10 Best Zoho Desk Alternatives for Businesses in 2025

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Zoho Desk is a well-known help desk tool that many businesses rely on for managing customer support. But as your team grows, you might start noticing its limitations. Maybe you want more customization, easier automation, or better integrations with the tools you already use. The good news is that there are plenty of other platforms that can meet your needs.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best Zoho Desk alternatives that can help you streamline support, improve response times, and keep your customers happy.

Table of Contents

Common reasons why businesses might seek Zoho Desk alternatives

Here are some common reasons businesses might look for alternatives to Zoho Desk

Suboptimal mobile app experience

User in Capterra said, that Zoho Desk’s mobile app sometimes underperforms, lacking the seamless functionality found in its desktop counterpart. This can be frustrating for teams that depend on mobile access to deliver prompt customer support. Users have noted that the app feels sluggish at times and misses some key features that are available on the desktop.

Review by a Capterra User

While Zoho Desk offers many advantages, one area that could see improvement is its mobile app. The app occasionally feels less responsive and lacks some of the functionalities available on the desktop version. This can be a drawback for teams that rely heavily on mobile access to provide timely customer support. Enhancing the mobile experience would make Zoho Desk even more robust for on-the-go users. 

Limited customer support accessibility

Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the accessibility of Zoho Desk’s customer support. Finding direct contact with the support team can be challenging, which might leave users feeling unsupported in times of need.  

Review by a Capterra User

Support is zero if at all I want to talk to the team 

Steep learning curve

Although Zoho Desk is packed with powerful features, the platform can be overwhelming for newcomers. The abundance of options and settings might feel like piloting a spaceship without any guidance.  

Review by a Capterra User

Despite its superhero status, Zoho Desk isn’t without its kryptonite. While its array of features can seem empowering, it can also be overwhelming. For newcomers, the learning curve can be steep. It’s like being handed the controls to a spaceship without a manual. 

Integration limitations

Zoho Desk currently lacks direct integration with key platforms like Microsoft 365 for receiving support emails, which can be a significant inconvenience for users who rely on these services. Additionally, the absence of direct integration with collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet (Chat) for ticket creation and response is seen as a disadvantage, though not a critical flaw.  

Review by a Capterra User

Lack of integration with major platforms like Microsoft Teams for ticket creation and response as well as Google Meet (Chat) has been a negative but not a dealbreaker by any means 

10 Best Zoho Desk alternatives for businesses in 2025

  1. Desk365
  2. Zendesk
  3. Freshdesk
  4. Jira Service Management
  5. Help Scout
  6. LiveAgent
  7. Front
  8. Hiver
  9. HappyFox
  10. Kayako

Zoho Desk Alternatives Comparison Table

Software

Pricing

Capteraa Overall Ratings

Desk365

Starts at $12 /agent /month

4.9

Zendesk

Starts $55/agent /month

4.4

Freshdesk

Starts $15/agent /month

4.5

Jira Service Management

Starts $20/agent /month

4.5

Help Scout

Starts $20/agent /month

4.5

LiveAgent

Starts $15/agent /month

4.7

Front

Starts $19/agent /month

4.5

Hiver

Starts $22/agent /month

4.7

HappyFox

Starts $26/agent /month

4.6

Kayako

Starts $15/agent /month

4.0

#1 Zoho Desk alternative - Desk365

Desk365 is the best Zoho Desk alternative that helps businesses streamline customer interactions and optimize ticket resolution processes. It offers powerful features such as AI-powered ticket responses, unified inbox, automation, omnichannel support, and in-depth reporting and analytics. Desk365 integrates well with other tools like Microsoft Teams and provides a customizable experience for agents and customers alike. 

Key features

1. AI-powered ticket responses

Desk365 enhances agent efficiency by utilizing AI to generate quick, contextual replies. These AI-powered responses are based on historical ticket data and knowledge base articles, allowing agents to respond faster and with more accuracy. This significantly reduces the time spent on routine inquiries. 

desk365-ai-helpdesk-software

2. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Desk365 ensures timely resolution of tickets by monitoring SLAs. It provides periodic reminders to agents about upcoming due dates and alerts them when SLA infractions occur, helping teams stay on track and avoid delays. 

3. Unified Inbox

Desk365 consolidates all customer support requests from various channels into a single, easy-to-use inbox. This feature allows agents to collaborate efficiently and manage requests without toggling between different communication platforms. 

4. Automations

Desk365 offers a wide range of automation tools to improve productivity. For example, automation macros can be triggered when a ticket is created or updated, ensuring that routine tasks are handled automatically based on predefined conditions (such as ticket properties or customer events). 

5. Real-time alerts and notifications

Instant notifications keep agents informed of updates to tickets. Whether it’s a new reply, a status change, or other activities, Desk365 ensures agents are aware of important developments in real-time, preventing them from missing critical updates. 

6. Round-robin ticket assignment

To ensure a balanced workload, Desk365 includes a round-robin ticket assignment feature. This automatically distributes tickets to agents in a balanced way, improving response times and preventing any one agent from becoming overwhelmed. 

7. Knowledge base

Desk365 makes it easy to create and share knowledge base articles with your team and customers. The knowledge base can serve as a training tool for agents, and selected solution articles can be made public on the customer support portal, allowing customers to find answers on their own. 

8. Custom ticket views and reports

Desk365 offers customizable ticket views and detailed analytics that allow you to monitor your team’s performance. You can track metrics like ticket resolution time, agent performance, and customer satisfaction, helping you to make data-driven decisions to improve your support process. 

9. Omnichannel support

Desk365 integrates with multiple channels, making it easy for customers to reach you through the medium they prefer. Channels include: 

  • Microsoft Teams: Customers can create tickets, check statuses, and respond to agents all within Teams. 
  • Email: Incoming emails are converted into tickets, and agents can respond directly from the platform. 
  • Web Widget: A customizable widget that can be embedded on your website for easy ticket creation. 
  • Web Form: A configurable iframe form that can also be added to your website for seamless ticket creation. 

10. Customization options

Desk365 allows extensive customization to suit the specific needs of your business. You can tailor: 

  • Agent roles and permissions for different levels of access. 
  • Ticket forms with custom fields and workflows to align with your processes. 
  • Support portal appearance to match your branding. 
  • Email settings and secondary email configurations for different departments (e.g., sales, marketing). 

11. Mobile accessibility

Desk365 ensures that your team can stay productive even on the go. The platform offers mobile apps for both agents and customers, allowing users to manage tickets, respond to requests, and monitor performance from their mobile devices. 

12. Powerful analytics

Desk365 includes powerful reporting tools that provide actionable insights into your support operations: 

  • Custom reports: Tailor reports to analyze any specific data related to your team’s performance, ticket trends, or customer satisfaction. 
  • Agent performance reports: Evaluate individual agent metrics like response times and ticket resolution rates. 
  • Ticket trends report: Visualize trends across different ticket fields to identify recurring issues or bottlenecks. 

Pricing:

Lowest Paid Plan: $12/agent/month
Highest Paid Plan: $20/agent/month

Free trial available.

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2. Zendesk

Zendesk email ticketing system

Zendesk is a leading cloud-based customer service platform designed to help businesses deliver seamless and efficient customer support experiences. Often compared with ServiceNow, Zendesk offers a robust and scalable solution that enables organizations to manage customer interactions across multiple channels, including email, chat, social media, and phone. Renowned for its flexibility and ease of use, the platform empowers companies to strengthen customer relationships through streamlined communication, automation, and data-driven insights. With powerful features like AI-driven bots, customizable workflows, and detailed analytics, Zendesk remains a top choice for businesses aiming to enhance their customer experience and operational efficiency.

Recommended Reading –  Best Zendesk Alternatives in 2025

Key features of Zendesk

  1. Multi-channel support
  2. Advanced ticketing system
  3. Automation and workflows
  4. Customizable interfaces
  5. Reporting and analytics
  6. Integrations with other business tools
  7. Knowledge base and self-service options
  8. Live chat capabilities
  9. AI and machine learning enhancements
  10. Security and compliance measures

Pricing

  • Suite team: $55/agent/month 
  • Suite growth: $89/agent/month 
  • Suite Professional: $115/month/ user

Read More – Zendesk Pricing: Does it offer value for money?

3. Freshdesk

Freshdesk email ticketing system

Freshdesk, often compared with Zendesk, is a powerful and intuitive customer support software developed by Freshworks Inc. It is designed to simplify and optimize customer service operations, helping businesses of all sizes deliver exceptional support experiences. With its user-friendly interface and extensive range of tools, Freshdesk enables support teams to manage customer interactions across multiple channels — including email, chat, phone, social media, and self-service portals — all from a single, unified platform.

The software offers advanced features such as automation workflows, AI-powered chatbots, ticket management, and real-time analytics, which collectively enhance team productivity and ensure faster resolution times.

Recommended Reading – 13 Best Freshdesk Alternatives for Businesses for 2025

Freshdesk features

  1. Ticket management
  2. Zia AI Assist
  3. Self-service
  4. Agent productivity
  5. Customization

Pricing:

  • Growth: $15/agent/month
  • Pro: $49/agent/month
  • Enterprise: $79/agent/month

Read More – Freshdesk Pricing: Does it offer value for money?

4. Jira Service Management (JSM)

Jira service

Jira Service Management (JSM), developed by Atlassian, is a robust and flexible service desk solution designed to empower IT and service teams with modern service management capabilities. Building on the proven foundation of Jira, a widely used platform for issue tracking and project management, JSM extends its functionality to handle service requests, incident management, problem resolution, and change management with efficiency and agility.

Known for its seamless integration with other Atlassian tools like Confluence, Bitbucket, and Opsgenie, Jira Service Management enables teams to collaborate effectively across development, IT operations, and business functions.

Recommended Reading – Best Jira Service Management Alternatives in 2025

Jira Service Desk Management features

  1. Request management
  2. Incident management
  3. Problem management
  4. Change management
  5. Asset management
  6. Configuration  management database (CMDB)
  7. Service Level Agreement (SLA) management
  8. Advanced reporting and analytics

Pricing:

  • Free: Forever free plan (up to 3 agents)

    Standard: $20/agent/month

    Premium: $45/agent/month

    Enterprise: Custom plan 

Read More – Jira Service Desk Pricing: Does it offer value for money?

5. Help Scout

Helpscout

Help Scout, often compared with Zendesk, is a customer service and help desk platform built to simplify support management while maintaining a personal touch in customer interactions. Designed with small to mid-sized businesses in mind, Help Scout combines shared inboxes, knowledge base tools, and automated workflows to create a seamless and efficient support experience.

What sets Help Scout apart is its focus on human-centric customer service — allowing teams to manage conversations like personal emails rather than traditional ticket numbers, fostering stronger customer relationships.

Read More – Best Help Scout Alternatives for Businesses in 2025

Help Scout features:

  1. Shared inboxes
  2. Knowledge Bases
  3. Automated workflows
  4. Reporting and Analytics
  5. Integrations with various apps
  6. Live chat
  7. Collaboration tools

Pricing:

  • Standard: $20/user/month
  • Plus: $40/user/month
  • Company: $65/user/month

Read More – Help Scout Pricing: Does it offer value for money?

6. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a versatile customer support software that provides a comprehensive suite of tools for businesses to manage customer interactions across multiple channels.

It offers features such as ticketing, live chat, call center integration, and a knowledge base, all within a single platform. LiveAgent’s real-time chat and ticketing system enable support teams to respond quickly and efficiently to customer inquiries, while its robust reporting and analytics tools help track performance and identify areas for improvement.

Additionally, LiveAgent offers customization options and integration with various third-party applications, making it a flexible solution for businesses looking to enhance their customer support and engagement strategies.

Recommended Reading – Top LiveAgent Alternatives in 2025

LiveAgent features

  1. Ticket management
  2. Live chat
  3. Real-time visitor monitoring
  4. Video chat
  5. Multi-channel support (email, social media, voice)
  6. Knowledge base
  7. Customer Portal
  8. Automation and rules
  9. SLA management
  10. Reporting and analytics

Pricing

Free: Forever free plan
Ticket: $15/agent/month
Ticket + Chat: $29/agent/month
All-Inclusive: $39/agent/month

7. Front 

Front email ticketing system

Front is a modern customer communication platform that unifies email, social media, chat, and team collaboration into a single, shared inbox. Designed to streamline communication and enhance teamwork, Front enables businesses to manage all customer interactions in one place while maintaining the personalized touch of individual messages.

By combining the familiarity of an email interface with powerful collaboration tools, automation, and analytics, Front helps teams respond faster, reduce duplicate work, and deliver more consistent customer experiences.

Front features

  1. Unified inbox 
  2. Collaboration tools 
  3. Automated workflows 
  4. Analytics and reporting 
  5. Integrations 
  6. Customization 
  7. Mobile accessibility 

Pricing

  • Starter: $19/user/month 
  • Growth: $59/user/month 
  • Scale: $99/user/month 
  • Premier: $229/user/month 

8. Hiver 

Hiver email ticketing system

Hiver is a customer service solution that transforms Gmail into a powerful collaboration and customer support tool, particularly designed for teams that manage shared inboxes. It is ideally suited for small to medium-sized businesses and teams looking for an efficient way to handle customer communications without leaving the Gmail interface. 

Hiver features

  1. Shared Inboxes 
  2. Email Tags 
  3. Collision Alerts 
  4. Email Templates 
  5. Automated Workflows 
  6. Customer Satisfaction Ratings 
  7. Analytics and Reports 
  8. Round Robin Assignment 
  9. Integration with Other Tools

Pricing

  • Growth: $22/user/month 
  • Pro: $37/user/month 
  • Elite: $57/user/month

9. HappyFox

HappyFox

HappyFox, often compared with Zendesk is a robust and versatile ticketing system that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams. Designed to enhance the efficiency of support and service teams, HappyFox offers a streamlined approach to managing customer support tickets directly within the Teams environment. This integration allows teams to maintain their workflow in Microsoft Teams while leveraging the powerful features of HappyFox for ticket management, ensuring a cohesive and productive user experience.

Recommended Reading:  Best HappyFox Alternatives in 2025

HappyFox features

  1. Microsoft Teams Integration
  2. Automation Tools
  3. Multi-Channel Support
  4. Customizable Workflows
  5. Real-Time Collaboration
  6. Reporting and Analytics
  7. Knowledge Base Integration

Pricing

Lowest plan – $9/agent/month 
Highest plan – $89/agent/month

10. Kayako 

Kayako

Kayako is a comprehensive customer support and help desk platform designed to help businesses deliver exceptional and personalized customer service efficiently. By bringing together a range of support tools into a single, unified interface, Kayako enables teams to manage customer interactions seamlessly across multiple channels — including email, live chat, social media, and self-service portals.

Known for its ease of use and strong collaboration features, Kayako helps support agents gain complete context of each customer conversation, ensuring faster and more informed responses.

Kayako features

  1. Multi-channel support 
  2. Unified customer view 
  3. Live chat 
  4. Self-service portal 
  5. Ticketing system 
  6. Automation and workflows

Pricing

  • Starter: $19/user/month 
  • Growth: $59/user/month 
  • Scale: $99/user/month 
  • Premier: $229/user/month 

What are the considerations for choosing the right alternative to Zoho Desk?

When considering alternatives to Zoho Desk, it’s important to evaluate various factors to ensure the selected helpdesk software meets your specific needs. Here are some key considerations to guide your decision:

1. Feature set

  • Core features: Ensure the alternative offers essential features such as ticket management, automation, reporting, and analytics.
  • Advanced features: Look for additional capabilities like AI-driven insights, omnichannel support, customizable workflows, and integration with other tools.
  • Customization: Assess the level of customization available for workflows, ticket fields, and forms to tailor the system to your unique processes.

2. User experience

  • Ease of use: Evaluate the user interface for intuitiveness and ease of navigation. A steep learning curve can hinder adoption.
  • Mobile access: Check if the solution provides a robust mobile app to manage tickets on the go.
  • Customer portal: Look for a user-friendly self-service portal for customers to submit and track their tickets.

3. Integration capabilities

  • Existing tools: Ensure the alternative integrates seamlessly with your current tech stack, such as CRM, project management tools, and communication platforms.
  • APIs and webhooks: Verify the availability of APIs and webhooks for custom integrations and automation.

4. Cost

  • Budget: Compare the pricing plans and ensure they fit within your budget. Look for hidden costs, such as additional charges for premium features or integrations.
  • Value for money: Assess the overall value provided by the software in relation to its cost, considering both immediate and long-term benefits.

5. Implementation and onboarding

  • Ease of setup: Consider the ease and speed of implementation. A lengthy setup process can delay your operations.
  • Onboarding support: Look for onboarding assistance, including dedicated support during the initial setup phase.

Which Zoho Desk alternative is right for you?

While Zoho Desk is a robust and popular helpdesk solution, it may not be the perfect fit for everyone. Whether you find its features lacking, its interface cumbersome, or its pricing unaligned with your budget, it’s important to explore alternatives that might better suit your needs.

One compelling alternative to consider is Desk365. 

Why not experience the benefits of Desk365 firsthand? Starting a free trial is easy and allows you to explore all the features and capabilities at no cost. See how Desk365 can enhance your customer support, streamline your processes, and integrate seamlessly with your existing tools.

Sign up for a free trial today and take the first step towards transforming your customer service with Desk365.