Zendesk is a more comprehensive enterprise-grade support platform with advanced AI and omnichannel capabilities, while HelpScout is a lighter, more affordable solution designed for small to mid-size teams prioritizing simplicity and email-focused support.
HelpScout vs Zendesk — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Email-first customer support platform designed for small to mid-size teams.
Multi-channel customer service platform with ticketing, live chat, and extensive integrations.
Starting Price (Monthly). Native AI-Powered Features. Omnichannel Support Channels. Knowledge Base Quality Score/Rating. Setup Complexity (Days to Full Implementation). Free Trial Duration. G2 Overall Rating (2024)
Choose HelpScout if you're a small to mid-size team (under 50 agents) seeking an affordable, intuitive email-first support platform with quick implementation. Choose Zendesk if you need enterprise-grade features, advanced AI automation, true omnichannel support across 7+ channels, and are willing to invest more for scalability and sophisticated workflows.
HelpScout: $20/agent | Zendesk: $99 flat
HelpScout: $65/agent | Zendesk: $199 flat
HelpScout: 4 channels | Zendesk: 7 channels
HelpScout: 200 requests/min | Zendesk: 700 requests/min
HelpScout: 2-3 days | Zendesk: 7-14 days
HelpScout: Basic conversation summaries | Zendesk: Einstein AI with predictive routing, sentiment analysis, automated responses
HelpScout: Included in all plans | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: Third-party only | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 10 requests/sec | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: Unlimited per-user pricing | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 10,000 requests per day | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 50+ visual automation templates | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: Notes, internal comments, basic workflow (3) | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 8 major AI features | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: Unlimited (included) | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 2 (iOS, Android) | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: 10 conversations (unlimited users) | Zendesk: 1 agent
HelpScout: 2-3 days | Zendesk: 4-8 weeks
HelpScout: 4 (email, chat, knowledge base, forms) | Zendesk: 7 (email, chat, phone, SMS, social, messaging, video)
HelpScout: 200+ pre-built integrations | Zendesk: 10,000+
HelpScout: Answer Bot (basic, limited context) | Zendesk: Zendesk AI (advanced, ticket summarization, routing)
HelpScout: 4.6/5 (2,100+ reviews) | Zendesk: 4.5/5 (5,800+ reviews)
Knowledge Base Articles (Typical Mid-Plan)
HelpScout: Unlimited | Zendesk: Unlimited
HelpScout: iOS + Android native apps | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: AI reply drafts, article summarization, email categorization | Zendesk: N/A
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Advanced predictive, sentiment analysis, auto-routing
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: $19 (Suite Team)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 1000+ integrations
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: iOS & Android available
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, FedRAMP
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 20+ years optimized
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 100 requests/min
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 4.6/5 (28K reviews)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Answer Bot (30% deflection)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 150+ languages
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Advanced (predictive analytics, intent detection, ticket routing)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 6+ (email, chat, phone, social, SMS, WhatsApp)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Add-on only ($50+/month)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Fully certified
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Third-party app
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Basic (additional $50/month for Zendesk AI)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: iOS & Android full-featured
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Predictive analytics, sentiment analysis, AI routing, 30% CSAT improvement
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 4.4/5 (12,700 reviews)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 45% (Answer Bot)
Monthly Cost Per Agent/User (Entry Level)
Monthly Cost Per Agent/User (Professional Tier)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 1,000+ via Zendesk & Zapier
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Generative AI with predictive analytics
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: $280 ($11 per agent)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Intermediate (Answer Bot)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: Unlimited (1000+)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: No (requires third-party apps)
HelpScout: N/A | Zendesk: 8 minutes (without AI enabled)
How to choose between HelpScout and Zendesk
HelpScout vs Zendesk — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for HelpScout vs Zendesk. Contains 119 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
HelpScout vs Zendesk — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for HelpScout vs Zendesk.
Which platform is best for a 10-person support team?
HelpScout is significantly better for teams this size. At $20/user/month vs Zendesk's $55/user, a 10-person team pays $200 vs $550 monthly. HelpScout's email-first approach and 2-3 day setup means you're productive immediately, while Zendesk's enterprise features and 7-14 day implementation would be overkill and costly.
Does HelpScout have phone and SMS support capabilities?
No. HelpScout focuses on email, chat, knowledge base, and forms. For phone and SMS support, you'd need Zendesk or to integrate a third-party tool (adding cost and complexity). This is a significant limitation if omnichannel support is critical.
How much better is Zendesk's AI compared to HelpScout's?
Zendesk AI offers agent-assist recommendations, automated ticket summarization, predictive routing, and sentiment analysis. HelpScout's Answer Bot is simpler — it auto-responds to common queries but lacks sophisticated automation. For teams processing 100+ tickets daily, Zendesk's AI saves approximately 15-20% of agent time according to Zendesk's 2024 benchmark study.
What are the long-term costs for scaling each platform?
HelpScout scales affordably — a 50-agent team costs ~$1,000/month at $20/user. Zendesk becomes expensive at scale; 50 agents at $55/user = $2,750/month, plus add-ons (AI: $50/agent, advanced analytics) push it to $4,000+. However, Zendesk's omnichannel and automation reduce tickets per agent by 25-30%, potentially offsetting higher costs.
Which platform integrates better with popular SaaS tools?
Zendesk significantly outmatches with 1,000+ integrations vs HelpScout's 200+. If you use Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, or Jira extensively, Zendesk has native, production-ready integrations. HelpScout supports most major tools but may require Zapier or custom API work for advanced workflows.
How to Choose Between HelpScout and Zendesk
Starting Price (Monthly): HelpScout has $20/user, while Zendesk has $55/user.
Native AI-Powered Features: HelpScout has Basic AI (Answer Bot limited), while Zendesk has Advanced AI (Zendesk AI with Agent Assist, ticket summarization).
Omnichannel Support Channels: HelpScout has Email, chat, knowledge base (limited social), while Zendesk has Email, chat, phone, social media, messaging apps, video (7+ channels).
Consider: Knowledge Base Quality Score/Rating
Knowledge Base Quality Score/Rating: HelpScout has Strong (self-serve focused), while Zendesk has Industry-leading (multi-language, AI-powered).
Consider: Setup Complexity (Days to Full Implementation)
Setup Complexity (Days to Full Implementation): HelpScout has 2-3 days, while Zendesk has 7-14 days.
Free Trial Duration: HelpScout has 14 days, while Zendesk has 14 days.
G2 Overall Rating (2024): HelpScout has 4.6/5 (2,100+ reviews), while Zendesk has 4.5/5 (5,800+ reviews).