A complete guide to the Zendesk app builder in 2025

Ever wished you could build a custom app for your support team without having to wait in line for the dev team? The promise of no-code tools is that you can finally create the exact workflows you need to pull in customer data, streamline tasks, and solve those unique problems that generic software just can't handle.

Zendesk’s answer is the Zendesk App Builder, a tool that lets you create solutions using plain English. But is it as simple as it sounds? This guide will give you a straight-up look at what the App Builder is, what it does well, where it falls short, and how it stacks up against other options for teams that need to get serious about automation.

What is the Zendesk App Builder?

So, what exactly is the Zendesk App Builder? It's an AI-powered, no-code tool that lives right inside Zendesk's Admin Center. Instead of writing lines of code, you type out what you want the app to do, and the AI gets to work building the interface and making it function.

The whole point is to let people who aren't developers, like support managers or admins, build their own custom tools. This could be something simple, like an app that shows a customer's recent orders, or one that tracks how many times a ticket gets passed around. Since it uses Zendesk's own Garden design components and APIs, any app you create looks and feels like it belongs in the agent workspace. It's a neat idea that aims to make customization a lot more accessible.

Key features of the Zendesk App Builder

To get a better sense of what the tool can do, let's walk through its main features.

Building with AI through conversation

The process kicks off with a "conversation." You open the App Builder and just describe the app you want to create, almost like you're explaining it to a coworker. You might type something like, "Create an app that shows the five most recent tickets from the person who submitted this ticket."

The AI then comes back with a plan, which you can either approve or ask it to change. You can keep refining the app with more prompts, like, "Okay, now add a button to refresh the data." This back-and-forth approach, powered by natural language, is really the heart of how the App Builder works.

Previewing and testing in real-time

As you build, you get a "Preview" tab that shows you a live mock-up of your app. It uses sample data, so you can see how the layout and buttons will look without messing with anything in your actual account.

When you’re ready to see it in action, you can click "Test". This runs the app inside your real Zendesk setup, using your own account's data. It’s a pretty important step to make sure everything is working correctly before you roll it out to your team. The App Builder also saves every change automatically, so if you make a mistake, you can easily go back to an earlier version.

Connecting to data and third-party apps

The App Builder isn't just for showing Zendesk data. You can build apps that pull in information from other places, which is great for giving agents the full picture on a customer.

It lets you connect to other systems in two main ways: through API keys or OAuth 2.0. This means you can build apps that grab info from tools like Jira, Google Sheets, or even your company’s internal databases, as long as they have a public API. It opens up a lot of possibilities for creating more useful, context-aware tools for your agents.

The reality: Where the Zendesk App Builder falls short

While the idea sounds great, the Zendesk App Builder has some real-world limitations you should know about before you decide to build your entire workflow around it.

Why the Zendesk App Builder isn’t quite “no-code” for complex apps

For anything more than a basic app, you’ll probably find that "no-code" is a bit of a stretch. As one person who reviewed the tool pointed out, getting a fully working app often requires a few "technical nudges." For instance, they had to specifically tell the AI to use the right Zendesk API object ("ticket.requester" instead of "user") to make the app work. Most non-technical admins wouldn't know to do that.

On top of that, fixing things when they break can be clumsy. You’re expected to copy an error message and paste it back into the chat, hoping the AI can figure out how to fix itself. This can turn into a pretty annoying back-and-forth, especially if the AI just doesn't get what the problem is. Some have found it just gets stuck in a loop, trying and failing to fix the same issue over and over.

A restrictive platform with tight constraints

The App Builder keeps you inside a very rigid, walled-off environment. Zendesk's own documentation on its limitations highlights a few big ones:

• You can't touch the code. The AI writes the code, but you can't get to it to make your own tweaks or improvements. You also can't export it for a developer to manage.

• You can't import existing apps. If you already have a private app for Zendesk, you can't bring it into the App Builder to add new features. You have to start from scratch.

• No easy way to move from testing to production. You can't build and test an app in a sandbox environment and then just push it to your live account. You have to rebuild it from scratch, which is both risky and a pain.

• Apps are stuck in one place. If you build an app for the ticket sidebar, you can't also use it in the top navigation bar. If you want the same tool in two different spots, you have to build and maintain two separate apps.

Usage limits and scaling issues

How much you can use the App Builder is tied to your Zendesk plan, and the limits can be a real drag. For instance, the Suite Professional plan only lets you have five app "conversations" (or projects) going at once. While that doesn't limit how many apps you can publish, it really cramps your style if you want to experiment or have multiple people building things at the same time.

Performance can also be an issue. The documentation mentions that conversations can slow down as they get longer. If you're building a complicated app that needs a lot of back-and-forth prompts, you might find the whole process becomes painfully slow.

Zendesk App Builder pricing

The Zendesk App Builder isn't something you can buy on its own. It's bundled with the higher-end Zendesk Suite and Support plans, and your access is based on which plan you have.

Here’s how the conversation allowances shake out:

Zendesk Plan	Availability	Conversation Allowance
Suite/Support Professional	Included	Up to 5 app conversations
Suite/Support Enterprise	Included	Up to 10 app conversations
Suite Enterprise Plus	Included	Up to 20 app conversations

Basically, the main cost is your Zendesk subscription. If your team needs to build more apps, you don't just pay for more conversations, you have to upgrade your entire Zendesk plan.

Beyond the Zendesk App Builder: A more flexible path to Zendesk automation

While the Zendesk App Builder is a decent starting point for simple tweaks, its limitations can be a deal-breaker for teams that need more power, control, and speed. For that, you’ll want to look at platforms designed for more flexible AI integration.

A dedicated AI platform like eesel AI connects directly to Zendesk but doesn't have the same constraints.

Get up and running in minutes, not months

Unlike the App Builder, which can involve a waitlist and a slow debugging dance, eesel AI is built to be self-serve. You can sign up, connect your help desk, and have a working AI agent in just a few minutes, all without having to talk to a salesperson. The one-click integration with Zendesk is smooth and works with your existing setup right away.

A workflow showing the quick and easy implementation process of eesel AI compared to the more complex Zendesk App Builder.

Total control and real customization

With eesel AI, you get a workflow engine that you can fully customize. You aren't limited to what you can describe in a text prompt. Through a simple dashboard, you can set up custom actions, connect to any internal API for real-time data (like checking an order status), and adjust the AI's personality and tone. This level of control helps you avoid that "gimmicky" feeling that can come with the App Builder and lets you build automations you can truly rely on.

A screenshot of the eesel AI dashboard, highlighting the extensive customization and control options available, which are not present in the Zendesk App Builder.

Unify all your knowledge and test with confidence

eesel AI can instantly learn from a much wider range of sources, including your old Zendesk tickets, Google Docs, and Confluence pages. This means your AI has more knowledge from the get-go and can give more accurate, helpful answers.

Even better, eesel AI offers a powerful simulation mode. Instead of a simple preview with fake data, you can test your AI on thousands of your actual past tickets. This shows you an accurate forecast of your resolution rate and how much you'll save before you ever turn it on for customers, taking all the guesswork out of the launch.

The eesel AI simulation mode provides a reliable forecast of automation performance, a feature missing from the Zendesk App Builder.

The Zendesk App Builder: A good tool with clear boundaries

The Zendesk App Builder is an interesting tool for quickly building simple sidebar apps, especially if you don't have access to developers. It lowers the barrier and makes it possible to create basic solutions without needing to code.

However, its big limitations in customization, control, and scalability make it a poor fit for businesses that want to build serious, reliable automations. The clumsy debugging, rigid platform, and tight usage limits mean you'll probably hit a wall as your needs grow. For teams that need more power, flexibility, and a truly smooth integration, a dedicated AI platform is the way to go.

Ready to see what a truly flexible AI platform can do for your Zendesk workflows? Try eesel AI for free and get started in minutes.