Textline vs Zendesk Chat
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Textline | Zendesk Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $100/mo | From $89/seat/mo |
| Best For | Small businesses needing simple SMS messaging | Large support teams needing comprehensive ticketing integration |
| Standout Feature | Streamlined SMS-only experience | Deep integration with Zendesk Support platform |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Textline and Zendesk Chat represent two different philosophies in customer communication. Textline specializes in business SMS messaging with plans ranging from $39-$149/month, while Zendesk Chat offers a broader live chat solution starting free with paid plans up to $59/agent/month.
Both platforms maintain strong user satisfaction with 4.2/5 G2 ratings, but serve distinct use cases in the customer support ecosystem.
Feature Comparison
Textline excels in SMS-first communication with features like automated workflows, bulk messaging, and mobile-optimized interfaces designed for text-based customer interactions.
Zendesk Chat focuses on real-time web chat with visitor tracking, proactive messaging, and seamless integration with the broader Zendesk ecosystem including ticketing and knowledge base.
The fundamental difference lies in communication channels: Textline owns the SMS space while Zendesk Chat dominates web-based live chat functionality.
Pricing Comparison
Textline uses flat-rate pricing ($39-$149/month) that includes multiple users, making it cost-effective for teams that primarily use SMS communication.
Zendesk Chat's per-agent model ($0-$59/agent/month) can be more economical for small teams but scales linearly with team size, potentially becoming expensive for larger support organizations.
Textline
Pros
- ✓ Simple SMS-focused interface
- ✓ Good team collaboration features
- ✓ Reasonable pricing for SMS
Cons
- ✗ SMS only - no other channels
- ✗ Message limits with overage fees
- ✗ Limited automation capabilities
Zendesk Chat
Pros
- ✓ Strong brand recognition
- ✓ Comprehensive support suite
- ✓ Good integrations
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing gets expensive
- ✗ Limited to web chat only
- ✗ No social media messaging
Verdict
Choose Textline if you need dedicated SMS business messaging with robust automation features. Choose Zendesk Chat if you prefer traditional live chat with extensive integrations and scalable per-agent pricing.
Choose Textline if: Your business relies heavily on SMS communication, you need bulk messaging capabilities, or you want predictable flat-rate pricing regardless of team size.
Choose Zendesk Chat if: You need traditional live chat functionality, extensive third-party integrations, or you're already using other Zendesk products.
For teams seeking a modern alternative, Converge at $49/month flat rate offers unified messaging across all channels without per-agent fees.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Textline comparisons and all Zendesk Chat comparisons.