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Okta vs Zendesk

Okta logo

Okta

Software

The identity platform for builders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Software

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Okta has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Okta requires $1,500 annual minimum contract; 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: Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Zendesk covers Ticket management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Okta and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Okta and Zendesk differ
AttributeOktaZendesk
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, SaaSWeb
Founded20092007

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 Okta

  • Single sign-on (SSO)
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Lifecycle management
  • Universal directory
  • API access management
  • B2B integration
  • Passwordless authentication
  • Adaptive MFA

Only in Zendesk

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

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • FedRAMP
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Okta

  • Employee SSOnot Zendesk
  • Customer identitynot Zendesk
  • B2B integrationnot Zendesk
  • Zero Trust securitynot Zendesk
  • Compliancenot Zendesk

Zendesk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Okta

  • Requires $1,500 annual minimum contract
  • Admin-only MFA can be vulnerable to push notification fatigue attacks
  • Implementation requires significant services and integration fees in year one

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

Okta

Free
  • Starter Suite$6/user/month
    • SSO
    • MFA
    • Universal Directory
  • Core Essentials Suite$14/user/month
    • Adaptive MFA
    • Privileged Access
    • Lifecycle Management
  • Essentials Suite$17/user/month
    • Same as Core Essentials
    • Most popular
  • Professional Suite$null/custom
    • Device Access
    • Identity Security Posture
    • Threat Protection

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Okta if

  • You need single sign-on (sso).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, SaaS.
  • You also want multi-factor authentication.
Okta review

Choose Zendesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is Okta or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Okta starts at Free and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Okta or Zendesk?
Okta has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Okta and $19/month for Zendesk.
Does Okta or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Okta runs on Web, SaaS. Zendesk runs on Web.
Can I use Okta for free?
Yes. Okta has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk starts at $19/month.
What is Okta best used for?
Okta is most often used for employee sso, customer identity, b2b integration, zero trust security. Of those, employee sso and customer identity are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Okta do that Zendesk cannot?
Okta covers Single sign-on (SSO), Multi-factor authentication, Lifecycle management, Universal directory. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Live chat. Both handle Salesforce, Slack, SOC2, ISO27001.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Okta: What is the minimum contract for Okta Workforce Identity?

Okta requires a $1,500 annual minimum contract for Workforce Identity plans. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month (Starter) and ranges to $17 per user per month (Essentials), billed annually.

Source
Okta: Does Okta offer a free trial?

Yes, Okta provides a 30-day free trial so customers can explore all product capabilities before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Okta: How many pre-built integrations does Okta support?

Okta offers over 7,000 pre-built integrations with popular enterprise applications including Salesforce, Slack, Workday, Box, Confluence, and Zendesk.

Source
Okta: What security features does Okta provide for admins?

Okta provides multi-factor authentication, adaptive MFA, single logout, and identity threat detection and response. However, only 94% of Okta customers have MFA enabled for administrators.

Source
Okta: Can Okta integrate with on-premises directories?

Yes, Okta's Universal Directory and lifecycle management support cloud and on-premises identity sources, including Active Directory and LDAP.

Source
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