Front vs Zendesk
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Front | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $79/seat/mo | From $89/seat/mo |
| Best For | Medium to large technology companies ($10M+ revenue) with complex customer service operations requiring advanced collaboration and automation | Large enterprises needing comprehensive ticketing with compliance requirements |
| Standout Feature | AI-powered collaboration platform that transforms shared inboxes into intelligent team workspaces with real-time suggested responses and automated workflows | Industry-leading ticketing system with 1000+ integrations |
| Free Plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.3/5 |
Feature Comparison
Collaboration & Workflow
Front shines with its @mentions system and intuitive UI that feels more like Slack than traditional helpdesk software. Teams can collaborate seamlessly on customer conversations with internal comments and assignments.
Zendesk offers solid collaboration but feels more traditional with its ticket-centric approach. The interface can feel dated compared to Front's modern design.
AI & Automation
Front includes AI suggestions in higher tiers, helping agents respond faster with contextual recommendations. The AI feels integrated into the natural workflow.
Zendesk's AI capabilities are powerful but come at an additional cost. Their Answer Bot and AI-powered insights require separate licensing.
Integrations & Compliance
Zendesk dominates with 1000+ integrations and enterprise-grade compliance including HIPAA and SOC2 certifications. This makes it ideal for regulated industries.
Front offers solid integrations but can't match Zendesk's breadth. However, their integrations tend to be deeper and more thoughtfully implemented.
Pricing Comparison
Front Pricing
Front ranges from $25-$105 per seat monthly. The Starter plan at $25 only supports one channel, making it limiting for most businesses. Growth ($65) and Scale ($105) plans unlock multiple channels and advanced features.
Zendesk Pricing
Zendesk costs $55-$169 per agent monthly. The per-agent model can become expensive as teams grow, especially since you need separate licenses for different support tiers.
Cost Considerations
Front's per-seat pricing works well for smaller, collaborative teams. Zendesk's agent-based pricing suits enterprises with clear agent roles but can get costly with team growth.
Front
Pros
- ✓ Excellent team collaboration features with @mentions and internal comments
- ✓ Modern, intuitive interface familiar to email users
- ✓ Strong AI capabilities including real-time response suggestions
Cons
- ✗ Premium pricing that can be expensive for smaller teams
- ✗ Essential features locked behind higher-tier plans
- ✗ Single channel limitation on Starter plan
Zendesk
Pros
- ✓ Industry-leading ticketing system with mature workflows
- ✓ Massive integration ecosystem with 1000+ apps
- ✓ Enterprise-grade security and compliance (HIPAA, SOC2)
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing scales with team size
- ✗ Complex setup and configuration
- ✗ AI features require additional costs
Verdict
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Front comparisons and all Zendesk comparisons.