Quick Comparison
| Feature | HelpShelf | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free — 50 credits/mo (Pro from $49/mo) | Per-agent pricing |
| AI Agent Pricing | Credits included in every plan | AI add-ons priced separately |
| Citations on Answers | Every confident answer cites sources | Via AI add-ons |
| Human Escalation | One tap via Telegram, Slack, or email — free | Agent seats (per-agent pricing) |
| Legible to AI Agents | llms.txt, llms-full.txt + public MCP endpoint | |
| Born from Your Codebase | npx helpshelf scans your repo | |
| Setup Time | Minutes — one command or one script tag | Days to weeks |
| Best For | Product teams, SaaS, indie builders | Enterprise, call centers |
Why teams switch from Zendesk
Citations, not ticket queues
Zendesk is built to manage tickets. HelpShelf is built to resolve questions before they become tickets — and to prove every confident answer with citations to your real sources. No uncited confidence, ever.
Escalation without agent seats
In Zendesk, a human touching a conversation means a paid agent seat. In HelpShelf, the agent messages you on Telegram, Slack, or email when it needs help — one tap to approve its draft or take over, at no cost.
AI included, not an add-on
Zendesk's AI capabilities are priced as separate add-ons. HelpShelf is AI-native: every plan includes credits, where 1 credit equals 1 AI-resolved conversation and escalations are free.
Legible to the AI agents your buyers use
HelpShelf publishes llms.txt, llms-full.txt, and a public MCP endpoint for your site, so ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI assistants can read — and recommend — your product with verifiable claims.
Pricing comparison
Pay for resolved conversations, not agent seats
Migration is easy
Switch from Zendesk to HelpShelf in three simple steps
Connect Zendesk
HelpShelf imports your published Zendesk help center articles directly — categories and sections included.
Add your sources
Run npx helpshelf to scan your codebase, or paste URLs. Everything lands in one knowledge base.
Go live
Add one line of code to your site. Your agent answers with citations from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. HelpShelf is designed to resolve questions, not just file them. The agent answers instantly with citations, holds uncertain replies for your approval, and rolls up unanswered questions into knowledge gaps so coverage keeps improving.
When the agent is unsure, uncited, or facing a sensitive topic, it holds the reply and messages you on Telegram, Slack, or email with the customer's question and its draft. One tap to approve and send, or take over. Escalations never consume credits.
HelpShelf focuses on AI-resolved support with citations, one-tap escalation, and external AI legibility. If you need enterprise call-center routing or complex multi-department workflows, Zendesk may still fit better. For most product teams, HelpShelf covers what actually matters.
Yes. HelpShelf connects to Zendesk and imports your published help center articles directly, preserving categories and sections. Imported content is treated as curated (human-reviewed) and ranks highest in answers.
Yes — the Free plan includes 50 credits per month, citations on every answer, and one-tap human escalation. No credit card required.