Tawk.to vs Zendesk
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Tawk.to | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $58/mo | From $89/seat/mo |
| Best For | Businesses needing free website live chat | Large enterprises needing comprehensive ticketing with compliance requirements |
| Standout Feature | Completely free with up to 15 agents and full features | Industry-leading ticketing system with 1000+ integrations |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| G2 Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
Tawk.to and Zendesk represent two different philosophies in customer support: free simplicity versus enterprise complexity. Tawk.to (G2 4.5/5) offers completely free website live chat, while Zendesk (G2 4.3/5) provides comprehensive multi-channel support at $55-$169 per agent monthly.
This comparison examines their pricing models, feature sets, and ideal use cases to help you choose the right platform for your business needs.
Feature Comparison
Tawk.to excels as a dedicated website chat solution with up to 15 agents, full-featured chat capabilities, and zero cost. However, it's limited to website chat only with no messaging platform integrations and includes branding on the free plan.
Zendesk offers over 1000 integrations, HIPAA and SOC2 compliance, and comprehensive multi-channel support. The trade-off is complex setup requirements and per-agent pricing that scales with team size.
The choice depends on whether you prioritize cost-free simplicity or need enterprise-level integrations and compliance.
Pricing Comparison
Tawk.to's pricing is straightforward: $0 for up to 15 agents with optional $1/hour for premium features. This makes it ideal for businesses of any size looking to minimize support costs.
Zendesk charges $55-$169 per agent monthly, making it expensive for larger teams but potentially worthwhile for organizations requiring its advanced features and integrations.
For teams with 10+ agents, Zendesk's costs can quickly exceed $6,000+ annually, while Tawk.to remains free regardless of team size.
Tawk.to
Pros
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Up to 15 agents
- ✓ Full-featured
Cons
- ✗ Website chat only
- ✗ No messaging platforms
- ✗ Branding on free 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
Choose Tawk.to if you need free website live chat with up to 15 agents and don't require messaging platform integrations. Choose Zendesk if you need enterprise-grade features, extensive integrations, and compliance certifications despite higher costs.
Choose Tawk.to if: You need free website live chat, have budget constraints, or want up to 15 agents without per-seat pricing.
Choose Zendesk if: You require extensive integrations, compliance certifications, or multi-channel support beyond website chat.
Alternative: Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate with up to 15 agents, offering a middle ground between Tawk.to's limitations and Zendesk's high per-agent costs.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Tawk.to comparisons and all Zendesk comparisons.