Softwr

Software · head to head

Hiver vs Zoho Desk

Hiver logo

Hiver

Software

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Rated
-
Zoho Desk logo

Zoho Desk

Software

Context-aware help desk software

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69; Zoho Desk free plan caps at three user licenses; paid plans (Express, Standard, Professional, Enterprise) are billed annually to get the listed rate, with monthly billing costing more, and light user seats are priced separately from full agent seats
  • They diverge on capability: Hiver covers Shared inbox, Zoho Desk covers Ticket management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hiver and Zoho Desk actually diverge.

Attributes where Hiver and Zoho Desk differ
AttributeHiverZoho Desk
PlatformsWeb, Chrome-extensionWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20111996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Analytics
  • Gmail
  • Google Workspace

Only in Zoho Desk

  • Ticket management
  • Multi-channel support
  • AI assistant
  • Automation
  • Knowledge base
  • Reporting
  • Zoho CRM
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • ISO27001
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot Zoho Desk
  • Customer support via Gmailnot Zoho Desk
  • Team email collaborationnot Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk

  • Multi-channel supportnot Hiver
  • IT help desknot Hiver
  • Customer servicenot Hiver

Where each one falls short

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

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

Zoho Desk

  • Free plan caps at three user licenses; paid plans (Express, Standard, Professional, Enterprise) are billed annually to get the listed rate, with monthly billing costing more, and light user seats are priced separately from full agent seats

Pricing, plan by plan

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/month
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/month
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

Zoho Desk

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 agents
    • Email ticketing
    • Help center
  • Standard$14/month
    • Social channels
    • Workflow automation
    • Customer happiness ratings
  • Professional$23/month
    • Multi-department
    • Round-robin assignment
    • Custom fields
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • AI Zia
    • Multi-brand help center
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
  • You also want email assignment.

Choose Zoho Desk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want multi-channel support.

Questions people ask

Is Hiver or Zoho Desk better?
Neither clearly leads. Hiver starts at Free and Zoho Desk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hiver or Zoho Desk?
Hiver starts at Free and Zoho Desk at Free.
Does Hiver or Zoho Desk run on more platforms?
Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension. Zoho Desk runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hiver best used for?
Hiver is most often used for shared inbox management, customer support via gmail, team email collaboration. Of those, shared inbox management and customer support via gmail are not what Zoho Desk is typically brought in for.
What can Hiver do that Zoho Desk cannot?
Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. Zoho Desk covers Ticket management, Multi-channel support, AI assistant, Automation. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR, ISO27001.

Related pages

Other head to heads