Best Zoho Desk alternatives 2025: Top tools for AI-powered omnichannel support

Why consider a Zoho Desk alternative?

Customers today look for faster resolutions with 24/7 assistance across channels of their choice. While Zoho Desk offers core ticketing and self-service features, it falls short in enabling businesses that offer omnichannel support. Many users find Zoho Desk’s inbox broken, AI primitive, and the overall experience better suited for businesses using multiple Zoho apps.

A fast-growing support team needs more than a basic helpdesk tool. They need a customer support solution that is easy to use, quick to implement, and offers a seamless omnichannel experience. Businesses are also looking to harness the power of AI to automate their support while empowering agents to work smarter.

In this blog, we’ll explore the best Zoho Desk alternatives for 2025 — customer service solutions that not only match Zoho Desk in features but also go further in user experience, AI superpowers, and after-sales support.

Challenges with Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk’s focus on building ticketing depth and an interconnected ecosystem has come at the cost of innovation in conversational support and GenAI capabilities. Configuring and managing email and live support channels is fragmented across Zoho Desk and SalesIQ consoles. Switching between multiple tabs results in a disjointed experience for both agents and admins. 

Zoho’s in-house LLM is basic. This means businesses looking for advanced agentic AI and other GenAI agent assist features are forced to pay and integrate with ChatGPT. Due to such product limitations, Zoho Desk remains better suited for lean support teams with a minimal operational budget. But businesses looking to deliver faster resolutions by automating their support at scale often switch to more robust solutions.

Here’s why businesses look for Zoho Desk alternatives:

• Convoluted setup Zoho Desk’s interface has options only for email setup. Live chat and chatbots must be configured separately via the SalesIQ platform. Due to such a disjointed admin center, businesses looking to offer omnichannel support often face implementation delays.

• Fragmented agent workspace Email, chat, social, and messaging inboxes are spread across different workspaces. As a result, agents must constantly navigate between tabs, making it harder to keep up with multichannel customer conversations.

• Zia agents with limited intelligence Zia Answer Bot can only learn from knowledge base articles and is best suited to field just the most basic, L0 queries. Zoho’s agentic AI offering, Zia Agents, is still a work-in-progress and is not available for all businesses. Customers are left with no choice but to manually build chatbots and define the chatbot flow to offer self-service at scale.

• GenAI features require a ChatGPT subscription Zoho Desk customers need a separate ChatGPT subscription to unlock advanced GenAI features like reply assistance, ticket summaries, and solution article generator. The integration is complex and raises concerns about accuracy and sharing business-critical data with OpenAI.

• Half-baked integration with Shopify Zoho Desk’s Shopify integration often makes support harder for D2C brands because every Shopify order creates a new ticket. Plus, the one-way data sync forces agents to act on order-related issues independently via Shopify, switching away from their support console.

• Unreliable after-sales support Zoho Desk offers 24/7 email support and only 8/5 support via chat and phone for all users, including Enterprise plan customers. This often delays responses to critical issues. Businesses must pay up to 25% of the license premium to get timely assistance.

What to look for in a Zoho Desk alternative?

Choosing a Zoho Desk alternative isn’t just about finding a solution with advanced capabilities—it’s about zeroing in on a platform that’s easier to use, quicker to implement, and offers smarter AI that is more aligned with a rapidly scaling support team. The ideal customer service software vendor should also offer straightforward pricing and guarantee reliable support to run smooth operations.

Here are the key aspects to consider when evaluating Zoho Desk alternatives in 2025:

1. Out-of-the-box platform The ideal customer service software should uncomplicate support for both businesses and customers. Invest in a platform that offers pre-configured settings and ready-to-use templates that reduce setup effort.

2. Unified omnichannel interface Customers might reach out through any of their preferred channels- email, chat, phone, social media, and more. Manage customer queries across channels from a single inbox so that agents can resolve issues without switching tabs or consoles.

3. Complete customer context Without understanding your customers, their purchase history, support urgency, and churn risk, your agents might not be in a position to offer personalized assistance. Pick a platform that empowers both support leaders and agents with a 360° view of customers.

4. AI Agent for self-service           Automate responses to repetitive queries using AI Agents. The agentic AI solution should also connect with your internal and external systems to execute complex tasks. Your human agents add more value by focusing on complex issues that require deeper cross-functional collaboration.

5. AI-powered agent assistance With the advent of GenAI, businesses are constantly seeking ways to automate mundane tasks and optimize agent workload. The right support tool should give your agents access to powerful GenAI capabilities so they can consistently provide exceptional support.

6. Analytics that show what matters . Access to critical support data and performance metrics should always be a few clicks away. Look for platforms with out-of-the-box reports and real-time dashboards that provide actionable insights.

7. Integrations that help you scale Your support tool should work well with the rest of your tech stack. Choose a platform with ready-made integrations for business-critical tools like CRM, marketing automation, and e-commerce.

8. Clear pricing, no surprises Steer clear of platforms that overcharge for essentials and gate-keep critical features behind expensive plans. Onboard a vendor that offers straightforward pricing and enables you to scale sustainably without overshooting your budget.

9. Support you can count on Customer service platforms should walk the talk when it comes to delivering support. Vendors that extend 24/7 help, onboarding assistance, and migration guidance are critical for a faster go-live and to run business operations without any major disruptions.

Top 10 Zoho Desk alternatives compared

1. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a modern, AI-powered customer service software designed to help businesses deliver fast, personalized, and consistent support across every channel. With an advanced ticketing system and AI-led automation for both agents and customers, Freshdesk is easy to use and is built to scale with your team.

Freshdesk powers customer support for over 73,000+ businesses worldwide, including popular brands like Forbes, Pepsico, Klarna, S&P Global, and many more.

Compared to Zoho Desk, Freshdesk guarantees an uncomplicated setup and a seamless omnichannel experience. Unlike Zoho’s Zia Agent, Freddy AI Agent is smart, learns from diverse sources, and can connect with both internal and external systems to resolve customer queries autonomously. Freddy AI Copilot helps agents with solution article suggestions and live translations, and proactively intervenes on response quality so they can respond faster and with confidence.

Fast-growing support teams looking for multichannel customer engagement and businesses looking to scale their customer support with powerful AI prefer Freshdesk. Customers love Freshdesk for its transparent pricing and reliable support, which is why businesses of all sizes find it the best alternative to Zoho Desk.

Pricing: 

• Offers a 14-day free trial

• Paid plans start at $15/agent/month, billed annually, with advanced capabilities in higher-tier options for larger teams

• Freddy AI Agent can be added on for just $100/1000 sessions, making it the value-first agentic AI solution

Key features: 

• Hassle-free omnichannel set up Freshdesk admins can easily configure and manage multiple support channels from a single window, ensuring faster go-live. Businesses can also deploy workflows and chatbots with minimal effort using the industry-specific pre-built templates.

• Single, unified agent workspace Agents can view, manage, and respond to customer conversations from a single inbox, regardless of the support channel. This unified experience helps businesses improve their first response time (FRT) and average handling time (AHT).

• 360° customer view Freshdesk’s contacts module empowers agents with deep customer insights. This includes demographic data, subscription status, web activity, etc., allowing agents to build personalized engagement.

• Agentic AI with skills Freddy AI Agent goes beyond suggestions. With a pre-built skills library, businesses can readily deploy no-code AI Agents that can perform actions like rescheduling bookings, issuing refunds, etc., without any human intervention.

• AI Copilot with contextual assistance Freddy AI Copilot is built into Freshdesk, ensuring higher performance accuracy and keeping customer data safe. Businesses also get advanced GenAI features like Live Translate and Solution Article Generator that help boost agent productivity.

• Seamless Shopify sync The Freshdesk-Shopify integration offers a two-way data sync. E-commerce support teams can view customer order details, initiate refunds, and process cancellations with a single click, right from their Freshdesk workspace.

• Simple and transparent pricing The Freshdesk Growth plan, starting at just $15/agent/month, helps startups and SMBs save more. Even for larger businesses looking for omnichannel support, the Freshdesk Suite Pro plan, at $69/agent/month, remains cost-friendly. Freddy AI Agent’s session-based pricing of $100/1000 gives businesses predictability in AI costs.

• Reliable support for free Freshdesk customers, regardless of their subscription tier, are guaranteed 24/7 support via email and 24/5 support over phone and chat. Businesses can also avail dedicated onboarding and migration assistance free of cost.

Pros:

• Rapid deployment: Easy onboarding cuts short implementation time.

• Intuitive interface: Unified omnichannel inbox enables a seamless and hassle-free agent experience.

• Agentic AI with Freddy: Combines AI Agent and Copilot to enable all-around automation for agents and customers.

• Robust ticketing: Advanced case management with productivity features like parent-child tickets, linked tickets, and shared ownership.

• Cost-effective: Flexible, transparent pricing fits the support budgets of all businesses.

• Best-in-class: 24/7 support, onboarding, and migration assistance that is free of cost.

Cons: 

• Limited customization on lower plans: Some enterprise-grade features, such as custom objects, skill-based routing, and audit logs, are offered only in higher editions.

• Mobile app capabilities: The app occasionally lags, affecting on-the-go usage.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk is an omnichannel customer service platform built to help teams offer customer support across various channels. Zendesk was a basic ticketing tool and has now evolved into a support suite that includes helpdesk, workforce management, quality assurance, and analytics module. Zendesk is used by businesses whose needs go beyond support and extend to staffing automation and performance quality management.

​​Pricing: 

• Paid plans start at $19/agent/month, billed annually

• Add-ons - Data security and privacy ($50/agent /month), Advanced AI Copilot ($50/agent /month), Zendesk Workforce Management ($25/agent/month), Zendesk Quality Assurance ($35/agent/month)

Key capabilities:

• Ticketing and automation: Collaboration features like parent-child ticketing and thread, and different types of ticket routing.

• AI Agent: AI Agents that can handle both Q&As and perform API calls to fulfill pre-defined actions.

• AI Copilot: GenAI features like summarizer, workflow suggestor, intelligent triage, and more.

• Advanced dashboards: Separate Zendesk Explore app to track performance metrics including ticket volumes, response times, and SLAs.

• App marketplace: Integrations with over 1,800 apps, covering CRM systems, collaboration tools, analytics, and more.

Pros:

• Contextual workspace: Businesses can curate an inbox view for various departments and support teams.

• Business intelligence: Advanced integrations with third-party data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, etc.

• Workforce management module: Helps in staffing, agent scheduling, performance reporting, and real-time agent activity tracking.

• Quality assurance: Helps detect issues, knowledge gaps, and coaching opportunities for both human and AI agents to improve service.

Cons:

• High total cost of ownership: Plans with advanced features and essential AI can go up to $169/agent/month.

• Complex and hidden packaging: Zendesk charges for essentials like security features and data storage. Multi-tier AI Agent pricing causes unpredictability.

• Fragmented setup: Support inbox, admin center, analytics, and AI agents are spread across multiple consoles.

3. Intercom

Intercom is known for its AI-powered support and chat-first solution that also offers basic ticketing, help center, and reporting. Businesses that are looking for a conversation-heavy support software might find Intercom a better alternative to Zoho Desk.

Pricing: 

• Offers a 14-day free trial

• No free plan

• Paid plan starts at $29/agent/month

• Plans with advanced capabilities range from $85 to $132

• Fin AI is offered separately at $0.99/resolution

Key capabilities:

• Live support channels: Supports multiple live channels, including web chat, in-app chat, social, and messages.

• Fin AI Agent and Fin Copilot: AI Agent for auto-resolving customer queries and Copilot for agent productivity, powered by GPT.

• Proactive support: Product tours, outbound messages, and email campaigns help onboard and engage users.

• Shared inbox: A collaborative interface for managing incoming conversations across teams and regions.

• Custom bots and workflows: Visual drag-and-drop builder to automate responses, triage, and define routing logic.

Pros:

• Conversational-first experience: Highly optimized for real-time messaging with rich UI, embedded apps, and bot handoffs.

• Modern AI features: Offers native AI capabilities, including Fin AI Agent and Fin Copilot for both customers and agents.

• Unified inbox: Supports live chat, email, and social in a shared workspace with team collaboration features.

• Fast time to value: Relatively intuitive interface, helping teams learn and adopt the software faster.

• Visual workflow builder: Allows automation of multistep processes with minimal effort.

Cons:

• High total cost of ownership: Price goes up quickly based on team size, AI Agent resolution, and Copilot add-ons, making budgeting difficult.

• Lacks ticketing depth: Intercom lacks robust modules for SLA, ticket views, or workflows as compared to popular helpdesk tools.

• Paid after-sales support: Dedicated onboarding and 24/7 support require premium service packages, adding to the upfront investment.

4. Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce’s customer support platform is designed for large support teams. Salesforce Service Cloud stands out with its deep CRM integration and advanced customization. As part of the broader Salesforce ecosystem, it offers case management, omnichannel support, automation, and AI features. The platform is generally preferred by enterprises that can invest a few months in implementation and have Salesforce CRM in their tech stack.

Pricing:

• Offers a 30-day free trial

• Paid plans range from $25 per user per month and can go up to $550 per user per month, billed annually

• Add-ons - Agentforce for Service (AI agent), Self-service (starting at $5/member)

Key capabilities:

• CRM-based case management: Agents get full customer history and context from Salesforce CRM in one place.

• Omnichannel support: Agents can manage email, chat, phone, messaging apps, and social from a single interface.

• Custom workflows: Flow Builder to automate ticket handling, escalations, and alerts.

• Einstein AI: AI features include case routing, summaries, reply suggestions, and AI agent building.

• Collaboration tools: Built-in Slack and Chatter integrations for better teamwork.

Pros: 

• Highly customizable: Nearly every aspect of the platform can be tailored to specific workflows and use cases, though it may require developer support.

• Strong CRM integration: Ready integration with Salesforce CRM makes it a natural choice for sales-led enterprises wanting full visibility across the customer journey.

• Einstein AI: Offers AI-powered insights, automations, and AI agents that can cater to a wide range of use cases.

• Robust app ecosystem: Extensive marketplace supports ~9000 apps and add-ons.

• Enterprise-grade scalability: Designed to support complex, large-scale operations across teams and geographies.

Cons: 

• Steep learning curve: Complex UI and reliance on developer support slow down setup and everyday use.

• Delayed onboarding: Full deployment can span from several weeks to a few months, extremely delaying the time-to-value.

• High total cost of ownership: Key capabilities like AI, omnichannel support, and custom workflows are available as add-ons or only in higher-tier plans (starting at $165/user/month).

• Paid support services: Onboarding assistance and priority support are not available for all, as they are offered as premium services. 

• Not SMB-friendly: Complexity and pricing make it less accessible for smaller businesses and rapidly growing teams.

5. HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is built for businesses that want a support tool tightly integrated with HubSpot’s marketing and CRM suite. It combines basic ticketing, automation, knowledge base, and live chat features in the same agent workspace. Since HubSpot primarily focuses on sales and marketing, the Service Hub user experience often feels like a rip-off of the CRM platform.

Pricing:

• Free plan with basic features

• Paid plans start at $9 per user per month and can go as high as $150 per user per month

Key Capabilities:

• In-depth customer context: Agents can get both ticket data and customer context pulled from HubSpot CRM.

• Robust help center: HubSpot Service Hub’s help center enables businesses to publish search-engine-optimized solution articles with minimal effort.

• Workflows: Ticket assignment, alerts, and follow-ups can be set up through the visual builder.

• Reporting and dashboards: Leaders can monitor support metrics through customizable dashboards within the HubSpot environment.

Pros:

• Unified interface across Hubs: Enables seamless handoffs between sales, marketing, and support teams using shared customer data.

• Proactive support: Marketing automation module helps brands reach out to customers proactively during crises to control ticket surges.

• In-depth reporting: Offers customizable dashboards and reports to track ticket volumes and team performance.

Cons:

• Not purpose-built for support: HubSpot is a CRM company that builds software primarily for sales and marketing teams, not service teams.

• Limited support channels: Focuses on CRM channels like LinkedIn Sales Navigator but lacks Instagram, Apple Messages for Business, LINE, etc.

• Elementary ticketing: Lacks parent-child ticketing and shared ownership, making it difficult to split and track multi-step problems that span teams.

• Pricing that is not scalable: Steep pricing, with the Pro and Enterprise plans costing $90 and $150 per agent, respectively. Plus, there’s a mandatory onboarding fee of up to $3,500.

6. Front

Front is a collaboration-focused customer support software built on a shared inbox model. It offers basic ticketing, automations, and analytics capabilities and is best suited for small to mid-sized teams that prioritize internal collaboration and want a more email-like interface for support.

Pricing:

• 14-day free trial

• Subscription starts at $25 per agent per month

• Enterprise features cost $105 per agent per month

Key capabilities:

• Ticketing-first workspace: Agents are better placed to handle email queries and self-service requests with an intuitive inbox.

• Collaborative inbox: Teams can work together on support emails with features like shared drafts, internal comments, and collision detection to avoid duplicate responses.

• Essential AI functionalities: Front AI offers basic Copilot and chatbot capabilities, including a summarizer, composer, and KB-based Q&A agent.

Pros: 

• Email-first interface: Better suited for businesses that rely heavily on email communication with customers.

• Lightweight tool: Ideal for lean support teams that need to go live with support operations faster.

• Easier collaboration: Notes, mentions, and assignments allow teams to work together on responses.

Cons:

• Limited ticketing capabilities: Lacks advanced modules like SLA management, parent-child ticketing, and custom views.

• Primitive AI Agent: Front AI Agent is just a basic Q&A bot that answers based on the KB.

7. Help Scout

Help Scout is a support tool purpose-built for startups and SMBs. It offers shared inboxes, a basic knowledge base, and light automation capabilities. Help Scout shines in simplicity but lacks the depth required for scaling support teams.

Pricing:

• No free trial to explore advanced features

• Paid plans start at $50/month for 100 contacts

• Unlike other vendors that follow a user-based licensing fee, Help Scout charges based on the number of contacts served, offering unlimited agent licenses

Key capabilities:

• Shared inbox: Centralizes support conversations with tagging, saved replies, and internal notes.

• Robust knowledge base: Helps build a customer-facing help center that’s optimized for SEO.

• Beacon chat widget: Offers contextual self-service, live chat, and email from one widget.

Pros: 

• Simple UI and fast setup: intuitive interface, easy to learn, and adopt.

• Unlimited agents: Flat pricing includes unlimited users, making it cost-effective for lean teams to address fewer customer requests.

• Solid knowledge base: Built-in Docs feature creates searchable, well-organized self-service content.

Cons:

• Not built for growing teams: Lacks sophisticated automation, AI capabilities, and enterprise-grade customization options.

• Basic reporting: Analytics are adequate but not as comprehensive as enterprise helpdesk solutions.

• No agentic AI: Help Scout lacks a built-in AI Agent and requires third-party integrations for self-service.

8. HappyFox

HappyFox is a helpdesk tool offering robust ticketing and automation features for internal and external support teams. Its custom portal and rule-based chatbot appeal to organizations looking to build structured self-service experiences.

Pricing:

• Free trial only for live chat, not for the help desk

• Two packages: user license-based and support volume-based

• Plans start at $24 per agent per month, with annual billing

• Custom enterprise pricing for large teams

Key capabilities:

• Advanced ticketing system: Comprehensive case management with custom fields, automation rules, and SLA management.

• Smart automation: Workflow automation with conditional logic, time-based triggers, and escalation rules.

• Self-service capabilities: A comprehensive knowledge base tool and customer portal to enable customers to help themselves.

Pros: 

• Ticketing-first platform: Best suited for teams that handle a lot of email-based customer requests.

• Unlimited agents: Volume-based pricing includes unlimited users, making it straightforward for teams that handle a predictable volume of tickets.

• Mobile accessibility: Full-featured mobile apps for agents who need to work on the go.

Cons:

• Limited channel support: HappyFox’s live chat and chatbot functionalities are separate add-ons rather than core functionalities.

• Old school interface: UI feels dated compared to modern support platforms.

• Absence of AI Agent: Without agentic AI in HappyFox businesses struggle to automate customer support.

9. Gladly

Gladly is a customer service platform built around people instead of tickets. Rather than tracking cases, Gladly organizes all customer interactions around individual customers. This provides agents with a complete conversation history across all channels in a single, chronological timeline.

Pricing: 

• No free trial

• Custom pricing, not disclosed to the public

Key capabilities:

• Single conversation thread: Shows all interactions—chat, email, SMS, voice—in one continuous customer timeline.

• Gladly Sidekick (AI assistance): Offers reply suggestions, summaries, and translations using GenAI.

• People-match routing: Intelligent routing to the right agent based on customer history, preferences, and agent expertise.

• Voice support: Built-in telephony module for contact center-grade voice support.

Pros: 

• Omnichannel support: All-in-one interface for all channels reduces agent tab switching.

• Customer-centric design: Person-centric model provides customer context compared to traditional ticket-based systems.

• User-friendly interface: Minimal learning curve for agents to get started and stay productive.

Cons:

• Lacks ticketing depth: May not fit teams that rely on structured case tracking.

• Limited customization: Less flexible than traditional platforms for businesses with unique workflow requirements.

10. Kayako

Kayako is a customer service software offering shared inbox, live chat, and help center capabilities. Kayako focuses on conversation continuity and customer journey tracking across all touchpoints.

Pricing: 

• Paid plans start at $79/user/month, billed annually

• No freemium or mid-tier pricing options

Key capabilities:

• Unified inbox: Agents can manage support via email, live chat, and social in one place.

• Customer journey tracking: Visual representation of customer interactions across all touchpoints and channels.

• Multilingual support: Help center supports localization in multiple languages.

Pros: 

• Customer insight: Holistic customer view across channels.

• Quick deployment: Relatively fast implementation compared to enterprise-grade customer service platforms.

Cons:

• Limited enterprise features: Lacks some advanced capabilities needed by larger organizations or complex support operations.

• Basic reporting: Analytics capabilities are adequate but not as comprehensive as enterprise solutions.

Choosing the right Zoho Desk alternative for your business

The right Zoho Desk alternative for your business hinges on your team size, growth ambitions, and how critical customer support is to your overall strategy. Whether you're scaling fast or looking to deploy AI into support workflows, here’s how to navigate your options:

Startups and SMBs

For lean support teams or SMBs that need to move fast, ease of setup and cost-efficiency matter the most. Zoho Desk’s fragmented omnichannel setup and limited GenAI often slow things down. Instead, look for platforms that:

• Offer plug-and-play configuration with minimal admin effort.

• Provide a unified agent workspace that’s intuitive from day one.

• Deliver agentic AI and automation features that work without any coding effort.

• Have predictable, transparent pricing that scales with your team.

Alternatives to explore: Freshdesk, Front, and HubSpot Service Hub

Large teams and enterprises

For enterprises running high-volume support operations across geographies, seamless omnichannel support, powerful AI, scalability, and integration are key. Zoho Desk’s disconnected admin experience, insufficient customer context, and weak AI often become bottlenecks. You need platforms that offer:

• Modular workspaces tailored for different teams or regions.

• AI that is more contextual and accurate.

• Advanced routing and workflows to manage a variety of support use cases.

• Unified omnichannel management (chat, email, voice, social, messaging).

• Custom workflows, SLAs, and powerful routing.

• Enterprise-grade security, compliance certifications, and admin controls.

Alternatives to explore: Freshdesk, Zendesk, and Salesforce Service Cloud