automations, customisable interface, and ability to centralise all tickets and conversations, Zendesk is particularly suited to teams with complex needs.
Choose Zendesk for :
- advanced multi-channel management: integrated email, chat, phone and social ;
- large teams requiring rigorous organisation and personalised roles;
- businesses requiring automated workflows and complex triggers;
- detailed performance monitoring via customised reports and dashboards;
- full self-service implementation with knowledge base and advanced articles;
- companies looking for extensive integration with CRM, marketing tools and other business solutions.
Typical use cases for Help Scout
Help Scout is ideal for teams who prefer simplicity, fast learning curve and conversation-centred support. Its lightweight structure and intuitive interface mean that tickets and chat can be managed efficiently, without the complexity of advanced workflows.
Help Scout is the ideal choice for :
- small and medium-sized teams looking for a clear, easy-to-use interface ;
- companies that want to offer simple self-service via articles and guides;
- organisations that don't need complex workflows or multiple automations;
- efficient chat and email management without overloading agents;
- Start-ups or product-focused teams who want a solution that can be deployed quickly;
- simple integration with CRM or essential business tools, without the need for advanced technical skills.
Zendesk or Help Scout, which solution for your support team?
Choosing the right support tool depends above all on the size of your support team, your omnichannel support needs and the complexity of your workflows. Zendesk and Help Scout each have their strengths and can be adapted to different contexts.
📌 Zendesk is the obvious choice for teams that need a comprehensive suite capable of centralising all tickets, chats and social messages, with advanced automation options , personalisation workflows and detailed reporting. Larger businesses or those that want to offer a consistent customer experience across all channels will find Zendesk a powerful and flexible tool, even if the pricing plan can be high and getting to grips with it more complex.
Help Scout, on the other hand, is ideal for small and medium-sized teams who prefer simplicity, an intuitive interface and fast conversation management. With its efficient self-service and simple integrations, Help Scout allows agents to focus on customer support without technical complexity. The pricing plan remains attractive for start-ups or product-oriented teams.
Choose Zendesk if you need advanced omnichannel support, customised workflows and numerous integrations. Choose Help Scout if you prefer an intuitive interface, simple processes, efficient chat and accessible self-service for your customers.
FAQ - Zendesk vs Help Scout
Which software offers the best omnichannel support?
Zendesk is renowned for its comprehensive omnichannel support, centralising email, chat, telephone and social messages in a single interface. Help Scout offers more limited multi-channel support, ideal for small teams or simple workflows.
Which software is simpler for agents?
Help Scout offers an intuitive, easy-to-learn interface, reducing the learning curve for agents. Zendesk, which is more powerful, requires a little more training but offers advanced workflows and automation.
Do both tools offer self-service options?
Yes, Zendesk and Help Scout have a knowledge base for self-service. Zendesk provides detailed articles and an advanced search engine, while Help Scout focuses on simplicity and accessibility for your customers.
Which software is best suited to small teams or start-ups?
Help Scout is particularly well suited to small teams or start-ups thanks to its simple interface, affordable plans and quick configuration. Zendesk is better suited to large teams requiring multi-channel centralisation and customised solutions.
Which software offers the best integrations?
Zendesk offers over 1,300 integrations via the Marketplace, including CRM, marketing tools and communication platforms. Help Scout offers solid but fewer integrations, sufficient to effectively manage tickets and conversations in a simple environment.
Can you manage conversations and tickets effectively with these tools?
Yes, both tools allow you to manage tickets, monitor conversations and assign tasks to agents. Zendesk excels at complex workflows and advanced automation, while Help Scout focuses on simplicity and efficiency for teams that want to stay lean.
Article translated from French