HubSpot vs Zendesk: The Ultimate Showdown for Smarter Customer Service
Choosing the right platform for your customer service isn’t just about ticketing. It’s about building a smooth, personalized client experience that keeps people coming back… and telling others. That’s where two giants come in: HubSpot with Service Hub and Zendesk.
Both are powerful customer support solutions packed with automation, analytics, and CRM integrations. But they don’t serve the same needs. Zendesk leans into deep ticketing and support workflows, while HubSpot builds around a unified CRM for seamless marketing, sales, and service.
So, how do they really compare? Which tool is better for your support team, your business, and your budget?
👉 In this guide, we’ll break down their features, pricing, interface, integrations, and real-world use cases, so you can confidently pick the platform that fits your team’s needs, whether you’re scaling a startup or upgrading an enterprise.
What is HubSpot?
General presentation of HubSpot
HubSpot Service Hub is designed to help companies deliver faster, smarter, and more personal support. HubSpot’s customer platform connects your support agents with marketing and sales teams under one roof.
Unlike legacy helpdesk tools, HubSpot doesn’t treat customer support as an isolated function. It turns it into a key part of the customer journey. That means fewer silos, better context during interactions, and ultimately, a stronger client relationship.
It’s a great fit for companies already using HubSpot’s CRM or marketing tools, but even as a standalone support platform, it holds its own against major players like Zendesk.
Key features of HubSpot
Before we dive into a face-off with Zendesk, let’s look at what HubSpot Service Hub actually offers. This isn’t just a simple ticketing tool, it’s a full-featured support platform built to enhance the client experience, empower your support team, and surface actionable insights with every interaction.
⚒️ Here are the most important features you’ll find in HubSpot:
- Shared inbox: direct and manage all support messages (email, chat, etc.) from a single, collaborative space
- Ticketing system: automate and track requests across channels with status, priority, and SLAs
- Knowledge base: build a self-service knowledge base to reduce repetitive tickets and support load
- Automation workflows: trigger actions based on ticket status, customer behavior, or internal rules
- Customer portal: let users view ticket history and manage their support requests in real time
- Reporting dashboard: get detailed report and analytics on response times, ticket volume, and team performance
- CRM integration: leverage full client context from HubSpot CRM to personalize every interaction
Service Hub
Pros and cons of HubSpot
Like any support solution, HubSpot Service Hub isn’t perfect. It brings serious advantages, especially for businesses already using HubSpot, but it also comes with a few limitations that might be deal-breakers depending on your structure and use case.
✅ Here’s where HubSpot Service shines. From automation to integration with the broader HubSpot ecosystem, these are the strengths that make it a compelling option:
- Seamless integration with HubSpot CRM, marketing, and sales tools
- Super intuitive and clean interface, even for non-technical users
- Strong automation options, including ticket routing and agent assignment
- Detailed reporting with built-in dashboards and custom views
- Easy to build and manage a knowledge base for self-service
- Solid free plan for small teams or startups
❌ No software is perfect, and while HubSpot delivers a polished experience, it might not suit every organization :
- More limited ticketing customization than Zendesk
- Pricing scales quickly as you unlock advanced features
- Fewer native support integrations compared to Zendesk
- Some automation features only available on higher plans
- Less suitable for large support teams with complex SLAs or call centers
What is Zendesk?
General presentation of Zendesk
Zendesk is one of the most established names in customer support software and for good reason. It was built from the ground up to manage ticketing, optimize support workflows, and help teams handle high volumes of client interactions with precision.
While HubSpot leans on its CRM roots, Zendesk is first and foremost a support-first platform. It’s laser-focused on helping your support agents resolve issues faster, streamline ticket management, and provide consistent, high-quality client service, whether you're a startup or a global enterprise.
Zendesk also shines in complex, high-scale support environments, thanks to its deep customization capabilities, powerful automations, and broad integration ecosystem.
Key features of Zendesk
Zendesk isn’t just a glorified email inbox, it’s a robust service platform purpose-built for professional support operations. If your support team is dealing with hundreds (or thousands) of tickets a week, this tool is designed for you.
⚒️ Here’s what Zendesk brings to the table:
- Multi-channel ticketing: manage requests via email, chat, phone, social, and web—all in one place
- Advanced ticket routing: automatically assign tickets to the right agent based on rules, skills, and load
- Knowledge base builder: create a comprehensive knowledge base with smart search and suggestions
- Macros and triggers: use predefined replies and workflow automations to save time
- Custom SLAs and workflows: fine-tune the system to your internal processes and customer promises
- AI-powered bots and suggestions: offer instant replies or direct users before they reach a human
- Powerful analytics: dive deep into reporting and analytics, agent performance, and channel metrics
Zendesk
Pros and cons of Zendesk
Zendesk brings firepower and for large teams with high expectations, that’s a big win. But its complexity and pricing can be a barrier for smaller teams or those looking for a more unified platform like HubSpot. Let’s break it down!
✅ Zendesk is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to customer support operations. Here’s what makes it stand out:
- One of the best ticketing systems on the market
- Ultra-flexible workflow customization and automations
- Mature, battle-tested platform for large-scale support teams
- Broad ecosystem of native integrations and apps
- Excellent reporting and granular data visibility
- Strong performance at scale, even across multiple departments
❌ With great power comes… complexity. Here are the areas where Zendesk might not be the ideal fit:
- Steep learning curve for new users or smaller teams
- Interface feels less modern than HubSpot’s, especially for non-tech profiles
- CRM functionality is minimal compared to HubSpot
- Some automations and analytics features are locked behind premium plans
- Pricing can grow quickly, especially with add-ons and per-agent costs
HubSpot vs Zendesk: Compare features
Choosing between HubSpot and Zendesk comes down to what matters most for your team: ease of use, ticket management, CRM context, or automation power. To help you decide, here’s a detailed comparison of the two platforms' core functionalities.
| Feature | HubSpot Service Hub | Zendesk Support Suite |
| Ticketing system | Basic to advanced, linked to CRM | Industry-leading with advanced routing |
| Shared inbox | Unified across teams | Available but less intuitive |
| CRM integration | Native (HubSpot CRM) | ❌ Minimal (requires integration) |
| Automation workflows | Drag & drop automation builder | Rule-based automations, more granular |
| Knowledge base | Simple to set up and use | Advanced with AI suggestions |
| Customer portal | Branded self-service portal | Customer-facing portal via add-on |
| Reporting & analytics | Clear dashboards with CRM insights | Deep reports, very customizable |
| Live chat & chatbots | Included via Conversations | Advanced, with AI-powered bots |
| Multichannel support | Email, chat, limited phone | Email, chat, phone, social, API |
| Integrations & APIs | 2,000+ apps, full API, very mature ecosystem | 1,200+ apps |
Focus on ticket management
With Zendesk, you get:
- Complex ticket routing rules based on skills, time, language, etc.
- SLA policies with escalation options
- Advanced triggers and macros
- Deep visibility into ticket status and history
HubSpot, on the other hand, keeps it simpler, tickets are tied directly to CRM records, making it easier for sales or marketing to see the full client interaction. It’s ideal for teams that need visibility but not complex workflows.
✅ Verdict: HubSpot offers better cross-team visibility with native CRM integration, while Zendesk provides more advanced ticketing customization.
Focus on CRM integration
HubSpot is natively connected to its own CRM, so support agents have immediate access to:
- Full client history (emails, calls, deals, etc.)
- Lifecycle stages
- Marketing or sales interactions
Zendesk offers CRM integrations (like Salesforce or HubSpot CRM), but they’re not native, and often require setup or third-party tools.
✅ Verdict: HubSpot is the better pick for CRM-powered service.
Focus on automation
HubSpot makes it simple to create workflows via a visual builder: you can automate things like:
- Emails
- Internal notifications
- Status changes
It’s ideal for teams that want to move fast without coding.
Zendesk offers more powerful:
- Rule-based logic
- Triggers
- conditions
It’s more flexible, but also more complex to configure.
✅ Verdict: HubSpot enables faster, business-wide automation with less technical setup. Zendesk offers deeper, support-specific rule configurations.
Focus on knowledge base
Zendesk’s Help Center is extremely customizable, with features like:
- Article suggestions
- Feedback scoring
- AI-powered search
HubSpot’s knowledge base is easier to set up and manage, and integrates seamlessly into the customer portal.
✅ Verdict: HubSpot excels at quick deployment with integrated customer portals. Zendesk suits enterprises needing extensive multilingual customization.
Focus on reporting & analytics
Zendesk Explore gives granular insights into:
- Agent performance
- Channel usage
- Resolution time
HubSpot offers solid reporting tied to its CRM, but advanced insights (like custom reports) often require higher plans.
✅ Verdict: HubSpot delivers unified insights across the entire customer journey with CRM-powered dashboards. Zendesk provides granular support-specific analytics for specialized teams.
HubSpot vs Zendesk: Compare pricing
Below is a side‑by‑side comparison of the main pricing tiers for HubSpot Service Hub vs Zendesk.
| Plan tier | HubSpot Service Hub | Zendesk |
| Free | “Free Tools”:
|
- |
| Starter | “Service Hub Starter” - from $9/seat/month:
|
“Support Team” - from $22.17 /seat/month:
|
| Basic | “Starter Customer
Platform” - from $9/seat/month:
|
“Suite Team” - from $64.18 /seat/month:
|
| Professional | “Service Hub
Professional” - from $90/seat/month:
|
“Suite Professional” - from $134.20 /seat/month:
|
| Enterprise / Advanced | “Service Hub
Enterprise” - from $150seat//month:
|
“Suite Enterprise” - from $197,22 /seat/month:
|
HubSpot vs Zendesk: Which interface is more intuitive?
When it comes to daily use, even the most powerful platform can fall short if your team finds it frustrating. A clean, intuitive interface isn’t just cosmetic: it boosts adoption, productivity, and the quality of every client interaction.
Let’s compare how HubSpot and Zendesk perform on usability.
| Criteria | HubSpot Service Hub | Zendesk Support Suite |
| Ease of use | Very intuitive, drag-and-drop logic, modern UI | ⚠️ Functional but more complex, steeper learning curve |
| Ergonomics | Seamless navigation, CRM context always visible | ⚠️ Powerful but cluttered in high-volume setups |
| Customization | ⚠️ Limited UI-level changes, focuses on simplicity | Highly customizable dashboards, fields, workflows |
| Mobile accessibility | Fully mobile-optimized app (iOS + Android) | Mobile app available, less fluid UX |
| Interface updates | Frequent updates, consistent UX across HubSpot tools | ⚠️ Regular updates but some legacy UI remains |
🧠 Analysis:
- HubSpot puts the user first with a sleek, CRM-powered UI. Agents see ticket details, full customer history, and conversation threads all in one place. The interface is consistent across its marketing, sales, and service tools, which makes adoption smoother for cross-functional teams.
- Zendesk is more technical and feature-dense. It gives power users a lot of flexibility, but it comes at the cost of clarity. The interface can feel overwhelming, especially when managing a high volume of tickets or configuring advanced workflows. That said, power users love it for its depth.
HubSpot vs Zendesk: Compare integrations
The better a customer service tool integrates with your existing CRM, marketing, and business applications, the more it becomes a central part of your IT ecosystem. For decision-makers, the number of integrations, ease of connection, and automation capabilities can make or break a software choice.
👉 Number of integrations available
- HubSpot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Over 2,000 integrations via the HubSpot App Marketplace. Seamless connections with Gmail, Outlook, Zapier, Slack, Zoom, Stripe, Intercom, and of course, the full HubSpot CRM and marketing stack. Slightly less “deep” support-side connectors compared to Zendesk, but excellent breadth. - Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Roughly 1,200+ native integrations via the Zendesk Marketplace. Out-of-the-box connectors with Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Aircall, Zoom, Shopify, Trello, and more. Zendesk plays well with almost every support, e-commerce, and communication tool out there.
👉 Ease of setup
- HubSpot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Integrations are typically easy to install—often a few clicks thanks to HubSpot’s clear UI and native CRM logic. Many apps sync automatically with contact and ticket data. Ideal for teams without a dedicated IT admin. - Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Great documentation and a large community, but setup sometimes requires technical knowledge, especially for advanced ticket routing or trigger-based workflows. Expect some manual steps for full deployment.
👉 Customization and automation
- HubSpot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Visual automation builder makes it easy to connect apps to ticket updates, client actions, or form submissions. Sync external data, trigger alerts, or enrich report analytics dashboards across tools. While not as granular as Zendesk, it's very efficient and user-friendly.
Zendesk: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Powerful when tied to macros, triggers, and SLA rules. You can automate responses, route tickets based on app inputs, and build dynamic support flows. A favorite for structured support teams handling large volumes.
💡 Conclusion:
- HubSpot transforms customer service from a cost center into a revenue driver with its unified platform that connects service, sales, and marketing under one roof. It's ideal for growing businesses that want a complete view of the customer journey, faster deployment, and predictable total cost of ownership.
- Zendesk takes the lead on deep ticketing customization and support-specific workflows, making it a solid choice for large enterprises with complex, high-volume support operations that require specialized configuration
When to choose HubSpot or Zendesk?
There’s no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to customer service platforms. The right choice depends on your company size, internal structure, tool stack, and how you define success: speed? Personalization? Automation? Cross-team visibility?
Typical use cases for HubSpot Service Hub
HubSpot is the better pick when you want your customer support tightly integrated with CRM, sales, and marketing efforts. Its strength lies in breaking silos and creating one unified view of the client experience, from the first interaction to long-term loyalty.
📌 Choose HubSpot if you’re:
- A growing startup or SMB looking for a scalable, all-in-one CRM + support solution
- Already using HubSpot Marketing or Sales tools and want to centralize your stack
- Managing multi-touch interactions between sales, marketing, and support teams
- Prioritizing an intuitive interface over deep ticketing customizations
- Focused on building automated but personalized client journeys
- Needing a quick deployment with minimal technical setup
- Creating a knowledge base and customer portal for a hybrid support approach
- Interested in aligning reporting and analytics across all departments
Typical use cases for Zendesk
Zendesk shines when you have a mature or high-volume support operation, especially one that requires deep ticketing workflows, role-specific automation, and multiple channels (email, chat, voice, social, API).
📌 Choose Zendesk if you’re:
- A mid-sized to enterprise company with a dedicated support team
- Running a high volume of tickets that need complex triage or SLA rules
- Supporting clients across multiple channels and time zones
- Looking for advanced automation tied to triggers, tags, and macros
- Wanting to deeply customize how your agents handle interactions
- Operating in sectors like SaaS, e-commerce, telecom, or B2C support at scale
- Needing granular analytics and reporting to monitor team performance
- Integrating with tools like Salesforce, Jira, or advanced telephony systems
Zendesk or HubSpot, which one fits your team?
After putting both platforms to the test, one thing is clear: there’s no absolute winner, only the tool that best matches your company’s priorities, team structure, and customer journey.
👉 If your goal is to unify support, CRM, marketing, and sales into a single, fluid platform with minimal technical overhead, HubSpot Service Hub is your best ally. It’s perfect for growing businesses that want visibility, speed, and personalization without sacrificing simplicity.
👉 If you run a high-volume support operation that demands advanced ticketing, deep automation, and flexible SLAs, Zendesk is a powerhouse. It’s ideal for established teams that live and breathe customer service at scale.
FAQ – HubSpot vs Zendesk
What is the main difference between HubSpot and Zendesk?
HubSpot Service Hub is built around a native CRM and designed for unified customer journeys across marketing, sales, and support.
Zendesk, on the other hand, is a dedicated customer service platform focused on ticket management, automation, and multichannel support. HubSpot is ideal for cross-functional teams, while Zendesk excels in high-volume, support-driven environments.
Is HubSpot better than Zendesk for small businesses?
Yes, HubSpot is often a better fit for startups and SMBs thanks to its free plan, intuitive interface, and built-in CRM integration. It's easier to set up and scales well without requiring a full IT team.
Can you use both HubSpot and Zendesk together?
Yes. While they overlap in functionality, HubSpot and Zendesk can be connected via native or third-party integrations. This setup allows companies to use Zendesk for advanced support ticketing while keeping HubSpot as their central CRM and marketing engine.
Which platform has better automation features?
Zendesk offers more powerful, granular automation for support teams (triggers, macros, workflows).
HubSpot provides a visual automation builder that’s more accessible, especially when combining support with sales or marketing automation.
Does Zendesk include a CRM?
Not really. Zendesk has limited CRM-like features, but it’s not designed to replace a full CRM system. For real client relationship management, pairing it with tools like Salesforce or HubSpot CRM is recommended.