Alternatives · Help Desks
Pylon alternatives
As of Nov 12, 2026, the highest-graded Pylon alternative is Zendesk (2.4 GPA).
Pylon compared with 7 alternatives: Plain, Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Helply (formerly Groove) and 2 more.
Pylon is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $89 per seat, on an annual contract. None of the alternatives has a free plan. 6 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Pylon sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| PylonThis tool | Free trial · from $89/yr | Trial only | Web |
| Plain | Free trial · from $45/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Zendesk | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Intercom | Free trial · from $29/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Freshdesk | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Helply (formerly Groove) | Free trial · from $99/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Thena | From $29/mo | No | Web |
| Unthread | Free trial · from $85/mo | Trial only | Web |
Price against what you get
Pylon starts at $7.42 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 7 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Zendesk scores higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Pylon
Plain
Support platform for B2B teams, built around Slack and AI agents
- Plain starts at $45 per user / month, billed annually ($55 billed monthly).
- Plain also covers workflow automation.
- Plain does not cover whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: B2B software teams that support customers through shared Slack channels
Zendesk
Ticketing, messaging, help center and AI agents for support teams
- Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Zendesk also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zendesk also covers reports.
- Zendesk does not cover shared inbox and whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: Support teams handling email, chat and phone in one queue
Intercom
Helpdesk with live chat and the Fin AI agent priced per outcome
- Intercom starts at $29 per seat / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
- Intercom also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Intercom also covers reports.
- Intercom does not cover whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: Software and app companies that support customers through in-app chat
Freshdesk
Email ticketing help desk with a knowledge base and AI agents
- Freshdesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually.
- Freshdesk also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Freshdesk also covers reports.
- Freshdesk does not cover live chat and whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: Support teams that work mainly from email
Helply (formerly Groove)
Help desk with AI support agents, now sold as Helply
- Helply (formerly Groove) starts at $99 per month for up to 2 human agents, billed annually.
- Helply (formerly Groove) also covers chatbots.
- Helply (formerly Groove) does not cover whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: Small B2B and SaaS support teams that want AI agents bundled with the help desk
Thena
Ticketing and AI support agents for B2B teams working in Slack
- Thena starts at $29 per user / month, billed annually.
- Thena does not cover whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: B2B SaaS teams that already support customers through shared Slack channels
Unthread
AI helpdesk that tracks support requests in Slack and Teams
- Unthread starts at $85 per agent / month, shown with the annual-billing toggle selected.
- Unthread also covers workflow automation.
- Unthread does not cover whatsApp messaging, which Pylon does.
Suits: Companies whose customers or employees already ask for help in Slack or Teams
Limits worth knowing in Pylon
- Pricing is by seat plus AI credits; the page says credits are bought for a year or as you go and the sales team estimates how many you need.
- Account Intelligence is $10 per customer account a month and Phone is $35 per seat a month, both on top of seat prices.
- Seat prices are quoted on an annual contract, and the page does not show a monthly-billed price.
- SAML SSO is an add-on on Advanced and included only on Enterprise.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Pylon?
The alternatives to Pylon in this directory are Plain, Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Helply (formerly Groove), Thena and Unthread. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Pylon.
Is there a free alternative to Pylon?
None of the alternatives listed here has a free plan. Plain, Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, Helply (formerly Groove) and Unthread offer a free trial.
Which Pylon alternatives work on Android?
The Pylon listing does not include an Android app. Zendesk, Intercom and Freshdesk list one.
Which Pylon alternatives work on iOS?
The Pylon listing does not include an iOS app. Zendesk, Intercom and Freshdesk list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.