Determining the cost of Zendesk can be complicated, as pricing is based on a number of factors like number of agents, features needed, and customer engagement volume. However, here is a look at the key considerations when determining Zendesk pricing.
Zendesk Pricing Plans
Zendesk offers four main pricing plans for their customer service software:
- Essential – $5 per agent/month
- Team – $19 per agent/month
- Professional – $49 per agent/month
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
The main differences between the plans are:
Plan | Key Features |
---|---|
Essential | Ticketing system, self-service portal, basic reporting |
Team | Essential features plus views, macros, SLAs, satisfaction ratings |
Professional | Team features plus advanced reporting, custom agent roles, skills-based routing |
Enterprise | Fully customizable with additional security, support, and integration capabilities |
As you can see, the plans build on one another, so the higher tiers include all the features of the lower tiers plus additional capabilities.
Number of Agents
The number of agents you need on Zendesk will heavily influence the total cost. Each pricing plan is charged per agent per month. So if you have 10 agents on the Team plan, your monthly cost would be:
10 agents x $19 per agent = $190 per month
You can add as many end users (customers) as you want for no extra charge. You just pay for the number of agent seats that will use Zendesk.
Additional Features and Apps
On top of the core plans, Zendesk offers a number of add-ons and premium features you can purchase for additional cost. Some key add-ons include:
- Additional ticket forms – $19/month per form
- Additional Light Agents – $5/month per agent
- Additional end-user satisfaction surveys – $95/month for 25 surveys
- Additional 10,000 minutes for Support chat – $39/month
Zendesk also has a marketplace with over 700 third-party apps and integrations that provide added functionality. Popular paid apps include:
- Salesforce integration – $12/month
- WhatsApp integration – $30/month
- Voice call integration – $8/month per agent
The costs for additional apps and features can add up, so factor them into your budget if you plan to utilize them.
Scaling Costs
One advantage of Zendesk’s pricing model is that you can easily scale up or down each month based on your needs. If you have a seasonal business with spikes in customer service demand, you can add agents and features during your busy periods, then remove them when volume is lower.
For example, a 25 person support team may cost:
- January to October – 25 agents x $19/month = $475/month
- November to December – 50 agents x $19/month = $950/month
This scaling ability makes Zendesk very cost-effective for businesses with fluctuations in ticket volume.
Setting a Budget
When setting an estimated budget for Zendesk, consider the following factors:
- Number of agents you will need year-round
- Expected spikes in ticket volume during peak periods
- Add-ons like additional forms, apps, or features
- Minimum duration you plan to use Zendesk (monthly vs yearly discounts)
Zendesk offers a 30-day free trial which is very beneficial for accurately measuring these factors before committing to a plan. Track metrics like number of tickets, number of agents, resolution time, and customer satisfaction. This will help you select the best plan and optimize costs.
Cost Savings Tips
Here are some tips to help minimize your Zendesk spend:
- Annual billing – Pay yearly upfront to save 10-15% on your plan costs
- Reduce agents – Analyze agent utilization and optimize your number of agents
- Automate where possible – Use macros, triggers, and automations to resolve common tickets faster
- Self-service – Deflect tickets through help center, knowledge base, and community forums
- Scale down in off-peak periods – Remove temporary agents and features when volume decreases
Pricing Example
Here is an example of how Zendesk costs might look for a mid-sized ecommerce company with 50 core agents and 75 additional seasonal agents.
Base Costs
- 50 agents on Professional plan – 50 x $49/month = $2,450/month
- Ticketing forms add-on – 2 additional forms at $19/month = $38/month
- Support chat add-on – 10,000 extra minutes at $39/month = $39/month
Yearly prepayment discount of 15% applied
Monthly subtotal: $2,527
Yearly prepayment subtotal: $25,270 (monthly equivalent of $2,106)
Seasonal Agents
- November to December – 75 extra seasonal agents at $49/month = $3,675/month
Yearly subtotal for seasonal agents: $7,350 (monthly equivalent of $613)
Apps and Integrations
- Salesforce integration – $12/month
- WhatsApp integration – $30/month
- Helpdesk visibility app – $10/month
Yearly subtotal for apps: $624 (monthly equivalent of $52)
Total Yearly Cost
Base: $25,270
Seasonal: $7,350
Apps: $624
Total: $33,244
In this example, the total yearly cost for Zendesk works out to around $33,244. This covers 50 year-round agents on the Professional plan, additional seasonal agents and features during peak periods, plus productivity apps and integrations.
Conclusion
Zendesk offers flexible and scalable pricing to match the needs of diverse customer service teams. While costs ultimately come down to your specific use case, you can expect to spend around $5-$50 per agent monthly for one of the core plans, plus any additional costs for features, apps, and temporary agents. Carefully monitoring your support metrics and optimizing where possible will ensure you get the best value from Zendesk and avoid overspending.