Looking for a free Zendesk alternative?
Zendesk is the enterprise standard for customer support, but its complexity and pricing make it overkill for most teams. GudDesk delivers the core features you actually need — live chat, shared inbox, AI agents — without the enterprise bloat or price tag.
Free forever for small workspaces · No credit card required
Zendesk Pricing
Starts at $55/agent/month (Suite Team). Enterprise plans run $115-150+/agent/month.
Feature Comparison
See how GudDesk stacks up against Zendesk feature by feature.
| Feature | Zendesk | GudDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat widget | ||
| Shared inbox / ticketing | ||
| AI agents | Suite Professional+ ($115/agent/mo) | Included free |
| Knowledge base | ||
| Workflow automations | ||
| Self-hosting | ||
| Open source | GPL-3.0 | |
| Free tier | 14-day trial | Free forever (3 agents) |
| Setup time | Days to weeks | 5 minutes |
| Plugin/API ecosystem | ||
| Slack integration | ||
| Email integration |
Why switch from Zendesk?
Simplicity over complexity
Zendesk has hundreds of features most teams never touch. GudDesk focuses on the essentials — live chat, inbox, KB, AI agents — and does them well without a steep learning curve.
Get started in minutes, not weeks
Zendesk implementations can take days or weeks. GudDesk takes 5 minutes to set up — just create an account and embed the chat widget.
No enterprise tax
Zendesk charges $55-150 per agent per month. GudDesk is free for small teams and uses flat pricing — not per-agent fees that punish you for growing.
Modern, AI-first architecture
GudDesk was built from the ground up for AI agents. Zendesk bolted AI onto a 15-year-old ticketing system. The difference shows in how naturally AI fits into GudDesk workflows.
What makes GudDesk different
Open Source
GPL-3.0 licensed. Audit, extend, and contribute.
Self-Hostable
Run on your own infrastructure. Own your data.
AI Agents Included
Three built-in agents. No per-resolution fees.
No Per-Seat Pricing
Free for 3 agents. Flat pricing for workspaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can GudDesk handle the same ticket volume as Zendesk?
GudDesk is designed for small to mid-size teams. If you're processing tens of thousands of tickets daily with complex routing rules across dozens of departments, Zendesk's enterprise features may still be a better fit. For teams with up to a few thousand conversations per month, GudDesk handles volume with ease.
Does GudDesk have a ticketing system?
GudDesk uses a conversation-based model rather than traditional tickets. Every customer interaction (chat, email, bot) is a conversation in your shared inbox. You can assign, tag, prioritize, and track resolution — it's ticketing without the ticket jargon.
How do I migrate from Zendesk to GudDesk?
Export your Zendesk data using their API or admin tools. GudDesk can import customer profiles and conversation history. We're building a dedicated Zendesk migration tool to streamline this process.
Is GudDesk secure enough for our team?
GudDesk is open source, so your security team can audit every line of code. Self-host it on your own infrastructure for complete data control. We use encryption in transit and at rest, and follow secure development practices.
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Ready to switch from Zendesk?
Get started in 5 minutes. Free for small workspaces. No credit card required.