In today’s business landscape, customer service software drives profits and fosters brand loyalty.
Among the top contenders in this space are Zendesk and Help Scout, each offering unique advantages.
Zendesk, with its comprehensive CRM and help desk management tools, is designed to cater to the needs of enterprise-level organizations. Meanwhile, Help Scout shines as a shared inbox platform, providing omnichannel communication and robust automation features.
But—
When you compare Help Scout vs. Zendesk, which one is better?
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From the top—
Let’s look into the key differences between Zendesk and Help Scout.
Zendesk vs. Help Scout: an overview
Here’s a comparison table highlighting the key aspects of Zendesk and Help Scout for a quick view of what each solution has to offer:
| The tool’s main features | Zendesk | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service | ⭐⭐⭐ Chat widgets, mobile SDK, and AI knowledge base to tailor content based on the audience’s needs | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ AI-driven web self-service to offer instant responses to routine inquiries and a no-code builder to customize a help center for your site |
| Omnichannel capabilities | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All communication in a single dashboard across live chat, email, voice, and social media channels | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shared inbox tool with live chat and email support |
| Workflows | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ SLAs, macros, custom views | ⭐⭐⭐ Prioritization and assignment of tickets to relevant agents |
| SLA management | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Robust SLA monitoring and reporting features and operational level agreements (OLAs) | ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced SLA reporting and alerting through Super SLA integration |
| Integrations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Over 1,000 third-party integrations | ⭐⭐⭐ Around 100 integration options |
| Analytics & reporting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reports with multichannel customer data and interactions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insights such as top questions, volumes, response times, handle times, and more |
| Pricing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Free 14-day trial, pricing ranges from $19 to $115 monthly | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Free 15-day trial, pricing ranges from $25 to $50 monthly |
Read more: Learn more about the best Help Scout alternatives and review the top Zendesk competitiors for your business.
Okay—
Let’s compare Help Scout and Zendesk in more detail to help you determine which tool best suits your needs.
Help Scout and Zendesk: features comparison
When choosing between Zendesk vs. Help Scout, there are many different features to consider. These include self-service options, workflows, and omnichannel functionality, to name just a few.
Let’s examine what sets the two tools apart.
Self-service and knowledge management
Zendesk offers knowledge management functionality that will help you upgrade and run your help center. Its AI knowledge base allows you to tailor content based on the needs of your audience. You can also use this tool to share AI-powered article recommendations within service tickets, identify old content for updating, and craft new help center articles. Moreover, Zendesk provides chat widgets and mobile SDK for context self-service on your website.
As for Help Scout knowledge base features, it includes an AI-powered web self-service tool that provides instant responses to routine inquiries. The platform has a no-code builder that enables you to create and customize a help center for your website. And, through its Beacon feature, you can place popular help content on specific pages of your website. Plus, you can view article ratings and customer feedback to see how your knowledge base content is performing.
Winner: Help Scout offers consistent and reliable self-service round-the-clock, making it suitable for businesses that want a simpler approach to customer service.
Did you know…
According to a self-service statistics report, 88% of consumers insist they want to have access to a self-service platform when shopping online.
Omnichannel capabilities
Zendesk’s omnichannel solution centralizes all communication channels into a single dashboard, allowing agents to handle live chat, email, voice, and social media inquiries in real time. By presenting key customer details in a unified workspace, it eliminates the need for system-switching and additional customer queries, thus enhancing issue resolution speed and lowering support costs.
Help Scout brings all customer interactions into one shared inbox, making it easy to manage support across channels. It includes built-in email tools to help teams prioritize and respond quickly. You can also add live chat to your website for real-time assistance. Plus, with voice and text integrations like Aircall, Heymarket, and Justcall, you can provide support straight from your inbox.
Winner: Zendesk emerges as the stronger option due to its more robust omnichannel support and integrated workspace.
Read more: Compare the reviews of the best omnichannel support software and select the one that matches your business requirements.
Workflows
Zendesk optimizes ticket workflows with live chat triggers and automation for efficient request routing. Macros ensure consistent responses, reducing agent costs, while custom views help monitor progress and measure results.
Help Scout, on the other hand, automates repetitive tasks by organizing, prioritizing, assigning, and escalating support tickets. Multiple conditions can be added to each workflow for tailored management.
Winner: Zendesk is the better option when you consider its depth of workflow capabilities including advanced automation for ticket routing, live chat triggers, and custom views.
Read more: Find out all you need to know about automated ticketing systems.
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SLA management
A service level agreement (SLA) policy is a predetermined measure of the response and resolution time that your customer service team delivers to your end users. An SLA policy has a rigid structure that consists of conditions a ticket must meet and the metrics you use to measure service quality.
In Zendesk, you can set targets and measure the duration of time it takes for an agent to respond to a service ticket. You can also check the amount of time it takes for a customer’s ticket to be fully resolved and how long an agent spends on a ticket. Should a ticket fail to meet its SLA targets, the platform highlights it, so your agents can intervene and solve the problem.
Help Scout does not include built-in SLA management, but you can access advanced SLA reporting and alerts through its integration with Super SLA. This tool allows you to create custom rules, receive notifications via chat, SMS, or email, and generate PDF reports to monitor performance.
Winner: Zendesk’s SLA policy empowers businesses to deliver a consistent experience to their consumers and offers group SLAs on enterprise plans. Therefore, Zendesk is the clear winner here.
Integrations
The Zendesk marketplace supports over 1,000 third-party integrations. For instance, Shopify integration enables your agents to access shipping, billing, and order information within its unified workspace. Additionally, agents can receive real-time alerts through integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other productivity apps.
On the other hand, Help Scout only offers about 100 integration options in its marketplace, and some of these come with limitations. By connecting to tools like HubSpot or Salesforce, you can enjoy CRM capabilities, allowing you to seamlessly sync customer data and manage interactions across platforms.
Winner: The Zendesk marketplace supports more integrations compared to Help Scout, making it ideal for regional and global service teams.
Read more: Discover the key ticketing system features you should look out for.
Reporting and analytics
Zendesk’s reporting and analytics integrate data from multiple channels, enabling trend analysis and custom report creation. You can tailor reports using customer service metrics such as ticket volume, customer feedback, and response times, and track customer satisfaction scores for service managers and business decision-makers.
Help Scout provides various report types to analyze team performance, including top questions, ticket volume, and peak hours. It also offers insights into response, handle, and wait times, with features like conversation drill-downs, filtering options, and metric definitions.
Winner: Both Zendesk and Help Scout offer robust reporting and analytics capabilities, tailored to different needs. Zendesk excels in integrating data across channels and customizing reports with diverse metrics, while Help Scout provides detailed insights into team performance and ticket management with useful features for deep analysis. Each platform has its strengths, making them equally effective for their respective use cases.
Read more: Check out these crucial help desk metrics to measure your support processes and performance.
Last but not least—
Let’s check out the Help Scout vs. Zendesk pricing comparison in depth.
Help Scout vs. Zendesk: pricing plans
Before you fully commit to either Zendesk or Help Scout, you need to understand the cost of each software. So, let’s evaluate the pricing options for Zendesk and Help Scout in the table below:
| Cost | Zendesk | Help Scout |
|---|---|---|
| License plans | – Support Team ($19/mo/agent) – Team ($55/mo/agent) – Growth ($89/mo/agent) – Professional ($115/mo/agent) – Enterprise&Enterprise Plus→Contact sales | – Free 15-day trial – Standard ($25/mo/user) – Plus ($50/mo/user) – Pro → Contact sales |
Zendesk’s pricing is structured to meet various business needs. The basic Support Team plan starts at $19 per agent per month, offering essential ticketing and multichannel support. For $55 per agent per month, the Professional plan includes service-level agreements (SLAs), multilingual support, and advanced AI features. The Support Enterprise plan, at $115 per agent per month, adds skill-based routing, custom roles, and contextual workspaces.
Help Scout’s entry plan costs $25 per month and provides basic help desk features along with 2 shared mailboxes. The Plus plan, priced at $50 per user per month, supports up to 5 shared inboxes, unlimited users, and includes advanced reporting tools.
Winner: Tie! Zendesk is ideal for large enterprises needing a scalable customer experience solution, while Help Scout suits small to medium-sized businesses with lower ticket volumes. The best choice depends on your specific needs, making it a tie.
Help Scout vs. Zendesk: the final verdict
Zendesk is known for its wide range of customer support functionalities, like advanced ticketing system, live chat for sales, AI chatbots, and knowledge management tools. Large companies find it attractive due to its ability to integrate seamlessly with many applications, making it a comprehensive customer service platform.
In comparison, Help Scout offers a simple, user-friendly interface, as well as a streamlined set of features like a shared inbox tool and ticket prioritization. This is of interest to companies that require efficiency in their customer support operations. Despite its limited range of functionalities when compared to Zendesk, the software excels at connecting small service teams with end users.
While adopting either one of the solutions largely depends on your business requirements, there is a good alternative. Tidio is a customer service platform that combines comprehensive help desk features, enterprise chatbots, and self-service tools in a single solution. If you’re undecided between Zendesk and Help Scout, Tidio is an excellent alternative.
Let’s see how Tidio compares against the two platforms.
| Reviews | Pricing | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help Scout | 4.4/5 ⭐️ (400+ reviews) | A 15-day trial and pricing plans from $25 to $50/month/agent | – AI-based knowledge base – Shared inbox – Robust reporting |
| Zendesk | 4.3/5 ⭐️ (5,875+ reviews) | A 14-day free trial and pricing plans from $19 to $149 /month/agent, billed annually | – Self-service capabilities – Unified channel – Smart workflow automation |
| Tidio | 4.7/5 ⭐️ (1,540+ reviews) | Free version available and pricing plans ranging from $29 to $749/month for unlimited users | – Multichannel functionality – Lyro, AI chatbot – Ticketing system |
Help Scout vs. Zendesk: key takeaway
Zendesk’s customizable workflows and service level agreements enable support teams to provide predictable and consistent service to consumers. Moreover, the platform’s app marketplace offers a variety of integrations and add-ons that can be configured to your business requirements. This makes it unique for businesses looking for a solution that can be quickly set up, power long-term growth, and provide powerful reporting.
Help Scout resonates with retailers and brands as the go-to platform for delivering personalized customer experiences. Service agents can handle all customer conversations across chat, email, and social media within your team inbox. This means agents can initiate and view order details, process refunds, or handle returns from their shared inbox.
Ultimately, the decision for which customer support platform to go with depends on your specific goals, and the benefits and features each software offers.
Alternatively, service agents can install Tidio for free for an encompassing, balanced customer support solution.
Take Tidio for a spin as soon as today!
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Frequently Asked Questions
The short answer is no. Help Scout is a shared inbox software focused on customer support capabilities like omnichannel support, a self-service portal, and automation features. Zendesk is both a CRM and help desk management solution designed for enterprise-level organizations.
Zendesk offers more in the way of customizations, third-party integrations, service-level agreements, and automated workflows. Help Scout offers the same features to some degree, but its functionalities are not as extensive.
Zendesk has many functionalities that are suitable for large businesses and global corporations, but it also has a basic, affordable plan suitable for startups.
Help Scout is mainly used to manage conversations between service agents and customers through its multichannel platform. It’s generally known for its intuitive layout and ease of use.
