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Software · head to head

Zendesk Chat vs Botpress

Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Software

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Botpress logo

Botpress

Software

Open-source chatbot platform and framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Botpress has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Zendesk Chat messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all; Botpress managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Botpress covers Visual bot builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zendesk Chat and Botpress actually diverge.

Attributes where Zendesk Chat and Botpress differ
AttributeZendesk ChatBotpress
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidOpen-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud)
Founded20072016

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 Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Chatbots
  • Proactive chat
  • Triggers
  • Zendesk Support
  • Salesforce
  • Shopify

Only in Botpress

  • Visual bot builder
  • NLU integration
  • Multi-channel support
  • Slack
  • Teams
  • Messenger
  • WhatsApp
  • On-premise support

Both cover

  • Analytics

What people use each for

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

Zendesk Chat

  • Support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widgetnot Botpress

Botpress

  • Development teams building chatbots and conversational AI using MIT-licensed open-source frameworknot Zendesk Chat
  • Organisations needing custom conversational interfaces with programmatic control via SDK/CLInot Zendesk Chat

Where each one falls short

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

Zendesk Chat

  • Messaging and live chat require at least the Suite Team plan at $55/agent/month paid yearly; the base Support Team plan at $19/agent/month does not include chat at all
  • Enterprise-grade chat features (Admin Copilot, skills-based routing) require Suite Professional at $115/agent/month or higher

Botpress

  • Managed cloud version (Botpress Cloud) availability and pricing not accessible; open-source deployment requires managing infrastructure
  • Dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs

Pricing, plan by plan

Zendesk Chat

$49/month
  • Suite Team$49/month
    • Messaging
    • Help center
    • Basic bots
  • Suite Growth$79/month
    • Team + Multiple brands
    • Custom fields
  • Suite Professional$99/month
    • Growth + AI
    • Custom analytics

Botpress

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Botpress review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Zendesk Chat if

  • You need web messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want mobile messaging.
Zendesk Chat review

Choose Botpress if

  • You need visual bot builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
  • You also want nlu integration.
Botpress review

Questions people ask

Is Zendesk Chat or Botpress better?
Neither clearly leads. Zendesk Chat starts at $49/month and Botpress at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zendesk Chat or Botpress?
Botpress has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Zendesk Chat and Free for Botpress.
Does Zendesk Chat or Botpress run on more platforms?
Zendesk Chat runs on Web, Ios, Android. Botpress runs on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
Can I use Botpress for free?
Yes. Botpress has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Chat starts at $49/month.
What is Zendesk Chat best used for?
Zendesk Chat is most often used for support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widget. Of those, support teams wanting live chat bundled with ticketing rather than a standalone chat widget is not what Botpress is typically brought in for.
What can Zendesk Chat do that Botpress cannot?
Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Chatbots, Proactive chat. Botpress covers Visual bot builder, NLU integration, Multi-channel support, Slack. Both handle Analytics.
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Related pages

More on Zendesk Chat

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