Help Scout vs Zendesk
Zendesk uniquely has 7 features · Help Scout uniquely has 6 features.
| Help Scout | Zendesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 2007 |
| HQ | Boston, USA | San Francisco, USA |
| AI model | Proprietary | Proprietary (Zendesk AI + Forethought) |
| User base | 12,000+ companies | 4,086+ reviews on Capterra |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Languages | Multiple (exact count not publicly stated) | 40+ |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes — 14 days |
| Starting price | $30/user/mo | $25/mo |
| Enterprise | $75/mo — Pro (with dedicated onboarding and strategic account manager; custom pricing for larger contracts implied) | Custom (Talk to Sales) |
| All plans | FreeFreeStandard$30/user/moPlus$54/user/moPro$90/user/moAI Answers$0.75/resolution usage | Support Team$25/agent/moSuite Team$69/agent/moSuite Professional$149/agent/moSuite Enterprise + CopilotCustom |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Growing teams managing customer support across multiple channels | Teams needing AI-powered customer support and ticketing |
| Differentiator | Help Scout combines a human-first shared inbox with contextual AI that resolves 73% of interactions on average, while maintaining a customer-friendly interface that avoids bot-heavy experiences. | Zendesk combines a self-improving Resolution Learning Loop with Forethought AI agents that work across any platform without migration, delivering up to 80% automation while continuously learning from every resolved interaction. |
| Competitors | Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Gorgias, Front | Intercom, Freshdesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, HubSpot Service Hub, Zoho Desk |
| Features | ||
| AI Agents | — | ✓ |
| AI Inbox Assistant | ✓ | — |
| Admin Copilot | — | ✓ |
| Generative AI for Voice | — | ✓ |
| Hipaa Compliance | ✓ | — |
| Ivr Phone Tree | — | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | — | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | — |
| Multiple Inboxes | ✓ | — |
| Omnichannel Routing | — | ✓ |
| Salesforce/Jira/Hubspot Integration | ✓ | — |
| Whatsapp Messaging | ✓ | — |
| AI Chatbot | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| CRM Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Training | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Human Handover | ✓ | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multilingual | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sentiment Analysis | — | ✓ |
| Sla Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ticket Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hubspot | ✓ | ✓ |
| Key Integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, Shopify, Slack, Zapier, Aircall, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp | Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Shopify, Zapier, Jira, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Analytics, Magento, 1,000+ apps in marketplace |
| Salesforce | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shopify | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zapier | ✓ | ✓ |