8x8
Zendesk
| Feature | 8x8 | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $28/mo | From $55/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | international-businesses, contact-centers, healthcare, financial-services | enterprise, customer-support-teams, saas-companies, e-commerce |
| Founded | 1987 | 2007 |
| Unlimited Calling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Conferencing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Contact Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ticketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Bots | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 8x8 Pros
- Unlimited international calling
- Strong contact center features
- Good uptime and reliability
- Compliant for healthcare and finance
✗ 8x8 Cons
- Interface feels dated
- Support can be slow
- Pricing not transparent
✓ Zendesk Pros
- Industry standard for support teams
- Omnichannel — email, chat, phone, social
- Powerful automation and triggers
- Extensive marketplace of integrations
✗ Zendesk Cons
- Expensive for small teams
- Complex setup and configuration
- UI can feel outdated
The Verdict
8x8 is built for international businesses and contact centers, with a focus on unlimited-calling and video-conferencing. Zendesk targets enterprise and customer support teams and leads with ticketing and live-chat.
On pricing, 8x8 is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $28/mo compared to $55/mo for Zendesk. That $27/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Feature-wise, Zendesk offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while 8x8 takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Zendesk has a slight overall edge — but if unlimited international calling matters most to you, 8x8 may still be the right call.