kitio.aiZendesk vs HelpDesk
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Zendesk starts at $25/mo and HelpDesk starts at $25/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Omnichannel ticketing
- Autonomous AI agents
- Agent copilot
- Zendesk QA
- Help center and community
- Multichannel shared inbox
- AI agent resolutions
- AI reply suggestions
- AI text editing
- Ticket automation rules
- Shopify and HubSpot integrations
| Feature | Zendesk | HelpDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Help desk and AI agents for customer and employee service teams | Ticketing system with an AI agent, reply suggestions and AI edits |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | No, 14-day trial | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Zendesk | Text (formerly LiveChat Software) |
| Based in | United States | Poland |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Zendesk starts at $25/mo and HelpDesk starts at $25/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Support Team
$25/mo
- Per agent
- Email and ticketing
- Ticket routing
- Prebuilt dashboards
Suite Team
$69/mo
- Per agent
- AI agents
- Knowledge base
- Telephony
Suite Professional
$149/mo
- Per agent
- Admin copilot
- App Builder
- Advanced automation
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom workflows
- Advanced compliance
- Sandbox
3 plans
Essential
$25/mo
- Per user
- Inbox and tickets
- 10 AI resolutions per month
- Automated assignment
Growth
$99/mo
- Per user
- 200 AI resolutions per month
- Custom fields and rules
- Up to 10 teams
Custom
Contact sales
- Custom AI agents
- Multiple brands
- Custom roles
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Zendesk
- Mature, widely supported ticketing
- Huge app marketplace
- Scales from small teams to enterprise
- Advanced AI costs extra
- Setup can get complex
- Per-agent pricing adds up fast
HelpDesk
- AI included on every plan
- Clean inbox across several channels
- 14-day trial without a card
- Only 10 AI resolutions a month on Essential
- Extra AI resolutions cost more
- Per-user pricing adds up for big teams
Which one should you choose?
Choose Zendesk if you want:
- Mature, widely supported ticketing
- Huge app marketplace
- Scales from small teams to enterprise
Watch out: advanced ai costs extra.
Choose HelpDesk if you want:
- AI included on every plan
- Clean inbox across several channels
- 14-day trial without a card
Watch out: only 10 ai resolutions a month on essential.
Zendesk vs HelpDesk FAQ
What is the difference between Zendesk and HelpDesk?
Zendesk: Help desk and AI agents for customer and employee service teams. HelpDesk: Ticketing system with an AI agent, reply suggestions and AI edits. Both are customer support tools.
Is Zendesk or HelpDesk cheaper?
Zendesk starts at $25/mo and HelpDesk starts at $25/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Zendesk and HelpDesk have free plans?
Zendesk: No, 14-day trial. HelpDesk: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Zendesk?
Zendesk is made by Zendesk, based in United States.
Who makes HelpDesk?
HelpDesk is made by Text (formerly LiveChat Software), based in Poland.
Which should I choose, Zendesk or HelpDesk?
Choose Zendesk if you value mature, widely supported ticketing and huge app marketplace. Choose HelpDesk if you value ai included on every plan and clean inbox across several channels.