# Zendesk alternatives: 5 options, team & project pricing

Canonical: https://orka.chat/zendesk-alternatives
Updated: 2026-10-15

[← The comparison library](/compare) FIVE ALTERNATIVES · OCTOBER 2026 

# Zendesk alternatives. Start with your team. 

 Keep the support your customers need. Choose a setup that fits the team you actually have.

 [Find your shortlist ↓](#shortlist)[Compare project costs ↓](#project-pricing)

 By Orka · Official sources checked 15 October 2026

 WHAT SHOULD CHANGE? 

## A better fit for your day.

 Zendesk makes sense when ticket workflows, channels and larger-team controls justify a full suite. If your day is mostly answering for a handful of products, start by comparing that workflow with a simpler shared inbox. If the suite is essential, make sure your alternative covers it.

 Before replacing Zendesk, list the routing rules, phone workflows, reports and integrations your team uses every week. That list is your migration scope. A feature you never use should not decide the purchase; a workflow your team relies on should.

 THE WHOLE PORTFOLIO BILL 

## Three people. Three projects.

 Suite Team is $69/agent/month on monthly billing, or $55 with annual billing. Three agents are $207/month on the monthly plan. That is a one-brand reference, not a three-brand promise.

 ORKA PRO · UNLIMITED PROJECTS €29 / month total Three people, all your projects. No subscription to add when you launch another.

 ZENDESK $447 / month base total Suite Professional · 3 agents · 3 brands

 For three distinct brands in one account, Suite Professional supports up to five brands. At $149/agent/month on monthly billing, three agents are $447/month. This is a plan requirement, not a three-times project surcharge.

 Orka in EUR; competitors in USD. Base subscriptions, before taxes, usage, AI extras and discounts. No exchange-rate assumption. [Pricing source ↗](https://www.zendesk.com/pricing/) · [Project configuration ↗](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829476378-Setting-up-multiple-brands) 

 FIVE DIFFERENT REASONS TO SWITCH 

## Choose for the work you actually do.

 These options cover different needs. Their order is an editorial selection, not a universal ranking.

 01 FOR FOUNDERS RUNNING SEVERAL PRODUCTS 

## Orka

 Choose Orka when the same small team supports a SaaS, an app and a store. Every project keeps its context in a shared inbox. A multilingual help center is included on every plan; AI drafts, automatic replies and human handoff are optional.

 Team & project cost €29/month for 3 people on Pro. Unlimited projects, with no extra project subscription. AI usage is separate.

 What to check Orka is hosted. It is not a replacement for a required self-hosted deployment or a full enterprise phone contact center.

 [Explore Orka ↗](/features)[Orka plans ↗](/pricing)

 02 FOR A BROAD MESSAGING WORKSPACE 

## Crisp

 Evaluate Crisp if you want an established messaging workspace with a knowledge base and visual automation. Its workspace model can suit a team supporting a single business.

 Team & project cost Essentials is $95/workspace/month. Three separate workspaces: $285/month at list price. A shared widget across domains can stay in one workspace; eligible multi-workspace discounts may apply.

 What to check Count separately configured workspaces, not just agents. Check whether one shared workspace meets your brand and access needs.

 [Read our Crisp review ↗](/crisp-review)[Official pricing ↗](https://crisp.chat/en/pricing/)

 03 FOR A FIN-CENTERED SUPPORT WORKFLOW 

## Intercom

 Intercom is worth testing when its inbox, Fin AI and automation are central to how you want support to operate. Choose the plan around routing and brand requirements.

 Team & project cost Essential: $39/seat/month on monthly billing. Three agents in one workspace: $117; in three separately billed workspaces: $351. Expert offers a multibrand option within one workspace.

 What to check Budget Fin usage separately. A multi-workspace contract and a single multibrand workspace are different configurations.

 [Read our Intercom review ↗](/intercom-review)[Official pricing ↗](https://www.intercom.com/pricing)

 04 FOR OPEN-SOURCE FLEXIBILITY AND CONNECTED CHANNELS 

## Chatwoot

 Chatwoot offers managed cloud and self-hosted editions. Multiple website inboxes can share an account, with their own collaborators and settings. It belongs on your list when deployment control matters.

 Team & project cost Cloud Startups lists $19/agent/month: $57 for 3 agents. Do not multiply that seat bill by the number of website inboxes. Self-hosted Community has no license charge; infrastructure and maintenance still need a budget.

 What to check Compare the edition you will actually operate. Cloud plan features and the self-hosted Community feature set are different.

 [Explore the Chatwoot decision ↗](/chatwoot-alternatives)[Official pricing ↗](https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing)

 05 FOR A SUPPORT TEAM CENTERED ON ECOMMERCE 

## Gorgias

 Evaluate Gorgias when the team spends its day on store orders and commerce workflows. Several stores can join one helpdesk, so a multi-store business is not automatically buying one subscription per store.

 Team & project cost Request a price for the combined ticket volume and AI workload across all stores. Store count alone is not the billing equation.

 What to check Map the order actions and channels you rely on before replacing the helpdesk. An inexpensive chat subscription is not useful if it leaves core operations elsewhere.

 [Read our Gorgias review ↗](/gorgias-review)[Official pricing ↗](https://www.gorgias.com/pricing)

 BEFORE YOU SWITCH 

## Try one real support day.

 01 

### Bring your actual projects

 Set up the products you support, with their own branding and knowledge. Ask a teammate to find a conversation and identify the project without opening another account.

 02 

### Test the handover

 Answer a routine question, add an internal note and ask a second person to take over. If you want AI, test an exception that should reach a human.

 03 

### Compare the complete bill

 Include all agents, distinct workspaces, the features you need and expected usage. Compare an annual commitment with an annual commitment, or monthly billing with monthly billing.

 Stay with Zendesk if the team depends on its suite workflows and the cost is justified by the work it handles. A switch should improve an identified daily problem, not just produce a lower headline price.

[See supported help-center migration guides ↗](/help-center-migration)

 YOUR BEARINGS, BEFORE YOU DIVE IN 

## Choosing beyond Zendesk.

 Still wondering about something? [Ask a human at Orka ↗](mailto:hello@orka.chat)

 What is the best Zendesk alternative for multiple projects? + For a small team supporting several SaaS products, apps and stores, Orka is worth evaluating: every plan includes unlimited projects. Other tools also support multiple websites or brands. Compare the workspace structure, the required plan and the full team cost.

 Is Zendesk priced per project? + Zendesk primarily prices its suite per agent, with multibrand availability depending on the plan. It is not accurate to multiply every Zendesk price by the number of websites. Suite Professional supports up to five brands; compare that configuration with Orka’s unlimited projects.

 When should I stay with Zendesk? + Stay with Zendesk if the team depends on its suite workflows and the cost is justified by the work it handles. A switch should improve an identified daily problem, not just produce a lower headline price.

 Can I automatically import my existing help center? + Orka imports supported help centers from their public URL, either during account creation or from the Help center tab. Supported sources include Crisp, Intercom, Help Scout, Gleap, Gorgias, GitBook, Fernand and tawk.to. Contact Orka about other sources; this page does not promise a Zendesk or Chatwoot importer.

 Are these independent reviews? + No. Orka publishes this shortlist and is one of the alternatives. This is an editorial comparison of documented offers, not a hands-on benchmark or a ranking based on customer scores. Pricing and project-billing sources were checked on 15 October 2026.

 Your question for Orka ↗ 

 Ask Orky · AI answers from our website, with sources. Your question is sent to OpenAI; please leave out personal information. [Privacy](/privacy) 

 [Email your question ↗](mailto:hello@orka.chat) 

 CHECK THE ORIGINALS 

## The sources behind the shortlist.

 Checked 15 October 2026. Written by Orka. Prices and plan availability can change; the linked vendor pages give the full terms.

 Open the official sources + [Zendesk plans and monthly / annual pricing ↗](https://www.zendesk.com/pricing/)

 [Zendesk: setting up multiple brands ↗](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829476378-Setting-up-multiple-brands)

 [Crisp pricing ↗](https://crisp.chat/en/pricing/)

 [Crisp workspace subscriptions ↗](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/how-to-manage-multiple-workspaces-under-the-same-account-tkdu37/)

 [Crisp multi-workspace discount conditions ↗](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/how-to-obtain-a-discount-for-multiple-workspace-subscriptions-2oplee/)

 [Intercom pricing ↗](https://www.intercom.com/pricing)

 [Intercom multi-workspace billing ↗](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8991894-how-to-see-and-manage-your-usage)

 [Chatwoot pricing ↗](https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing)

 [Gorgias pricing ↗](https://www.gorgias.com/pricing)

 [Chatwoot inboxes ↗](https://app.chatwoot.com/hc/user-guide/articles/1677492191-adding-inboxes)

 [Chatwoot self-hosted editions ↗](https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing/self-hosted-plans)

 [Gorgias multi-store support ↗](https://www.gorgias.com/product/multi-stores)

## One inbox for your next project, too.

[Try Orka free ↗](http://dashboard.orka.chat/signup)