Migrate from Zendesk to Helpzen
Step-by-step guide. Free migration tool. Most teams switch in under a day and save $13,332 per year.
Average yearly savings (10-agent team)
$13,332
Flat $39/mo on Helpzen vs. per-agent pricing on Zendesk
Why teams leave Zendesk
- Per-agent pricing makes every hire expensive ($55-$115/agent/mo)
- AI features require the top-tier $115/agent plan
- Setup complexity — most teams take 4-8 weeks to go live
- No self-host option, no open-source version
- Contract lock-in and annual renewal price hikes
What gets imported from Zendesk
Step-by-step migration
- 1
Create your Helpzen account
2 minSign up at app.helpzen.io/register. Pick your subdomain (you can connect a custom domain later).
- 2
Connect your Zendesk account
3 minSettings → Migrations → Import from Zendesk. Paste your Zendesk subdomain and API token. Helpzen reads your data read-only.
- 3
Preview the migration
2 minSee exactly what will import: tickets count, contacts count, macros. Select the full import or a date range to start with.
- 4
Run the import
1-4 hoursMigration runs in the background. For most teams it finishes in 1-4 hours. You can start using Helpzen immediately — imports continue in the background.
- 5
Update your email forwarding
5 minChange your [email protected] forwarding rules from Zendesk to Helpzen. Existing tickets keep working; new ones land in Helpzen.
- 6
Install the widget (optional)
2 minIf you use Zendesk Chat, replace it with the Helpzen widget — one line of code to swap.
- 7
Invite your team
10 minAdd agents via email. They can log in immediately. Helpzen is familiar to Zendesk users — most teams are productive on day 1.
- 8
Cancel your Zendesk subscription
2 minOnce you verify everything works for a week (usually 2-3 days), cancel Zendesk. Your historical data stays in Helpzen forever.
What to plan for
A few Zendesk features don't 1:1 map — here's how to handle them.
- Custom Zendesk apps — replace with Helpzen integrations (Shopify, Stripe, Slack, HubSpot, Jira, etc.)
- Answer Bot → replaced by Helpzen AI Auto-Reply (included, no extra cost)
- Zendesk Explore reports → rebuild in Helpzen Analytics (simpler builder)
Timeline: Most teams complete the migration in 1 business day. Large teams (50+ agents) take 2-3 days to verify.
FAQ
How long does it take to migrate from Zendesk to Helpzen?+
Most teams complete the migration in 1 business day. Large teams (50+ agents) take 2-3 days to verify.
Is the Zendesk migration tool free?+
Yes. The Helpzen migration tool is free for all customers. Teams over 10 agents get free white-glove migration assistance from our team.
Will we lose any data from Zendesk?+
No. Helpzen imports tickets, contacts, articles, macros, automations, and custom fields. Your historical conversations are preserved with full thread history.
How much will we save by switching from Zendesk?+
A 10-agent team saves approximately $13,332 per year switching from Zendesk to Helpzen. Larger teams save proportionally more.
Can we run Zendesk and Helpzen in parallel during the migration?+
Yes — we recommend 1 week of parallel running. Route a percentage of new tickets to Helpzen while your team gets comfortable, then cut over fully.
Migrating from a different tool?
Ready to leave Zendesk?
Free migration tool. White-glove support for teams of 10+. Start your Helpzen free trial in under 2 minutes.