EngageBay
Choose it for: Small businesses that want CRM, email marketing and a basic helpdesk from one vendor
Starting price: Free; paid from $12.74/user/month (biennial)
Watch for: Tight contact caps: 500 on Basic and 5,000 on Growth
Side-by-side comparison
Compare EngageBay vs Desku on pricing, free access, features, support and limitations using source-backed profile data and visible check dates.
Quick answer
There is no universal winner here. The better choice depends on the workflow, budget and limitation you can accept.
Choose it for: Small businesses that want CRM, email marketing and a basic helpdesk from one vendor
Starting price: Free; paid from $12.74/user/month (biennial)
Watch for: Tight contact caps: 500 on Basic and 5,000 on Growth

Choose it for: Small and growing support teams that want a shared inbox and live chat without paying per agent
Starting price: Free; paid plans from $39/month
Watch for: Meaningful AI usage needs the Eva AI token add-on at $59/month; WhatsApp and full social channels are Business-only
Full comparison
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| Compare | EngageBay | Desku |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses that want CRM, email marketing and a basic helpdesk from one vendor | Small and growing support teams that want a shared inbox and live chat without paying per agent |
| Avoid if | You have a large contact database but a small team; contact caps make the higher tiers expensive | You need heavy AI automation included in the base price, or more than 25 agents without add-ons |
| Starting price | Free; paid from $12.74/user/month (biennial) | Free; paid plans from $39/month |
| Pricing model | Per user, per month; cheaper on yearly and two-year billing | Flat price per plan with included agent seats; AI and extra seats as add-ons |
| Free plan / trial | Free plan for up to 15 users and 250 contacts | Free plan (2 agents) and 14-day trial on paid plans |
| Plans |
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| Deployment | Cloud (SaaS) | Cloud (SaaS) |
| India readiness | Priced in USD; SMS marketing available from Basic | Priced in USD; WhatsApp available on the Business plan |
| Support | Phone support and dedicated account manager on Pro | Not specified on pricing page |
| Biggest limitation | Tight contact caps: 500 on Basic and 5,000 on Growth | Meaningful AI usage needs the Eva AI token add-on at $59/month; WhatsApp and full social channels are Business-only |
| Evidence | Verified on vendor site | Verified on vendor site |
| Price checked | ||
| Pricing source | Official pricing (opens in a new tab) | Official pricing (opens in a new tab) |
Prices are taken from each vendor's own pricing page on the dates shown. Taxes and add-ons may apply; confirm before you buy.
Pricing snapshot
Free; paid from $12.74/user/month (biennial)
Free; paid plans from $39/month
Evidence and freshness
This page updates automatically when a connected software profile is edited or re-imported. Pricing and plan limits can still change between checks, so verify the final quote with the vendor.