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Google Dialogflow vs Zendesk Chat

Google Dialogflow logo

Google Dialogflow

Software

Google's conversational AI platform

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 Google Dialogflow has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Dialogflow google's own Dialogflow pricing page (cloud.google.com/dialogflow/pricing) prices Conversational Agents (CX) text requests at $0.007 per request, audio input at $0.0065 per 15 seconds and audio output from $4 per 1 million characters, all in USD, with a one-time $600 free credit for the first 12 months; Dialogflow ES (Essentials) is billed per request separately from CX and the two are not interchangeable, so a chatbot built on ES cannot simply switch to CX pricing without migration.; 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: Google Dialogflow covers NLU and NLG, Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Dialogflow and Zendesk Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Dialogflow and Zendesk Chat differ
AttributeGoogle DialogflowZendesk Chat
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistantsWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19982007

Identical on both: 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 Google Dialogflow

  • NLU and NLG
  • Multi-language support
  • Integration with Google services
  • Webhooks
  • Google Cloud
  • Slack
  • Facebook
  • Telegram

Only in Zendesk Chat

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Google Dialogflow

  • Customer engagementnot Zendesk Chat
  • Lead generationnot Zendesk Chat
  • Customer supportnot Zendesk Chat
  • Sales automationnot Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat

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

Where each one falls short

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

Google Dialogflow

  • Google's own Dialogflow pricing page (cloud.google.com/dialogflow/pricing) prices Conversational Agents (CX) text requests at $0.007 per request, audio input at $0.0065 per 15 seconds and audio output from $4 per 1 million characters, all in USD, with a one-time $600 free credit for the first 12 months; Dialogflow ES (Essentials) is billed per request separately from CX and the two are not interchangeable, so a chatbot built on ES cannot simply switch to CX pricing without migration.

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

Google Dialogflow

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 100 requests/day
    • Basic NLU
  • Standard$0.005/month
    • Pay per request
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom SLAs
    • Dedicated support

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 Google Dialogflow if

  • You need nlu and nlg.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistants.
  • You also want multi-language support.
Google Dialogflow 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 Google Dialogflow or Zendesk Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Dialogflow 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, Google Dialogflow or Zendesk Chat?
Google Dialogflow has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Dialogflow and $49/month for Zendesk Chat.
Does Google Dialogflow or Zendesk Chat run on more platforms?
Google Dialogflow runs on Web, Mobile, Messaging apps, Voice assistants. Zendesk Chat runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Google Dialogflow for free?
Yes. Google Dialogflow has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Chat starts at $49/month.
What is Google Dialogflow best used for?
Google Dialogflow is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation. Of those, customer engagement and lead generation are not what Zendesk Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Google Dialogflow do that Zendesk Chat cannot?
Google Dialogflow covers NLU and NLG, Multi-language support, Integration with Google services, Webhooks. Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Chatbots, Proactive chat. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

More on Google Dialogflow

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