Quick answer: Zoho Desk is help desk software. It turns customer messages into tickets so your team can track and answer them. Its free plan offers three user licences with email ticketing. Paid editions are Express, Standard, Professional and Enterprise, with a 15-day free trial.
What is Zoho Desk used for?
If customer emails get lost in a shared inbox, a help desk can help. Each request becomes a ticket with an owner and a status.
- Managing customer emails as tickets
- Assigning tickets to the right person
- Handling requests from web forms and social media
- Building a knowledge base of help articles
- Tracking how quickly your team replies
Is Zoho Desk free?
Yes. Zoho’s pricing page lists a Free Edition with three user licences and describes it as easy email ticketing. Its features are limited, so it suits a small team with simple needs.
Zoho says that when a 15-day trial ends, your plan moves down to the free plan unless you buy a paid plan.
Zoho Desk editions
| Edition | What it adds | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Email ticketing | Up to 3 people |
| Express | Email and social media | Very small teams |
| Standard | Business messaging and website chat | Small support teams |
| Professional | Phone system links | Growing teams |
| Enterprise | Live chat through Zoho SalesIQ | Larger support teams |
Prices depend on your country and billing period. You can switch currency on Zoho’s page, and yearly plans cost less.
What each edition adds in detail
Each edition includes everything in the one before it. Zoho’s pricing page listed these on 5 November 2026:
| Edition | Main additions |
|---|---|
| Express | Social media and web form tickets, workflows, escalations and a custom domain |
| Standard | Knowledge base, community forum, messaging apps such as WhatsApp, and customer happiness ratings |
| Professional | Phone support, Zia AI, Blueprint process automation and a help centre in several languages |
| Enterprise | Live chat through Zoho SalesIQ, guided conversations, skill-based ticket routing and multi-brand help centres |
How Zoho Desk pricing works
- You pay per agent, monthly or yearly. Zoho says yearly billing can save up to 34%.
- Paid editions have a 15-day free trial, and Zoho says you don’t need a credit card.
- When the trial ends, your account moves to the Free edition.
- Zoho accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and PayPal. Bank transfer or cheque is only for yearly plans.
What are light users?
Light users can view tickets and leave internal comments, but they don’t answer customers. They suit sales or product staff who need to see support issues.
Zoho offers light users on Professional and Enterprise as a paid extra, and Enterprise includes 50 at no extra cost. The Free edition doesn’t have them.
Zoho Desk or Zoho CRM?
| Zoho Desk | Zoho CRM | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Support customers | Win customers |
| Main record | Ticket | Lead or deal |
| Used by | Support team | Sales team |
Some businesses use both, so sales staff can see open support issues. Zoho’s pricing page mentions using CRM information in Desk, but confirm the details for your plan.
How to start
- Connect your support email address.
- Create a few ticket statuses.
- Decide who answers what.
- Write replies for your most common questions.
- Test by sending yourself a ticket.
- Add help articles later.
Is Zoho Desk right for you?
| Good fit | May be overkill |
|---|---|
| Several people answer customers | One person gets a few emails a week |
| You need to track reply times | A shared inbox works fine |
| You want a help centre | You have no repeat questions |
Related guides
- Zoho Mail Guide: Free Plan, Limits and Paid Options
- Zoho People Guide: HR Software, Free Plan and Payroll
Zoho Desk FAQ
Is Zoho Desk a CRM?
No. It’s a help desk. Zoho CRM is its sales tool.
Is Zoho Desk part of Zoho One?
Check Zoho’s current app list. See what Zoho One is.
Is a Zoho Desk email a scam?
Many companies use Zoho Desk to reply to support requests, so an email can be real. If it’s unexpected, don’t click its links. Contact the company directly.
How do I sign in?
Use desk.zoho.com or see our Zoho login help.
Do I need a credit card for the Zoho Desk trial?
No. Zoho says you can try its paid editions for 15 days without a credit card.
Can I switch editions during the trial?
Yes. Zoho says you can switch plans while you’re on the trial.
Checked against Zoho’s official pages on 5 November 2026. ZohoSoftwares Guide is independent and is not run by Zoho. Plans, limits and prices change and can differ by country, so confirm them on Zoho’s website.
Sources: Zoho Desk pricing