Drag is the best Zendesk alternative for Gmail users
Here’s a comparison for those that may be looking for a Zendesk alternative.
In a nutshell.
- Both tools offer shared inboxes, automations, analytics, integrations and mobile apps.
- Drag works inside Gmail and thus is a more convenient solution for Google Workspace users.
- Drag does not store users’ emails—they are always on Gmail servers. Zendesk stores emails on their servers.
- There’s no 2 way sync between Zendesk and Gmail. Gmail accounts don’t reflect actions taken in Zendesk.
- Public reviews suggest that Drag is easier to setup and manage, and offers better customer support.
- Zendesk shares inboxes by duplicating emails across team members’ inboxes, posing data security issues.
- Zendesk is more focused on Helpdesk features. Drag is more flexible in terms of interface and use cases.
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Zendesk alternative: is Drag right for your team?
If you are part of a team using Google Workspace and are looking for a simple Zendesk alternative, definitely read on. We have designed this page to help you make a clear decision and explore insights into why customers switch to Drag.
Ultimately, picking the right tool between Zendesk vs Drag depends on your specific needs and workflow, and this choice doesn’t come down to only feature sets. At a first glance, both Zendesk and Drag offer basic customer support and collaboration features such as shared inbox, automations, analytics, integrations and mobile apps. However, there are key differences between Zendesk vs Drag, from technical approach to pricing.
Drag lives in Gmail.
Drag allows users to manage shared inboxes from the place they already spend their day: Gmail. It keeps the same familiar Gmail interface, meaning the learning curve to start using Drag is close to zero.
On the other hand, Zendesk is a standalone email client, with a new interface and terminologies, which can be overwhelming.
Besides, Zendesk is not only competing directly with Gmail, but also with it’s ever-growing features and community of developers in the Google Workspace marketplace. Zendesk users constantly switch between Zendesk and Gmail.
⚠️ Zendesk has no Gmail 2-way sync
Not only Zendesk has its own interface competing with Gmail, but also its syncing with Gmail is cumbersome.
For example, actions performed in Zendesk are not reflected in Gmail. Let’s say you connect your support email account (eg. [email protected]) to Zendesk. You may process emails in Zendesk and archive them when they are done, but all of those conversations will remain in your Gmail account as if they had never been attended to. The same applies for starring/unstarring emails and similar actions.
Due to Drag’s native integration with Gmail, all actions performed in Drag are instantly reflected in your Gmail account.
Pricing.
Drag and Zendesk have contrasting views on pricing. Zendesk is primarily focused on serving large enterprises, and have designed their pricing accordingly, while Drag serves primarily small businesses.
- Zendesk’s entry-level plan is 2.3x the price of Drag’s entry level plan.
- Upgrading plans in Drag results in a 75% user / month price increase, while upgrading plans in Zendesk means a 200% price jump.
If you’re more of an enterprise customer then Zendesk prices will be more palatable. However, if you’re a small team, Drag may be best Zendesk alternative for you.
Here is an example of comparison of prices:
- Price per user
- Ticketing system
- Email assignment
- Internal comments
- Customized automation rules
- Shared email templates
- Auto-responders
- Skill-based auto-assignments
- Business hours
- Custom roles & permissions
- Live-chat support
Drag Plus Plan
$18 user / month
Zendesk Support Team
$19 user / month
Slow support, especially for SMBs.
Public reviews also suggest that the most common reason for unhappy Zendesk customers is a weak and slow Customer Support.
This is particularly the case for smaller companies in the entry-level plans, who do not pay for priority support.
“Product has good offerings but customer support/ account management teams are terrible to work with. Our SMB account manager regularly does not respond to emails in a timely manner, and the platform knowledge of the support team/account manager is extremely lacking.”
Jeffrey B, Product Operations Manager
Reviews.
According to reviews from business software reviews website G2, Drag outranks Zendesk in a number of areas. But there are two that stand out: quality of support and ease of setup.
Drag is overall a more simple tool, allowing users to setup workflows in a few minutes, without requiring IT teams. When it comes to support, Drag also outranks Zendesk by a long way.
Source: G2 reviews.
⚠️ Zendesk stores your emails.
Zendesk stores users’ emails on their own servers. Drag does not store your emails—they are always on Gmail servers. If you are looking for a secure Zendesk alternative, Drag might be a good option for your team.
Pricing that works at scale
92% of users increased team productivity after switching to Drag.
Starter
For teams starting with collaboration.
$12
user / month, billed yearly.
$16 per user / month if billed monthly.
- Email channels
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited WorkspacesA workspace can be a Shared Inbox, a Google Group, or a custom board.
- Unlimited shared conversations
- 10 automation rules
- Zapier integration
- Assignments and @mentions
- Email templates
- Email notes and subtasks
- 3-month reporting window
Try for Free
Plus
For growing teams that need to scale work.
$18
user / month, billed yearly.
$22 per user / month if billed monthly.
- Email channels
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited WorkspacesA workspace can be a Shared Inbox, a Google Group, or a custom board.
- Unlimited shared conversations
- Unlimited automation rules
- File upload
- Default user roles
- Email sequences
- Merge cards
- 6-month reporting window
Try for Free
Pro
For teams with advanced workflows.
$24
user / month, billed yearly.
$30 per user / month if billed monthly.
- Email and WhatsApp channels
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited WorkspacesA workspace can be a Shared Inbox, a Google Group, or a custom board.
- Unlimited shared conversations
- Unlimited automation rules
- API access
- Custom user roles
- Custom fields
- Business hours and SLA
- 12-month reporting window
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“I am very excited to have discovered Drag! I am impressed with this simple, cost-effective and infinitely scalable solution to facilitate our global customer service conversations.”
Anton von Rueden
President & COO @ Boosted Commerce
Read story
Join 200,000+ users using Drag
Exceptional collaboration, automation and communication in Google Workspace
Leading collaboration tool for Google Workspace users
Named Momentum Leader by G2.
200,000+ users worldwide
Spanning across 50+ countries.
No credit card required
No catch – free and paid options.
Setup in under 5 minutes
No IT teams required.
Google-approved security and trust
Google CASA certified, does not store your emails.
99.99% uptime in last 12 months
Monitored 24/7/365.
4.7 stars from 1,200 reviews.
