Why businesses are switching from Zendesk
Main Features Comparison
The key features that are most important to helpdesk users
Deskie offers a lot of channels included in the price, while in Zendesk, channel availability largely depends on the chosen plan and may require additional payments
✅ All channels available on any plan.
✅ There are no limits on added channels.
✅ Telegram connects through a Telegram bot.
✅ Custom channel connection is available on all plans.
❌ Some channels are available only on higher-tier plans.
❌ An additional channel may require extra payment.
❌ Telegram is available as a paid add-on integration.
❌ Custom channel connections for Suite Professional+.
With block-based rules, Deskie can handle multiple scenarios in a single rule, whereas Zendesk requires separate rules for each scenario
✅ All functionality is available regardless of the selected plan.
✅ Up to 5 condition blocks with AND/OR operators between them.
✅ Rules for existing cases run every 30 minutes.
❌ Rules for existing cases can process up to 200 cases per run (30 min).
❌ Rules for existing cases process cases with replies/notes in the last 30 days.
✅ Rules for exiting cases process cases regardless of their current status.
❌ Limits depend on the number of active agents and the pricing plan.
❌ Automation capabilities depend on your pricing plan.
❌ Only 2 condition blocks with AND operator between them.
❌ Automations run once per hour.
✅ Automations can process up to 1,000 cases per hour.
✅ Automations process cases regardless of the last update.
❌ Automations do not process closed cases.
✅ Fixed limits on the number of rules (automations —500, triggers — 7000).
Unlike Zendesk, Deskie allows setting custom agents access rights regardless of the selected pricing plan
✅ Agent access can be configured flexibly, regardless of the chosen plan.
✅ Admins who only handle settings, without access to tickets, are free.
✅ You can add a Light Agent (€10 each) without reply permissions.
❌ Creating custom roles is available only on the Enterprise plan.
❌ You must pay for admin accounts even if they don’t need access to tickets.
✅ Free Light agents included in Suite Professional and Enterprise plans.
Deskie offers unlimited light users on all plans, while Zendesk limits light users to certain plans
✅ Ability to edit all case properties
✅ Ability to add or edit private notes
✅ Ability to forward tickets
✅ Ability to export correspondence, cases/users lists
❌ No permission to create cases
❌ No permission to create users
✅ Ability to use the @mention feature
✅ Ability to edit users properties
✅ Ability to create and edit companies
✅ Ability to edit knowledge base
✅ Ability to set individual access
❌ No permission to edit ticket properties unless they are the ticket requester
✅ Ability to add or edit private notes
✅ Ability to forward tickets
❌ No permission to export data
✅ Create cases on behalf of existing end users
❌ No permission to create users
❌ No permission to use the @mention feature
❌ No permission to edit users properties
❌ No permission to create and edit companies
✅ Ability to edit knowledge base
✅ Ability to set individual access
Deskie and Zendesk allow managing your team's availability through agent statuses in real time, independently of working hours
✅ Ability to create custom statuses independently of pricing plan.
✅ Unlimited custom agent statuses.
✅ Ability to restrict agent access to channels.
✅ Ability to limit daily time spent in statuses.
❌ Ability to create custom statuses only on Professional and Enterprise plans.
❌ Custom agent statuses are limited.
✅ Ability to restrict agent access to channels.
✅ Ability to limit daily time spent in statuses.
File attachments
Deskie and Zendesk have significant differences in handling attachments
✅ Sending and receiving files across all pricing plans and channels.
❌ No ability to restrict file sending.
✅ Unlimited file storage.
✅ The maximum size of a single outbound file is 20 MB.
✅ Total of all outbound attachments cannot exceed 50 MB.
✅ Large attachments can be sent via cloud storage integrations.
❌ No attachment virus scanning.
❌ No file sending/receiving for Support Team on sync channels.
✅ File upload permissions for agents and end users.
❌ File storage depends on the selected plan and the number of agents.
❌ The maximum size of a single outbound file is 7 MB.
❌ Total of all outbound attachments cannot exceed 10 MB.
✅ Attachments over the limit become linked files.
✅ Attachment virus scanning.
Both Deskie (Focus Modes) and Zendesk (Routing queues) offer functionality to limit the number of cases assigned to agents
✅ Available on all plans.
✅ It's possible to redistribute unassigned cases every 2 minutes.
❌ The limit on the number of cases applies to all channels.
❌ Available only on Professional and Enterprise plans.
✅ Automatic reassignment of unassigned cases.
✅ Channel specific queues.
Deskie automatically provides a Help Center upon registration, whereas Zendesk requires the Suite Team+ plan
✅ Available on all plans.
✅ Help center customization is available on all pricing plans.
✅ Multilingual content on all plans.
❌ One Help Center per account.
❌ One knowledge base per account.
❌ No custom user segments.
✅ Customer portal is available on all pricing plans.
✅ Three-level knowledge base structure.
✅ Ideas Channel on all plans.
❌ No help center on the Support Team plan
❌ The level of help center customization depends on the plan.
❌ Multilingual content only on Suite Professional and Suite Enterprise plans.
✅ Multiple Help Centers for Suite Professional and Suite Enterprise plans.
✅ Multiple knowledge bases for Suite Professional and Suite Enterprise plans.
✅ Custom user segments.
❌ Customer portal only for Suite Professional and Suite Enterprise plans.
✅ Up to 2 levels deep for Suite Team and Professional, up to 6 for Enterprise.
❌ Product Feedback only for Suite Professional and Suite Enterprise plans.
Deskie and Zendesk give opportunity to set flexible work hours for your team
✅ Separate schedules for groups or individual agents on all plans.
✅ Setting holidays is available on all plans.
❌ The ability to create separate schedules is available only on Enterprise.
✅ Setting holidays is available on all plans.
Deskie and Zendesk implement artificial intelligence differently, but their overall capabilities are similar
✅ Available on all plans.
✅ AI is available via integration. Deskie does not charge for it — you pay directly to the AI service provider.
❌ Training the assistant requires developer involvement.
✅ Available on all plans.
❌ Some features are included, others require add-ons. Automated resolutions have limits — extra usage is paid.
✅ No need to involve developers. Learns automatically.
Full Features Comparison
Deskie and Zendesk have many features useful for helpdesk users. Let’s take a look at the differences.
Pricing Plan
Minimum 2 agents — Maximum 10 agents
Minimum 5 agents — No upper limit
Minimum 10 agents — No upper limit
✅ 14-day free trial period
✅ Automatic recalculation of the paid period
✅ Adding an agent does not require immediate payment
✅ Pay-as-you-go service — no cancellation fees
✅ All features included in all pricing plans
✅ Remove agents any time without losing money
✅ Unlimited Light agents — €10 each
❌ No refund for early cancellation
✅ 14-day free trial period
❌ No recalculation of the paid period
❌ Adding an agent requires immediate payment
❌ Auto-renewal unless you notify Zendesk 30 days prior
❌ Not all features are available on all plans
❌ No recalculation for early removal
✅ Light agents included in Suite Professional and Enterprise plans
❌ No refund for early cancellation