Crisp vs Zendesk
Pricing
Crisp: Free tier, Pro from $25/mo
Zendesk: From $19 per agent/mo billed yearly ($25 monthly); 14-day trial
Description
Crisp: Live chat, shared inbox, and knowledge base in one, with a free tier that actually works
Zendesk: Help desk software for email ticketing, live chat, a knowledge base and AI agents, priced per agent
Pros
- Free tier includes live chat and a shared inbox for 2 operators
- Modern, clean interface that does not look like 2010 enterprise software
- Knowledge base and chatbot features on paid plans
- Support Team starts at $19 per agent a month billed yearly, with ticket routing, automations, pre-written responses and analytics
- The 14-day trial gives you the full Suite Professional plan
- AI agents come with every plan, and you pay only for requests they resolve without a human
Cons
- Free tier is limited to 2 team members, solo founder only
- Mobile app can be slow and miss notifications
- Some features (chatbot, video calls) are locked to expensive tiers
- Support Team is email ticketing only; messaging, live chat and phone start with Suite Team at $55 per agent a month billed yearly
- Some features, such as Voice, App Builder and Action Builder, are billed by usage once you pass the plan's allowance
Details
Crisp gives solo founders live chat, email support, and a knowledge base without paying Intercom prices. The free tier includes live chat and a shared inbox, enough to handle customer conversations professionally when you are the only person responding.
The interface is modern and does not feel like enterprise support software. On paid plans, you get chatbot automation and a knowledge base that can deflect common questions before they hit your inbox. The main gripe is the mobile app: notifications can be unreliable, which matters when you are the only person on support.
Zendesk turns every customer email into a ticket that you can route, tag, answer with saved replies and report on. The Suite plans add messaging and live chat, phone support, an AI knowledge base and AI agents that answer customers on their own.
It is built for support teams, and it fits a solo founder who expects support to grow into a real part of the business. Early-stage startups can apply for a six-month trial of the Suite for up to 50 agents.
Plans are priced per agent, so on your own you pay for one seat. Paying yearly is cheaper: Support Team is $19 a month that way and $25 month to month. AI agents are billed per automated resolution, meaning each customer request they close without handing it to a person.
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