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Tidio vs Zoho Desk

Tidio logo

Tidio

Live Chat

Customer service platform driven by live chat

From
$24.17/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Desk logo

Zoho Desk

Customer Support

Context-aware help desk software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho Desk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Tidio free tier limited to 50 billable conversations per month; exceeding this requires paid plan upgrade; 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: Tidio covers Live chat, Zoho Desk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Tidio and Zoho Desk differ
AttributeTidioZoho Desk
Starting price$24.17/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20131996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Tidio

  • Live chat
  • Chatbots
  • Visitor tracking
  • Email marketing
  • Mobile apps
  • Canned responses
  • Shopify
  • WordPress

Only in Zoho Desk

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

Both cover

  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Tidio

  • Live chat customer support across web and mobilenot Zoho Desk
  • AI-powered customer service automation with Lyro AI Agentnot Zoho Desk
  • Ticketing and conversation management for support teamsnot Zoho Desk
  • Multi-agent support with team collaboration featuresnot Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk

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

Where each one falls short

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

Tidio

  • Free tier limited to 50 billable conversations per month; exceeding this requires paid plan upgrade
  • Advanced analytics, user permissions, and macros excluded from Free and Starter tiers
  • Custom branding, multiproject, and department features only available in Plus tier ($300+/month)
  • Guaranteed AI resolution rates (50% minimum) only in Premium tier; Premium pricing requires contacting sales

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

Tidio

$24.17/month
  • Starter$24.17/month
    • 100 billable conversations
    • 50 Lyro AI Agent conversations
    • 100 Flows visitors reached
  • Growth$49.17/month
    • 250+ billable conversations
    • Advanced analytics
    • User permissions
  • Plus$300/month
    • Custom billable conversations
    • Premium support
    • Dedicated Success Manager
  • Premium$null/custom
    • 3000+ Lyro AI conversations
    • Guaranteed 50% Lyro AI resolution rate
    • Pay-per-resolution billing option

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 Tidio if

  • You need live chat.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want chatbots.
Tidio 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 Tidio or Zoho Desk better?
Neither clearly leads. Tidio starts at $24.17/month and Zoho Desk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tidio or Zoho Desk?
Zoho Desk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24.17/month for Tidio and Free for Zoho Desk.
Does Tidio or Zoho Desk run on more platforms?
Tidio runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Zoho Desk runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Zoho Desk for free?
Yes. Zoho Desk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tidio starts at $24.17/month.
What is Tidio best used for?
Tidio is most often used for live chat customer support across web and mobile, ai-powered customer service automation with lyro ai agent, ticketing and conversation management for support teams, multi-agent support with team collaboration features. Of those, live chat customer support across web and mobile and ai-powered customer service automation with lyro ai agent are not what Zoho Desk is typically brought in for.
What can Tidio do that Zoho Desk cannot?
Tidio covers Live chat, Chatbots, Visitor tracking, Email marketing. Zoho Desk covers Ticket management, Multi-channel support, AI assistant, Automation. Both handle GDPR, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tidio: What is the cheapest way to start with Tidio?

The Starter plan at $24.17/month (annual billing) includes 100 billable conversations, live chat, ticketing, and basic analytics. Annual billing provides 2 months free compared to monthly billing.

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
Tidio: Does Tidio offer a free trial?

Yes, Tidio provides a 7-day free trial that does not require a credit card and automatically downgrades to the free plan unless you upgrade after the trial ends.

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
Tidio: How much does Lyro AI Agent cost?

Lyro AI Agent is an add-on starting at $32.50/month for 50 conversations. It is available on all plans and can be added separately from the base subscription.

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
Tidio: What are Tidio's billable conversation limits?

Starter includes 100 billable conversations per month. Growth includes 250+. Plus and Premium have custom limits. Each plan tier includes conversations for the AI Agent feature separately.

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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