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.
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 | HelpScout | Tawk.to | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||||
| Starting Price | $55/agent/mo + add-ons | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | Free core | Free / $39 / $79 per month |
| Pricing Model | 7+ SKUs, add-on maze | Contact-based, unpredictable | Free + paid add-ons | Base + per-seat extras |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $50/agent + $1.50/resolution | $0.75 per AI resolution | $29-$399/mo add-on | $0.49 per resolution — half of Fin |
| Channels | ||||
| Live Chat | Zendesk Messaging | Beacon widget, reactive | Free live chat | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Zendesk Talk built-in | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | All plans |
| Ticketing | Industry-leading ticketing | Shared inbox | Basic ticketing | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Guide knowledge base | Public only, broken editor | Hosted on their subdomain | Public and internal |
| AI | ||||
| AI Chatbot | AI add-on ($50/agent/mo) | $0.75/resolution add-on | Basic add-on | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Requires manual setup | Public articles only | Not autonomous | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Triggers + automations | Keyword-matching only | Stops when agents offline | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | ||||
| Setup Time | 4-8 weeks typical | Hours to days | Minutes (basic chat) | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Functional but dated | Clean, simple | Recently refreshed, still dated | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Reliable | Light Beacon widget | ~700KB payload | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Enterprise tiers | Limited customization | $19/mo to remove branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | Annual default, 20-30% premium | Straightforward | Post-cancellation charges reported | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | ||||
| Data Export | Full export tools | CSV export available | Limited export | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | SOC 2; HIPAA on Enterprise | SOC 2 certified | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | |
| Analytics | ||||
| Reporting | Explore (deep, complex) | Basic dashboards | Basic reports | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | Enterprise-grade SLAs | No SLA tracking | Not available | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Built-in | Satisfaction ratings | Not available | Built-in |
| Integrations | ||||
| Native Integrations | 1,900+ apps | 100+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | Full REST API | REST API | Limited API | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
Zendesk
$55/agent/mo + add-ons
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
Tawk.to
Free core
SupportWire
Free / $39 / $79 per month
Pricing Model
Zendesk
7+ SKUs, add-on maze
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
SupportWire
Base + per-seat extras
Per-Resolution AI Fees
Zendesk
$50/agent + $1.50/resolution
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
SupportWire
$0.49 per resolution — half of Fin
Channels
Live Chat
Zendesk
Zendesk Messaging
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
Tawk.to
Free live chat
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
Zendesk
Zendesk Talk built-in
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
Zendesk
Industry-leading ticketing
HelpScout
Shared inbox
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
Zendesk
Guide knowledge base
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
Zendesk
AI add-on ($50/agent/mo)
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
Zendesk
Requires manual setup
HelpScout
Public articles only
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
Zendesk
Triggers + automations
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
Zendesk
4-8 weeks typical
HelpScout
Hours to days
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
Zendesk
Functional but dated
HelpScout
Clean, simple
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
Zendesk
Reliable
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
Zendesk
Enterprise tiers
HelpScout
Limited customization
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
Zendesk
Annual default, 20-30% premium
HelpScout
Straightforward
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
Zendesk
Full export tools
HelpScout
CSV export available
Tawk.to
Limited export
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Zendesk
SOC 2; HIPAA on Enterprise
HelpScout
SOC 2 certified
Tawk.to
No SOC 2, no HIPAA
SupportWire
Analytics
Reporting
Zendesk
Explore (deep, complex)
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
Tawk.to
Basic reports
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
Zendesk
Enterprise-grade SLAs
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
Zendesk
Built-in
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
Zendesk
1,900+ apps
HelpScout
100+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
Zendesk
Full REST API
HelpScout
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited 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.
More matchups
Keep digging.
- Intercom vs Zendesk 3-way →
- Intercom vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Intercom vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Crisp 3-way →
- Zendesk vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Zendesk vs LiveChat 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- Zendesk vs Parahelp 3-way →
- Crisp vs HelpScout 3-way →
- Crisp vs Tawk.to 3-way →
- HelpScout vs LiveChat 3-way →
- HelpScout vs Tawk.to 3-way →
A new chapter for your support
Support, finally
worth showing up for.
Customers feel heard. Your team feels in control. Bills stay where you expect. The work that used to drain everyone starts to feel like the best part of the day again.
5 min
From signup to live chat on your site
$0
Free plan. No card. No trial clock
Cancel anytime
No annual lock-in. Export your data
No credit card. No annual lock-in. Migration help on us.