Zendesk vs Front: An Honest Comparison for 2026

Let's talk about your options

If you're reading this, you're probably knee-deep in researching customer support platforms. Maybe you're frustrated with your current setup. Maybe your team is scaling and your tools aren't keeping up. Or maybe you're just starting out and want to make the right choice from day one.

Either way, you've likely come across both Zendesk and Front. They're frequently mentioned in the same breath, which makes comparing them important if you want to make an informed decision.

Zendesk (2007) positions itself as “Traditional Ticketing” — Ticket-based customer service platform.

Front (2013) takes a different approach: “Shared Inbox Platform” — Collaborative inbox that combines email with team features.

We've spent significant time with both platforms. Here's what we honestly think.

Who should actually consider each option?

Before we dive into features and pricing, let's be real about who each platform is actually built for. Not every tool is right for every team, and that's okay.

What each platform does well

Let's start with the positives. Both platforms have been around for years and have real strengths.

What we like about Zendesk

Zendesk has built a solid reputation over the years, and for good reason:

• Mature ticketing system with proven workflows
• Better knowledge base and self-service
• More advanced reporting
• Larger integration marketplace
• Scales to very large teams

What we like about Front

Front brings its own set of strengths to the table:

• Feels like email (familiar interface)
• Excellent real-time collaboration
• Shared drafts let team members collaborate on responses
• Combines personal and shared inboxes
• AI features included
• Great for teams who hate "ticketing" mentality

Where each platform falls short

No software is perfect. Here's where each platform will likely frustrate you.

Our frustrations with Zendesk

After spending time with Zendesk, these issues stood out:

• Feels impersonal (tickets, not conversations)
• Less natural for teams used to email
• No shared drafts or real-time collaboration
• Complex for simple support needs
• Expensive add-ons

Our frustrations with Front

Front isn't without its problems either:

• Weaker knowledge base features
• Less sophisticated for complex support workflows
• Smaller integration ecosystem
• Not ideal for high-volume support centers
• Can get expensive with add-ons

Feature-by-feature breakdown

If you're the type who wants to see exactly what you get with each platform, here's the detailed breakdown. We've highlighted the features that we think matter most.

Let's talk money

Pricing is often the deciding factor, so let's break down what you'll actually pay. Keep in mind that both platforms love to hide costs in add-ons, so the sticker price rarely tells the whole story.

What Zendesk will cost you

What Front will cost you

So, which one should you choose?

After all this analysis, here's our honest take: Front wins for teams who want support to feel like communication, not ticketing. Zendesk wins for high-volume support centers.

If your team hates "ticketing" systems and wants something that feels like collaborative email, Front is excellent. If you need enterprise-scale support with complex workflows, stick with Zendesk.

Common questions

Here are the questions we hear most often from people comparing these platforms.