Softwr

CRM · head to head

Ontraport vs Zendesk

Ontraport logo

Ontraport

CRM

All-in-one CRM and marketing automation

From
$24/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: Ontraport no plan name, monthly price, contact band, user count or email send limit is published on the pricing page; 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: Ontraport 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 Ontraport and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Ontraport and Zendesk differ
AttributeOntraportZendesk
Starting price$24/month$19/month
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20092007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Ontraport

  • Contact management
  • Sales pipeline
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Reporting
  • Landing pages
  • Zapier
  • Stripe

Only in Zendesk

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

Both cover

  • Automation
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Ontraport

  • CRM with marketing automation and campaign buildingnot Zendesk
  • Managing contacts, pages and email sequences in one platformnot Zendesk

Zendesk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Ontraport

  • No plan name, monthly price, contact band, user count or email send limit is published on the pricing page
  • Reaching a figure requires a trial signup or a sales conversation
  • The two months free saving requires annual billing

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

Ontraport

$24/month
  • Plus$24/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
  • Pro$79/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Automation
    • CRM
  • Pro+$149/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced features
    • API access

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Ontraport if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want sales pipeline.
Ontraport review

Choose Zendesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ontraport or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Ontraport starts at $24/month and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ontraport or Zendesk?
Ontraport starts at $24/month and Zendesk at $19/month.
Does Ontraport or Zendesk run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Ontraport best used for?
Ontraport is most often used for crm with marketing automation and campaign building, managing contacts, pages and email sequences in one platform. Of those, crm with marketing automation and campaign building and managing contacts, pages and email sequences in one platform are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can Ontraport do that Zendesk cannot?
Ontraport covers Contact management, Sales pipeline, Email marketing, Marketing automation. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Live chat. Both handle Automation, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ontraport: How much does Ontraport cost?

Ontraport does not publish specific pricing online. The company offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, and users must contact sales or start a trial to learn pricing details.

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
Ontraport: What payment options does Ontraport offer?

Ontraport offers flexible subscription options with monthly or annual billing available. Annual subscriptions include two months free compared to monthly rates.

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
Ontraport: Are there long-term contracts required?

Ontraport emphasizes month-to-month commitment availability with no long-term contracts required. Users can upgrade or downgrade plans as needed.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Ontraport

More on Zendesk

Keep looking

Other head to heads