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Zendesk vs Zeplin

Zendesk logo

Zendesk

All industries

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeplin logo

Zeplin

Design Tools

Design handoff and developer collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeplin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Zendesk aI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • They diverge on capability: Zendesk covers Ticket management, Zeplin covers Design specs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zendesk and Zeplin actually diverge.

Attributes where Zendesk and Zeplin differ
AttributeZendeskZeplin
Starting price$19/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryAll industriesDesign Tools
Founded20072014

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 Zendesk

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

Only in Zeplin

  • Design specs
  • Asset export
  • Code snippets
  • Design tokens
  • Comments
  • Version control
  • Handoff workflow
  • Accessibility checks

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Jira
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Zendesk

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

Zeplin

  • Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Zendesk
  • Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Zendesk
  • Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot Zendesk

Where each one falls short

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

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

Zeplin

  • The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
  • Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
  • Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
  • Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
  • Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Zeplin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 project
    • 1 workspace
    • Basic specs
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Multiple workspaces
    • Advanced specs
  • Professional$49/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Team collaboration
    • Admin controls

Which should you pick?

Choose Zendesk if

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

Choose Zeplin if

  • You need design specs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want asset export.
Zeplin review

Questions people ask

Is Zendesk or Zeplin better?
Neither clearly leads. Zendesk starts at $19/month and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zendesk or Zeplin?
Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for Zendesk and Free for Zeplin.
Does Zendesk or Zeplin run on more platforms?
Zendesk runs on Web. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Zeplin for free?
Yes. Zeplin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk starts at $19/month.
What is Zendesk best used for?
Zendesk is most often used for help desk and ticketing system management, omnichannel customer support, knowledge base and self-service portals, ai-assisted customer service. Of those, help desk and ticketing system management and omnichannel customer support are not what Zeplin is typically brought in for.
What can Zendesk do that Zeplin cannot?
Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Knowledge base, Live chat. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens. Both handle Slack, Jira, SOC2.
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