Zendesk vs Crisp chat (which one is #1 for Shopify?)

See how Zendesk and Crisp chat compare to each other (and to Ringly.io) to help you decide what is the best platform for you.
Last updated on
October 14, 2025
Maurizio Isendoorn, Co-Founder at Ringly.io
Ruben Boonzaaijer
Co-Founder

Are you struggling to figure out whether Zendesk or Crisp Chat is the right fit for you?

It can be difficult to find the right option for your business, that's why I wrote this guide to help you get started.

In this guide we will go over:

  • Key features
  • Pricing
  • User reviews
  • Who each platform serves best

Let's get started!

Why Ringly.io is the better choice ; )

Built for e-commerce

With experience in both AI and e-commerce, we set out become the best AI phone agent platform for online stores.

Stupid-simple user interface

Super easy to work with, and you can set it up without being tech savvy. If you create a free account you can see it for yourself though!

Quick and easy setup

Our pre-trained AI phone support agent and will have your online store automated in minutes.
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Zendesk vs Crisp chat – TL;DR

Product Area Zendesk Crisp Chat Ringly.io
Multi-Channel Support Robust, all channels unified Chat-focused, basic channels Phone, SMS, web, AI-driven
Automation & AI Manual setup, complex triggers Simple chatbots, limited AI No-code, full AI automation
Live Chat Experience Good, but less intuitive Smooth, instant, best-in-class Not core, focuses on voice
Voice & Phone Support Basic call center tools No true phone support AI phone agent, advanced voice
Integrations Hundreds, but technical setup Mainstream tools, fewer options No-code, Zapier, easy connect
Reporting & Analytics Detailed but standard Basic, limited insights Real-time, AI call analysis
Pricing & Ease of Use Expensive, complex for SMBs Affordable, simple for teams Transparent, usage-based, plug-and-play

Zendesk - a quick overview

Best for: Bigger brands that need more enterprise-level tools. Zendesk offers one of the best customer service platforms out there.

Features:

  • Email, chat, phone, and social communication channels
  • A lot of analytics, reporting, and AI automation
  • It has a huge marketplace for apps and integrations
  • Built-in knowledge base to help customers find answers to common questions

Pros:

  • Reliable and secure support platform
  • Great automation and scalable infrastructure
  • Improves agent productivity across teams

Cons:

  • It has a steeper learning curve than other alternatives to Kustomer
  • It's more expensive per user per month

Shopify integration: a simple but native integration that connects tickets with customer and order data.

Ideal for: Enterprises that need a customer relationship management across all multiple channels.

Unique edge: Zendesk support suite is often the benchmark for enterprise-grade customer service software.

Crisp chat - a quick overview

Best for:
Small-to-medium businesses that want simple, real-time web chat with automation and multi-channel messaging. Crisp is ideal for teams focused on fast setup and affordability rather than deep customization or phone automation.

Features:

  • Live chat and real-time visitor messaging
  • Built-in chatbot and automated triggers
  • Central inbox for chat, email, and Messenger

Pros:

  • Clean, user-friendly interface with fast setup
  • Great customer support and quick response times
  • Combines multiple channels in one place

Cons:

  • Limited analytics and reporting features
  • No built-in broadcast or drip campaign tools
  • Interface can feel crowded for new users

Shopify integration:
Basic but functional integration that connects customer chat with order details and allows live support from within Shopify. Not as deep as Ringly.io’s voice automation, but better for web chat use cases.

Ideal for:
SMBs that rely on web-based support and want quick, affordable, and visually polished chat experiences without complex setup.

Unique edge:
Crisp excels at intuitive live chat with strong automation for smaller teams, but lacks the advanced AI voice capabilities and deep CRM integrations offered by platforms like Ringly.io.

Pricing - Zendesk vs Crisp chat

Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.

Zendesk pricing

Product & Plan Price (Per Agent/Month) Key Features Contract Length / Discounts
Support Team $19 Basic ticketing; email/social support; business rules; analytics dashboards Monthly or annual (annual discount)
Support Professional $55 All Team features + business hours, CSAT surveys, SLAs
Suite Team $55 Ticketing + messaging/chat/voice; unified agent workspace
Suite Growth $89 All Team features + multiple help centers, self-service portal, multilingual support
Suite Professional $115 All Growth features + custom reporting/dashboards; internal collaboration
Sell Team $19 Email integration; mobile CRM app; basic pipeline management
Sell Growth $55 Adds business rules, performance dashboards, multilingual support
Sell Professional $115 All Growth features + advanced analytics/reporting

Crisp chat pricing

Plan Name Price (Monthly) Key Features Contract Length Cancellation Fees Refund Policy
Free $0 Basic live chat widget, team inbox, mobile app notifications Monthly or Annual No Yes (see below)
Mini / Pro $25–$45 All Free features plus unlimited history, triggers/automation, canned responses, private notes, widget customization, audio messages, integrations Monthly or Annual (discounts for annual)
Essentials $95 All Pro features plus more advanced support tools for small companies
Plus / Unlimited $106–$295+ All previous features plus AI-powered omnichannel support, unlimited agents & contacts, chatbot builder (required for chatbot use)

Ringly.io pricing

Ringly.io has simple, performance based pricing.

Plans Price Included Contract Cancellation
Start 99,- /mo ✓ 250 call minutes, then $0.36/min
Monthly Anytime Start 14-day free trial →
Grow (Most popular) 349,- /mo ✓ 1,000 mins, then $0.19/min
✓ Self-learning
✓ AI knows your customers
✓ 30-day onboarding
Monthly Anytime Start 14-day free trial →
Scale 1099,- /mo + setup fee ✓ Custom price/min
✓ Custom agent & integrations
✓ Slack channel
Custom Custom Book your demo →

Compare plans →

Online customer reviews: Zendesk vs Crisp chat

What users are saying about Zendesk:

Total reviews and average rating:
G2: Over 5,000 reviews, average rating around 4.3 out of 5 (as of early 2025).
Capterra: Over 3,500 reviews, average rating approximately 4.4 out of 5.
Trustpilot: Zendesk’s Trustpilot profile is less prominent; most feedback is on business software sites.
Product Hunt: No significant review presence.

Positive review
"Ease of use tops the chart"
Anonymous Reviewer (Capterra)
For ease of use, I think it tops the chart and is more user friendly than its competitors like the Salesforce comprehensive cloud setup...

Critical review
"Customer service was really poor"
Anonymous Reviewer (Capterra)
Their customer service was really poor. They had a £600 recurring subscription enabled on sign up and would not even entertain cancelling this down when we were a day into the recurring payment...

What users are saying about Crisp Chat:

Total reviews and average rating:
G2: Around 250+ reviews with an average score near 4.6 out of 5 (as of early-mid 2025).
Capterra: About 400+ reviews with an average score around 4.6 out of 5.
Trustpilot & Product Hunt: No substantial independent user review presence found for Crisp Chat as a standalone product—users should be careful interpreting overall sentiment.

Positive review
"Amazing software and excellent value for money"
Anonymous Reviewer (Capterra)
Amazing software and excellent value for money. Simply the best IM tool for support & conversion...

Critical review
"Doesn't work as well as Live Agent or others"
Anonymous Reviewer (Capterra)
It doesn't work as well as Live Agent or other. Some clients have had trouble with the interface in the past...

Both platforms receive strong marks for usability but differ in scale: Zendesk stands out with advanced ticketing and integrations suited to larger teams but can frustrate smaller businesses due to pricing or billing practices. Crisp wins praise from small-to-medium businesses thanks to its affordability, live chat features, and simple interface—but some users report limitations compared to more mature competitors like Zendesk or Live Agent.

What users are saying about Ringly.io:

"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.

"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."

"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.

"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.

Zendesk vs Crisp chat: Which is best for you?

Ringly.io is best for Shopify stores that want:

  • Fast setup and a free 14-day trial.
  • AI phone help for orders and product questions.
  • Simple, pay-as-you-go pricing.
  • Smart AI that learns and remembers customers.

Zendesk is best for Shopify brands that need:

  • Big team tools for lots of chats, calls, and emails.
  • Custom workflows, reports, and routing.
  • Time and budget for setup and add-ons.

Crisp Chat is best for Shopify stores that need:

  • A good AI chatbot.
  • A clean, simple interface.
  • A budget friendly all in one support tool.

Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice

Highly Rated: 4.8/5

Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io AI phone support solution built for Shopify. Ringly averages a 73% resolution rate on over 2,100 Shopify stores.

Ringly.io founders: Maurizio and Ruben
Ringly.io founders – Maurizio (left), Ruben (right)

With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io will turn your support channel into a profit center instead of a cost center.

Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Zendesk and Crisp chat:

No-code setup, instant results – Ringly.io is ready to go in minutes. Just add your website, docs, or text—no engineering required—and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.‍‍‍

Ringly.io page of user's AI phone agents

AI-powered sales & support – Ringly.io does both inbound and outbound calls. Recover 35%+ of abandoned carts with automated follow-up calls, provide real-time order tracking from Shopify, and convert more customers with personalized AI-driven conversations—not just reactive support.‍‍

Ringly.io Call History page

Advanced analytics for smarter decisions – Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports—helping you optimize support and sales strategies.‍‍‍

Ringly.io Analytics of AI phone agent page

Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts – Ringly.io offers transparent, scalable pricing—pay for what you use, no locked-in contracts.‍

Conclusion: pick the platform that fits your reality

Pick Zendesk for complex enterprise control.

Pick Crisp Chat for a solid all in one solution.

For most ecommerce brands, start with Ringly.io for the fastest path to value, lower risk, and AI that drives both support and sales.

Start your 14-day free trial of Ringly.io →

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