Keap vs Zendesk: Which CRM is Best for You in 2025?

by | Last updated Jun 1, 2025

Runner Up
keap
9.5
  • Automation Builder
  • CRM
  • Email & Text
  • Landing Pages
  • Sales Pipeline
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $249/month
Winner
Zendesk
7.5
  • Great Organization Management
  • Excellent Reporting Tools
  • Customer Management
  • Messaging & Live Chat
  • AI and Automation
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plan Starts at $19/month
Keap vs Zendesk

Choosing the right CRM can feel like picking the best apple in a whole orchard.

It’s a big decision! You want something to help you organize your contacts, track your sales, and improve customer relationships.

Two of the biggest names in the CRM game are Keap and Zendesk.

Both offer fantastic features, but they have different strengths and weaknesses.

In this post, we’ll compare Keap vs Zendesk to help you decide which is the perfect fit for your business in 2025.

Let’s get started!

Overview

We’ve spent weeks testing both Keap and Zendesk to give you the most accurate comparison.

We’ve explored their features and pricing and considered their best use cases.

Now, let’s dive into what makes each platform unique.

Keap CRM

Ready to see if Keap is the CRM you’ve been looking for? See how it can change your Business!

9.5out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. Paid plan starts at $249/month

Key Features:

  • Sales and Marketing Automation
  • Email Marketing
  • Reporting and Analytics
Zendesk

Zendesk can reduce your support resolution time by 35%. Start your free trial today!

7.5out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $19/month.

Key Features:

  • Ticketing System
  • Help Center
  • Live Chat

What is Keap?

Ever feel like you’re juggling too many things at once? Keap gets it.

This platform is like having a personal assistant for your business.

It helps you organize your contacts, automate your tasks, and track your sales in one place.

Pretty neat? Keap is designed to save you time and make your business run smoother.

It’s especially great for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to simplify operations and boost growth.

Also, explore our favorite Keap alternatives

Keap CRM
Keap CRM
9.5

Ready to see if Keap is the CRM you’ve been looking for? Thousands of businesses trust Keap. Join them and see how it can change your Business!

Key Benefits

Keap’s strengths lie in its automation capabilities and e-commerce integrations. Here are some of its best features:

  • Visual campaign builder: Easily create automated email sequences and workflows to nurture leads and close sales.
  • E-commerce integrations: Connect your online store and automate order processing, fulfillment, and customer follow-up.
  • Sales pipeline management: Track deals, manage your sales process, and identify bottlenecks.
  • Appointments and scheduling: Schedule meetings and appointments with ease, eliminating back-and-forth emails.
  • Detailed reporting and analytics: Track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.

Pricing

Pricing: Starts at $299/month and chat them to get their features.

Keap Pricing

Pros

  • Robust automation features
  • User-friendly interface
  • Excellent customer support
  • Integrates with many other apps.
  • Offers a mobile app.
  • Great for small businesses.

Cons

  • Limited customization options.
  • Some features feel basic.
  • Reporting could be more robust.
  • Not ideal for complex sales processes

What is Zendesk?

Need a better way to talk to your customers? Zendesk has you covered.

It’s a popular customer service platform that helps businesses track and resolve customer issues.

Think of it as a central hub for all your customer interactions.

Emails, chats, social media – Zendesk brings it all together.

This makes it easier for your team to provide excellent support and keep your customers happy.

Also, explore our favorite Zendesk alternatives

Zendesk
Zendesk
7.5

Ready to see if Zendesk is the answer to your customer service challenges? Thousands of businesses trust Zendesk. See with a free trial.

Key Benefits

  • Top-Notch Ticketing System: Organize and track customer inquiries efficiently.
  • Customizable Help Center: Create a knowledge base with FAQs and articles.
  • Powerful Reporting: Track key metrics like response times and customer satisfaction.
  • Omnichannel Support: Interact with the customers across multiple channels like email, chat, and social media.

Pricing

  • Support Team: $19/agent/month.
  • Suite Team: $55/agent/month.
  • Suite Professional: $115/agent/month.
  • Suite Enterprise: Talk to sales for custom pricing based on your requirements.
Zendesk Pricing

Pros

  • Easy to set up and use.
  • Highly Customizable
  • Wide range of integrations.
  • Excellent Scalability
  • Excellent reporting and analytics.

Cons

  • Can Get Expensive
  • Limited Marketing Features
  • Some Features Feel Complex
  • Occasional performance issues.

Feature Comparison

Ready for a head-to-head matchup?

Let’s explore the key features of Keap and Zendesk and compare them.

This will give you a better understanding of which software is the right fit for your company.

1. Contact Management

Both Keap and Zendesk Suite offer robust contact management features.

You can easily store & organize customer data, track interactions, and segment contacts for targeted campaigns.

However, Keap provides more advanced segmentation options, allowing for more precise targeting and personalized communication.

2. Lead Management

Keap shines when it comes to lead management.

It offers powerful tools to capture, nurture, and track leads throughout the sales pipeline.

While Zendesk can manage leads, its primary focus is customer support rather than lead conversion.

If lead nurturing is a top priority, Keap may be the better choice.

Keap CRM

3. Sales and Marketing Automation

Keap offers a broader range of sales and marketing automation features than Zendesk.

You can simply automate email campaigns, social media posts, & even text messages.

This helps you save time and improve efficiency.

Zendesk’s automation capabilities primarily focus on support tasks like ticket routing and automated responses.

4. Customer Support

Zendesk is a clear winner in the customer support arena.

It offers a comprehensive help desk ticketing system, omnichannel communication, and self-service options.

While Keap provides basic customer support features, it’s less robust than Zendesk.

If providing top-notch customer support is crucial for your business, Zendesk is the way to go.

5. Reporting and Analytics

Both platforms offer reporting and analytics dashboards to track key metrics.

However, Zendesk provides more in-depth reporting options, allowing you to analyze customer interactions, identify trends, and measure the effectiveness of your support efforts.

Keap’s reporting is more focused on sales and marketing performance.

6. Integrations

Both Keap and Zendesk integrate with a wide range of third-party apps.

This allows you to connect your CRM software with other tools you simply use, such as email marketing platforms, accounting software, and e-commerce platforms.

However, Zendesk offers more integrations, giving you more flexibility.

Personal experience with Zendesk

7. Learning Curve

Keap has a steeper learning curve than Zendesk.

Its interface is more complex and can take some time to master.

Zendesk, on the other hand, is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design.

If you’re looking for a platform that’s easy to learn and use, Zendesk is the better option.

What to Look for in a CRM Platform?

  • Your business size and needs: A small business might need a simple CRM, while a larger company might require a more robust solution.
  • Your budget: CRM pricing can vary significantly. Consider your budget and choose a plan that fits your needs.
  • Ease of use: Choose an easy CRM for your team to learn and use.
  • Features: Ensure the CRM has the necessary features, such as contact management, lead management, and automation.
  • Integrations: Choose a CRM that integrates with your other tools, such as accounting software & email marketing platforms.
  • Customer support: Make sure the CRM provider offers good customer support if you need help.
  • Scalability: Choose a CRM that can grow with your business.

Final Verdict

Choosing between Keap and Zendesk ultimately depends on your specific needs and priorities.

If you focus on sales and marketing automation, Keap is the better choice.

Its powerful features can help you generate leads, nurture relationships, and close more deals.

However, if your priority is providing excellent customer relationship management, Zendesk is the winner.

Its comprehensive help desk features and omnichannel communication capabilities will empower you to deliver outstanding customer support.

We’ve spent countless hours researching and testing CRM platforms so that you can trust our insights.

No matter your chosen platform, we’re confident you’ll take a step towards better customer relationships and business growth.

More of Keap

Here’s a comparison of Keap with various alternatives:

  • Keap vs GoHighLevel: Keap is strong for small business automation and CRM. GoHighLevel offers a more comprehensive all-in-one platform for agencies, with broader marketing and sales tools.
  • Keap vs Pipedrive: Keap excels in marketing automation and integrated sales. Pipedrive focuses more on visual sales pipeline management and deal tracking.
  • Keap vs ActiveCampaign: Keap provides an all-in-one business automation solution for service-based small businesses. ActiveCampaign specializes in sophisticated email marketing and customer experience automation.
  • Keap vs HubSpot: Keap integrates CRM, marketing automation, and e-commerce for small businesses. HubSpot offers a broader suite of hubs for sales, marketing, service, and content, suitable for various business sizes.
  • Keap vs ClickFunnels: Keap offers CRM, marketing automation, and e-commerce. ClickFunnels is primarily a sales funnel and landing page builder with some lead collection functionality.
  • Keap vs Folk: Keap provides robust sales and marketing automation with deep customization. Folk offers a simpler, user-friendly interface focused on collaborative contact management.
  • Keap vs Instantly: Keap is a comprehensive CRM and automation platform for sales and marketing. Instantly specializes in outbound sales outreach and lead generation.
  • Keap vs ClickUp: Keap is a dedicated CRM with strong sales and marketing automation. ClickUp is a versatile project management tool that can be configured as a CRM.
  • Keap vs Monday CRM: Keap is a dedicated CRM focused on small business sales and marketing automation. Monday CRM is a flexible work OS with strong customizable CRM capabilities for collaborative workflows.
  • Keap vs Capsule CRM: Keap offers advanced marketing automation and integrated business solutions. Capsule CRM is designed for simplicity and affordability, ideal for small—to medium-sized businesses.
  • Keap vs Insightly: Keap focuses on robust marketing automation and lead management. Insightly provides contact and project management with workflow automation, suitable for small—to mid-sized businesses.
  • Keap vs Freshsales CRM: Keap offers strong automation and is geared towards small businesses. Freshsales CRM is known for its affordability, user-friendly interface, and broad integrations.
  • Keap vs Salesforce: Keap is tailored for small business CRM and marketing automation. Salesforce is a highly customizable, scalable, industry-leading CRM for businesses of all sizes, especially enterprises.
  • Keap vs Zendesk: Keap excels in sales and marketing automation and e-commerce. Zendesk is primarily a customer service and support platform with robust ticketing and collaboration features.

More of Zendesk

Here’s a brief comparison of Zendesk with these software solutions:

  • Zendesk vs Gohighlevel: Zendesk focuses on customer support and ticketing, providing multi-channel communication; GoHighLevel is a broader platform offering sales, marketing, and CRM tools, with advanced automation.
  • Zendesk vs Pipedrive: Zendesk excels in comprehensive customer service and support, while Pipedrive is a sales-centric CRM with visual pipeline management.
  • Zendesk vs ActiveCampaign: Zendesk is a dedicated customer support platform with ticketing; ActiveCampaign specializes in email marketing automation, lead nurturing, and CRM integration.
  • Zendesk vs HubSpot: Zendesk provides strong customer service and support ticketing, whereas HubSpot is a comprehensive suite that encompasses sales, marketing, and service hub features.
  • Zendesk vs Clickfunnels: Zendesk is a customer service solution with ticketing and live chat; ClickFunnels is a sales funnel builder for creating landing pages and automating sales.
  • Zendesk vs Folk: Zendesk offers powerful customer support for diverse interactions; Folk emphasizes collaborative contact organization and streamlined relationship management.
  • Zendesk vs Instantly: Zendesk focuses on customer support and ticket management; Instantly specializes in automated cold email campaigns and lead generation.
  • Zendesk vs ClickUp: Zendesk is a customer support system, while ClickUp is a versatile work management platform that can function as a CRM, project management tool, and task tracker.
  • Zendesk vs Monday CRM: Zendesk is a customer service platform with ticketing; Monday CRM is a highly visual and customizable workflow management tool with CRM capabilities.
  • Zendesk vs Capsule CRM: Zendesk provides robust customer support and ticketing; Capsule CRM is a simplified contact management and sales tracking system.
  • Zendesk vs Insightly: Zendesk focuses on customer support and service tickets; Insightly is a more comprehensive CRM with strong sales pipeline and project management features.
  • Zendesk vs Freshsales: Zendesk emphasizes strong customer support solutions, while Freshsales CRM is designed for sales automation, deal tracking, and lead management.
  • Zendesk vs Salesforce: Zendesk offers a specialized customer service platform; Salesforce is an extensive enterprise-level CRM with broad sales, marketing, and service clouds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Keap or Zendesk better for small businesses?

Keap is generally better for small businesses focused on sales and marketing automation. Zendesk can be a good fit for small companies prioritizing customer support, but Keap’s pricing is often more manageable for smaller budgets.

Does Zendesk offer a free trial?

Yes, Zendesk offers a free trial for their Suite Team plan. This simply allows you to explore the platform’s features and see if it fits your business right before committing to a paid plan.

What is the main difference between Keap and Zendesk?

Keap primarily focuses on sales and marketing automation, while Zendesk specializes in customer service and support. Keap helps you generate leads and close deals, while Zendesk enables you to provide excellent customer support.

Can I integrate Keap or Zendesk with other software?

Both Keap and Zendesk offer integrations with various third-party apps. This allows you to connect your CRM with other tools like email marketing platforms, accounting software, and e-commerce platforms.

Which CRM is more accessible to use, Keap or Zendesk?

Zendesk is more user-friendly than Keap. It has a more straightforward interface and a less steep learning curve. Keap offers more advanced features but can take some time to master.

Fahim Joharder

Fahim Joharder

Author

A tech enthusiast and writer with a passion for AI and software innovations. He simplifies complex topics to help readers stay ahead in the digital world.

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