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Freshchat vs Zendesk Chat

Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Live Chat

Modern messaging for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Live Chat

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Freshchat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshchat the free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting; Zendesk Chat enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • They diverge on capability: Freshchat covers Live chat, Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Freshchat and Zendesk Chat differ
AttributeFreshchatZendesk Chat
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20102007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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 Freshchat

  • Live chat
  • Campaigns
  • WhatsApp
  • Instagram
  • Apple Business Chat
  • Freshdesk
  • Freshsales
  • Slack

Only in Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Proactive chat
  • Analytics
  • Triggers
  • Zendesk Support
  • Salesforce
  • WordPress

Both cover

  • Chatbots
  • Shopify
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Freshchat

  • Live chat on a website or in an appnot Zendesk Chat
  • Shared inbox across chat, email and social messengersnot Zendesk Chat
  • Chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agentnot Zendesk Chat
  • Routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiersnot Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat

  • Customer support team managementnot Freshchat
  • Multi-channel messagingnot Freshchat
  • AI-powered contact centersnot Freshchat

Where each one falls short

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

Freshchat

  • The free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting
  • Reporting and social channels need Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually
  • Intelligent routing, multilingual support and custom dashboards require Pro at $49 per agent per month
  • Skill-based routing, audit logs and IP whitelisting are Enterprise only at $79 per agent per month
  • Freddy AI is charged on top of the seat price, at $49 per 100 agent sessions and $29 per agent per month for Copilot

Zendesk Chat

  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • AI agent usage beyond plan allowance billed separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Freshchat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 agents
    • Chat widget for web and mobile
    • Shared inbox
  • Growth$19/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Social media messengers, SMS/text messaging
    • Reporting and analytics
  • Pro$49/month
    • Per agent, billed annually (marked Most Popular)
    • Multilingual conversations
    • Custom dashboards, intelligent routing
  • Enterprise$79/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Skill-based routing, audit logs
    • JWT authentication, IP whitelisting

Zendesk Chat

$19/month
  • Support Team$19/month
    • Email ticketing
    • Routing and analytics
    • Pre-written responses
  • Suite Team$55/month
    • All Support features
    • AI Agents
    • Knowledge Base
  • Suite Professional$115/month
    • Suite Team features
    • Admin Copilot
    • App Builder

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshchat if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want campaigns.
Freshchat review

Choose Zendesk Chat if

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

Questions people ask

Is Freshchat or Zendesk Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshchat starts at Free and Zendesk Chat at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshchat or Zendesk Chat?
Freshchat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshchat and $19/month for Zendesk Chat.
Does Freshchat or Zendesk Chat run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Freshchat for free?
Yes. Freshchat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk Chat starts at $19/month.
What is Freshchat best used for?
Freshchat is most often used for live chat on a website or in an app, shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers, chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agent, routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiers. Of those, live chat on a website or in an app and shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers are not what Zendesk Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Freshchat do that Zendesk Chat cannot?
Freshchat covers Live chat, Campaigns, WhatsApp, Instagram. Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Proactive chat, Analytics. Both handle Chatbots, Shopify, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshchat: What is the cost of Freshchat's Growth plan?

Growth plan costs $19 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes social media messengers, SMS/text messaging, and reporting. AI agent features are available as an add-on at $49 per 100 sessions.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can Messaging be used for live, session-based conversations or asynchronous chats?

Both. Messaging supports real-time sessions for fast help as well as ongoing asynchronous conversations, so customers can chat at their own pace and agents stay flexible.

Source
Freshchat: Does Freshchat offer a free trial?

Yes. Freshchat provides a 14-day free trial with full Enterprise plan access. After trial expiration, the Free plan supports up to 10 agents at $0/month, with no cancellation fees.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Do agents need a separate tool or tab to use Messaging?

No. Messaging is built right into the Zendesk Agent Workspace, so agents can manage conversations seamlessly without switching tools or tabs.

Source
Freshchat: How much does Freshchat's Pro plan cost?

The Pro plan (marked Most Popular) costs $49 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes multilingual conversations, custom dashboards, intelligent routing, and multiple SLA policies. AI Copilot is available as an add-on at $29/agent/month.

Source
Zendesk Chat: How do I know if my AI agents are handling my tickets effectively?

Zendesk QA automatically reviews all conversations, enabling performance tracking and continuous improvement of AI and agent support.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Once I build an AI agent, can I deploy it across more than one social channel?

Yes. Build your AI Agent once and deploy it to web, mobile, and social messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Why should I switch from legacy live chat to Messaging?

Messaging enables users to replicate and enhance live chat experiences by leveraging AI agents and omnichannel routing capabilities.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can I build something custom or go beyond the out-of-the-box experience?

Absolutely. With access to the Zendesk messaging platform, you can create fully custom experiences that fit your unique business needs.

Source
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Related pages

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