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CRM · head to head

Keap vs Zendesk

Keap logo

Keap

CRM

CRM and marketing automation for small business

From
$29/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Customer Support

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keap the entry price is $299 a month and includes only 2 user licences, with each additional user at $39 a month; Zendesk aI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • They diverge on capability: Keap covers Contact management, Zendesk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keap and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Keap and Zendesk differ
AttributeKeapZendesk
Starting price$29/month$19/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20002007

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 Keap

  • Contact management
  • Pipeline management
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Sales automation
  • Reporting
  • Zapier
  • Stripe

Only in Zendesk

  • Ticket management
  • Omnichannel support
  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Call center
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Automation
  • Customer satisfaction

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Keap

  • Contact management and CRMnot Zendesk
  • Marketing automationnot Zendesk
  • Sales pipeline managementnot Zendesk

Zendesk

  • Help desk and ticketing system managementnot Keap
  • Omnichannel customer supportnot Keap
  • Knowledge base and self-service portalsnot Keap
  • AI-assisted customer servicenot Keap

Where each one falls short

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

Keap

  • The entry price is $299 a month and includes only 2 user licences, with each additional user at $39 a month
  • Price varies with contact count, and the bands are only visible by entering a number into a calculator on the page
  • Implementation services are described as required rather than optional
  • Text marketing beyond the included 500 messages is a separate add on running from $24 to $279 a month

Zendesk

  • AI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • Copilot and Contact Center features available as separate add-ons at £50+/agent/month
  • Advanced routing, workforce engagement, and approval workflows limited to Enterprise tier
  • Highest tier requires sales consultation and custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Keap

$29/month
  • Lite$29/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
  • Standard$59/month
    • Everything in Lite
    • Sales automation
    • Pipeline management
  • Professional$149/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced automation
    • AI features

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Keap if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pipeline management.
Keap review

Choose Zendesk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You also want omnichannel support.
Zendesk review

Questions people ask

Is Keap or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Keap starts at $29/month and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keap or Zendesk?
Keap starts at $29/month and Zendesk at $19/month.
Does Keap or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Keap runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk runs on Web.
What is Keap best used for?
Keap is most often used for contact management and crm, marketing automation, sales pipeline management. Of those, contact management and crm and marketing automation are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Keap do that Zendesk cannot?
Keap covers Contact management, Pipeline management, Email marketing, Marketing automation. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Live chat. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keap: How much does Keap cost?

Keap costs $299/month billed at $2,988/year for the main plan, which includes 2 user licenses. Additional users cost $39/month each.

Source
Zendesk: What is included in the free trial?

You'll have access to all features on the Zendesk Customer Service Suite Professional plan for 14 days, with Copilot included by default.

Source
Keap: What text messaging fees does Keap charge?

Text marketing tiers range from $24 to $279/month with included message allotments. Overages are $0.015 per message and $0.01 per minute for voice.

Source
Zendesk: How is Zendesk pricing calculated?

Base subscription pricing is determined by your selected plan tier and the number of agent seats needed. Additional costs include usage-based features like App Builder and Voice, plus optional add-ons.

Source
Keap: Is implementation included in Keap pricing?

Implementation services are required at additional cost. Package pricing is available through Keap sales.

Source
Zendesk: What are the contract terms?

Zendesk subscriptions are month to month, annual, or multi-year. Annual billing typically costs less than monthly payments.

Source
Zendesk: Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Yes, changes may apply immediately or at renewal depending on your subscription terms.

Source
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