Bouts / LiveAgent vs Zoho Desk
LiveAgent vs Zoho Desk
Red cornerLiveAgent
$15 per agent a month, billed annually, or $19 month to month (Small business)
Blue cornerZoho Desk
$7 per user a month, billed annually (Express)
LiveAgent wins 3–1 at 10 agents (clear win). LiveAgent takes the bill, price tags and user verdict; Zoho Desk takes security; 2 rounds are even.
The judges' card
| Round | LiveAgent | What happened | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1The bill | W | At 10 agents with AI on: LiveAgent $150 (an AI price is not public), Zoho Desk $400 (an AI price is not public) a month. LiveAgent is 63% cheaper and takes the round. | |
| Round 2Price tags | W | LiveAgent offers AI prices in public, but with a minimum, annual-only terms or vague limits; Zoho Desk offers seat prices, with the AI priced by quote or not at all. LiveAgent takes the round. | |
| Round 3AI | = | Both offer an AI agent that answers from the help center. Even. | = |
| Round 4Desk basics | = | Both offer all that plus phone and messaging apps. Even. | = |
| Round 5Security | Zoho Desk offers SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, EU hosting, a HIPAA BAA and a no-training promise; LiveAgent offers security claims without audit reports. Zoho Desk takes the round. | W | |
| Round 6User verdict | W | On G2: LiveAgent 4.5 from 1,537 reviews, Zoho Desk 4.4 from 7,988 reviews. LiveAgent takes the round. | |
| Rounds won | 3 | LiveAgent wins, 2 even | 1 |
Does team size change it?
Only the bill round depends on team size. Here is the full result in each weight class.
Small team
- LiveAgent
- $45
- Zoho Desk
- $120
3 agents, 750 conversations a month. LiveAgent wins 3–1.
Mid-size team
- LiveAgent
- $150
- Zoho Desk
- $400
10 agents, 2,500 conversations a month. LiveAgent wins 3–1.
Large team
- LiveAgent
- $375
- Zoho Desk
- $1,000
25 agents, 6,250 conversations a month. LiveAgent wins 3–1.
Monthly bills from USD list prices, annual billing where offered, with the AI agent resolving 20% of conversations and agent assist for every agent. Plans: LiveAgent Small business; Zoho Desk Enterprise.
Tale of the tape
| Quality Unit | Made by | Zoho Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| per agent | Pricing | per agent |
| $15 per agent a month, billed annually, or $19 month to month (Small business) | Paid plans from | $7 per user a month, billed annually (Express) |
| Small business | Plan we priced | Enterprise |
| $45 | 3 agents, AI on | $120 |
| $150 | 10 agents, AI on | $400 |
| $375 | 25 agents, AI on | $1,000 |
| Billed in FlowHunt credits: €50 a month for 50 credits, €120 for 120, €500 for 500; no USD price published | AI agent price | Not published; uses Zia Agent credits with no published rate per reply; Included in Standard, Professional and Enterprise |
| Email, Live chat, Phone, WhatsApp, Social | Channels | Email, Live chat, WhatsApp, Social |
| No | Free plan | Up to 3 users with email ticketing |
| 30 days | Free trial | 15 days |
| Yes | Monthly billing | Yes |
| None published | Audit reports | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27701, SOC 2 + HIPAA Type 2 |
| US-only or Europe-only hosting, with AWS regions in Germany, Ireland, Northern California and Singapore | Data hosting | Choice of US, EU (Amsterdam and Dublin), India, Australia, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore and China data centers |
| 4.5 (1,537) | G2 rating | 4.4 (7,988) |
| 4.7 (1,789) | Capterra rating | 4.5 (2,216) |
Questions
Which is better, LiveAgent or Zoho Desk?
LiveAgent wins 3–1 at 10 agents (clear win). LiveAgent takes the bill, price tags and user verdict; Zoho Desk takes security; 2 rounds are even.
Is LiveAgent cheaper than Zoho Desk?
At 10 agents with the AI agent and agent assist on, LiveAgent comes to $150 a month and Zoho Desk to $400, from list prices. LiveAgent takes the bill round.
Which has the better AI, LiveAgent or Zoho Desk?
Both offer an AI agent that answers from the help center. Even.
