Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team
HubSpot vs Zendesk
HubSpot
Higher score in this comparison
Zendesk
What sets them apart
| Compare | HubSpotReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | ZendeskReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | Free tools for marketing, sales and service | no free plan, trial only |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 1,800Higher |
| Product | CRM, Help deskCovers more | Help desk |
| Price per user from | Not confirmed | $19 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Plan tiers | Not confirmed | Support Team to Suite plans from $19/month |
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Key differences
- HubSpot scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Free plan: only HubSpot.
- Integrations is higher at Zendesk: 1,800 vs 1,500.
- Audience: only HubSpot offers Beginners.
- Pricing model: only HubSpot offers Free plan.
- Pricing model: only Zendesk offers Free trial.
- Product: only HubSpot offers CRM.
Our verdict on each
HubSpot
HubSpot suits small businesses that want one free starting point covering marketing, sales and service instead of separate tools. Its per user entry starts at €1.75, and a catalogue of 1,500 integrations makes it the widest starting point here.
Zendesk
Zendesk suits small businesses and enterprise support teams that want a broad help desk with a large integration catalog. Entry price is $19 per user, and the trial runs 14 days.
Score breakdown
| Area | HubSpot | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 9.0Entry price is $19 per user, above the help desk median, and there is no free plan. |
| Offer | 9.3Free plan is yes, and Free tools for marketing, sales and service covers marketing, sales and service, with per user entry at €1.75. | 9.8HigherTrial of 14 days plus 1,800 integrations carries the offer score. |
| Trust | 9.3 | Not confirmed |
Which one suits you
Pick HubSpot if cost, free plan, and product matter most.
Pick Zendesk if offer and integrations matter most.
A third option
Keap has integrations at 5,000, against 1,500 for HubSpot and 1,800 for Zendesk.
Keap reviewWhat we checked
HubSpot
- help.hubspot.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hubspot.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- community.hubspot.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Zendesk
- zendesk.com: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- github.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- getmacha.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | HubSpot | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Help desk software | 13 of 51 | 14 of 51 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | HubSpot | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Beginners, Small business, EnterpriseCovers more | Small business, Enterprise |
| Pricing model | Free plan | Free trial |
| Founded | 2006 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Not confirmed |
Business tools
| Fact | HubSpot | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Tool type | Automation, Social | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | HubSpot | Zendesk | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per user from | Not confirmed | $19below the median | $25 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Integrations | 1,500highest quarter | 1,800highest quarter | 77 |
Median across 81 listed software products.
Pros and cons
HubSpot
Pros
- A free plan is offered, and Free tools for marketing, sales and service spans marketing, sales and service rather than one job.
- 1,500 integrations give teams room to connect existing tools.
- It covers crm and help desk in one catalogue, with automation and social sitting alongside them.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community only, so self service articles and the community carry the load.
- The product set spans crm and help desk, which pulls the catalogue well beyond a single help desk.
- It is built for beginners, small business and enterprise audiences, so a focused single job buyer carries more scope than needed.
Zendesk
Pros
- A free trial of 14 days matches the help desk median of 14 days, so evaluation time is not shorter than typical.
- 1,800 integrations give a broad connector range, more than most help desks at this entry price.
- Plans run across Support Team to Suite plans from $19/month, covering both small teams and larger support organisations in one product.
Cons
- There is a free plan: no, and no free plan, trial only confirms trial only, so nothing carries over after the trial ends.
- Entry price of $19 per user sits above the €17.10 median for help desks and above €9 from Monday.com.
- With no free plan, a small team that only needs a shared inbox pays from the first seat rather than starting at no cost.
Who each suits
HubSpot
Who it suits
- Small businesses that want marketing, sales and service in one place, matching Free tools for marketing, sales and service.
- Teams already running other tools, since 1,500 integrations keep those connections open.
- First time CRM buyers, as beginners, small business and enterprise includes beginners as well as enterprise.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs a single-purpose tool, since crm and help desk plus automation and social covers a wide catalogue.
- Teams wanting phone or live chat help, because support runs on help centre and community.
- Shoppers comparing against CreatorHero, Infloww or WayMaker Markets purely on a free plan, since none of them offers one.
Zendesk
Who it suits
- Small businesses that already budget for a paid support desk and can start on a trial
- Enterprise support teams wanting a wide integration catalog inside one product
- Support leads who plan seats carefully because entry price starts above the help desk median
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who need a free plan, where HubSpot has one: yes
- Teams on the tightest per user budget, where Monday.com starts at €9
- Small teams wanting a permanently free tier rather than a trial, since no free plan, trial only is trial only
Current offers
Zendesk
Current offer
Free trial
Start your free trial: free trial
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
HubSpot
Does HubSpot have a free plan?+
Yes, there is a free plan. The listing confirms a free plan is available, and Free tools for marketing, sales and service describes what it covers. Entry pricing for paid tiers starts at €1.75 per user, so a small team can test the platform before committing to a subscription.
What does the free plan include?+
The free plan covers Free tools for marketing, sales and service. That single entry point is the separator against CreatorHero, Infloww and WayMaker Markets, where a free plan is not offered. Coverage spans crm and help desk in one place rather than a single job.
Zendesk
How much does Zendesk cost per user?+
Entry pricing is $19 per user. That figure belongs to the entry plan rather than to the whole range. Support Team to Suite plans from $19/month shows tiers running from Support Team to Suite plans, so higher plans cost more per seat. Cost is driven by how many agents you add, not by the trial length.
Does Zendesk have a free plan?+
There is a free plan: no. no free plan, trial only describes the offering as trial only, so nothing stays free after the evaluation ends. 14 days is the access you get before you choose a paid plan. Buyers who need a lasting free tier should look at HubSpot, which has one.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
HubSpot
Zendesk