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Customer Support · head to head

Dialpad Contact Center vs Zendesk Chat

Dialpad Contact Center logo

Dialpad Contact Center

Customer Support

AI-powered cloud contact center

From
$95/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Live Chat

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$19/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dialpad Contact Center the AI agent is sold as a pool of prepaid credits rather than a seat price, so cost depends on conversation volume; Zendesk Chat enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • They diverge on capability: Dialpad Contact Center covers Voice Intelligence, Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dialpad Contact Center and Zendesk Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Dialpad Contact Center and Zendesk Chat differ
AttributeDialpad Contact CenterZendesk Chat
Starting price$95/month$19/month
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20112007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Dialpad Contact Center

  • Voice Intelligence
  • Real-time transcription
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Agent coaching
  • Quality assurance
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk
  • ServiceNow

Only in Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Chatbots
  • Proactive chat
  • Triggers
  • Zendesk Support
  • Shopify
  • WordPress

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Dialpad Contact Center

  • Cloud contact centre with voice, messaging and AI assistancenot Zendesk Chat
  • Routing and monitoring customer calls with live transcriptionnot Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat

  • Customer support team managementnot Dialpad Contact Center
  • Multi-channel messagingnot Dialpad Contact Center
  • AI-powered contact centersnot Dialpad Contact Center

Where each one falls short

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

Dialpad Contact Center

  • The AI agent is sold as a pool of prepaid credits rather than a seat price, so cost depends on conversation volume
  • No per user price, seat minimum or feature comparison is published for any plan
  • The pricing page directs every enquiry to sales or an ROI calculator instead of stating a rate

Zendesk Chat

  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • AI agent usage beyond plan allowance billed separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Dialpad Contact Center

$95/month
  • Essentials$95/month
    • Voice
    • Real-time AI
    • Analytics
  • Advanced$135/month
    • Essentials + Digital
    • WFM
    • Custom integrations
  • Premium$170/month
    • Advanced + Full suite
    • SLA guarantee

Zendesk Chat

$19/month
  • Support Team$19/month
    • Email ticketing
    • Routing and analytics
    • Pre-written responses
  • Suite Team$55/month
    • All Support features
    • AI Agents
    • Knowledge Base
  • Suite Professional$115/month
    • Suite Team features
    • Admin Copilot
    • App Builder

Which should you pick?

Choose Dialpad Contact Center if

  • You need voice intelligence.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want real-time transcription.
Dialpad Contact Center review

Choose Zendesk Chat if

  • You need web messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want mobile messaging.
Zendesk Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Dialpad Contact Center or Zendesk Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Dialpad Contact Center starts at $95/month and Zendesk Chat at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dialpad Contact Center or Zendesk Chat?
Dialpad Contact Center starts at $95/month and Zendesk Chat at $19/month.
Does Dialpad Contact Center or Zendesk Chat run on more platforms?
Dialpad Contact Center runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. Zendesk Chat runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Dialpad Contact Center best used for?
Dialpad Contact Center is most often used for cloud contact centre with voice, messaging and ai assistance, routing and monitoring customer calls with live transcription. Of those, cloud contact centre with voice, messaging and ai assistance and routing and monitoring customer calls with live transcription are not what Zendesk Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Dialpad Contact Center do that Zendesk Chat cannot?
Dialpad Contact Center covers Voice Intelligence, Real-time transcription, Sentiment analysis, Agent coaching. Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Chatbots, Proactive chat. Both handle Analytics, Salesforce, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dialpad Contact Center: How does Dialpad pricing work?

Dialpad uses conversation-based pricing where you purchase a pool of AI Agent Credits. Customers are charged only when AI delivers value by retrieving information or executing actions like scheduling or order lookup.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can Messaging be used for live, session-based conversations or asynchronous chats?

Both. Messaging supports real-time sessions for fast help as well as ongoing asynchronous conversations, so customers can chat at their own pace and agents stay flexible.

Source
Dialpad Contact Center: What is Dialpad's free trial offer?

Dialpad offers a "Try free" option, but the page does not specify the trial duration or terms. Customers can also request a demo from the sales team.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Do agents need a separate tool or tab to use Messaging?

No. Messaging is built right into the Zendesk Agent Workspace, so agents can manage conversations seamlessly without switching tools or tabs.

Source
Dialpad Contact Center: Does Dialpad charge for idle time?

No. Dialpad's conversation-based model only charges when the AI actively does work. If no work is done, there are no charges.

Source
Zendesk Chat: How do I know if my AI agents are handling my tickets effectively?

Zendesk QA automatically reviews all conversations, enabling performance tracking and continuous improvement of AI and agent support.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Once I build an AI agent, can I deploy it across more than one social channel?

Yes. Build your AI Agent once and deploy it to web, mobile, and social messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Why should I switch from legacy live chat to Messaging?

Messaging enables users to replicate and enhance live chat experiences by leveraging AI agents and omnichannel routing capabilities.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can I build something custom or go beyond the out-of-the-box experience?

Absolutely. With access to the Zendesk messaging platform, you can create fully custom experiences that fit your unique business needs.

Source
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