How we test
A quick look at the criteria every customer support tool is measured against before it earns a place in a ranking.
What criteria do we test against?
Every tool runs the same checklist, so rankings stay comparable. Each product is scored into a single SupportScore and written up by hand.
- Setup & onboarding - time from sign-up to a working support queue
- Automation & AI - how much routine volume is deflected before a human is needed
- Channel coverage - live chat, email, voice, social, and in-app messaging
- Integrations & ecosystem - CRM, e-commerce, and developer tooling
- Pricing transparency - the real total cost across seats, usage, and add-ons
- Admin, routing & workflow - assignment rules, SLAs, and permissions
- Reporting & analytics - the dashboards leaders use to manage a desk
- Reliability & security - uptime, data handling, and compliance posture
For the full process - who runs the reviews, how the SupportScore is weighted, and our test log - read the complete methodology.
How do we make money - honestly?
The ranking order is editorial: it follows this methodology, not payment, and a sponsored vendor is never placed at the top of a list because it is sponsored. Some links are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission when you buy through them. Sponsored or featured-partner placements are always labeled and kept separate from the organic ranking. The full policy is on our editorial policy page.