LiveAgent vs Zendesk Support Suite

by Gralio Feb 05, 2025

LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite are both strong customer service solutions, but they cater to different needs. LiveAgent is better suited for businesses needing a powerful live chat solution and multi-channel communication management, while Zendesk Support Suite is a better choice for businesses seeking advanced automation and seamless integrations for streamlined workflows.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 8156 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 21 hours, 48 minutes of reading.

LiveAgent

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Zendesk Support Suite

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About

LiveAgent is a popular customer service software for small to medium-sized businesses. It helps you manage all your customer interactions from different channels like email, live chat, phone, and social media in one place. This all-in-one platform includes a ticketing system to organize inquiries, a call center feature, and a customer self-service portal with a knowledge base. LiveAgent is known for its fast live chat widget and extensive integrations with other business tools. They offer a free trial for new users and have a startup program with discounted pricing.

Zendesk Support Suite is a customer service software solution designed to help businesses of all sizes provide excellent customer support. It offers a range of tools, including messaging, live chat, AI-powered automation, and a self-service help center. It aims to improve agent productivity, personalize customer interactions across various channels (like social media and email), and streamline workflows to increase efficiency. Zendesk emphasizes data-driven decision-making and boasts a user-friendly interface that integrates with numerous other business applications.

Summary

Main difference

LiveAgent stands out with its robust live chat functionality and comprehensive multi-channel communication features, making it ideal for businesses prioritizing real-time customer interaction. Zendesk Support Suite excels in its advanced automation capabilities and extensive integrations, making it a better fit for businesses focused on streamlining workflows and data-driven insights.

Relative strengths of LiveAgent (compared to Zendesk Support Suite)

Superior live chat functionality with a fast and responsive widget.
Strong multi-channel communication capabilities, effectively managing interactions across various platforms.
User-friendly interface that simplifies customer service tasks.

Relative weaknesses of LiveAgent (compared to Zendesk Support Suite)

Limited CRM integrations compared to Zendesk, potentially hindering seamless data flow.
Mobile app performance could be improved for better on-the-go support.
Pricing may be a concern for smaller businesses with budget constraints.

Who is using LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite?

No data

Olesia Krilyshyn

Sales Acceleration Specialist at Reply.io

Who should use LiveAgent VS. Zendesk Support Suite

LiveAgent is a popular help desk software praised for its fast live chat and integrations. Users highlight its user-friendly interface and organized ticketing system. However, some find the mobile app performance underwhelming and desire more CRM integrations. Perfect for small to medium businesses needing an all-in-one customer service solution, especially those in e-commerce, professional services, or software.

Zendesk Support Suite is a customer service platform that helps businesses of all sizes deliver exceptional customer support. It offers tools like messaging, live chat, and AI-powered automation. Users praise its integrations and automation features, but some dislike the pricing and support responsiveness. Zendesk is best for companies prioritizing omnichannel customer service and data-driven decisions.

Best for small to medium businesses seeking an all-in-one customer service platform.
Ideal for e-commerce, professional services, and software companies needing robust customer interaction management.

Best for small, medium, and large businesses seeking streamlined customer support.
Ideal for industries like tech, retail, finance, education, and healthcare, where customer service is paramount.

LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Helpdesk integration

Supported

LiveAgent offers help desk functionality and integrates with various tools via API and Zapier.

Supported

Zendesk Support Suite supports the ability to integrate with helpdesk systems through its integration capabilities and the Zendesk Marketplace.
Real-time dashboards

Partially supported

LiveAgent supports real-time dashboards via integration with Bold BI.

Supported

Zendesk Support Suite supports real-time dashboards for monitoring key performance indicators such as current ticket volume, agent availability, and chat activity, both natively and through integrations.
Slack integration

Supported

LiveAgent integrates with Slack for ticket updates and custom notifications.

Supported

Zendesk Support Suite supports the integration with Slack, enabling the connection of the ticketing system with Slack for better communication and notifications.
Reporting features

Supported

LiveAgent provides reporting on team performance, ticket trends, and customer satisfaction.

Supported

Zendesk Support Suite supports reporting features that provide insights into support team performance, ticket trends, and customer satisfaction levels through its Zendesk Explore tool.
Internal chat

Supported

LiveAgent supports internal chat, allowing users to chat with each other within the software.

Not supported

Zendesk Support Suite does not support internal chat between users within the software.
Live chat

Supported

LiveAgent supports the ability for users to chat with website visitors in real time.

Supported

Zendesk Support Suite supports the ability for users to chat with website visitors in real time.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

+0.27

Neutral sentiment

-0.71

Strongly negative sentiment
Customer Service

+0.96

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.49

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.86

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.8

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.56

Rather positive sentiment

+0.28

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0.43

Rather positive sentiment

+0.24

Neutral sentiment
Scalability

+0.43

Rather positive sentiment

+0.03

Neutral sentiment

LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Neutral

+0.27

See full Pricing page

Zendesk offers a suite of customer support plans billed per agent, monthly or annually, with a 20% discount for annual billing. They offer a free trial for their Suite Professional plan. Additional add-ons are available to enhance functionality.

Plans

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.71

See full Pricing page

LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite review insights

8109 reviews analysed from and

Users love

Fast live chat widget
Extensive integrations with other business tools
User-friendly interface
The ticketing system is neatly organized and easy to use

Seamless integration with a range of other products and platforms.
Strong automation features and configurable workflows.
The platform helps to expedite customer support procedures.
Provides strong automation features and configurable workflows.

Users dislike

The mobile app’s performance is underwhelming
Limited integrations with CRM systems
The interface feels a bit cluttered
Higher cost of LiveAgent’s subscription plans may be a drawback for small businesses

Payment methods and structure are convoluted and inflexible.
Account managers are solely focused on making money rather than helping customers.
Unresponsive and evasive support team, often citing vacations as a reason for delays.
Inability to downgrade user numbers in a timely manner, leading to unnecessary charges.

LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(1484)
Capterra

4.7/5

(1597)
TrustPilot

3.6/5

(47)

G2

4.3/5

(2589)
Capterra

4.4/5

(2473)
Glassdoor

3.6/5

(1913)

Company health

Employee growth

10% decrease in the last year

10% increase in the last year

Web traffic

10% increase in the last quarter

11% increase in the last quarter

Financing

No data

July 2022 - $86M

How do LiveAgent's and Zendesk's reporting features compare for agent performance analysis?

Both LiveAgent and Zendesk provide reporting on agent performance. LiveAgent offers reports on metrics like the number of tickets handled, response times, and customer satisfaction ratings. Zendesk, through its Explore tool, provides insights into team performance, ticket trends, and customer satisfaction. While both offer reporting capabilities, Zendesk's Explore platform is generally considered more robust and provides more in-depth analytics and customizable reporting options compared to LiveAgent.

Which product offers better integration with existing helpdesk systems for seamless transition?

Zendesk offers better helpdesk integration due to its explicit feature of "helpdesk integration" and mention of integrations through its marketplace and various APIs. While LiveAgent offers "extensive integrations," it's also noted for "limited integrations with CRM systems," which suggests potential challenges for a smooth transition for existing helpdesk users. Zendesk's focus on integration and its wider range of explicitly mentioned integrations make it more suitable for seamless helpdesk transitions.

What are the advantages of LiveAgent?

LiveAgent offers a fast live chat widget and extensive integrations with other business tools, making it a strong choice for businesses prioritizing streamlined communication and diverse software compatibility. Users praise its user-friendly interface and well-organized ticketing system. It's particularly well-suited for small to medium businesses needing an all-in-one customer service solution. Compared to Zendesk, LiveAgent receives more positive user reviews regarding customer service and pricing transparency.

What are the disadvantages of LiveAgent?

LiveAgent users have reported that the mobile app performance is underwhelming and that the software has limited CRM integrations. Some users also find the interface cluttered, and the higher subscription cost may be prohibitive for smaller businesses.

Alternatives to LiveAgent and Zendesk Support Suite

Tidio

Tidio is a customer service platform designed for small and medium businesses. It uses AI-powered chatbots to automate conversations, answer questions, and offer support to website visitors 24/7. This can help your team manage a high volume of inquiries, potentially reducing response times and increasing customer satisfaction. Tidio also offers live chat, allowing for real-time interaction with customers when needed. Key features include website visitor tracking, customizable automated messages, and integration with popular business tools like Shopify and Mailchimp.

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a customer service software designed for businesses of all sizes. It brings together all customer interactions - like emails, chats, and social media - into a single platform. Freshdesk helps automate tasks such as assigning tickets and offers helpful insights through reporting and analytics. Its focus on automation and user-friendly design aims to make customer service smoother and more efficient.

Re:amaze

Re:amaze is a customer service software that combines live chat, email, social media, and messaging into one platform. It helps businesses manage customer support across different channels, automate tasks like sending messages, and track customer interactions. Features include a knowledge base, customer satisfaction surveys, and integrations with popular business apps. Re:amaze is suitable for businesses of all sizes looking to streamline their customer service and improve efficiency.

Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer service platform designed to help businesses of all sizes manage customer interactions and support requests. It offers a range of tools, including case management, live chat, and self-service portals, all within a single platform. Using AI, it aims to personalize customer experiences, automate routine tasks, and provide data-driven insights to improve service operations and boost agent productivity. Salesforce Service Cloud integrates with other Salesforce products and can be customized for various industries, making it a comprehensive solution for managing customer service.

HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot Marketing Hub is a comprehensive marketing platform designed for businesses of all sizes. It offers a suite of tools including email marketing, marketing automation, social media management, analytics, and SEO optimization, all within a single platform. This helps businesses streamline their marketing efforts, improve efficiency, and track results. Its focus on inbound marketing and lead generation makes it a popular choice for businesses looking to attract and convert leads into customers. HubSpot Marketing Hub integrates seamlessly with HubSpot's CRM platform for enhanced sales and marketing alignment.

Front

Front is a customer service platform designed to help businesses manage customer interactions efficiently. It offers a shared inbox that combines email, chat, social media, and other channels into one place. This allows teams to collaborate, automate tasks, and access customer information easily. Front also provides analytics and insights to help businesses improve their customer service operations and measure performance. It's suitable for businesses of all sizes looking to streamline customer support and enhance team collaboration.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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