Ada CX alternatives: 12 best competitors in 2025 (features, pricing, and use cases)

Kenneth Pangan
Last edited August 7, 2025

Ada is a big name in AI-powered customer service, with a platform built to automate conversations from start to finish. But "big" doesn’t always mean "best fit." Many businesses start looking for Ada CX alternatives because they want to skip the cost and headache of a full platform switch, or they simply need clearer pricing and more flexible tools.
If you’re weighing your options, you’ve come to the right place. The world of AI customer service is full of powerful tools that can level up your support without forcing you to ditch the help desk you already know and love. In this guide, we’ll break down the 12 best competitors to Ada in 2025, comparing their features, pricing, and what makes each one stand out.
What are AI customer service platforms?
Think of AI customer service platforms as tools designed to automate and improve how you talk to your customers. They go way beyond the simple, old-school chatbots that could only follow rigid scripts. Today’s platforms use tech like natural language processing (NLP) and generative AI to understand what customers are actually asking, no matter how they word it.
These platforms can solve common questions on their own, walk customers through tricky steps, and even hand off conversations to human agents with all the context ready to go. They learn from your help center articles, past support tickets, and other documents to give accurate, on-brand answers 24/7. The goal isn’t just to deflect tickets, but to deliver fast, helpful answers that free up your team for the complex problems that need a human touch.
AI Customer Service Workflow for Ada CX alternatives
Why look for Ada CX alternatives?
While Ada offers a powerful all-in-one solution, its "rip-and-replace" approach just doesn’t work for everyone. Making your team move away from a familiar help desk like Zendesk or Freshdesk is a huge project that can disrupt your workflow and take forever to pay off.
Here are the main reasons businesses look for a different path:
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Cost and hidden pricing: Ada doesn’t publish its prices, and enterprise solutions can cost a small fortune. Many companies prefer the straightforward, scalable pricing models that competitors offer.
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Implementation time: A full platform migration can take months to complete. Alternatives that layer on top of your existing tools can be up and running in a few hours or days.
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Vendor lock-in: When you commit to an all-in-one platform, it’s much harder to switch or add other best-in-class tools later. A flexible, integration-first approach keeps your options open.
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Limited knowledge sources: Many platforms are stuck learning only from their own help articles. A truly smart AI needs to learn from all your company knowledge, whether it’s in Confluence, Google Docs, or old tickets from a previous system.
Key Reasons to Consider Ada CX Alternatives
Our criteria for the best Ada CX alternatives
We didn’t just pull names out of a hat. Our list is based on a clear set of criteria to find tools that deliver real value without the headaches of a big enterprise rollout.
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Integration power: Does it play well with others? The best tools connect smoothly with the help desk, chat tools, and knowledge bases you already have.
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AI capabilities: We looked for platforms that are more than just a chatbot. This includes a full set of tools like agent assistance (copilot), automated ticket sorting, and the ability to perform actions using APIs.
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Ease of implementation: How fast can you get from signing up to actually using it? We focused on solutions that offer a quick and painless setup.
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Pricing transparency: Are the costs clear and predictable? We lean toward models that don’t require a long sales negotiation just to see a price tag.
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Customization and control: Can you tweak the AI’s tone, behavior, and knowledge to perfectly match your brand and internal processes?
Comparison of the top Ada CX alternatives in 2025
Platform | Best For | Pricing | Key Feature | Rip-and-Replace? |
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eesel AI | Teams wanting to add AI to their existing help desk | Starts at $239/mo | Layered AI suite (Agent, Copilot, Triage) | No |
LivePerson | Large enterprises needing a mature conversational platform | Custom | Conversational Cloud | Yes |
Intercom | Companies focused on sales and marketing engagement | Starts at $74/mo (basic) | Proactive messaging & slick messenger | Yes |
Zendesk AI | Teams already committed to the Zendesk ecosystem | Included in Suite plans (from $55/agent/mo) | Native integration with Zendesk | Yes (it’s part of the platform) |
Drift | B2B companies focused on conversational marketing | Starts at $2,500/mo | Lead qualification playbooks | Yes |
Forethought | Teams looking for a dedicated AI-first support platform | Custom | Generative AI-powered agent (Solve) | Can be |
Freshdesk AI | SMBs using the Freshworks ecosystem | Included in plans (from $15/agent/mo) | Freddy AI for automation | Yes (it’s part of the platform) |
Ultimate | Global teams needing strong multilingual support | Custom | Ticket and chat automation | No |
Kore.ai | Regulated industries needing high customization | Custom | No-code/low-code platform | Can be |
Gorgias | E-commerce stores on Shopify or BigCommerce | Starts at $300/mo | Deep e-commerce integrations | Yes |
Aivo | Teams wanting AI with a focus on personalization | Custom | AI-driven conversational bots | Can be |
Zoom Virtual Agent | Companies invested in the Zoom ecosystem | Custom | AI-powered self-service chatbot | Can be |
The 12 best Ada CX alternatives in 2025
Here’s a detailed look at the top platforms giving Ada a run for its money.
1. eesel AI: A leading choice among Ada CX alternatives
eesel AI is designed to be the smart layer that sits on top of the customer service tools you already use. Instead of making you switch platforms, it plugs directly into your help desk and collaboration apps, learning from your company’s unique data to deliver powerful, personalized automation.
It’s not just one tool, but a whole suite in one platform: AI Agent for hands-off support, AI Copilot for helping your human agents, and AI Triage for automatically sorting tickets. Since it trains on your past tickets, help articles, and internal docs, the AI sounds just like your best agent from day one.
Features:
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Works with your current tools like Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, and Slack.
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Learns from scattered knowledge sources, including Confluence, Google Docs, and past support tickets.
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AI can perform tasks like tagging tickets, routing conversations, and even calling external APIs to look up order info from Shopify.
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You can simulate its performance on your past tickets before going live to see exactly how it will perform.
Pricing:
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Team Plan: $239/month (billed annually) for up to 1,000 AI interactions.
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Business Plan: $639/month (billed annually) for up to 3,000 interactions, unlimited bots, and training on past tickets.
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Custom: Custom pricing for unlimited interactions and advanced security controls.
Pros:
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A no-migration setup means you get value in hours, not months.
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It learns from your actual, historical data, which makes its answers highly accurate.
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The pricing is transparent and based on interactions, so it’s easy to understand.
Cons:
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As a newer player, it doesn’t have the same brand recognition as some of the older platforms.
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Building very complex, custom API actions might require a bit of developer help on the enterprise plans.
eesel AI Simulation Feature for Evaluating Ada CX Alternatives
2. LivePerson: An enterprise choice among Ada CX alternatives
LivePerson is a long-time player in the world of enterprise AI. Its Conversational Cloud is a massive platform for handling conversations with customers across different messaging channels. It’s a powerful pick for large companies that are ready to invest in a complete, end-to-end solution.
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Features: A mature platform with detailed analytics, broad messaging capabilities, and tools for both agents and managers.
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Pricing: Custom pricing, tailored to enterprise needs.
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Pros: Proven to work at scale for huge companies, with strong analytical tools.
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Cons: It’s usually a full "rip-and-replace" project, which can be complex and expensive. The pricing isn’t public.
3. Intercom: A popular choice among Ada CX alternatives
Intercom is famous for its slick messenger and proactive pop-ups. It started out with a focus on marketing and sales, but its AI agent, Fin, has pushed it deeper into the support world. It’s a great platform if you want one polished system to handle the entire customer journey.
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Features: Fin AI Agent, proactive in-app messaging, and an integrated help desk and knowledge base.
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Pricing: Starts around $74/month for basic plans, but the useful AI features are part of more expensive, custom packages.
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Pros: Beautiful design and great for engaging customers for sales and marketing.
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Cons: The cost can get very high, very quickly. Its all-in-one design means you’re locked in and have to use their help desk and other tools.
Intercom Fin AI Agent as one of the popular Ada CX alternatives
4. Zendesk AI: An integrated choice among Ada CX alternatives
For the millions of businesses already on Zendesk, the built-in Zendesk AI is a convenient choice. It’s baked right into the Zendesk Suite, offering features like smart ticket sorting and macro suggestions without needing to add another tool.
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Features: AI-powered ticket summaries, intent and language detection, and macro suggestions for agents.
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Pricing: Included in Zendesk Suite plans, which start at $55 per agent per month (billed annually).
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Pros: It’s seamlessly part of the Zendesk workflow and easy to turn on if you’re already a customer.
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Cons: The AI is completely walled off inside the Zendesk ecosystem. It can’t learn from external knowledge in places like Confluence or Google Docs, which holds it back.
5. Drift: A marketing choice among Ada CX alternatives
Drift pretty much invented the "conversational marketing" category and is still a top pick for B2B companies trying to engage website visitors and turn them into leads. While it has some service features, its real strength is in sales and marketing automation.
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Features: Powerful guides for qualifying leads, real-time website chat, and integrations with sales CRMs.
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Pricing: Famously expensive, with premium plans starting at $2,500 per month.
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Pros: Second to none for B2B marketing and sales chats.
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Cons: The cost is extremely high, and its features are built for marketing, not customer support.
6. Forethought: An AI-first choice among Ada CX alternatives
Forethought is an AI-focused platform that aims to automate customer support from start to finish. It offers a set of products Solve for autonomous resolution, Triage for routing, and Assist for agents that can work together to handle customer questions.
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Features: Strong generative AI capabilities and a full suite of support automation tools.
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Pricing: Custom pricing tailored to your needs.
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Pros: A powerful, dedicated AI solution built specifically for support teams.
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Cons: No transparent pricing, and it can be a whole new system for your team to get used to.
Forethought Solve feature as an AI-first option for Ada CX alternatives
7. Freshdesk AI: An SMB choice among Ada CX alternatives
Similar to Zendesk, Freshdesk has its own native AI called Freddy. It provides chatbot and agent-help features right inside the Freshworks ecosystem, making it an easy choice for existing customers, especially small and medium-sized businesses.
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Features: AI chatbots, email bots, and agent-facing help like response suggestions.
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Pricing: AI features are included in paid plans, which start at just $15 per agent per month (billed annually).
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Pros: Very affordable and simple to start using if you’re already on Freshdesk.
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Cons: Like Zendesk AI, Freddy is siloed. Its knowledge is confined to the Freshworks platform, which limits its ability to give complete answers based on all your company’s info.
8. Ultimate: A multilingual choice among Ada CX alternatives
Ultimate is an AI automation platform that, like eesel AI, focuses on integrating with your existing systems instead of replacing them. It’s known for its excellent multilingual support, making it a solid option for global companies.
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Features: Chat and ticket automation that connects to major CRMs and help desks, supporting over 100 languages.
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Pricing: Custom pricing based on your requirements.
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Pros: Works with your current setup and is great for international support teams.
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Cons: Hidden pricing makes it hard to estimate costs upfront. It’s also another system to manage on top of your help desk.
9. Kore.ai: A customizable choice among Ada CX alternatives
Kore.ai is an enterprise AI platform that gives you the tools to build your own complex chatbots and virtual assistants. It’s a popular choice in regulated industries like finance and healthcare that need deep customization and control over their data.
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Features: A no-code/low-code platform for building both chat and voice agents.
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Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing.
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Pros: Highly configurable and secure, making it a good fit for specialized, high-stakes situations.
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Cons: Can be overkill and a handful to set up and run for standard customer support needs.
10. Gorgias: An e-commerce choice among Ada CX alternatives
Gorgias is the go-to help desk for e-commerce businesses, particularly those on Shopify. Its AI and automation tools are built specifically to handle common online shopping questions, like "Where is my order?" and "How do I make a return?"
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Features: Deep integration with Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce; automation rules designed for e-commerce.
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Pricing: Starts at $300 per month, based on how many tickets you get.
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Pros: The undisputed best choice if you’re an e-commerce brand.
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Cons: Very specialized. If you don’t sell products online, its features won’t be a good fit.
Gorgias Shopify Integration for E-commerce Ada CX Alternatives
11. Aivo: A personalized choice among Ada CX alternatives
Aivo is a conversational AI platform from Latin America that focuses on creating personalized customer experiences. It offers AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants that work across different channels.
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Features: AI-driven conversational bots, multi-channel support, and real-time analytics.
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Pricing: Custom pricing based on business requirements.
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Pros: A strong focus on creating personalized customer journeys.
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Cons: It’s less known in the North American and European markets, and its pricing is not public.
12. Zoom Virtual Agent: A choice from Zoom among Ada CX alternatives
Formerly known as Solvvy, Zoom Virtual Agent is Zoom’s move into the AI chatbot space. It aims to provide smart self-service by connecting to your knowledge base and other documents to answer customer questions.
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Features: An AI-powered chatbot that connects to knowledge bases and can be used on websites and mobile apps.
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Pricing: Custom pricing.
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Pros: It’s backed by the well-known Zoom brand and connects to their contact center product.
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Cons: It’s more of a standalone chatbot and doesn’t offer a complete toolkit with things like an agent copilot or automated ticket sorting.
How to choose the right Ada CX alternatives
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the options? Don’t be. Here’s how to cut through the noise and pick the right one.
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Prioritize integration over replacement. Unless you have a really good reason to switch help desks, pick an AI platform that works with your current tools. A layered approach is faster, cheaper, and less of a headache.
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Look for a "try before you buy" option. The best AI platforms are confident enough to let you test them out. Look for tools that offer a free trial or, even better, a simulation feature that lets you test the AI on your real historical data. You can see how well it works and how much you could save before you sign anything.
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Think beyond just chatbots. Good support automation is more than just a customer-facing bot. Look for platforms that offer a complete suite, including agent assistance (copilot) and automated ticket management (triage), to boost efficiency for your entire team.
Decision-Making Flowchart for Choosing Ada CX Alternatives
The best Ada CX alternatives are the ones that fit your stack
Picking a customer service automation platform is a big deal. While Ada is a powerful tool, the best solution is one that fits your budget, your team’s skills, and most importantly the way you already work.
Forcing your team to switch to a new help desk just to get AI is a high-risk, high-cost move. The modern approach is to choose a flexible, smart layer that works with the tools you already love.
eesel AI is built on this very idea. It plugs right into your current setup, learns from your data, and starts automating support in hours, not months. See how it can transform your customer service without turning your operations upside down.
Book a demo of eesel AI or start your free trial today.
Frequently asked questions
This is a key differentiator. While some platforms are all-in-one systems, many of the best Ada CX alternatives like eesel AI and Ultimate are designed to integrate with and enhance the help desk you already use, avoiding a disruptive migration.
Prices vary widely, from around $55/agent/mo for built-in tools to over $2,500/mo for specialized platforms. Many solutions offer custom enterprise pricing, but look for those with transparent, interaction-based plans for predictable costs.
Implementation time depends on the approach. A full “rip-and-replace” platform can take months, whereas layered solutions that integrate with your existing help desk can often be set up and delivering value in just a few days.
This is a critical point. Many built-in AI tools are limited to their native help center, but more flexible Ada CX alternatives can connect to scattered knowledge in Confluence, Google Docs, and past tickets for more accurate answers.
Yes, avoiding vendor lock-in is a primary reason businesses seek out alternatives. Solutions that layer on top of your existing software stack give you the flexibility to add or switch components without being trapped in a single, monolithic ecosystem.