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Slimchat vs Zoho Desk

S

Slimchat

Live Chat

Lightweight live chat solution for websites

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Desk logo

Zoho Desk

Customer Support

Context-aware help desk software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Slimchat the vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive on 19 August 2018 (via Novosi, LLC) shows SlimChat was still pre-release at that date, offering an email signup for '3 months FREE' with an 'Expected release: summer 2018' notice and a $15 incentive to test a tour version; combined with the live site now serving a mismatched Squarespace certificate, this indicates the product likely never reached a stable commercial release; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Slimchat covers Live chat widget, Zoho Desk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Slimchat and Zoho Desk differ
AttributeSlimchatZoho Desk
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Mobile responsiveWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20161996

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 Slimchat

  • Live chat widget
  • Lightweight design
  • Fast loading
  • Visitor information
  • Zapier
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • Mobile responsive support

Only in Zoho Desk

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Slimchat

  • Customer engagementnot Zoho Desk
  • Lead generationnot Zoho Desk
  • Customer supportnot Zoho Desk
  • Sales automationnot Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Slimchat

  • The vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive on 19 August 2018 (via Novosi, LLC) shows SlimChat was still pre-release at that date, offering an email signup for '3 months FREE' with an 'Expected release: summer 2018' notice and a $15 incentive to test a tour version; combined with the live site now serving a mismatched Squarespace certificate, this indicates the product likely never reached a stable commercial release

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

Slimchat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live chat
    • 1 agent
    • Basic features
  • Pro$20/month
    • Multiple agents
    • Advanced options
  • Business$50/month
    • Unlimited features
    • Priority support

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 Slimchat if

  • You need live chat widget.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile responsive.
  • You also want lightweight design.
Slimchat review

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.
Zoho Desk review

Questions people ask

Is Slimchat or Zoho Desk better?
Neither clearly leads. Slimchat 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, Slimchat or Zoho Desk?
Slimchat starts at Free and Zoho Desk at Free.
Does Slimchat or Zoho Desk run on more platforms?
Slimchat runs on Web, Mobile responsive. Zoho Desk runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Slimchat for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Slimchat best used for?
Slimchat is most often used for customer engagement, lead generation, customer support, sales automation. Of those, customer engagement and lead generation are not what Zoho Desk is typically brought in for.
What can Slimchat do that Zoho Desk cannot?
Slimchat covers Live chat widget, Lightweight design, Fast loading, Visitor information. Zoho Desk covers Ticket management, Multi-channel support, AI assistant, Automation. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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