Softwr

Telecommunications · head to head

OneSignal vs Zoho Desk

OneSignal logo

OneSignal

Telecommunications

Customer engagement and messaging, without the complexity

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Zoho Desk logo

Zoho Desk

Customer Support

Context-aware help desk software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OneSignal free plan email sends cap at 10,000 per month and web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send, per onesignal.com/pricing (Aug 2026); 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
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where OneSignal and Zoho Desk differ
AttributeOneSignalZoho Desk
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTelecommunicationsCustomer Support
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 OneSignal

Nothing recorded that Zoho Desk does not also cover.

Only in Zoho Desk

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

What people use each for

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

OneSignal

  • Sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders shipnot Zoho Desk
  • Triggering email confirmations based on form submission eventsnot Zoho Desk
  • Creating multi-step SMS and email journeys for onboarding usersnot Zoho Desk
  • Sending in-app messages to users abandoning checkout flowsnot Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk

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

Where each one falls short

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

OneSignal

  • Free plan email sends cap at 10,000 per month and web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send, per onesignal.com/pricing (Aug 2026)
  • Professional and Enterprise plans require custom annual contracts with no published rate, per onesignal.com; SMS/RCS messaging and dedicated IPs are gated behind the Professional tier

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

OneSignal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10,000 free email sends/month
    • Unlimited mobile push
    • Basic analytics and automation
  • Growth$19/month
    • Base platform fee plus usage costs
    • Mobile push: $0.012 per monthly active user
    • Web push: $0.004 per subscriber
  • Professional$undefined/mo
    • Custom annual pricing
    • All Growth features plus SMS/RCS messaging
    • 24/7 prioritized support
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom annual pricing
    • Unlimited personalization
    • Dedicated success manager

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 OneSignal if

  • You want to start without paying.

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 OneSignal or Zoho Desk better?
Neither clearly leads. OneSignal 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, OneSignal or Zoho Desk?
OneSignal starts at Free and Zoho Desk at Free.
Does OneSignal or Zoho Desk run on more platforms?
OneSignal runs on Web. Zoho Desk runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use OneSignal for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OneSignal best used for?
OneSignal is most often used for sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders ship, triggering email confirmations based on form submission events, creating multi-step sms and email journeys for onboarding users, sending in-app messages to users abandoning checkout flows. Of those, sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders ship and triggering email confirmations based on form submission events are not what Zoho Desk is typically brought in for.
What can OneSignal do that Zoho Desk cannot?
Zoho Desk covers Ticket management, Multi-channel support, AI assistant, Automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OneSignal: How much does OneSignal cost?

OneSignal offers a free tier with 10,000 free email sends/month and unlimited mobile push. Growth plan starts at $19/month plus usage-based charges for mobile push ($0.012 per monthly active user) and web push ($0.004 per subscriber).

Source
Zoho Desk: What is the starting price and trial period?

Zoho Desk offers a free forever plan with 3 user licenses, plus paid tiers starting from ₹420 per user per month when billed annually. A 15-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

Source
OneSignal: Does OneSignal offer a free version?

Yes, OneSignal's free plan includes 10,000 free email sends per month, unlimited mobile push, basic analytics and automation, with up to 1 active journey and 2 message steps.

Source
Zoho Desk: Are there lock-ins or hidden costs?

No lock-ins and no hidden costs. Once your 15-day free trial ends, your plan automatically downgrades to the free plan.

Source
OneSignal: What are OneSignal's email costs beyond the free tier?

After the 20,000 free email sends/month included in the Growth plan, OneSignal charges $1.50 per 1,000 additional emails.

Source
Zoho Desk: What payment methods are accepted?

Zoho Desk accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and PayPal. Bank transfer or check transfer is accepted for yearly subscriptions.

Source
OneSignal: What is included in the Professional plan?

OneSignal's Professional plan includes custom annual pricing, all Growth features plus SMS/RCS messaging, 24/7 prioritized support, and optional dedicated IP for email.

Source
Zoho Desk: Are there discounts for annual commitments?

Yes, Zoho Desk offers discounts on upfront annual commitments, with savings up to 34% off monthly rates.

Source
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