I tested the top 5 Pylon alternatives for B2B support in 2025.

Let’s be honest, finding the right B2B support platform can feel like a huge chore. You know you need something solid, but every tool you look at seems to do things a little differently. Pylon is one of those names that pops up, promising an all-in-one fix for post-sales teams. But as technology evolves, especially with AI becoming a core part of the job, "all-in-one" doesn’t always mean it’s the best at everything.

Just to be clear, this review is all about Pylon’s B2B customer support platform, the one you’ll find on review sites like Gartner and Slashdot. A quick search might show you other tools with the same name for solar design or financial planning, but we’re sticking to the world of customer service here.

My goal is to give you a straightforward, hands-on look at the best Pylon alternatives out there. I’ve spent time with each of these tools to get a feel for what they do well, where they miss the mark, and which one might be the right fit to help you scale your support without the usual headaches.

What is Pylon for B2B support?

Pylon’s main pitch is that it’s a single, unified platform for B2B support. Think of it as a central command center for the teams handling everything after a customer signs on. Looking at their public info, they bundle together several key tools that support teams use daily.

At its heart is a ticketing system, which is standard for any support operation. It also offers omnichannel support, so you can handle chats from places like Slack and Microsoft Teams in the same place as your regular email tickets. It also includes a knowledge base for customers who want to find answers themselves and an AI support bot for simple questions. Some of its more unique features are "Triggers" for automating tasks, "Macros" for quick-reply templates, and a shared dashboard to let other people in the company see what’s going on with customer issues.

Why you might be looking for Pylon alternatives

While a single tool for everything sounds appealing, it often comes with trade-offs that send teams looking for Pylon alternatives. Here are a few common reasons you might find yourself in the same boat.

The biggest issue with these kinds of platforms is often a lack of flexibility. You’re pretty much stuck with their way of doing things. If their ticketing system is solid but their AI is just so-so, you don’t have a choice. This one-size-fits-all setup often means you’re giving up top-tier features for the convenience of having it all in one place.

Then there’s the way AI is tacked on. Many older platforms added AI features as an afterthought instead of building them in from the start. This can lead to clunky workflows and an AI that doesn’t feel truly connected to your processes. Modern, AI-first tools are built differently, designed from day one to automate, learn, and help out in a much smoother way.

Getting started can also be a pain. Many platforms require you to go through long sales calls, mandatory demos, and sometimes even need developers to get things running. This can slow you down by weeks, if not months. Lastly, the pricing can be a bit of a black box. Models that charge per agent or have confusing tiers can end up costing you more just for growing your team or having a busy support month.

Our criteria for choosing the best Pylon alternatives

To keep this comparison fair and genuinely useful, I focused on four things that really matter for support teams today. This isn’t just a feature checklist; it’s about how these tools actually perform when you’re using them.

1. AI & Automation muscle: The platform has to do more than just spit out FAQ answers. I looked for smart, built-in AI that can actually automate tasks, help agents write better replies, and give you useful feedback to improve your whole support operation.

2. Painless setup and integration: You shouldn’t have to throw out your entire workflow just to try a new tool. The best Pylon alternatives should easily connect with the software you already use, like helpdesks from Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Intercom. A true self-serve setup that lets you get started without a sales call is a massive plus.

3. Real customization and control: Every business is unique. I gave extra points to tools that let you fine-tune the AI’s personality, control exactly which workflows it automates, and decide which knowledge sources it should learn from.

4. No-nonsense pricing: Nobody likes surprise fees. The best options have clear, predictable pricing that grows with you, without hidden costs or extra charges for every ticket the AI helps resolve.

Pylon alternatives comparison table

Here’s a quick breakdown of how the top Pylon alternatives compare at a glance.

Feature	eesel AI	Zendesk	Freshdesk	Intercom	Salesforce Service Cloud
Best For	AI-first integration	Enterprise-level ticketing	All-around helpdesk	Conversational support	Deep CRM integration
Self-Serve Setup	Yes, in minutes	No, requires sales/support	Yes, with some limits	Yes	No, requires experts
AI Capabilities	AI Agent, Copilot, Triage	Basic AI add-ons	Freddy AI	Fin AI Bot	Einstein AI
Integrates with Helpdesk	Yes (plugs in)	Is the helpdesk	Is the helpdesk	Is the helpdesk	Is the helpdesk
Pricing Model	Flat fee, by interactions	Per agent, tiered	Per agent, tiered	Per agent + usage	Per user, tiered

The top 5 Pylon alternatives for B2B support in 2025

Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of each platform. I’ve broken down what makes each one a solid option and who it’s really built for.

1. eesel AI: A modern choice among Pylon alternatives

eesel AI is the odd one out on this list because it’s an AI-native platform designed to plug into your existing helpdesk, not make you switch. And honestly, that’s its secret sauce. Instead of making you move everything over to a new system, it connects to what you already use and gives it a serious intelligence boost. You can actually get it up and running in minutes, not months.

Here’s what stands out:

• Genuinely self-serve: You can sign up, connect your helpdesk, set up your AI agent, and go live all by yourself. There are no mandatory sales calls or demos blocking your way.

• Powerful simulation: Before the AI ever interacts with a customer, you can test it on thousands of your past tickets. This shows you exactly how it will perform and what your ROI will look like, so you can launch it feeling confident.

• It learns from everything: eesel AI doesn’t just read your help center articles. It connects to past tickets, Confluence, Google Docs, Slack threads, and more to give complete, context-aware answers.

• No "rip and replace": It slots right into your current workflow in Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, or Gorgias. Your team doesn’t have to learn a new piece of software; their current one just gets a whole lot smarter.

Things to consider:

• It needs an existing helpdesk to work. If you don’t have a ticketing system yet, you’ll need to get one first.

• As a newer company focused purely on AI, it doesn’t have the decades-long history of giants like Zendesk or Salesforce.

Pricing:

eesel AI’s pricing starts at $239/month (with annual billing) for the Team plan. The plans are based on how many AI interactions you use, not how many agents you have, which keeps costs predictable. There are no fees per resolution, so you don’t get penalized when it works well.

Best for:

Teams who like their current helpdesk but want to add powerful, customizable, and risk-free AI to their support setup without a massive migration project.

2. Zendesk: An enterprise choice among Pylon alternatives

Zendesk is a giant in the customer service space. It’s a massive platform that does pretty much everything, from ticketing and help centers to deep analytics and community forums. For big companies, it’s often the go-to choice.

What I liked:

• It’s a mature platform with a ton of features that can handle almost any support situation you can imagine.

• The Zendesk marketplace has thousands of apps, so you can customize and extend it in all sorts of ways.

• It’s built to scale and is trusted by some of the biggest companies in the world.

What I didn’t love:

• Zendesk’s AI features can feel like an expensive add-on instead of a core part of the product. They aren’t as deeply integrated or as flexible as dedicated AI tools.

• It can be notoriously complicated and pricey to set up and manage, often needing a full-time admin to run it.

• The per-agent pricing can get very expensive as your support team gets bigger.

Pricing:

Zendesk’s pricing is all over the map. Basic plans start around $19 per agent/month, but most B2B teams will need the Suite Team plan at $55 per agent/month or more to get the job done.

Best for:

Large companies that need a powerful, do-it-all ticketing system and have the budget and people to manage its complexity.

3. Freshdesk: A user-friendly choice among Pylon alternatives

Freshdesk has made a name for itself as a solid, more user-friendly alternative to Zendesk. It has a similar set of features, including its own AI called "Freddy AI," but everything is wrapped in a cleaner, more intuitive package.

What I liked:

• It’s generally seen as easier to get started with than some of its more complex competitors.

• It has a free tier, which is awesome for startups and small teams who are just getting their support process off the ground.

• It hits a nice sweet spot between features and ease of use for small to mid-sized businesses.

What I didn’t love:

• Freddy AI can be a bit basic, especially on the cheaper plans. You often have to pay up to get the more useful automation features.

• While getting started is easy, some users have said that setting up more advanced customizations can be tricky.

• The per-agent pricing, while competitive, can still add up quickly as you hire more support reps.

Pricing:

Freshdesk has a free plan for up to 10 agents. Paid plans start at $15 per agent/month, with their popular Pro plan running at $49 per agent/month.

Best for:

Small and mid-sized businesses that want a user-friendly, all-in-one helpdesk with some AI features included from the start.

4. Intercom: A conversational choice among Pylon alternatives

Intercom is the undisputed king of conversational support. It’s always been about proactive engagement through its slick website messenger. It’s built for real-time chats that can cover everything from sales and marketing to support.

What I liked:

• It’s the best out there for proactively engaging with customers, letting you send targeted messages based on what they do on your site.

• Its AI chatbot, "Fin," is powerful and fits perfectly into the conversational flow.

• It brings together tools for support, marketing, and sales, which is great for teams that wear multiple hats.

What I didn’t love:

• Intercom can get very expensive, very fast. The pricing is often a confusing mix of agent seats and the number of users you contact, which can lead to sticker shock.

• It’s not really designed for traditional, complex email ticketing, which can be a problem for many B2B support teams.

• Many of its best features are only available on the most expensive plans.

Pricing:

Plans start around $39 per seat/month, but the total cost can jump significantly as you add more contacts and features like Fin AI.

Best for:

Companies whose support is all about real-time, proactive chat and who are ready to invest heavily in that experience.

5. Salesforce Service Cloud: A CRM-integrated choice among Pylon alternatives

Salesforce Service Cloud is the customer service piece of the giant Salesforce puzzle. Its greatest strength is how it connects directly with the Salesforce CRM, making it a no-brainer for companies already deep in that ecosystem.

What I liked:

• It offers a seamless, native connection with Salesforce CRM, giving agents a complete picture of every customer.

• The platform is incredibly customizable and can be tailored to fit the needs of the world’s largest companies.

• It has powerful reporting and analytics, all backed by the main Salesforce platform.

What I didn’t love:

• It is incredibly complex. You’ll need to invest a lot of time and money in setup, customization, and training. You’ll probably need certified experts to manage it.

• If you’re not already using Salesforce CRM, it’s often way too much tool for the job and hard to justify.

• It is one of the priciest options on this list.

Pricing:

Plans start at $25 per user/month for the bare essentials, but most companies will need the Enterprise plan at $150 per user/month to get what they really need.

Best for:

Large companies that are already running their business on Salesforce and need a customer service tool that plugs right into their existing CRM data.

How to choose from the best Pylon alternatives

Feeling a bit lost in the options? Totally normal. Here are a few practical questions to ask yourself to cut through the noise.

• Do you want to replace your helpdesk or improve it? This is the first and most important question. If your team is happy in Zendesk or Freshdesk, a tool like eesel AI that plugs in will be a much faster and less disruptive way to get value than switching systems entirely.

• What do you really need AI to do? Are you just looking for a simple bot to handle FAQs? Or do you need an AI that can handle complex tasks like routing tickets, looking up order details in Shopify, and learning from all your scattered company documents? Test any AI with your own real-world questions.

• Can you run a simulation? Don’t fall for a slick sales demo. The ability to test a platform on your own past data is a huge advantage. It’s the only way to know for sure how it will perform. This is where tools like eesel AI really shine by giving you a clear picture before you commit.

• What’s the total cost? Look past the per-seat price. Think about the cost of implementation, training, any add-ons you’ll need, and how the price might change as your ticket volume or team grows. A cheap-looking per-seat price can get expensive in a hurry.

The verdict on Pylon alternatives: A new way of thinking about support AI

While the old-school, all-in-one platforms like Pylon still work for some, the future of customer support is more flexible, integrated, and built around smart AI. The old model of ripping out your entire system and replacing it is being replaced by a much smarter approach.

The best solution today is often one that improves the tools you already use and like, rather than forcing you into a costly and painful migration. Platforms that let you get started on your own, test their performance with your real data, and offer clear pricing are leading the pack because they deliver results faster and with way less risk.

For any business looking to level up their support with powerful AI without the usual headaches, eesel AI offers the most direct and risk-free path. You can see exactly how it will work with your data before you ever turn it on for customers.

Start a free trial or book a demo and see how it works with your existing helpdesk today.