The verdict
If your customers live in WhatsApp and you have one or two people answering, use the WhatsApp Business app and nothing else for now. Replies from a personal phone have no history and no routing, so that setup has a ceiling.
Once several people answer, or you need status, reporting and a help centre, move to Zendesk and bring the chats into it. Check that your plan supports the messaging channel you need before you commit.
If you pick only one for a growing team, pick Zendesk. A channel without a system leaves you with chats in one person's pocket.
Side by side
| 6 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | €19/mo | |
| Free plan | No | |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | ||
| AI chatbot / agent | Yes | Yes |
| AI search & answers | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
WhatsApp Business
Pricing not in our catalogue yet.
Zendesk
- Support Team€25/mo/seat
- Suite Team€69/mo/seat
- Suite Professional€149/mo/seat
Who each is for
Choose WhatsApp Business if…
Pick WhatsApp Business if your market already prefers WhatsApp and you want to be reachable there with little setup. The app gives you a profile, a catalogue and automated greetings.
Use the platform when you need an API: notifications, support and sales conversations that your own tools can read and write. Cost then follows delivered template messages, and Meta controls the rules, approvals and pricing categories.
It does not replace a helpdesk. Do not choose it if your audience does not use WhatsApp.
Choose Zendesk if…
Pick Zendesk if support is a real function and you want ticketing, a knowledge base and AI agents from one vendor. Every request gets an owner and a status, and repeat questions are answered by the help centre.
It suits teams of several agents, and it also runs a startups programme for qualifying companies. It is priced per agent, and some capabilities and AI resolutions cost extra, so ask for a full quote.
Skip it if you are one person answering a few chats a day. The app does that for less effort.
Other options worth a look
Manage customer support tickets across email, chat and social channels with knowledge base tools.
Centralises customer support across email, chat, social and SMS for ecommerce stores with order-data integration.
Supports customers across email, chat and phone with a unified inbox and an AI resolution agent.
Powers knowledge bases and help centres with AI search, chatbots and an AI writing agent.