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Telecommunications · head to head

Aircall vs Zoho Desk

Aircall logo

Aircall

Telecommunications

Cloud phone system for modern business

From
$30/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Desk logo

Zoho Desk

Customer Support

Context-aware help desk software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Desk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aircall a minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier; Zoho Desk free plan caps at three user licenses; paid plans (Express, Standard, Professional, Enterprise) are billed annually to get the listed rate, with monthly billing costing more, and light user seats are priced separately from full agent seats
  • They diverge on capability: Aircall covers Cloud phone, Zoho Desk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aircall and Zoho Desk actually diverge.

Attributes where Aircall and Zoho Desk differ
AttributeAircallZoho Desk
Starting price$30/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTelecommunicationsCustomer Support
Founded20141996

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aircall

  • Cloud phone
  • IVR
  • Call routing
  • Power dialer
  • Analytics
  • Call recording
  • Integrations
  • HubSpot

Only in Zoho Desk

  • Ticket management
  • Multi-channel support
  • AI assistant
  • Automation
  • Knowledge base
  • Reporting
  • Zoho CRM
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • ISO27001
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aircall

  • Cloud phone system for sales and support teamsnot Zoho Desk
  • Call routing, IVR and shared numbersnot Zoho Desk
  • Logging calls against CRM records through integrationsnot Zoho Desk
  • Power dialling outbound lists on the Professional tiernot Zoho Desk
  • SMS and MMS alongside voicenot Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk

  • Multi-channel supportnot Aircall
  • IT help desknot Aircall
  • Customer servicenot Aircall

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aircall

  • A minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
  • Essentials is limited to 3 teams; unlimited teams need Professional
  • Salesforce CTI, the power dialer and advanced analytics all require Professional
  • SSO, API support and an SLA are Custom tier only
  • AI voice and messaging agents are separate add-ons billed per minute or per conversation on top of the seat price

Zoho Desk

  • Free plan caps at three user licenses; paid plans (Express, Standard, Professional, Enterprise) are billed annually to get the listed rate, with monthly billing costing more, and light user seats are priced separately from full agent seats

Pricing, plan by plan

Aircall

$30/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Aircall review.

Zoho Desk

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 agents
    • Email ticketing
    • Help center
  • Standard$14/month
    • Social channels
    • Workflow automation
    • Customer happiness ratings
  • Professional$23/month
    • Multi-department
    • Round-robin assignment
    • Custom fields
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • AI Zia
    • Multi-brand help center
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Aircall if

  • You need cloud phone.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want ivr.
Aircall review

Choose Zoho Desk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want multi-channel support.
Zoho Desk review

Questions people ask

Is Aircall or Zoho Desk better?
Neither clearly leads. Aircall starts at $30/month and Zoho Desk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aircall or Zoho Desk?
Zoho Desk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Aircall and Free for Zoho Desk.
Does Aircall or Zoho Desk run on more platforms?
Aircall runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Zoho Desk runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Zoho Desk for free?
Yes. Zoho Desk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aircall starts at $30/month.
What is Aircall best used for?
Aircall is most often used for cloud phone system for sales and support teams, call routing, ivr and shared numbers, logging calls against crm records through integrations, power dialling outbound lists on the professional tier. Of those, cloud phone system for sales and support teams and call routing, ivr and shared numbers are not what Zoho Desk is typically brought in for.
What can Aircall do that Zoho Desk cannot?
Aircall covers Cloud phone, IVR, Call routing, Power dialer. Zoho Desk covers Ticket management, Multi-channel support, AI assistant, Automation. Both handle Salesforce, SOC2, GDPR, ISO27001.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aircall: What is the minimum cost to start with Aircall?

Aircall requires a 3-license minimum on annual billing, making the real entry price $90 per month ($30 per user times 3 users) for the Essentials plan, not the advertised $30 per user.

Source
Zoho Desk: What is the starting price and trial period?

Zoho Desk offers a free forever plan with 3 user licenses, plus paid tiers starting from ₹420 per user per month when billed annually. A 15-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

Source
Aircall: Does Aircall include AI call features in base plans?

No, AI Voice Agents and AI Assist Pro are separate add-ons billed on top of base plans. The Essentials and Professional plans include call recording and analytics but not AI features.

Source
Zoho Desk: Are there lock-ins or hidden costs?

No lock-ins and no hidden costs. Once your 15-day free trial ends, your plan automatically downgrades to the free plan.

Source
Aircall: How many countries can I create phone numbers in?

Aircall supports creating local phone numbers in 100 or more countries, enabling businesses to appear local to customers regardless of location.

Source
Zoho Desk: What payment methods are accepted?

Zoho Desk accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and PayPal. Bank transfer or check transfer is accepted for yearly subscriptions.

Source
Aircall: What is Aircall's uptime guarantee?

Aircall guarantees 99.95 percent uptime with seven global data centers and system redundancy on every level.

Source
Zoho Desk: Are there discounts for annual commitments?

Yes, Zoho Desk offers discounts on upfront annual commitments, with savings up to 34% off monthly rates.

Source
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