Zendesk is a polished, general-purpose helpdesk used by some MSPs as their PSA. Lavawall® Help Desk Pro is built specifically for MSPs: the same console as your RMM, security, GRC, and remote support, with per-named-agent pricing, full ticket-import from Zendesk including embedded images and attachments, and AI-suggested KB articles.
Where Lavawall® wins for MSPs
Per-named-agent pricing (US$59/agent/month) with unlimited tickets, KB articles, web chat, and automations, not per-seat.
Bundle with Remote Support Pro at US$89/named agent/month for unlimited remote sessions.
Tickets carry the device GUID when they originate from a remote-support session, so the panel shows current device health, patch status, last reboot, and disk space inside the ticket.
AI-suggested KB articles surface as the technician types, with knowledge-base gap detection that flags recurring questions with no documented answer.
AI-analyzed task and scheduling breakdown for complex multi-step work (onboardings, migrations, incident response).
Tabbed multi-ticket view, Kanban or list view per saved view, internal-comment @-mentions, drag-to-status, WIP limits per assignee or column.
Macros and Liquid placeholder canned responses imported and translated automatically from Zendesk.
Existing Zendesk tickets, including embedded images and attachments, are imported automatically. No data left behind, no support history lost.
One platform: helpdesk + RMM + security + GRC + breach detection + remote support, billed in either USD or CAD with native GST/HST/PST/QST handling.
Where Zendesk wins
Industry-standard general-purpose helpdesk with deep workflow customisation and many third-party integrations.
Mature reporting and analytics suite for high-volume B2C and enterprise support teams.
Large agent and customer ecosystem; many candidates in the labour market are Zendesk-trained.
Strong omni-channel capabilities (chat, voice, social, email) for non-MSP support models.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Lavawall® | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Built specifically for MSPs | Yes | No, general-purpose |
| Tickets carry device GUID; device health visible inside ticket | Yes | No, requires custom integration |
| Per-named-agent pricing model with unlimited tickets | US$59/agent/month | Per-seat, multiple tier add-ons |
| Helpdesk bundled with RMM / patching / security / GRC | Yes | No, separate vendors |
| Bundled remote support | Yes, Remote Support Pro at $45/agent or $89 bundle | Add-on |
| AI-suggested KB articles in-ticket | Yes | Available in higher tiers |
| AI knowledge-base gap detection | Yes | Not standard |
| AI-analyzed task / scheduling breakdown | Yes | Not standard |
| Macros / Liquid templates imported from Zendesk | Yes, translated automatically | Native |
| Embedded image and attachment ticket import | Yes, preserved | Native |
| Native CAD billing for Canadian MSPs | Yes | Typically USD |
| Switching cost from Zendesk | Low; automated import preserves history | n/a |
Who should pick which?
Pick Lavawall® if…
You are an MSP and your tickets are about devices, networks, M365 tenants, and patches, not generic CRM cases.
You want one console where the technician sees the current device, the open ticket, the elevation history, the patch status, and can launch a remote session, without context-switching across four tools.
You want per-named-agent helpdesk pricing instead of paying per seat for every shared technician login.
You are paying separately for Bomgar / BeyondTrust or another remote-support tool today and want to consolidate.
You are concerned about the Zendesk migration cost: Lavawall® imports tickets, attachments, macros, and KB automatically.
Pick Zendesk if…
You run a large B2C or general-purpose support operation and need omni-channel features (voice, social, deep IVR) that Lavawall® does not focus on.
You have deep custom Zendesk Sunshine workflows or Zendesk-specific integrations that you cannot replicate elsewhere.
Your support model isn't MSP-shaped (e.g., you support a single product to millions of consumer users).
Frequently asked
- How much does it cost to switch from Zendesk?
- There is no migration fee. Lavawall® imports tickets, attachments, KB, and macros automatically. The cost is the time to retrain technicians, typically a single afternoon.
- Will my agents lose ticket history during the cutover?
- No. Tickets, comments, CCs, attachments, embedded images, and macros are all imported. The connector continues to sync incrementally during the cutover so neither system is the source of truth alone until you cut over.
- Does Lavawall® support classic Outlook + new Outlook + Outlook on the web?
- Yes, and Outlook for Mac, Outlook for iOS, and Outlook for Android. The phishing reporter add-in is supported across all six.
- Can I bundle helpdesk with remote support?
- Yes. Help Desk Pro + Remote Support Pro is US$89/named agent/month, a 14% saving over the two add-ons individually. Both come with unlimited tickets and unlimited sessions.