Which is better for Zendesk: eesel AI or Forethought?

In 2024, Zendesk’s AI features have enabled businesses to automate approximately 20% of their support tickets. The company’s goal is to increase this automation rate to 80%, significantly enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.

However, achieving this level of automation with Zendesk’s native AI tools can be challenging due to factors such as limited customization, channel restrictions, and a significant learning curve. Additionally, the cost structure of Zendesk’s Advanced AI add-on, which starts at $50 per agent per month, on top of the $115 per agent per month for a Professional Suite plan.

As a result, many support teams are exploring alternative solutions like eesel AI and Forethought, which offer advanced AI capabilities with more flexibility and potentially lower costs.

But which one is right for your team?

Why consider Zendesk AI alternatives in 2025?

Customer support teams in 2025 face an unprecedented challenge: managing exponentially growing ticket volumes while maintaining quality and efficiency. According to recent G2 reviews, businesses using Zendesk’s native AI tools report significant limitations in scaling their support operations.

The core challenges extend beyond basic automation. Support teams find themselves constrained by pricing models that increase dramatically with ticket volume, making it cost-prohibitive for growing operations. Additionally, the platform’s automated responses offer minimal customization options, and its basic AI capabilities often require significant human oversight to maintain quality.

Let’s examine how eesel AI and Forethought compare in addressing these challenges Zendesk AI alternatives:

Capability	eesel AI	Forethought	Native Zendesk AI
Implementation	Quick setup (1-2 weeks)	Extended onboarding (3-4 weeks)	Complex deployment (4-6 weeks)
API Integration	Full API access, custom workflows	Limited API functionality	Basic API support
Multi-bot Support	Included in all plans	Enterprise only	Not available
Training Required	Minimal, self-guided	Extensive training needed	Moderate setup time
Cost Structure	Transparent per-interaction	Custom quote based	Per-resolution pricing

 

Comparing core AI capabilities

When evaluating AI tools for customer support, understanding how they handle both automated resolution and agent assistance is crucial. Let’s examine how eesel AI and Forethought compare in delivering intelligent support automation.

Automation and accuracy

The effectiveness of an AI support agent hinges on its ability to understand context and resolve tickets accurately. eesel AI and Forethought both automate ticket handling, but go about it differently. eesel AI offers multi-bot workflows for flexible, specialized automation, while Forethought relies on preset AI autoflows, making it less customizable.

eesel AI also trains on unlimited sources like past tickets, docs, and Google Drive, and many more options, ensuring more accurate responses. Forethought mainly learns from historical tickets, which can limit adaptability. With eesel’s customizable AI, this targeted approach results in more precise handling of various ticket types, which makes eesel AI the better fit.

Feature	eesel AI	Forethought	Real-World Impact
Automated Resolution	Custom API actions with multi-bot workflows	AI autoflows with preset triage	eesel AI offers greater flexibility for complex automation scenarios
Training Sources	Unlimited sources including tickets, docs, wikis	Knowledge base and historical tickets	Broader knowledge base leads to more accurate responses
Language Support	Over 100 languages	40+ languages	Better global customer coverage

 

Productivity enhancement

Both eesel AI and Forethought assist support agents, but eesel AI offers a more flexible and integrated approach, making it easier for users to achieve their customer service goals.

eesel AI seamlessly integrates into Zendesk via a browser extension, allowing agents to access AI support without switching tools. It suggests smart replies based on top-rated responses, retrieves relevant documents and past tickets automatically, and pulls customer data directly into tickets for faster, more personalized support.

Forethought, in contrast, relies on preset workflows and automated triage. While it helps surface knowledge base articles, it lacks the real-time adaptability and deep integration that eesel AI provides.

For teams looking for customization, real-time AI learning, and seamless Zendesk integration, eesel AI has a clear advantage on this one.

Implementing the AI tools with Zendesk

Implementing the right AI support tool requires careful consideration of setup complexity, timeline, and resource requirements. Let’s examine how eesel AI and Forethought approach Zendesk integration to help you make an informed decision.

Technical requirements

eesel AI prioritizes a lightweight technical footprint, requiring only Zendesk admin credentials and an optional browser extension for enhanced functionality. The system builds upon your existing knowledge base while continuously learning from new interactions, enabling quick deployment without extensive technical prerequisites.

Forethought’s implementation demands more substantial technical involvement, including dedicated developer resources for custom integrations and extensive historical ticket data for optimal performance. Their documentation emphasizes the need for comprehensive data preparation before deployment.

Training your AI

The most effective implementation strategy begins with focusing on a specific subset of support queries. This targeted approach allows you to validate performance and measure ROI before expanding coverage. eesel AI can begin functioning with minimal historical data, leveraging your existing documentation for immediate value. Meanwhile, Forethought typically requires several weeks of historical ticket analysis to achieve comparable results.

Consider starting with high-volume, repetitive queries where automation can provide immediate relief to your support team. This approach ensures quick wins while building confidence in the system’s capabilities.

What’s the cost?

When evaluating AI support tools for Zendesk, understanding the total cost of ownership and potential return on investment is crucial for making an informed decision. Let’s examine how eesel AI and Forethought compare in terms of pricing models and real-world value delivery.

Transparent vs custom pricing

Feature	eesel AI	Forethought
Base pricing	Starts at $299/month	Custom quote only
Usage limits	1,000 interactions/month (Team)	Not disclosed
Per-agent fees	None	Yes
Additional bots	Up to 10 (Business)	Varies by plan
Free trial	Yes	No

 

According to recent customer implementations, eesel AI demonstrates strong performance across key metrics. The platform achieves ticket deflection rates of 70% – 80%, while reducing handling time by approximately 25-30%. Teams typically complete training within 1-2 weeks, allowing for faster time-to-value compared to the industry standard implementation timeline.

Forethought on the other hand requires you to contact them in order to get a custom quote. As stated on their pricing page, the quote is dependent on a combination of platform fees and usage costs. The usage fees are based off deflection rate of inquiries and the ticket volume of escalations to agents. Overage or what they call additional usage charges are only applied after you go over your limit. The cost isn’t disclosed and Forethought encourages you to contact their sales team for more information.

Understanding total cost of ownership

When evaluating Zendesk AI alternatives, several factors beyond base pricing require consideration. Implementation resources can vary significantly between platforms, with some requiring dedicated technical staff. Custom integration fees may apply for specific use cases. As you scale bot capabilities, costs for advanced features or increased capacity should be factored in. Some vendors also charge premium rates for priority support.

Pro tip: Request a detailed breakdown of all potential costs during your evaluation process. This ensures you can accurately forecast your total investment as your support needs grow.

Security features

As AI becomes increasingly central to customer support operations, and security readiness are crucial is one important factor when evaluating AI solutions. Let’s examine how eesel AI and Forethought compare in these critical areas.

Both platforms prioritize robust security measures, with some key differences in their approaches:

Feature	eesel AI	Forethought
SOC 2 Certification	Type II certified	Type II certified
Data Encryption	AES-256 in-transit and at-rest	AES-256 in-transit and at-rest
Data Retention	Customizable policies	Data deletion upon request; data purged 30 days after acknowledgment
Access Controls	Role-based with custom rules	Basic roles on lower tiers
Custom Security Rules	Available on all plans	Available on Enterprise plans only

 

Support and service availability

For businesses that value accessible, round-the-clock support and dedicated success management, support availability can make or break an AI implementation, especially for teams relying on automation to handle high ticket volumes.

eesel AI provides a dedicated customer success manager to all customers, offering personalized guidance from onboarding to optimization. This ensures businesses receive hands-on assistance throughout their AI journey, from setup to fine-tuning performance. Additionally, 24/7 technical support is available on all plans, allowing teams to resolve issues quickly without delays.

Forethought, on the other hand, reserves priority support for enterprise customers, meaning smaller teams may face longer wait times for assistance. Unlike eesel AI, Forethought requires custom service agreements for onboarding and optimization support, which could add complexity and extra costs for teams that need hands-on help.

Which AI solution is right for your Zendesk?

To sum it up, both eesel AI and Forethought offer AI-powered automation for Zendesk, but their strengths cater to different needs.

If your team values customization, fast deployment, and transparent pricing, eesel AI is the best fit. It offers multi-bot workflows, extensive integrations, and a flexible pricing model that scales with your needs. Plus, with 24/7 support and a dedicated customer success manager, you get hands-on assistance at every stage.

On the other hand, if you’re an enterprise organization looking for a structured AI solution with built-in workflows, Forethought may be a better choice, with the trade off of having a longer setup time, enterprise-focused pricing, and limited support for smaller teams.

For most Zendesk users looking to enhance automation while keeping costs under control, eesel AI provides the most balanced and scalable solution.

Ready to see AI in action? Sign up for a free trial or you can schedule a personalized demo to explore how eesel AI can boost your support efficiency and reduce costs.