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Live Chat & Chatbots · head to head

Crisp vs Zendesk

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat & Chatbots

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

All industries

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier; 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: Crisp covers Shared inbox, Zendesk covers Ticket management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Zendesk differ
AttributeCrispZendesk
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb
CategoryLive Chat & ChatbotsAll industries
Founded20152007

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 Crisp

  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Zapier
  • Segment
  • GDPR

Only in Zendesk

  • Ticket management
  • Omnichannel support
  • Call center
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Automation
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Salesforce
  • Jira

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Knowledge base
  • Slack
  • Shopify

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with AI automationnot Zendesk
  • Teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagramnot Zendesk

Zendesk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier includes only 2 agents and no AI credits; AI capability requires paid tier
  • Free tier customer profile limit of 100; higher limits require upgrade
  • Omnichannel support and workflow automation excluded from Free and Mini tiers
  • White labelling only available in Plus tier ($295+/month)

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

Crisp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Crisp review.

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want chatbots.
Crisp review

Choose Zendesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Zendesk?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $19/month for Zendesk.
Does Crisp or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Zendesk runs on Web.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk starts at $19/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation, teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram. Of those, growing startups needing affordable all-in-one customer support with ai automation and teams seeking omnichannel support consolidating email, chat, whatsapp, messenger, instagram are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Zendesk cannot?
Crisp covers Shared inbox, Chatbots, Video calls, CRM. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Call center, Analytics & reporting. Both handle Live chat, Knowledge base, Slack, Shopify.
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Related pages

More on Crisp

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