HubSpot Service Hub vs Zendesk: Which Help Desk Software Is Better for SMBs?

Looking for the best help desk software for your SMB? Compare HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk with our comprehensive guide. Find out which one is right for you.

If you’re on the hunt for a help desk tool to streamline your support service, you’ve likely encountered HubSpot Service Hub vs Zendesk. Both of these solutions are crafted to assist businesses in delivering personalized customer service and enhance the overall customer and support team experience.

So, which help desk tool is the most suitable choice for your small business needs?

Quick Overview of HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk

HubSpot Service Hub is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers sales, service, marketing, and content management tools. It’s designed to assist growing businesses in improving their customer service by providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions.

Zendesk is a cloud-based platform focused on customer support. Zendesk Service is a tool designed to manage customer requests, tickets, and communication channels like email, chat, phone, and social media, making it a practical choice for businesses looking to optimize customer support and communication.

How Does Omnichannel Customer Experience Work?

HubSpot Service Hub lacks support for key communication channels like Line, Apple Business Chat, and native SMS. Conversations across multiple channels aren’t consolidated in the agent workspace, which can slow issue resolution and hinder case tracking, impacting support efficiency.

Zendesk provides streamlined multichannel support, allowing customers to connect via various channels, including SMS, email, live chat, web forms, and voice. Zendesk’s Agent Workspace consolidates interactions, improving support agent efficiency. Additionally, it supports popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, and Messenger, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How Does Approach to Self-Service and Knowledge Management Work?

HubSpot Service Hub provides a basic knowledge base but needs cues for content updates. It offers only two levels of categorization compared to Zendesk’s six, making the content organization less efficient. Additionally, HubSpot supports fewer languages for help center translations compared to Zendesk.

Zendesk offers practical self-service tools, including chatbots for quick customer support. Their knowledge management tools, like Content Cues, help identify content gaps and underperforming articles. Content blocks allow consistent content updates, and Team Publishing streamlines content management.

How Does Ticket and Case Management Work?

HubSpot‘s ticket system faces usability challenges, with limited service level agreements (SLAs) and no operational level agreements (OLAs). It lacks key features such as automation for collaboration, skills-based routing, and problem-incident linking. Agent collaboration is less structured, impacting tracking and reporting.

Zendesk offers a comprehensive ticket management system supporting quality customer support. Their agent workspace simplifies customer data and conversation details for personalized support, including routing and intelligent ticket assignment features.

What Interaction Capabilities Are Available?

HubSpot provides fewer customer service apps and faces usability challenges, needing more individual permissions for apps. Integrated apps are not displayed within the ticketing workspace, requiring agents to leave their workspace for access, potentially impacting efficiency.

Zendesk offers extensive integration options, with over 1,300 pre-built apps and integrations Copy of in their App Marketplace. This includes connections to popular apps like Salesforce, Zoho, ActiveCampaign, Adobe Marketo Engage, Iterable, and Klaviyo. Zendesk also integrates seamlessly with HubSpot for improved customer support.

What Are the Cost of HubSpot vs Zendesk?

Regarding pricing, HubSpot’s plans are pricier than Zendesk’s. Nevertheless, HubSpot provides more advanced features and capabilities. Your business requirements and budget should guide your choice between the two platforms. Here’s a comparison of their annual pricing plans:

Zendesk Pricing:

• Support Team: $19/agent/month
• Support Professional: $55/agent/month
• Support Enterprise: $115/agent/month

HubSpot Service Hub Pricing:

• Free: $0/month (up to 5 users)
• Starter: $45/month (up to 2 users)
• Professional: $450/month (up to 5 users)
• Enterprise: $1,200/month (up to 10 users)

Your decision should be based on the features and capabilities that align best with your business requirements and your available budget.