// siftino edition November 9, 2026993 AI tools419 with a free plan51 task rankings613 comparisonsprices from vendor pricing pages36 guides
Guide · Vendor pages checked 2026-11-02 · 650 words

AI for customer service: Zendesk AI, Crisp and Tidio

Zendesk AI, Crisp and Tidio are three AI-supported options for customer service. The right one depends on whether you need a full service desk, an AI-first chat suite, or a chat tool built around store data.

Piotr Olszewski · updated Vendor pages checked 2026-11-02

This is a short list of three AI-supported customer service tools, not a ranking of the whole market. I relied only on what the vendor pages state, and I did not test the tools myself. Siftino may earn a commission when you sign up through some links in this article, so treat them as affiliate links, not neutral references.

Use cases

  • Zendesk AI fits a larger support team that wants ticketing, voice, messaging and AI agents on one platform.
  • Crisp fits a small or mid-sized team that wants a shared inbox, a knowledge base and an AI agent trained on its own content.
  • Tidio fits an online store that wants live chat and automated answers based on order status and product details.

Zendesk AI

According to the Zendesk pricing page, plans start from $19/month. The page does not say which plan or billing period that price applies to, so treat it only as a starting point. Zendesk describes AI agents that resolve issues autonomously on any channel, a Copilot for service teams, quality assurance scoring for human and AI agents, and workforce management. Its product list also covers messaging and live chat, ticketing, a knowledge base and voice.

Limitations: the pages I have do not state which AI features are included in each plan, or what AI usage costs. Check plan details before assuming a feature is included.

Crisp

The Crisp pricing page lists these plans:

  • Free: 2 seats, no AI credits.
  • Mini: $45 per month, per workspace, 4 seats, $5 in AI credits (around 90 automated conversations).
  • Essentials: $95 per month, per workspace, 10 seats, $25 in AI credits (around 450 automated conversations).
  • Plus: $295 per month, per workspace, 20+ seats, $75 in AI credits (around 1350 automated conversations).

Crisp says every new account gets full access to all features for a 14-day trial. The homepage describes an AI agent called Hugo, a no-code AI agent builder, a shared inbox, a knowledge base, a support CRM and analytics.

Limitations: AI credits are capped per plan, and the pages do not say what happens when they run out.

Tidio

The Tidio homepage lists a free plan and paid plans from $29/mo. It says Lyro answers using verified store data: FAQs, order status, product details, website content and brand guidelines. Tidio also states that its customers average a 75% resolution rate with Lyro. That is the vendor's own figure, not an independent test.

Limitations: the page does not show which plan includes Lyro or how Lyro usage is billed. Ask before you rely on it.

How to choose

  • Choose Zendesk AI if you need a full service platform with ticketing, voice and AI agents across channels.
  • Choose Crisp if you want an AI agent inside a shared inbox, with per-workspace pricing that bundles seats and AI credits.
  • Choose Tidio if your main need is live chat for a store that can use order and product data.
  • Whichever you pick, confirm the AI features you need are in the plan you would buy. The vendor pages do not always say.

Does Crisp have a free AI chatbot?

Not according to its pricing page. The Free plan lists no AI credits, and AI credits appear on the paid plans. Crisp does offer a 14-day trial with full feature access.

How much does Zendesk AI cost?

The Zendesk pricing page says plans start from $19/month. It does not give a separate price for the AI features in the text I have, so check plan details with Zendesk.

What AI tool works for customer service in an online store?

Tidio's homepage ties its Lyro AI to store data such as order status and product details, which fits typical store questions. Confirm which plan includes Lyro first.

Sources