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Crisp vs Zendesk Answer Bot

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Answer Bot logo

Zendesk Answer Bot

Live Chat

AI-powered chatbot for automated customer support

From
$55/month per agent
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 limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Zendesk Answer Bot limited to Help Center articles only; cannot access customer account data, billing information, or external systems
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Live chat, Zendesk Answer Bot covers AI chatbot.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Zendesk Answer Bot actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Zendesk Answer Bot differ
AttributeCrispZendesk Answer Bot
Starting priceFree$55/month per agent
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Email, Slack, Mobile
Founded20152007

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

Only in Zendesk Answer Bot

  • AI chatbot
  • Knowledge base integration
  • Intent recognition
  • Multi-language support
  • Zendesk Support
  • Zendesk Chat
  • API
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Customer service and support automationnot Zendesk Answer Bot
  • Chat and omnichannel messagingnot Zendesk Answer Bot
  • Chatbot and AI conversation managementnot Zendesk Answer Bot
  • Customer profile and ticket managementnot Zendesk Answer Bot
  • Team collaboration on customer communicationnot Zendesk Answer Bot

Zendesk Answer Bot

  • Customer engagementnot Crisp
  • Lead generationnot Crisp
  • Customer supportnot Crisp
  • Sales automationnot Crisp

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles
  • Additional agents cost $10/month per seat beyond included seats
  • Customer profile limits increase with each tier; 5,000 (Mini) to 200,000 (Plus)
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

Zendesk Answer Bot

  • Limited to Help Center articles only; cannot access customer account data, billing information, or external systems
  • Fixed timeout limits on API calls prevent lookups to external systems from completing
  • Does not perform actions like refunds or account updates; only suggests documentation
  • Uses keyword matching rather than true natural language understanding, leading to mismatched suggestions on complex queries

Pricing, plan by plan

Crisp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 seats
    • Website chat widget
    • Shared inbox
  • Mini$45/month
    • 4 seats
    • ~$5 AI credits (around 90 automated conversations)
    • Shared email inbox
  • Essentials$95/month
    • 10 seats
    • ~$25 AI credits (around 450 automated conversations)
    • Omnichannel inbox
  • Plus$295/month
    • 20+ seats
    • ~$75 AI credits (around 1,350 automated conversations)
    • Unlimited task automations

Zendesk Answer Bot

$55/month per agent
  • Suite Team$55/month per agent
    • Answer Bot included
  • Suite Growth$89/month per agent
    • Answer Bot included
  • Suite Professional$115/month per agent
    • Answer Bot included

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

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

Choose Zendesk Answer Bot if

  • You need ai chatbot.
  • You work on Web, Email, Slack, Mobile.
  • You also want knowledge base integration.
Zendesk Answer Bot review

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Zendesk Answer Bot better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Zendesk Answer Bot at $55/month per agent, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Zendesk Answer Bot?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $55/month per agent for Zendesk Answer Bot.
Does Crisp or Zendesk Answer Bot run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Zendesk Answer Bot runs on Web, Email, Slack, Mobile.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Answer Bot starts at $55/month per agent.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for customer service and support automation, chat and omnichannel messaging, chatbot and ai conversation management, customer profile and ticket management. Of those, customer service and support automation and chat and omnichannel messaging are not what Zendesk Answer Bot is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Zendesk Answer Bot cannot?
Crisp covers Live chat, Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base. Zendesk Answer Bot covers AI chatbot, Knowledge base integration, Intent recognition, Multi-language support. Both handle Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crisp: How much does Crisp cost?

Crisp offers a free plan ($0/month for 2 seats), Mini ($45/month for 4 seats), Essentials ($95/month for 10 seats), Plus ($295/month for 20+ seats), and Enterprise (custom pricing).

Source
Zendesk Answer Bot: Is Answer Bot included in my Zendesk plan?

Answer Bot functionality is now part of Zendesk AI agents included in Suite and Support plans, though Advanced AI features require the Advanced AI add-on. Legacy Essential tier Answer Bot was sunset on December 31, 2026.

Source
Crisp: Is there a free version of Crisp?

Yes, Crisp Free includes 2 seats, website chat widget, shared inbox, and mobile/desktop apps with a 100 customer profile limit and no AI credits.

Source
Zendesk Answer Bot: What channels does Answer Bot support?

Answer Bot works in email autoresponses, Slack channels (free feature for Guide Enterprise or Professional plans), and the web widget. For Slack, it listens to selected channels and suggests relevant Help Center articles to users.

Source
Crisp: What are AI credits in Crisp?

AI credits power automated conversations. Mini plan includes ~$5 credits (90 conversations), Essentials includes ~$25 credits (450 conversations), Plus includes ~$75 credits (1,350 conversations).

Source
Zendesk Answer Bot: Does Answer Bot generate complete answers or just suggest articles?

Classic Answer Bot primarily suggests articles from your Help Center that might solve the issue, leaving the customer to read the article themselves. It does not generate a full response or summarize the article content.

Source
Crisp: Does Crisp charge per additional agent?

Yes, additional agents beyond included seats cost $10/month per person. Free plan includes 2 seats; additional seats available on paid plans.

Source
Zendesk Answer Bot: How is Answer Bot usage billed?

As of 2026, Zendesk charges for AI agent features using an automated resolutions model rather than monthly active users. The specific per-resolution pricing varies by plan and was transitioning during 2026.

Source
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