Zendesk vs Salesforce Service Cloud
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Zendesk starts at $25/mo and Salesforce Service Cloud starts at $25/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Salesforce customer service platform with Agentforce AI agents
Free trial · $25/moAt 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
- Case management
- Agentforce AI agents
- Omnichannel routing
- Knowledge base
- Service analytics
| Feature | Zendesk | Salesforce Service Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Help desk and AI agents for customer and employee service teams | Salesforce customer service platform with Agentforce AI agents |
| Category | Customer support | Customer support |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | No, 14-day trial | No, trial available |
| Made by | Zendesk | Salesforce |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Zendesk starts at $25/mo and Salesforce Service Cloud 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
5 plans
Starter Suite
$25/mo
- Per user
- Case management
- Email and knowledge base
Pro Suite
$100/mo
- Per user, billed annually
- Service automation
- Omni-channel routing
Enterprise
$175/mo
- Per user, billed annually
- Advanced case workflows
- Customizable service console
Unlimited
$350/mo
- Per user, billed annually
- Premier support
- Full sandbox
Agentforce Max Edition
$550/mo
- Per user, starting price
- Agentforce add-on included
- 2.75M Flex Credits per org/year
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
Salesforce Service Cloud
- Native link to Salesforce CRM data
- Highly customisable
- Huge partner ecosystem
- Expensive per user
- Needs admins or consultants
- AI usage billed separately
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 Salesforce Service Cloud if you want:
- Native link to Salesforce CRM data
- Highly customisable
- Huge partner ecosystem
Watch out: expensive per user.
Zendesk vs Salesforce Service Cloud FAQ
What is the difference between Zendesk and Salesforce Service Cloud?
Zendesk: Help desk and AI agents for customer and employee service teams. Salesforce Service Cloud: Salesforce customer service platform with Agentforce AI agents. Both are customer support tools.
Is Zendesk or Salesforce Service Cloud cheaper?
Zendesk starts at $25/mo and Salesforce Service Cloud starts at $25/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Zendesk and Salesforce Service Cloud have free plans?
Zendesk: No, 14-day trial. Salesforce Service Cloud: No, trial available.
Who makes Zendesk?
Zendesk is made by Zendesk, based in United States.
Who makes Salesforce Service Cloud?
Salesforce Service Cloud is made by Salesforce, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Zendesk or Salesforce Service Cloud?
Choose Zendesk if you value mature, widely supported ticketing and huge app marketplace. Choose Salesforce Service Cloud if you value native link to salesforce crm data and highly customisable.