Skip to main content
Customer Support

Chatwoot vs Zendesk: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Chatwoot and Zendesk. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Chatwoot starts at $19/mo and Zendesk starts at Custom pricing. Compare all 8 pricing tiers side by side.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026

Chatwoot vs Zendesk: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureChatwootZendesk
Starting Price$19/moCustom pricing
Number of Plans44
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelopen-sourceper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Chatwoot and Zendesk are both priced at $19/mo, making them equally accessible Customer Support tools. Together they offer 8 pricing plans with 23 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.

Chatwoot stands out with a free plan for getting started. Chatwoot uses open-source pricing while Zendesk uses per-seat pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Customer Support needs.

Pricing Plans
Chatwoot
Chatwoot
Try it free
Tier 1
Hacker
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • 500/month
  • Live chat
  • Data retention
  • 30 days
Start with Hacker
ADVANCED AI AGENTS
Custom pricing
Start with ADVANCED AI AGENTS
Tier 2
Startups
$19/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 300 credits
  • Data retention
  • 1 year
Start with Startups
COPILOT
Custom pricing
Start with COPILOT
Tier 3
Business
$39/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 500 credits
  • Data retention
  • 2 years
Start with Business
ZENDESK QUALITY ASSURANCE
Custom pricing
Start with ZENDESK QUALITY ASSURANCE
Tier 4
Enterprise
$99/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Conversations
  • Unlimited *
  • All
  • 800 credits
  • Data retention
  • 3 years
Start with Enterprise
ZENDESK WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
Custom pricing
Start with ZENDESK WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

Swipe to compare plans →

Chatwoot

Open-source customer engagement suite with live chat

View all Chatwoot plans

Zendesk

Customer service and engagement platform with ticketing

View all Zendesk plans

What Reviewers Say

Our Pick

Chatwoot

Chatwoot offers a free plan.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: Chatwoot

Try Chatwoot free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Chatwoot if:

  • You need a free plan with Conversations, 500/month—Chatwoot offers no-cost access with no credit card required
  • You want more features built-in—Chatwoot offers 23 additional features across its plans
  • You prioritize Chatwoot's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)

Choose Zendesk if:

  • Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Zendesk offers negotiated terms for large deployments
  • You prioritize Zendesk's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
  • Zendesk's per-seat pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps

Chatwoot offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Zendesk requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Chatwoot a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Chatwoot's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $19/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Zendesk's tiering starting at Custom pricing to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Chatwoot's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Zendesk's 4 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Chatwoot is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.

ShareShare

Frequently Asked Questions: Chatwoot vs Zendesk

How many pricing plans does Chatwoot have vs Zendesk?
Chatwoot offers 4 pricing plans, while Zendesk offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Chatwoot or Zendesk offer a free plan?
Chatwoot offers a free plan, while Zendesk does not. If budget is a concern, Chatwoot lets you get started at no cost.
Does Chatwoot or Zendesk offer custom enterprise pricing?
Zendesk offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Chatwoot lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do Chatwoot and Zendesk use?
Chatwoot uses a open-source pricing model, while Zendesk uses per-seat pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do Chatwoot and Zendesk compare for Customer Support?
Both Chatwoot and Zendesk are Customer Support tools. Chatwoot offers 4 plans starting at $19/mo, while Zendesk offers 4 plans starting at Custom pricing. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Customer Support needs.

Sources

  1. Chatwoot Official PricingVendor pricing page
  2. Zendesk Official PricingVendor pricing page

Related Articles

Track Price Changes

Get notified when pricing changes for these tools.