Zendesk is seen as an affordable and streamlined solution for a company’s help desk needs. They’ve recently implemented AI features to keep up with a growing demand for AI solutions in customer support. However, their separation of certain AI features behind paywalls, automatic resolution charges, and a lack of clarity regarding what is and isn’t included in each AI package can be very confusing. 

Powerful? Yes. Simple? Not always. The cost can add up quickly for smaller businesses or large support teams. We’re here to set the record straight and provide a comprehensive overview of their AI pricing so that you can have both eyes open when choosing what AI option is best for you.

Plans that include AI

As you can see above, the Zendesk plans are priced reasonably and all of them include the Generative AI features that you can turn on for your bots in the admin center. You can check out this setup guide here to learn how to turn on Generative AI features.

Depending on your team size, you will want to make sure you’re selecting the correct suite plan for your needs. Here are the features of each plan:

There’s also the Enterprise Tier, which requires contacting the sales team for more information on pricing, and includes the following extra features:

• Eligible for Advanced Data Privacy and Protection add-on

• Sandbox

• AI-powered Content Cues

• Content blocks

• Custom agent roles

• Dynamic, contextual workspaces

(Note that when the feature mentions ‘eligibility’, it means that there is a paid add-on that requires you to be using that tier.)

Zendesk Generative AI and Advanced AI

Generative AI and Advanced AI are how Zendesk differentiates between the two types of AI they offer. Generative AI is included in their base plans, while Advanced AI is a paid add-on.

At a glance, here are the main differences between the two AI offerings:

You can find more detailed information on the Zendesk support center here.

Generative AI is clearly a very simplified implementation of what AI is able to assist with. While it’s great that it’s available for the widgets and other chatbot areas of Zendesk, it seems like a way to funnel people toward purchasing their Advanced AI add-on.

The Advanced AI add-on includes many more features that people are seeking that add true optimization to their support. This can add a lot of extra expenses to a support team, however, so let’s look into a case study for a business to see how that might look and what factors may impact pricing.

Factors that impact pricing

As with many subscription-based services, Zendesk’s pricing model (especially with their AI) increases as the business needs to expand. The final bill can depend on things like:

Number of agents

Not only does your suite plan cost increase per agent, but the Advanced AI cost increases per agent.

Customer interaction volume/number of automated resolutions

Zendesk’s AI (both Generative and Advanced) only includes a limited number of automated resolutions before they start charging. There has been some confusion about what the definition of an ‘automated resolution’ is, as some Zendesk users have reported any customer interaction involving the bot that does not get escalated to a human agent is being charged as an ‘automated resolution’, regardless of whether anything is actually resolved.

One Zendesk user says: "A resolved conversation is when the bot asks if the issue is resolved yes/no? If the client confirms that yes, it is resolved. Then it is resolved. If a client just leaves a conversation, it doesn't mean that it is resolved. I'm surprised that you're going to charge $1.5 per such conversation."

(Source: Zendesk Product Guide Article "About automated resolutions for AI agents.")

Integration needs

If you need AI capabilities outside of the Zendesk platform, you may need to invest more money for alternative tools.

Monthly or annually billed

The monthly billing is more expensive than the annual subscription, but it can be hard to make the commitment for long-term subscriptions when you’re unsure about the value or additional costs of things like automated resolutions. This can be especially difficult to commit to given that Zendesk has had a spotty history of promising upcoming features for certain tiers and delivering paid add-ons instead.

Advanced AI features needed

If Generative AI doesn’t sound like enough, then the Advanced AI add-on will have a significant impact on the bottom line.

Hypothetical case study

Tim is the owner of a medium-sized business called “Stamp Camp” which sells custom stamps to a large target demographic of stamp-collecting enthusiasts around the world. They have 14 customer support agents as they have a large volume of customer inquiries. 

Tim currently pays for the basic suite on an annual basis, which costs him $9,240 per year. 

Tim has used Zendesk for a while and has tried their Generative AI features, but finds that he wants to purchase the Zendesk Advanced AI add-on so that his agents can have an easier time dealing with routine inquiries. 

In order to purchase the Advanced AI add-on, Tim has to upgrade to the Professional Suite plan as it’s not available for the Basic or Growth Suite plans at all. 

Tim’s new annual cost for Zendesk is $19,320. But wait! Tim also needs to include the cost of the Advanced AI add-on he’s just purchased, which is an extra $8,400.

Tim’s total expense for Zendesk, without increasing the number of agents he has, is $27,720.

If Stamp Camp decides to hire just one more support agent, this cost will increase by almost $2,000 per year. The cost would be even more expensive if Tim doesn’t have the capital or the confidence to commit to the annual plan. 

After analyzing the data from his automated resolutions, Tim realizes that he has been paying for automated resolutions where the customer has not had their inquiry fulfilled but has simply closed the chat. This has cost Tim an extra $1-2 every time a customer does this.

Tim probably decides not to continue paying for the Advanced AI add-on.

Looking for a better deal?

At eesel, we want you to get value for your money. Our tool is designed to help your business be more productive and profitable, not hinder your ability to scale effectively. 

Our plans start at $49/month, billed monthly, and include 200 replies a month as part of your plan, compared to Zendesk providing only 5 resolutions/agent/month on their lowest plan. 

Additionally, our plans do not get more expensive when you have more support agents. 

Multiple bots, unlimited knowledge training from any knowledge source (not just your help center), and not getting charged an arm and a leg for each automated resolution that eesel AI solves on your agents’ behalf.

Each company is different, and Zendesk’s AI offerings, while pricey, might be the right choice for some. But hopefully, we’ve been able to untangle some of the confusion around their plans and add-ons so that you can make an informed decision.