Cresta vs Zoho Desk
A side-by-side comparison for e-commerce sellers — platforms, pricing, free trials and ROI.
| Category | Customer Service | Customer Service |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | DTC | Shopify WooCommerce DTC |
| Pricing | — | Free plan for 3 agents; paid from $14/agent/mo (billed annually) |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Affiliate program | — | Direct |
| ROI | Combines AI automation with real-time agent assist and conversation analytics to cut cost-to-serve while lifting revenue and loyalty. | Centralizes email, chat, and social tickets at one of the lowest per-agent prices, saving small teams thousands versus enterprise suites. |
Which should you choose?
Large DTC brands and enterprises running contact centers that want unified human-plus-AI agent tooling and conversation analytics.
Cost-conscious small sellers, especially existing Zoho users, who want a full helpdesk at the lowest per-agent price.
Cresta
Pros
- Combines AI automation with real-time human agent assist in one platform
- Built for enterprise scale with major brand customers (e.g. United Airlines, Cox)
- Conversation intelligence ties support quality to revenue and loyalty outcomes
Cons
- No public pricing; enterprise demo-only sales motion
- Contact-center focus is heavy for small online stores
- Not e-commerce-specific; aimed at large support and sales organizations
Zoho Desk
Pros
- Very low per-agent pricing with a free 3-agent plan
- Excellent value if you already use the Zoho suite
- Solid automation and reporting for the price
Cons
- Best value only when paired with other Zoho apps
- Not ecommerce-native; Shopify context needs integration
- UI and Zia AI feel less refined than Intercom or Gorgias
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