Choosing the right CRM can feel like picking the best apple in a whole orchard.
It’s a big decision! You want something to help you organize your contacts, track your sales, and improve customer relationships.
Two of the biggest names in the CRM game are Keap and Zendesk.
Both offer fantastic features, but they have different strengths and weaknesses.
In this post, we’ll compare Keap vs Zendesk to help you decide which is the perfect fit for your business in 2025.
Let’s get started!
Keap vs Zendesk: Overview
We’ve spent weeks testing both Keap and Zendesk to give you the most accurate comparison.
We’ve explored their features and pricing and considered their best use cases.
Now, let’s dive into what makes each platform unique.
Ready to see if Keap is the CRM you’ve been looking for? See how it can change your Business!
Pricing: It has a free plan. Paid plan starts at $299/month
Key Features:
- Sales and Marketing Automation
- Email Marketing
- Reporting and Analytics
Zendesk can reduce your support resolution time by 35%. Start your free trial today!
Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $55/month.
Key Features:
- Ticketing System
- Help Center
- Live Chat
What is Keap?
Ever feel like you're juggling too many things at once? Keap gets it.
This platform is like having a personal assistant for your business.
It helps you organize your contacts, automate your tasks, and track your sales in one place.
Pretty neat? Keap is designed to save you time and make your business run smoother.
It's especially great for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to simplify operations and boost growth.
Key Benefits
Keap's strengths lie in its automation capabilities and e-commerce integrations. Here are some of its best features:
- Visual campaign builder: Easily create automated email sequences and workflows to nurture leads and close sales.
- E-commerce integrations: Connect your online store and automate order processing, fulfillment, and customer follow-up.
- Sales pipeline management: Track deals, manage your sales process, and identify bottlenecks.
- Appointments and scheduling: Schedule meetings and appointments with ease, eliminating back-and-forth emails.
- Detailed reporting and analytics: Track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.
Pricing
Pricing: Starts at $299/month and chat them to get their features.
Pros
Cons
What is Zendesk?
Need a better way to talk to your customers? Zendesk has you covered.
It's a popular customer service platform that helps businesses track and resolve customer issues.
Think of it as a central hub for all your customer interactions.
Emails, chats, social media – Zendesk brings it all together.
This makes it easier for your team to provide excellent support and keep your customers happy.
Ready to see if Zendesk is the answer to your customer service challenges? Thousands of businesses trust Zendesk. See with a free trial.
Key Benefits
- Top-Notch Ticketing System: Organize and track customer inquiries efficiently.
- Customizable Help Center: Create a knowledge base with FAQs and articles.
- Powerful Reporting: Track key metrics like response times and customer satisfaction.
- Omnichannel Support: Interact with the customers across multiple channels like email, chat, and social media.
Pricing
Zendesk offers a variety of plans starting at $19 per agent/month (billed annually). Each plan unlocks more features and capabilities.
- Suite Team ($55/agent/month): Essentials like email, live chat, and help center.
- Suite Growth ($89/agent/month): Adds social messaging, automation, and workflows.
- Suite Professional ($115/agent/month): Includes AI-powered bots, advanced analytics, and custom reporting.
- Suite Enterprise: Unlocks features like skills-based routing and a sandbox environment.
Pros
Cons
Keap vs Zendesk: Feature Comparison
Ready for a head-to-head matchup?
Let's explore the key features of Keap and Zendesk and compare them.
This will give you a better understanding of which software is the right fit for your company.
Contact Management
Both Keap and Zendesk Suite offer robust contact management features.
You can easily store & organize customer data, track interactions, and segment contacts for targeted campaigns.
However, Keap provides more advanced segmentation options, allowing for more precise targeting and personalized communication.
Lead Management
Keap shines when it comes to lead management.
It offers powerful tools to capture, nurture, and track leads throughout the sales pipeline.
While Zendesk can manage leads, its primary focus is customer support rather than lead conversion.
If lead nurturing is a top priority, Keap may be the better choice.
Sales and Marketing Automation
Keap offers a broader range of sales and marketing automation features than Zendesk.
You can simply automate email campaigns, social media posts, & even text messages.
This helps you save time and improve efficiency.
Zendesk's automation capabilities primarily focus on support tasks like ticket routing and automated responses.
Customer Support
Zendesk is a clear winner in the customer support arena.
It offers a comprehensive help desk ticketing system, omnichannel communication, and self-service options.
While Keap provides basic customer support features, it's less robust than Zendesk.
If providing top-notch customer support is crucial for your business, Zendesk is the way to go.
Reporting and Analytics
Both platforms offer reporting and analytics dashboards to track key metrics.
However, Zendesk provides more in-depth reporting options, allowing you to analyze customer interactions, identify trends, and measure the effectiveness of your support efforts.
Keap's reporting is more focused on sales and marketing performance.
Integrations
Both Keap and Zendesk integrate with a wide range of third-party apps.
This allows you to connect your CRM software with other tools you simply use, such as email marketing platforms, accounting software, and e-commerce platforms.
However, Zendesk offers more integrations, giving you more flexibility.
Learning Curve
Keap has a steeper learning curve than Zendesk.
Its interface is more complex and can take some time to master.
Zendesk, on the other hand, is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design.
If you're looking for a platform that's easy to learn and use, Zendesk is the better option.
What to Look for in a CRM Platform?
- Your business size and needs: A small business might need a simple CRM, while a larger company might require a more robust solution.
- Your budget: CRM pricing can vary significantly. Consider your budget and choose a plan that fits your needs.
- Ease of use: Choose an easy CRM for your team to learn and use.
- Features: Ensure the CRM has the necessary features, such as contact management, lead management, and automation.
- Integrations: Choose a CRM that integrates with your other tools, such as accounting software & email marketing platforms.
- Customer support: Make sure the CRM provider offers good customer support if you need help.
- Scalability: Choose a CRM that can grow with your business.
Final Verdict (Our Pick)
Choosing between Keap and Zendesk ultimately depends on your specific needs and priorities.
If you focus on sales and marketing automation, Keap is the better choice.
Its powerful features can help you generate leads, nurture relationships, and close more deals.
However, if your priority is providing excellent customer relationship management, Zendesk is the winner.
Its comprehensive help desk features and omnichannel communication capabilities will empower you to deliver outstanding customer support.
We've spent countless hours researching and testing CRM platforms so that you can trust our insights.
No matter your chosen platform, we're confident you'll take a step towards better customer relationships and business growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keap or Zendesk better for small businesses?
Keap is generally better for small businesses focused on sales and marketing automation. Zendesk can be a good fit for small companies prioritizing customer support, but Keap's pricing is often more manageable for smaller budgets.
Does Zendesk offer a free trial?
Yes, Zendesk offers a free trial for their Suite Team plan. This simply allows you to explore the platform's features and see if it fits your business right before committing to a paid plan.
What is the main difference between Keap and Zendesk?
Keap primarily focuses on sales and marketing automation, while Zendesk specializes in customer service and support. Keap helps you generate leads and close deals, while Zendesk enables you to provide excellent customer support.
Can I integrate Keap or Zendesk with other software?
Both Keap and Zendesk offer integrations with various third-party apps. This allows you to connect your CRM with other tools like email marketing platforms, accounting software, and e-commerce platforms.
Which CRM is more accessible to use, Keap or Zendesk?
Zendesk is more user-friendly than Keap. It has a more straightforward interface and a less steep learning curve. Keap offers more advanced features but can take some time to master.