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Software · head to head

Freshchat vs Zendesk Chat

Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Software

Modern messaging for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Software

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Freshchat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshchat the free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting; Zendesk Chat messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all
  • They diverge on capability: Freshchat covers Live chat, Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshchat and Zendesk Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshchat and Zendesk Chat differ
AttributeFreshchatZendesk Chat
Starting priceFree$49/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20102007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Freshchat

  • Live chat
  • Campaigns
  • WhatsApp
  • Instagram
  • Apple Business Chat
  • Freshdesk
  • Freshsales
  • Slack

Only in Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Proactive chat
  • Analytics
  • Triggers
  • Zendesk Support
  • Salesforce
  • WordPress

Both cover

  • Chatbots
  • Shopify
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Freshchat

  • Live chat on a website or in an appnot Zendesk Chat
  • Shared inbox across chat, email and social messengersnot Zendesk Chat
  • Chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agentnot Zendesk Chat
  • Routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiersnot Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat

  • Support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widgetnot Freshchat

Where each one falls short

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

Freshchat

  • The free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting
  • Reporting and social channels need Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually
  • Intelligent routing, multilingual support and custom dashboards require Pro at $49 per agent per month
  • Skill-based routing, audit logs and IP whitelisting are Enterprise only at $79 per agent per month
  • Freddy AI is charged on top of the seat price, at $49 per 100 agent sessions and $29 per agent per month for Copilot

Zendesk Chat

  • Messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all
  • Enterprise-grade chat features (Admin Copilot, skills-based routing) require Suite Professional at $115/agent/month or higher

Pricing, plan by plan

Freshchat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 contacts
    • Chatbot
    • Inbox views
  • Growth$19/month
    • 2000 contacts
    • WhatsApp
    • Instagram
  • Pro$49/month
    • 5000 contacts
    • Auto-resolve
    • Advanced routing
  • Enterprise$79/month
    • Unlimited contacts
    • Custom bots
    • User authentication

Zendesk Chat

$49/month
  • Suite Team$49/month
    • Messaging
    • Help center
    • Basic bots
  • Suite Growth$79/month
    • Team + Multiple brands
    • Custom fields
  • Suite Professional$99/month
    • Growth + AI
    • Custom analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshchat if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want campaigns.
Freshchat 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 Freshchat or Zendesk Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshchat starts at Free and Zendesk Chat at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshchat or Zendesk Chat?
Freshchat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshchat and $49/month for Zendesk Chat.
Does Freshchat or Zendesk Chat run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Freshchat for free?
Yes. Freshchat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Chat starts at $49/month.
What is Freshchat best used for?
Freshchat is most often used for live chat on a website or in an app, shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers, chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agent, routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiers. Of those, live chat on a website or in an app and shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers are not what Zendesk Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Freshchat do that Zendesk Chat cannot?
Freshchat covers Live chat, Campaigns, WhatsApp, Instagram. Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Proactive chat, Analytics. Both handle Chatbots, Shopify, SOC2, GDPR.
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Related pages

More on Freshchat

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