{
  "version": "2",
  "generatedAt": "2026-11-03T22:49:39.280Z",
  "listing": {
    "slug": "zoho-desk",
    "name": "Zoho Desk",
    "tagline": "Hosted help desk with a Free Forever edition for three agents and an official Zoho MCP server.",
    "shortTagline": "Hosted help desk with a free tier",
    "description": "Zoho Desk is Zoho's customer support product: multichannel tickets, help center, SLAs, automation, and Zia AI on higher plans. Zoho's own MCP server (zoho.com/mcp) lists Desk among the apps it serves, uses OAuth, and runs under the connecting user's permissions. The Free edition gives three user licenses with limited capabilities.",
    "capabilities": [
      "operable"
    ],
    "vertical": "support-bookkeeping",
    "alternativeTo": [
      "Zendesk",
      "Freshdesk"
    ],
    "shape": "product",
    "formFactor": "api",
    "executionModel": "deterministic",
    "provenance": "human-written",
    "codeStack": null,
    "modelStack": null,
    "repos": [],
    "interface": {
      "kind": "mcp",
      "url": "https://www.zoho.com/mcp/",
      "official": true,
      "hosted": "remote"
    },
    "operability": "official",
    "recommendedWrapper": null,
    "reach": [
      {
        "job": "Search tickets",
        "reachable": true,
        "evidence": "zoho.com/mcp example prompt: Search the desk for any open tickets"
      },
      {
        "job": "Update ticket status",
        "reachable": true,
        "evidence": "same example: Mark them as in progress"
      },
      {
        "job": "Reply to a ticket",
        "reachable": true,
        "evidence": "same example: send a reply that we are working on it"
      },
      {
        "job": "Create tickets",
        "reachable": null,
        "evidence": "no tool list published on the MCP page; Desk REST API supports it, MCP coverage unconfirmed"
      },
      {
        "job": "Manage contacts and accounts",
        "reachable": null,
        "evidence": "not stated on the MCP page"
      },
      {
        "job": "Write help center articles",
        "reachable": null,
        "evidence": "not stated"
      },
      {
        "job": "Configure SLAs and automation rules",
        "reachable": false,
        "evidence": "MCP page describes acting under user permissions on records; admin configuration is not an example and is unlikely"
      },
      {
        "job": "Run reports and dashboards",
        "reachable": null,
        "evidence": "not stated"
      },
      {
        "job": "Handle chat, phone, and social channels",
        "reachable": false,
        "evidence": "live chat is Zoho SalesIQ on the Enterprise plan; channels are set up in the UI"
      }
    ],
    "editions": [
      {
        "name": "Free",
        "price": null,
        "open": false,
        "distributions": [
          {
            "kind": "hosted",
            "url": "https://www.zoho.com/desk/pricing.html"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Express",
        "price": {
          "amount": 420,
          "currency": "INR",
          "period": "user/month, annual (regional pricing shown at fetch)"
        },
        "open": false,
        "distributions": [
          {
            "kind": "hosted",
            "url": "https://www.zoho.com/desk/pricing.html"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Standard",
        "price": {
          "amount": 800,
          "currency": "INR",
          "period": "user/month, annual"
        },
        "open": false,
        "distributions": []
      },
      {
        "name": "Professional",
        "price": {
          "amount": 1400,
          "currency": "INR",
          "period": "user/month, annual"
        },
        "open": false,
        "distributions": []
      },
      {
        "name": "Enterprise",
        "price": {
          "amount": 2400,
          "currency": "INR",
          "period": "user/month, annual"
        },
        "open": false,
        "distributions": []
      }
    ],
    "skills": {
      "kind": "none",
      "paths": [],
      "install": null,
      "note": "Hosted MCP server only; Zoho publishes no skill."
    },
    "customization": null,
    "useWhen": [
      "we are a three-person team on Zoho's free plan and want our agent to triage and answer tickets without paying for a seat",
      "we already live in Zoho (CRM, Books) and want one OAuth connector that reaches Desk tickets alongside the rest"
    ],
    "accounts": [
      "Zoho account"
    ],
    "active": true,
    "lastActivity": null,
    "gotchas": [
      "Whether the Free edition can use the MCP server is not stated; Zoho gates API and integration features by plan",
      "Pricing page served INR at fetch time; USD list prices differ",
      "No public tool list for the Desk MCP; Reach is inferred from one example prompt"
    ],
    "fit": {
      "adaptable": 0,
      "operable": 2
    },
    "evidence": {
      "formFactor": "hosted SaaS; agent interface is a remote MCP with OAuth",
      "executionModel": "no model at runtime in the core product; Zia AI is an add-on on paid plans",
      "operability": "zoho.com/mcp: MCP integrates with many Zoho apps, including CRM, Mail, Calendar, Desk, Cliq, Projects, and WorkDrive; OAuth-based authorization",
      "editions": "zoho.com/desk/pricing.html: Free edition gives you 3 users with limited capabilities; Express, Standard, Professional, Enterprise tiers",
      "active": "Zoho MCP page and pricing live in 2026; no dated changelog captured"
    },
    "confidence": {
      "formFactor": 0.9,
      "executionModel": 0.8,
      "operability": 0.85,
      "reach": 0.4,
      "editions": 0.7
    },
    "openQuestions": [
      "Endpoint URL and tool list of the Zoho MCP server for Desk",
      "Is MCP or API access included in the Free edition",
      "USD prices for each plan"
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://www.zoho.com/mcp/",
        "foundBy": "sourcing:support-bookkeeping:registries"
      },
      {
        "url": "https://www.zoho.com/desk/",
        "foundBy": "sourcing:support-bookkeeping:registries"
      },
      {
        "url": "https://www.zoho.com/desk/pricing.html",
        "foundBy": "analysis"
      }
    ],
    "research": {
      "stage": "verified",
      "verdict": "unverified",
      "reason": "Official MCP from the vendor plus a genuine free edition; Reach is thin on evidence because Zoho publishes no tool list.",
      "disputed": []
    },
    "url": "apps/zoho-desk.html",
    "coverage": "partial",
    "paid": true,
    "source": "research/verified/zoho-desk.json"
  }
}