Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: the battle of the customer support giants
Zendesk or Zoho Desk? If you manage a fast-growing customer service department, chances are you've already come across these two names. And with good reason: Zendesk is often seen as the elite of ticketing solutions, while Zoho Desk plays the flexibility card at a smart price, without skimping on features.
So which tool is really right for you in 2025? Does Zendesk justify its premium positioning? Does Zoho Desk really deliver on automation and agent experience? And what do the users, those who live with these tools on a daily basis, have to say?
In this comparison, we take a point-by-point look at these two B2B software packages: positioning, features, pricing, UX, integrations... all with concrete examples and reliable data!
What is Zendesk?
Overview of Zendesk
Zendesk was created in 2007, at a time when customer service software looked more like glorified Excel spreadsheets than user-friendly tools. Since then, the solution has established itself as a global benchmark for helpdesk services, adopted by companies of all sizes, but with a clear bias towards major accounts and structured support teams.
Its positioning? Ease of use + powerful automation, all wrapped up in a sober, efficient interface. Zendesk focuses on the omnichannel customer experience, with a clear promise: to centralise everything in one place, whether it's emails, chats, social networks or calls.
In terms of use cases, it can be found in :
- B2B SaaS customers who want to scale their support without blowing response times
- Major accounts managing several brands or entities (native multi-branding)
- E-tailers with high ticket volumes and seasonal peaks
Famous customers include? Uber, Airbnb, Shopify, Slack... In short, not the new kids on the block.
Zendesk is especially appealing to companies looking for a robust, mature and proven tool, with a rich ecosystem (app marketplace, APIs, integrations) and well-tested multilingual customer support.
Key features of Zendesk
Zendesk isn't just a ticket box. It's a complete platform for orchestrating every customer interaction, whatever the channel. And above all, Zendesk takes the logic of automation and personalisation a step further, with a clear objective: to reduce friction on both the agent and the customer side.
Here are the key features that make Zendesk a behemoth of customer support:
- Centralised ticketing system: every request (email, chat, social networks, form, etc.) is transformed into a ticket with clear tracking, priorities, SLAs and automatic allocation.
- Native omnichannel support: Zendesk natively integrates channels such as e-mail, telephone (Zendesk Talk), live chat (Zendesk Chat), WhatsApp, Messenger, X (ex-Twitter)... No need to stack third-party tools.
- Help centre & self-service: creation of internal and external knowledge bases, with dynamic articles, FAQs and community forums.
- Automations and triggers: advanced business rules, conditional notifications, automated actions as soon as a ticket meets certain criteria.
- Customised agent workspaces: each profile can display key information (CRM, customer history, preferences, etc.), all in a modular interface.
- Reporting & analytics: real-time dashboards, customised reports, satisfaction-oriented KPIs, agent performance, response times, etc.
- Integration Marketplace: over 1,200 ready-to-use apps (CRM, e-commerce, collaboration, BI, etc.) and a robust API for customised projects.
Zendesk
Advantages and disadvantages of Zendesk
Zendesk clearly has a lot going for it, but it's not without its faults either. Between technical robustness and high cost, here's what we've learned from user feedback (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius) and expert tests.
✅ What we like about Zendesk
- Intuitive interface: even new agents get up to speed quickly.
- Scalability: Zendesk holds its own even with thousands of tickets a day.
- Fluid omnichannel: everything is centralised, no need to juggle between 15 tabs.
- Extensive customisation: business rules, custom fields, team-specific views.
- Extremely rich Marketplace: CRM, e-commerce, collaboration... almost everything can be connected to it.
❌ What we don't like
- High prices: especially for access to advanced functions (complex rules, custom reporting...).
- Learning curve for advanced settings: powerful workflows require a bit of technical handholding.
- Customer support could be improved: some users report delays in response (ironic, isn't it?) or documentation that isn't always up to date.
👉 To remember
In a nutshell: Zendesk is tough, but this level of performance comes at a price. If you're looking for an ultra-configurable solution that's ready for scale, it's a good choice. If you're just starting out and don't have a lot of resources, the price can quickly go up.
What is Zoho Desk?
Zoho Desk is the brainchild of the Zoho family, an ecosystem well known to SMEs and scale-ups. This customer support software relies on intelligent automation, native integration with other Zoho apps and ultra-competitive pricing. A tool that's rising fast.
Overview of Zoho Desk
Launched in 2016 by Zoho Corporation (aka the Indian alternative to Salesforce), Zoho Desk has quickly become one of the preferred helpdesks for SMEs and SMBs looking for a comprehensive, flexible and, above all... affordable tool.
Its mission? To make customer support more intelligent, collaborative and integrated, without requiring an army of developers for every parameter setting.
Its positioning is clear: accessibility + automation + Zoho integration. Where Zendesk attracts major accounts, Zoho Desk appeals to agile structures that want to do everything faster and better, with fewer resources.
Use cases include :
- Support teams at SMEs and scale-ups who want an all-in-one solution that's scalable but easy to manage.
- Companies already using the Zoho ecosystem (CRM, Campaigns, Analytics, etc.) to benefit from native integration.
- Multi-channel customer services that need to prioritise, automate and analyse quickly.
Customers include? Daimler, Lycamobile, Zomato and McAfee. Not bad for a 'young' tool.
To sum up: Zoho Desk ticks a lot of boxes, especially if your company is looking for a good mix of budget control, customisation and seamless integration with other business tools.
Key features of Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk isn't a gas factory, but it's not lacking in power either. It's a bit like the Swiss army knife of customer support, with a real logic of intelligent automation, fluid collaboration and strong integration with... the whole Zoho universe, of course.
Here are the key features you need to know about:
- Multi-channel ticket management: e-mail, telephone, social networks, live chat, web form... everything comes together in a single interface.
- Zia, in-house AI: Zia analyses incoming tickets, predicts urgency, suggests responses, tags automatically... and learns continuously. A real productivity boost.
- Customised SLAs and routing rules: automatic assignment according to priority, language, channel or even agent skills.
- Help centre and knowledge base: public or internal articles, search engine, reading performance monitoring, intelligent suggestions by Zia.
- Multi-department and multi-brand: each department or brand can have its own rules, workflows, teams and portals.
- Dashboards & reporting: customisable KPIs, programmed reports, agent performance tracking, customer satisfaction, volume per channel, etc.
- Native integration with Zoho CRM (and more): automatic ticket creation from customer records, bi-directional synchronisation, 360° customer view.
Zoho Desk
Advantages and disadvantages of Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk may be younger than Zendesk, but it has a lot going for it. With its low price, native integration with the Zoho ecosystem and AI-powered features, the software scores well... but not everything is perfect.
Here's what users and experts (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, etc.) have to say.
✅ What we like about Zoho Desk
- Very competitive pricing: ideal for SMEs or growing teams.
- Native integration with Zoho CRM and other Zoho apps: a real advantage if you're already in the ecosystem.
- Zia, predictive AI: useful for classifying tickets, analysing sentiment and speeding up responses.
- Clear, customisable interface: you can adapt the tool to your processes without touching a line of code.
- Powerful automations, even on intermediate plans.
❌ What we like less
- Fewer third-party connectors than Zendesk: especially if you use tools outside the Zoho universe.
- UX sometimes a little rigid on certain screens (settings, reporting).
- Customer support not always up to scratch: recurring feedback on response times or quality, according to reviews.
👉 To remember
The bottom line: Zoho Desk is the intelligent challenger. It doesn't (yet) have the power of Zendesk in the global ecosystem, but it's banking on Zoho's flexibility, AI and integration to make its mark, particularly with companies in the scale-up phase.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: compare features
Zendesk or Zoho Desk? Although both programs aim to improve customer relations, their approach is quite different. Here is a comparison table to give you a clear idea.
| Functionality | Zendesk | Zoho Desk |
| Multi-channel ticketing | Very complete, native | Very good, Zoho CRM integration |
| AI & automation | Powerful triggers, less AI | AI (Zia) + native automation |
| Help centre / Self-service | Advanced, multi-brand | Solid, AI for suggestions |
| Reporting & analytics | Ultra comprehensive, advanced custom | Efficient, customisable |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 1200+ apps, robust API | Fewer apps, but native Zoho |
Focus 1: Ticket management
Zendesk offers an extremely mature ticketing system. Every interaction becomes a ticket, automatically enriched according to customisable rules. Perfect for managing volume, with solid SLAs and workflows.
Zoho Desk also does very well, with a more 'guided' approach: less complexity, but intelligent ticketing thanks to Zia (AI), which can automatically prioritise and tag requests.
👉 To remember
Zendesk has the edge in complex environments, but Zoho Desk is better suited to lean structures that want to move fast without getting bogged down in business rules.
Focus 2: Omnichannel
Zendesk has real expertise here. Live chat, email, voice, social networks... all the channels are managed natively. No need for additional plugins, everything is centralised.
Zoho Desk also offers multi-channel management, but some channels require a little more configuration or use third-party apps (Zoho Social, Zoho Voice, etc.).
👉 To remember
Zendesk excels in omnichannel, with a seamless experience across channels. Zoho Desk remains effective, but is a little more fragmented.
Focus 3: Automation and AI
Zoho Desk incorporates Zia, an AI that does more than just decorate: it analyses tickets, predicts their tone, suggests responses and helps to prioritise them. Very useful for growing teams.
Zendesk, on the other hand, relies more on manual automation rules (triggers, macros, views). It's powerful, but less 'intelligent' natively.
👉 To remember
Zoho Desk scores well here: the on-board AI means you can do more with less. Zendesk is still top-notch, but requires a little more configuration.
Focus 4: Help centre and self-service
Both tools offer a solid knowledge base. Zendesk goes further with multi-branding, visual customisation and advanced functions (forums, dynamic suggestions, etc.).
Zoho Desk remains highly effective, notably with the help of Zia to suggest the right articles at the right time.
👉 To remember
Zendesk offers a more advanced help centre, especially for multi-brand or international structures. Zoho Desk does the job very well for smaller teams.
Focus 5: Reporting and analytics
Zendesk offers a highly customisable reporting module. You can track performance by channel and by agent, build bespoke dashboards and export everything.
This is one of its major strengths.
Zoho Desk is also very capable here, with ready-to-use, customisable reports and a clear interface. Less advanced than Zendesk, but sufficient for most SMEs.
👉 To remember
Zendesk is a real KPI machine, ideal for demanding managers. Zoho Desk is lighter, but quicker to learn.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: compare prices
When choosing a customer support tool, price can quickly become a decisive factor. Zendesk clearly plays the premium card, while Zoho Desk offers more affordable packages, especially for small teams. Here's a comparison of the offers available in 2025.
| Plan / Software | Zendesk (price/month/agent) | Zoho Desk (price/month/agent) |
| Free | ❌ | ✅ Plan Free (up to 3 agents) |
| Entry-level | Team - €55 | Standard - €20 |
| Intermediate | Growth - €89 | Professional - €35 |
| Advanced | Professional - €115 | Enterprise - €50 |
| Key features | Omnichannel, automation, AI, advanced reporting | Multi-channel, Zia AI, SLA, Zoho integrations |
| Billing | Monthly or annually | Monthly or yearly |
| Free trial | 14 days | 15 days |
👉 To remember
- Zendesk is considerably more expensive, especially if you want access to customisation, advanced reporting or full omnichannel capabilities.
- Zoho Desk is positioned as a cost-effective solution, with solid functionality from the Professional plan onwards.
- The free Zoho Desk plan is a real plus for small teams or start-ups.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: which interface is more intuitive?
Good customer support software is also a tool that agents really want to use. Fluid interface, fast navigation, customisation... The UX is not a luxury, it's a prerequisite for productivity.
Zendesk: a simple, effective interface
Zendesk has opted for simplicity. There are few frills, linear navigation and a well thought-out agent view. Everything remains fast, modular, with practical side panels for accessing customer history or CRM context.
💡 Bonus: the logic of customisable 'views' means that the interface can be adapted to suit different roles (support N1, N2, manager...).
But beware, the advanced configuration can be confusing at first, especially on the admin side. It's powerful, but takes a little getting used to.
Zoho Desk: simplicity first, with options in reserve
Zoho Desk is all about clarity. The interface is colourful and airy, with a well-structured hierarchy of information. The UX is designed to provide guidance, with simple menus and a fluid user experience, even for beginners.
Agents can quickly find their tickets, dashboards and KPIs. And tools like Zia (AI) and the multi-department mode are well integrated, without visual overload.
In terms of customisation, it's more accessible than Zendesk, but also a little less advanced.
| Criteria | Zendesk | Zoho Desk |
| Getting started | Average (simple for agents, more technical for admins) | Easy, even without training |
| Clarity of interface | Good, but more corporate | Very good, intuitive |
| UX customisation | Advanced (views, workflows, macros) | Good (roles, layouts, simple rules) |
| Multi-channel navigation | Very fluid, integrated | Good, sometimes fragmented |
| Performance & fluidity | Excellent | Excellent |
👉 To remember
- Zendesk appeals to experienced teams who want to configure every detail of the agent experience.
- Zoho Desk is better suited to young or hybrid teams looking for a clear, frictionless UX.
Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: compare integrations
| Criteria | Zendesk ⭐ | Zoho Desk ⭐ | Detailed analysis |
| Number of integrations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (1200+ apps) | ⭐⭐ (50+ native external apps) | Zendesk crushes the game with its ultra-supplied marketplace: Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, Slack, Asana, Shopify, etc. Zoho Desk, on the other hand, relies mainly on the Zoho ecosystem. |
| Ease of integration | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Both offer plug-and-play integration for major apps. Advanced configurations are easier with Zoho if you stick with their suite. |
| Inter-app automation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Customised triggers and workflows in both cases. Zoho Desk enables powerful automation via Blueprint, but especially in conjunction with Zoho CRM or Zoho Flow. |
👉 To remember
- Zendesk is all about total openness. Whether you use an in-house CRM, Notion, Zapier or Trello, chances are someone has already developed the connector you need. The API is well documented, and inter-application workflows are advanced.
- Zoho Desk, on the other hand, prefers to play at home. Integrations are more limited if you're new to the ecosystem, but the experience is ultra-fluid if you're already using Zoho CRM, Books, Campaigns, Analytics, etc. That's the strength of the all-in-one solution.
When should you choose Zendesk or Zoho Desk?
There's no single winner here: the right choice depends on your objectives, the size of your team and above all... your budget (yes, that does count). Here's when Zendesk or Zoho Desk are the natural choice.
If... you need ultra-structured customer support → Choose Zendesk
Zendesk is the right choice if you:
- Manage a high volume of tickets via multiple channels (email, phone, social networks, live chat...)
- Have several brands, products or support teams to organise
- Work with numerous third-party tools (CRM, e-commerce, BI) and need seamless integration with all of them
- Want highly advanced reporting and custom KPIs
- Are looking for an internationally proven solution, with multilingual support and robust documentation
👉 Typically, Zendesk is favoured by large accounts, mature B2B SaaS and support teams with more than 10 agents.
If... you're looking for a cost-effective, simple and integrated solution → Choose Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is ideal if you:
- Are a growing SME or startup with a tight support team
- Already work with other Zoho tools (CRM, Campaigns, Books, etc.)
- Are looking to automate tasks quickly without getting bogged down in complexity
- Need a clear and intuitive interface for your agents
- Want to centralise the customer experience without blowing your budget
👉 It's a smart choice for agile businesses, hybrid support teams, or companies that want to manage everything in a single ecosystem.
Things to remember about the Zendesk vs Zoho Desk battle
Zendesk or Zoho Desk? We're not going to lie: both do the job. But they don't do it in the same way, or for the same teams.
👉 If you're looking for a solid, ultra-connected solution designed for scale, Zendesk is clearly a safe bet.
👉 If you're looking for a smart, accessible tool that's well integrated with your business tools, Zoho Desk is probably your best ally.
| Your needs | Our recommendation |
| You manage a large volume of tickets | Zendesk |
| You already work with Zoho CRM | Zoho Desk |
| You have several brands or support teams | Zendesk |
| You are starting out with few resources | Zoho Desk |
| You are looking for a customisable interface | Both (with a slight advantage for Zendesk) |
| You're banking on intelligent automation | Zoho Desk (Zia) |
| You need to integrate lots of tools | Zendesk |
| You want a solution that's quick to learn | Zoho Desk |
FAQ about Zendesk vs Zoho Desk
Is Zendesk better suited to large companies than Zoho Desk?
Yes, Zendesk is often chosen by medium-sized to large companies, thanks in particular to its scalability, its native omnichannel and its massive ecosystem of integrations. It's a robust tool for complex structures.
Is Zoho Desk suitable for a start-up or SME?
Absolutely. Zoho Desk is designed for small teams, with a simple interface, a free plan, powerful automations and native integration with other Zoho tools (CRM, Campaigns, etc.). Excellent value for money for start-ups.
Which is easier to learn?
Zoho Desk is quicker to deploy and more intuitive from day one. Zendesk, although very well designed, requires a little more configuration if you want to exploit its full potential.
Which solution offers the best AI?
Zoho Desk incorporates Zia, its in-house artificial intelligence, right from the intermediate plans. It is capable of tagging tickets, analysing sentiment, suggesting responses, etc. Zendesk is more focused on "personalised automation" than true predictive AI.
Do both tools offer multi-channel support?
Yes, but Zendesk offers a more native and fluid omnichannel experience, particularly for voice, chat and social networking channels. Zoho Desk also covers several channels, but sometimes with the help of Zoho extensions.
Is it easy to integrate these tools with a CRM?
- Zendesk integrates very well with third-party CRMs such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.
- Zoho Desk is perfectly integrated with Zoho CRM, but integration with external tools is a little more limited.
Does either software offer a free plan?
Yes: Zoho Desk offers a free plan for 3 agents, with basic functions. Zendesk does not offer a free plan, only a 14-day free trial.
Which is the cheaper of the two?
Zoho Desk, without hesitation. Its plans start at €20/month/agent, compared with €55 for Zendesk. And it offers advanced features right from the intermediate plans.
Article translated from French