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CRM · head to head

Apptivo vs Zendesk

Apptivo logo

Apptivo

CRM

A bundle of around fifty business apps sold on one per-user subscription

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Customer Support

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apptivo the tiers gate the number of apps rather than only the depth, so a business that buys Lite at 15 US dollars because of the CRM and later needs an app in the 46-app Premium set faces a 67 per cent per-seat increase to unlock it.; Zendesk aI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • They diverge on capability: Apptivo covers CRM core, Zendesk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apptivo and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Apptivo and Zendesk differ
AttributeApptivoZendesk
Starting priceOn request$19/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Apptivo

  • CRM core
  • Invoicing and estimates
  • Project management
  • Field service
  • Help desk
  • Procurement and inventory
  • Custom apps and fields
  • Workflow automation

Only in Zendesk

  • Ticket management
  • Omnichannel support
  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Call center
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Automation
  • Customer satisfaction

What people use each for

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

Apptivo

  • A ten-person consultancy that wants CRM, project timesheets and invoicing on one subscription instead of stitching three tools togethernot Zendesk
  • A distributor needing quotes, purchase orders and stock levels against the same customer record without an integration projectnot Zendesk
  • A service business replacing a spreadsheet-driven help desk that also wants the ticket history visible on the sales contactnot Zendesk
  • A business already paying separately for CRM, invoicing and project tools that wants to cut vendor count and consolidate billingnot Zendesk

Zendesk

  • Help desk and ticketing system managementnot Apptivo
  • Omnichannel customer supportnot Apptivo
  • Knowledge base and self-service portalsnot Apptivo
  • AI-assisted customer servicenot Apptivo

Where each one falls short

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

Apptivo

  • The tiers gate the number of apps rather than only the depth, so a business that buys Lite at 15 US dollars because of the CRM and later needs an app in the 46-app Premium set faces a 67 per cent per-seat increase to unlock it.
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25 rules on both Lite and Premium, which is low for any business automating more than a basic sales process, and lifting it means jumping to Ultimate at 40 US dollars.
  • Each app is shallower than the dedicated product it replaces, so teams that outgrow one module end up buying a specialist tool anyway and lose the single-record advantage that justified the suite.
  • There is no free tier, only a 30-day trial, so evaluating the breadth properly against real data requires paying or rushing the trial window.
  • The interface is dense and inconsistent between apps because they were built over many years, which lengthens onboarding and produces persistent user complaints in teams that are not technically confident.

Zendesk

  • AI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • Copilot and Contact Center features available as separate add-ons at £50+/agent/month
  • Advanced routing, workforce engagement, and approval workflows limited to Enterprise tier
  • Highest tier requires sales consultation and custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Apptivo

On request
  • Lite$15/month
    • 18 apps
    • 100 custom fields per app
    • 25 workflows
  • Premium$25/month
    • 46 apps
    • 250 custom fields per app
    • 25 workflows
  • Ultimate$40/month
    • All apps
    • 350 custom fields per app
    • 150 workflows
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • 500 custom fields per app
    • 300 workflows
    • 100 custom dashboards

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apptivo if

  • You need crm core.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want invoicing and estimates.
Apptivo review

Choose Zendesk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You also want omnichannel support.
Zendesk review

Questions people ask

Is Apptivo or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Apptivo starts at On request and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apptivo or Zendesk?
Apptivo starts at On request and Zendesk at $19/month.
Does Apptivo or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Apptivo runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zendesk runs on Web.
What is Apptivo best used for?
Apptivo is most often used for a ten-person consultancy that wants crm, project timesheets and invoicing on one subscription instead of stitching three tools together, a distributor needing quotes, purchase orders and stock levels against the same customer record without an integration project, a service business replacing a spreadsheet-driven help desk that also wants the ticket history visible on the sales contact, a business already paying separately for crm, invoicing and project tools that wants to cut vendor count and consolidate billing. Of those, a ten-person consultancy that wants crm, project timesheets and invoicing on one subscription instead of stitching three tools together and a distributor needing quotes, purchase orders and stock levels against the same customer record without an integration project are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Apptivo do that Zendesk cannot?
Apptivo covers CRM core, Invoicing and estimates, Project management, Field service. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Live chat.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apptivo: Does Apptivo have a free plan?

No. There is a 30-day free trial; the cheapest ongoing plan is Lite at 15 US dollars per user per month billed annually.

Zendesk: What is included in the free trial?

You'll have access to all features on the Zendesk Customer Service Suite Professional plan for 14 days, with Copilot included by default.

Source
Apptivo: What is the real difference between Lite and Premium?

Mostly app count and dashboards: Lite opens 18 apps, Premium opens 46 with custom dashboards. Check which specific app you need before choosing on price.

Zendesk: How is Zendesk pricing calculated?

Base subscription pricing is determined by your selected plan tier and the number of agent seats needed. Additional costs include usage-based features like App Builder and Voice, plus optional add-ons.

Source
Apptivo: Is monthly billing more expensive?

Yes, by roughly a third. Lite is 15 annually versus 20 monthly, Premium 25 versus 30, Ultimate 40 versus 50.

Zendesk: What are the contract terms?

Zendesk subscriptions are month to month, annual, or multi-year. Annual billing typically costs less than monthly payments.

Source
Apptivo: Are all fifty apps really included?

Only on the top tiers. The lower tiers include a subset, and the app list per tier is the thing to verify before buying.

Zendesk: Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Yes, changes may apply immediately or at renewal depending on your subscription terms.

Source
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