Question 1

What is the difference between botBrains and Zendesk AI?

Accepted Answer

Zendesk AI is the helpdesk vendor’s own AI: AI agents for messaging, email and phone, plus Copilot for your team. The AI agents are included in every Zendesk plan and billed per automated resolution. According to Zendesk, they process text only.

botBrains is an AI agent from Berlin that works inside your Zendesk: it answers tickets, sets fields and status, and escalates with to-dos. It also reads attachments, acts in your systems through code with Unitools, and all data stays in the EU. It is billed per AI answer in a monthly plan.

Question 2

Do I have to leave Zendesk to use botBrains?

Accepted Answer

No. Your team keeps working in Zendesk, with the same views, macros and reports. botBrains takes over one seat and replies right in the ticket, publicly or as an internal note. It replaces only the AI layer, not your helpdesk.

Question 3

Can I run botBrains and Zendesk AI side by side?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The trigger in Zendesk decides which tickets botBrains receives, for example only emails or only one brand. With traffic sampling you start with a small share of tickets and increase it step by step.

Question 4

Can Zendesk AI read attachments like screenshots and PDFs?

Accepted Answer

Not according to Zendesk: AI agents process only the text in conversations and tickets and don’t analyze files or images. Your team sees attachments once the ticket is escalated. Since June 2026, Zendesk has been testing PDFs as a knowledge source in an early access program. botBrains reads images, PDFs, Office documents and voice messages in the ticket and uses them for the answer, such as a screenshot of an error message or an invoice.

Question 5

How much does Zendesk AI cost compared with botBrains?

Accepted Answer

Zendesk AI agents are included in every Zendesk plan, such as Suite Team at $55 or Suite Professional at $115 per agent per month, billed annually. Usage is billed per automated resolution: $1.50 from a prepaid commitment, $2.00 without one. Escalated conversations are free. Phone adds per-minute rates, and Copilot costs $50 per agent per month. For ticketing with Zendesk, botBrains costs €0.56 per AI answer, about €0.85 per ticket, from €1,700 a month for 3,000 answers. Website chat is €0.19 per answer from €570 a month, and phone is €0.40 per minute from 1,000 minutes. botBrains bills every AI answer, even if a human takes over afterwards. In Zendesk, botBrains takes up one seat; there are no botBrains seats.

Question 6

What is a verified resolution at Zendesk?

Accepted Answer

Since May 18, 2026, Zendesk distinguishes three tiers. In an assisted escalation, the AI helped and a human resolved the request. In a contained resolution, the customer didn’t ask for more help, but the conversation didn’t pass the check. In a verified resolution, a Zendesk language model confirms from the text, once the conversation ends, that the request was resolved. Only this tier is billed. An email conversation ends 72 hours after the first email, a messaging conversation after 2 hours by default, and a call when the caller hangs up.

Question 7

Where do Zendesk AI and botBrains process customer data?

Accepted Answer

Zendesk commits to a hosting location only with the Data Center Location add-on. It is free from Suite Professional but not activated automatically, and even then Zendesk may process data in other countries. For generative AI, Zendesk uses models from providers such as OpenAI and Google with no data stored by the provider, and according to Zendesk also European OpenAI endpoints. botBrains stores application data in Frankfurt, runs its servers in Germany and uses AI models in EU data centers. There is no third-country transfer, and that applies to every customer.

Question 8

How long does switching from Zendesk AI to botBrains take?

Accepted Answer

Most customers go live within one to two weeks, without a partner. In that time we connect your systems, bring over your knowledge and test together, with a dedicated rollout manager for ticketing. botBrains then starts with drafts as internal notes and takes over more tickets step by step.

Question 9

Do I need an implementation partner for Zendesk AI?

Accepted Answer

Not for simple cases; according to Zendesk, you can set up knowledge answers yourself. For complex implementations, Zendesk calls expert guidance critical: its paid AI Expert subscription or your own partner, both on top of your licenses. Partner Leafworks cites about six weeks for a first use case, depending on knowledge, data, integrations and internal alignment. At botBrains, guidance is part of the offer: the botBrains team builds integrations, processes and tests with you, with a dedicated rollout manager for ticketing.

Question 10

What happens to my current Zendesk AI contract?

Accepted Answer

You don’t have to sit it out. On a 12-month contract with botBrains, we waive our fees for the months you’re still paying Zendesk AI, up to the amount you pay there. So you can switch now without paying twice.

Question 11

Does botBrains also cover my Zendesk seats?

Accepted Answer

No, because you keep them. botBrains replaces only the AI layer, and your team keeps working in Zendesk. The contract buyout covers what you pay for Zendesk AI, such as committed resolution allowances or AI add-ons.

Question 12

When is Zendesk AI the better choice?

Accepted Answer

When you want helpdesk, AI, QA and workforce management from one vendor, when your customers mostly write on WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook, when your procurement requires SOC 2 or ISO certificates, or when you want to start right away without a new contract, since AI agents are included in every Zendesk plan. We will tell you that openly in the first call, too.

	botBrains	Zendesk AI
Built for	Support teams in DACH SMBs with at least two support agents, mostly in ecommerce, sports, events and SaaS. botbrains.io/about-us	Every Zendesk account AI agents are included in every Suite and Support plan, from small teams to enterprise. A small allowance for resolutions is included. zendesk.com/pricing Zendesk: Resolution allowances
Company	Independent, based in Berlin botBrains GmbH, founded in 2023. Your first call is with one of the founders. botbrains.io/about-us botbrains.io/meeting	Privately held US company Zendesk, Inc., based in San Francisco, has been owned by an investor group led by Hellman & Friedman and Permira since 2022. In 2026 it acquired AI vendor Forethought. Zendesk, Nov 22, 2022 Zendesk, March 26, 2026
Inside Zendesk	Works inside your Zendesk botBrains takes over one seat and acts in that seat. When a ticket is assigned to it, it works the ticket, replies publicly or as an internal note, sets form fields and status, and escalates with notes. Docs: Zendesk Docs: Field prediction botbrains.io/pricing	Native to Zendesk AI agents are part of Zendesk and run in their own AI agent workspace. Using intelligent triage in workflows requires Copilot at $50 per agent per month. Zendesk: Migrating AI agents Zendesk: Intelligent Triage zendesk.com/pricing
Data residency	EU hosting for every customer Application data in Frankfurt, servers in Germany, AI processing in the EU. No third-country transfer, for every customer. Docs: Subprocessors	EU storage from Suite Professional Via the Data Center Location add-on, free there but not activated automatically. Without it, there is no hosting commitment. Zendesk may also process data in other countries. Zendesk: Data Center Location Zendesk: Regional Data Hosting Policy
AI models	Fixed models, in the EU OpenAI with EU data residency and zero data retention, Azure OpenAI in the EU, Claude via AWS Bedrock in Frankfurt. No training on your data. Docs: Trust FAQ	Own models plus several providers Generative AI from providers such as OpenAI and Google, partly via AWS Bedrock and Azure, with no data stored by the provider. You decide whether Zendesk’s own models learn from your data. Zendesk: Generative AI Zendesk: AI Trust
Channels	One agent for every channel Website chat, app, Slack, email via Zendesk and phone run on the same version, so one change applies everywhere at once. WhatsApp by invitation. Docs: Channels	A separate AI agent per channel type According to Zendesk, messaging, email and phone each need their own agent. So omnichannel means building, testing and maintaining several agents. Zendesk: Creating an AI agent Zendesk: AI agents in WhatsApp Zendesk: Social Messaging
Attachments	Reads images, PDFs and voice messages Screenshots, photos, invoices and Office documents in the ticket feed into the answer. Docs: Images Docs: Documents	Text only, no attachments According to Zendesk, AI agents don’t analyze files or images in conversations; your team sees attachments after escalation. PDFs as a knowledge source are in early access. Zendesk: AI and attachments
Actions	Unlimited custom actions Your own code runs with internet access. With it, you call the APIs of your standard software or your own systems directly. No MCP server needed. Docs: Unitools	Custom actions and MCP, with fixed limits HTTPS with JSON only, 10-second timeout, 2 MB responses, at most 100 custom actions per account. Custom code runs without network access; MCP servers require OAuth. Zendesk: Custom Actions Zendesk: Custom Code Zendesk: MCP servers
Analytics	All included, no add-on Topics show what customers write about and where the AI escalates. Suggestions find open questions plus your team’s answers. Monitors flag conversations by plain-language rules, and custom scorecards rate every conversation. botbrains.io/pricing Docs: Topics Docs: Suggestions Docs: Monitors Docs: Scorecards	Scorecards only with the QA add-on Zendesk shows use cases and knowledge gaps at no extra cost. Scorecards and spotlights for notable conversations need the QA add-on, bought for all agents: $50 per agent per month bundled with workforce management. Zendesk: Finding use cases Zendesk: Automation potential report Zendesk: QA for AI agents Zendesk: QA spotlight Zendesk: Buying the QA add-on Zendesk vs. NICE
Implementation	Guided by the botBrains team No partner needed: the botBrains team connects systems, sets up processes and tests with you, with a dedicated rollout manager for ticketing. Most customers go live in 1 to 2 weeks. botbrains.io/pricing botbrains.io/industry	Partner or AI Expert, paid separately For complex cases, Zendesk calls expert guidance critical: its paid AI Expert subscription or your own partner. Leafworks cites about six weeks, depending on integrations and alignment. Zendesk: New AI agent packaging Zendesk: Migrating AI agents Leafworks (Zendesk partner)
Certifications	GDPR and DPA, ISO 27001 planned botBrains acts as processor under a DPA. Its data centers are ISO 27001 certified; its own certification is planned. Docs: Certifications Docs: DPA	Broadly certified SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, 27017, 27018, 27701 and ISO 42001 for AI management. According to Zendesk, they cover its AI agents too. Zendesk: Compliance scope Zendesk Trust Center
Pricing: chat	€0.19 per AI answer On average 2 answers per chat, so €0.38 per conversation. No per-seat fees, so invite your whole team. AI analytics included. botbrains.io/pricing Docs: Billing	$1.50 per automated resolution $2.00 without a prepaid commitment. Escalated conversations are free. zendesk.com/pricing Zendesk: Resolution tiers
Pricing: ticketing	€0.56 per AI answer About €0.85 per ticket, from €1,700 a month. No seats, rollout manager included. botbrains.io/pricing	$1.50 per automated resolution $2.00 without a prepaid commitment. Escalated tickets are free. zendesk.com/pricing Zendesk: Resolution tiers
Pricing: phone	€0.40 per minute One per-minute price, number included, from €400 a month. Time after a transfer is free. botbrains.io/pricing botbrains.io/ki-telefonassistent Docs: Phone	$1.50 per resolution plus minutes Plus about $0.009 per minute for the line and $0.005 for the AI connection; the number is $1 a month. Zendesk: Voice AI agents zendesk.com/pricing Zendesk: Voice pricing

Why teams choose botBrains over Zendesk AI

botBrains and Zendesk AI, side by side

Support teams in DACH

Every Zendesk account

Independent, based in Berlin

Privately held US company

Works inside your Zendesk

Native to Zendesk

EU hosting for every customer

EU storage from Suite Professional

Fixed models, in the EU

Own models plus several providers

One agent for every channel

A separate AI agent per channel type

Reads images, PDFs and voice messages

Text only, no attachments

Unlimited custom actions

Custom actions and MCP, with fixed limits

All included, no add-on

Scorecards only with the QA add-on

Guided by the botBrains team

Partner or AI Expert, paid separately

GDPR and DPA, ISO 27001 planned

Broadly certified

€0.19 per AI answer

$1.50 per automated resolution

€0.56 per AI answer

$1.50 per automated resolution

€0.40 per minute

$1.50 per resolution plus minutes

The top reasons teams choose botBrains

Resolves tickets with attachments.

Higher resolution rate.

No partner, no extra costs.

What AI customer service looks like with botBrains

What to know about Zendesk AI in 2026

Old bots have to move.

New pricing model since May 2026.

Two acquisitions in two years.

How we make switching from Zendesk AI easy.

You don’t pay twice.

Zendesk stays, the AI changes.

We go live step by step.

Our honest comparison promise

Where Zendesk AI may be a better fit.

You want everything from one vendor.

Your customers write on social media.

Your procurement requires certificates.

Questions and answers.