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Software · head to head

LiveChat vs Zendesk

LiveChat logo

LiveChat

Software

Customer service software that delights

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Software

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LiveChat the Starter plan retains only 60 days of chat history, so an audit trail requires the Team plan at $49 per person per 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: LiveChat covers Ticketing, Zendesk covers Ticket management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LiveChat and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where LiveChat and Zendesk differ
AttributeLiveChatZendesk
Starting price$20/month$19/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb
Founded20022007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 LiveChat

  • Ticketing
  • Chat routing
  • Analytics
  • Canned responses
  • File sharing
  • WordPress
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Only in Zendesk

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

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Shopify
  • Salesforce

What people use each for

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

LiveChat

  • Live chat support on a website with agent routingnot Zendesk
  • Handling customer conversations across chat, SMS and messaging channelsnot Zendesk

Zendesk

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

Where each one falls short

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

LiveChat

  • The Starter plan retains only 60 days of chat history, so an audit trail requires the Team plan at $49 per person per month
  • Pricing is per agent, so support cost scales with headcount rather than with conversation volume
  • AI reply suggestions are capped by plan, at 3 knowledge sources on Starter and 10 above it
  • Surveys and eye catchers are predefined rather than customisable below the Enterprise plan
  • SSO, white labelling and HIPAA compliance are Enterprise only

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

LiveChat

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 60-day chat history
    • Basic customization
    • Ticketing system
  • Team$41/month
    • Unlimited history
    • Advanced reporting
    • Branding removal
  • Business$59/month
    • Staffing prediction
    • Work scheduler
    • Apple Business Chat
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Product training
    • SSO

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose LiveChat if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want chat routing.
LiveChat review

Choose Zendesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is LiveChat or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. LiveChat starts at $20/month and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LiveChat or Zendesk?
LiveChat starts at $20/month and Zendesk at $19/month.
Does LiveChat or Zendesk run on more platforms?
LiveChat runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Zendesk runs on Web.
What is LiveChat best used for?
LiveChat is most often used for live chat support on a website with agent routing, handling customer conversations across chat, sms and messaging channels. Of those, live chat support on a website with agent routing and handling customer conversations across chat, sms and messaging channels are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can LiveChat do that Zendesk cannot?
LiveChat covers Ticketing, Chat routing, Analytics, Canned responses. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Call center. Both handle Live chat, Shopify, Salesforce.
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