How does SupportWire pricing compare to Zendesk, Crisp and HelpScout?

SupportWire is honest per-seat: Free, $39/mo Starter, and $79/mo Growth, plus $0.49 per AI resolution, which is half of Intercom Fin's $0.99. You only pay when AI closes the ticket; handoffs to a human cost nothing.

Does SupportWire include AI like Zendesk?

Yes. Kal is built into every SupportWire plan. It reads your knowledge sources, drafts replies in your tone, and auto-resolves common questions at $0.49 per resolution.

Can I migrate to SupportWire from Zendesk?

Yes. Conversations, contacts, and knowledge come with you, and most teams are live the same afternoon. You can start free with no credit card and cancel in one click.

Zendesk vs Crisp vs HelpScout vs SupportWire: Full Comparison

Three popular support tools, side by side with SupportWire, across 22 features in 7 categories. Pick the one that fits how your team actually works.

Try SupportWire Free See the comparison

SupportWire charges per seat plus $0.49 per AI resolution, half of Intercom Fin’s $0.99 per resolution, with a free plan and no sales call.

Updated June 2026

Feature comparison

22 features.
7 categories.
No hiding.

Every feature that matters for customer support, compared honestly across 4 platforms.

Feature	Zendesk	Crisp	HelpScout	SupportWire
Pricing
Starting Price	$55/agent/mo + add-ons	Free / $45 / $95 / $295	Free / $25 / $75 / Custom	Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model	7+ SKUs, add-on maze	Per workspace (most pay $295)	Contact-based, unpredictable	Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees	$50/agent + $1.50/resolution	$25 AI credits/mo on Essentials	$0.75 per AI resolution	$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat	Zendesk Messaging	Real-time chat	Beacon widget, reactive	Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support	Zendesk Talk built-in	Not available	Not available (14+ years)	All plans
Ticketing	Industry-leading ticketing	Basic, no SLA management	Shared inbox	Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base	Guide knowledge base	Help center included	Public only, broken editor	Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot	AI add-on ($50/agent/mo)	$25/mo AI credit budget	$0.75/resolution add-on	AI-native, included
AI Learning	Requires manual setup	Manual training only	Public articles only	Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation	Triggers + automations	Bot + triggers	Keyword-matching only	Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time	4-8 weeks typical	Quick setup	Hours to days	Hours, not weeks
Design Quality	Functional but dated	Clean, modern	Clean, simple	Modern, minimal
Widget Performance	Reliable	Lightweight	Light Beacon widget	Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding	Enterprise tiers	Plus plan only ($295/mo)	Limited customization	Your brand only
Cancellation	Annual default, 20-30% premium	Account suspension risk	Straightforward	One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export	Full export tools	Cannot export full transcripts	CSV export available	Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance	SOC 2; HIPAA on Enterprise	Not certified	SOC 2 certified	Coming soon
Analytics
Reporting	Explore (deep, complex)	Shallow analytics	Basic dashboards	Full analytics
SLA Management	Enterprise-grade SLAs	Not available	No SLA tracking	Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys	Built-in	Basic surveys	Satisfaction ratings	Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations	1,900+ apps	Limited ecosystem	100+ apps	Growing ecosystem
Open API	Full REST API	REST API	REST API	Full REST API

Pricing

Starting Price

Zendesk

$55/agent/mo + add-ons

Crisp

Free / $45 / $95 / $295

HelpScout

Free / $25 / $75 / Custom

SupportWire

Free / $39 / $79 per month

Pricing Model

Zendesk

7+ SKUs, add-on maze

Crisp

Per workspace (most pay $295)

HelpScout

Contact-based, unpredictable

SupportWire

Base + per-seat extras

Per-Resolution AI Fees

Zendesk

$50/agent + $1.50/resolution

Crisp

$25 AI credits/mo on Essentials

HelpScout

$0.75 per AI resolution

SupportWire

$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin

Channels

Live Chat

Zendesk

Zendesk Messaging

Crisp

Real-time chat

HelpScout

Beacon widget, reactive

SupportWire

Real-time with proactive triggers

Phone Support

Zendesk

Zendesk Talk built-in

Crisp

Not available

HelpScout

Not available (14+ years)

SupportWire

All plans

Ticketing

Zendesk

Industry-leading ticketing

Crisp

Basic, no SLA management

HelpScout

Shared inbox

SupportWire

Full ticketing with SLAs

Knowledge Base

Zendesk

Guide knowledge base

Crisp

Help center included

HelpScout

Public only, broken editor

SupportWire

Public and internal

AI Chatbot

Zendesk

AI add-on ($50/agent/mo)

Crisp

$25/mo AI credit budget

HelpScout

$0.75/resolution add-on

SupportWire

AI-native, included

AI Learning

Zendesk

Requires manual setup

Crisp

Manual training only

HelpScout

Public articles only

SupportWire

Learns from conversations

24/7 Automation

Zendesk

Triggers + automations

Crisp

Bot + triggers

HelpScout

Keyword-matching only

SupportWire

Works 24/7 autonomously

Platform

Setup Time

Zendesk

4-8 weeks typical

Crisp

Quick setup

HelpScout

Hours to days

SupportWire

Hours, not weeks

Design Quality

Zendesk

Functional but dated

Crisp

Clean, modern

HelpScout

Clean, simple

SupportWire

Modern, minimal

Widget Performance

Zendesk

Reliable

Crisp

Lightweight

HelpScout

Light Beacon widget

SupportWire

Performance-optimized

White-Label Branding

Zendesk

Enterprise tiers

Crisp

Plus plan only ($295/mo)

HelpScout

Limited customization

SupportWire

Your brand only

Cancellation

Zendesk

Annual default, 20-30% premium

Crisp

Account suspension risk

HelpScout

Straightforward

SupportWire

One-click, any time

Data & Security

Data Export

Zendesk

Full export tools

Crisp

Cannot export full transcripts

HelpScout

CSV export available

SupportWire

Full data portability

SOC 2 Compliance

Zendesk

SOC 2; HIPAA on Enterprise

Crisp

Not certified

HelpScout

SOC 2 certified

SupportWire

Coming soon

Analytics

Reporting

Zendesk

Explore (deep, complex)

Crisp

Shallow analytics

HelpScout

Basic dashboards

SupportWire

Full analytics

SLA Management

Zendesk

Enterprise-grade SLAs

Crisp

Not available

HelpScout

No SLA tracking

SupportWire

Built-in SLA tracking

CSAT Surveys

Zendesk

Built-in

Crisp

Basic surveys

HelpScout

Satisfaction ratings

SupportWire

Built-in

Integrations

Native Integrations

Zendesk

1,900+ apps

Crisp

Limited ecosystem

HelpScout

100+ apps

SupportWire

Growing ecosystem

Open API

Zendesk

Full REST API

Crisp

REST API

HelpScout

REST API

SupportWire

Full REST API

Go deeper

Read the full story.

Feature tables only tell half of it. Each deep-dive walks through pricing traps, real Trustpilot quotes, and where the product breaks down for growing teams.

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