Turn your CloudTalk into a much larger and powerful tool
Expand your business toolstack with a business calling software that can be easily integrated into your existing CRMs, ecommerce or helpdesk tools, like Salesforce, Freshdesk, Help Scout, and dozens more.
CloudTalk stands by fairness and a personal approach. That’s what sets us apart from competitors. Our support team consists of knowledgeable onboarding and technical specialists, ready to help you with anything, anytime.
CloudTalk is a user-friendly cloud-based phone software for sales and support teams. It is used by startups, scale-ups, SMEs, or eCommerce to improve customer experiences and team performance.
CloudTalk may be a complex software with plenty of tools modern business needs, yet it is extremely intuitive and easy to use. You can learn more about how it works by scheduling a personalized 1on1 demo
Looking for a Zendesk Alternative? Look no further!
Zendesk is a well-known platform for managing customer inquiries and requests. It’s an all-in-one solution that combines help desk, CRM, and team collaboration tools. The provider is therefore a great platform for boosting efficiency and staying organized.
On the flipside, the provider’s pricing is a bit complicated. Zendesk also isn’t the cheapest solution out there. Especially when you consider that some essential support tools are only included in higher tier plans. Zendesk is also missing some popular ecommerce integrations, like BigCommerce and Shopify.
5 Best Zendesk Alternatives
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the competition:
CloudTalk
Freshdesk
Aircall
3CX
8×8
#1 CloudTalk
Here’s why you should give CloudTalk a try:
High-quality calls with guaranteed latency and minimal jitter
Smooth workflow with our Intelligent call-routing tools
Callback feature that redials the number until connected with the agent
Redirecting calls during busy hours or when outside the office
The call masking feature keeps your personal number private
Plans start at $25/month with a free trial and demo.
If you’re in the market for helpdesk software, you might have heard of Freshdesk. Perhaps you’re even already using it. What you might not know is that the company also offers a contact center. The question is, how does it stack up against its competitors?
What makes FreshDesk unique?
Freshdesk’s contact center comes with many great VoIP features, including:
caller ID
call queues
power dialers
IVR
custom reporting, and more.
What is FreshDesk missing?
Despite its wide variety of features, Freshdesk does have some room forimprovement. For example, its user interface and functionality aren’t very intuitive and could require a longer onboarding period.
Furthermore, it still lacks several features a growing business needs, including SMS, fax-to-email, call masking, and 3rd party integrations, just to name a few.
How is FreshDesk priced?
The Freshdesk Contact Center offers users four possible pricing plans.
As the name suggests, Free costs you absolutely nothing but comes with few features and requires you to pay for every number and minute spent calling ($0.13/min).
Growth starts at $15 per user per month, paid annually, or $18 paid monthly.
Following the same system, the Pro plan costs $39 per user per month annually and $47 monthly.
Finally, Enterprise will run you $69 per user annually or $83 monthly.
FreshDesk Conclusion
Freshdesk’s strength lies in its helpdesk solutions. Although its VoIP offering is completely manageable, it’s still missing quite a few features.
#3 Aircall vs. Zendesk
#4 3CX vs. Zendesk
3CX is a PBX phone system for office-based teams. It runs exclusively with Microsoft Windows or Linux, so MacBook users are out of luck.
It’s a relatively basic phone system, with simple features such as Live Chat and Call Recording. It does not however feature smart capabilities such as AI or real-time transcriptions.
What makes 3CX unique?
3CX’s biggest strength is its affordability.
It’s a bare-bones system, but one that can get the job done for small teams who aren’t interested in the bells and whistles that come with most smart calling software.
What is 3CX missing?
3CX lacks some of the features and integrations most businesses have come to expect when hunting for virtual phone software. For example, users cannot integrate 3CX with Pipedrive or Zapier, two of the most popular business software on the market.
3CX also doesn’t have any direct sales. It is only sold through distributors which can make the sales process, as well as the support process lengthy and costly.
How is 3CX priced?
3CX’s most basic plan is free.
Their first paid plan comes in at 175 euros per user per month, and their more advanced plans cost 296 euros and 330 euros per user per month, respectively.
3CX Conclusion
As we’ve mentioned, 3CX is a virtual phone software for businesses who are only interested in the basics. It leaves a lot to be desired in a lot of areas, so we recommend thinking about whether or not you might need something it lacks — like integrations with Pipedrive and Zapier — at a later date.
#5 8×8 vs. Zendesk
8×8 is an evergreen telephony solution with a strong focus on integrations and analytics. The provider is well-suited for enterprises, but lower-tier subscriptions also work for smaller organizations.
What makes 8×8 unique?
There are 2 main advantages we want to highlight.
Analytics. The provider went far with their focus on tracking large-scale business processes.
The 8×8’s reporting system centralizes all data in a single place, so managers can make their teams more organized and speed up their workflow. You’ll also get real-time reports.
Comprehensive integrations with software like:
Salesforce,
Slack,
Microsoft Teams,
and many more.
Furthermore, 8×8 users get unlimited calling into 40+ countries. 8×8 telephony software comes with:
smart dialer,
click to call,
and call recording.
What is 8×8 missing?
Office is required: You need an office in the location where you want to call in order to get a number from there.
Geographical restrictions for SMS: You can only use an SMS feature within the US and 8×8 does not cover costs for mobile numbers in Brazil.
Integrations: 8×8 doesn’t partner with telco companies, which means that users can’t get native integration with certain solutions. For example, Whatsapp. Non-native integrations must be set up by the tech team.
Features: 8×8 is missing some features like call tagging for more efficient calling processes, call masking for protecting your personal information or API for connecting CloudTalk with any tool you love. Automation tools like IVR, skill-based routing or automated callback come only with high-tier plans. You have to pay extra in order to get call recording.
A crucial restriction, mainly for big international companies, is that there are regional constraints on unlimited calling. Users with the basic Express plan can only use unlimited calling in the US and Canada.
How is 8×8 priced?
The cheapest, Express 8×8 plan starts at $15 for both monthly and annual subscription. Though, it only comes with basic features.
Higher tier plans will cost you from $24 to $44 per month, billed annually, and $28 to $57 billed monthly. These include more advanced features, such as multi-level auto attendant, and data history.
Pricing for Contact Center Solution
8×8 Conclusion
8×8 shines in analytics and integrations but stays behind in the amount of productivity features. There’s also a lack of flexibility to consider, and a few feature accessibility restrictions that may be dealbreakers for international companies.
Price is affordable when you only need a basic Express pack, but for more advanced tools, you’ll have to reach deeper into your wallet.
Zendesk Alternatives: The Final Verdict
We hope that you’re now a step closer to choosing the right provider.
Regardless of your company’s size or focus, CloudTalk is here for you. With 70+ features and integrations covering almost every niche, our affordable solution can help SMBs and enterprises alike. Give it a try free for 14 days and see for yourself!
And for more content like this, check out our site.
How do free trials work?
Simply send us your contact information and we’ll get you set up with a free, no-strings-attached CloudTalk trial. You can start dialing immediately and enjoy our full range of features and integrations for two fun-filled weeks.
What are your outbound call prices?
Each package includes one standard local or toll-free number for free. Prices of outbound calls vary. Please contact us for more details.
Who is a user?
Users work for your company and communicate with your existing and potential customers. You can add or remove users at any time and in just a few clicks. Users are agents, supervisors, analysts, administrators, etc.
How often can I change my billing plan?
Plans billed annually can only upgrade to a higher tier plan (e.g. From Essential to Expert). It’s not possible to downgrade on annual billing.
How else can I use CloudTalk?
CloudTalk can be used in many different ways: for customer support, as a contact center, or simply as an all-in-one virtual phone system. Our solution is also perfect for companies operating different e-commerce platforms at the same time, as the ability to set up separate customer support channels can make all the difference.
What about data safety?
The safety of your data is our topmost priority. CloudTalk uses third-party data centers with industry-standard certifications (Tier III+ or IV, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS). All facilities include physical protection. Interface is accessed through an encrypted SSL connection. You can read more on our dedicated security page.
GET STARTED
Connect agents, customers and other software, together in the cloud
Discover how CloudTalk can provide you with unparallel control over your customer’s experience and start matching their expectations today
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.