# Desku Alternative: AI Included, No API Key, $39/mo · Communicate > Honest Communicate vs Desku comparison: 3,000 managed AI replies for $39/mo vs Eva AI on your own API key or a $59 token add-on. Where Desku wins on seats, too. - **URL:** https://communicate.so/alternatives/desku --- Desku alternative # The Desku alternative with the AI already paid for. Desku Growth is $39 a month, but its Eva AI runs on your own AI provider key, or on a $59 a month token add-on. Communicate Starter is also $39, and 3,000 AI replies are included. No API key, no token math. Try it for a one-time $1. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so)[Book Demo](https://cal.com/team/tinycheque/communicate) One-time $1 activation · 100 credits included · No automatic subscription Starter3,000 AI included in the $39 Plan. No API key to bring. AIActionsIn-App Pause autoplay Your help center. Your inbox. Your team. [Compare Communicate and Desku row by row](#compare) Communicate vs Desku ## Every row, at monthly list price. Desku wins on seats per dollar, a free plan, ticketing, a help center, Shopify and WooCommerce apps, and WhatsApp, Telegram, and Slack on Business. Communicate wins on managed AI in the price, Actions, In-App Messages, and API, MCP, and CLI on every Plan. All of it is below. ### How you try it Communicate$1 once: 100 credits that never expire, nothing renews DeskuFree plan for 2 agents; 14-day trial with a $1 refunded check ### Seats around $39 CommunicateStarter: 3 seats DeskuGrowth: 6 agents ### Seats around $99 CommunicateGrowth: 10 seats DeskuAdvance $79: 12 agents ### AI included in the price Communicate3,000 AI replies on Starter, 8,000 on Growth DeskuBring your own API key, or tokens add-on $59/mo ### Human takeover and shared inbox CommunicateEvery Plan DeskuEvery plan ### Agent takes actions CommunicateLookups, forms, and your API, with approval rules DeskuNot listed on its pricing page ### Messages inside your product CommunicateIn-App Messages on every Plan DeskuNot listed on its pricing page ### Ticketing and help center CommunicateNot offered; connect your pages by URL DeskuIncluded ### Shopify and WooCommerce CommunicateThrough Actions on your store API DeskuBuilt-in apps from Advance, $79/mo ### WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack CommunicateWhatsApp and Slack coming soon DeskuOn Business, $179/mo ### AI help for agents while they reply CommunicateNot offered DeskuCopilot add-on, $29 per seat/mo ### API, MCP, and CLI access CommunicateAll three on every Plan DeskuWebhooks on Business, $179/mo DecisionCommunicateDesku How you try it$1 once: 100 credits that never expire, nothing renewsFree plan for 2 agents; 14-day trial with a $1 refunded check Seats around $39Starter: 3 seatsGrowth: 6 agents Seats around $99Growth: 10 seatsAdvance $79: 12 agents AI included in the price3,000 AI replies on Starter, 8,000 on GrowthBring your own API key, or tokens add-on $59/mo Human takeover and shared inboxEvery PlanEvery plan Agent takes actionsLookups, forms, and your API, with approval rulesNot listed on its pricing page Messages inside your productIn-App Messages on every PlanNot listed on its pricing page Ticketing and help centerNot offered; connect your pages by URLIncluded Shopify and WooCommerceThrough Actions on your store APIBuilt-in apps from Advance, $79/mo WhatsApp, Telegram, SlackWhatsApp and Slack coming soonOn Business, $179/mo AI help for agents while they replyNot offeredCopilot add-on, $29 per seat/mo API, MCP, and CLI accessAll three on every PlanWebhooks on Business, $179/mo Desku figures come from desku.io/pricing, checked on 3 October 2026. “Not listed” means the pricing page does not show it; check with Desku if it matters to you. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so) Yearly totals, checked ## What AI support costs when the AI is included. Monthly list prices times 12, from desku.io/pricing and our Plans, checked on 3 October 2026. If you already pay an AI provider and are happy to manage the key, Desku Growth alone may cost you less. - 01 · $708 a year ### Less on the entry plan, AI included Desku Growth $39 plus the Eva AI token add-on $59 is $98/mo. Communicate Starter: $39/mo with 3,000 AI replies. That is $1,176 vs $468. - 02 · $468 a year ### Less for a team of about ten Desku Advance $79 for 12 agents plus $59 tokens is $138/mo. Communicate Growth: $99/mo for 10 seats and 8,000 AI replies. That is $1,656 vs $1,188. - 03 · $0 extra ### For the AI model No provider account, no key to rotate, no token bill from a second company. The AI is part of the Plan. What changes ## Same $39. The difference is who pays for the AI. Desku is a full help desk with generous seats. Its AI depends on your own provider key or a token add-on. Communicate includes managed AI in every Plan. - 01 ### No AI provider key needed On Desku Growth, unlimited Eva AI needs your own API key, billed by that provider. On Communicate, AI replies come from your Plan credits. - 02 ### A bill you can predict One AI reply is one credit. Starter includes 3,000 a month. Desku’s token add-on is $59 a month for up to 5 million tokens, and token use varies by answer length. - 03 ### Actions and In-App Messages The Agent can call your API with approval rules, and you can nudge users inside your product. Both are on every Plan. ++++ Used in production ## Already answering customer questions. - Teams building software - Teams making content - Teams running everyday tools - Autoposting - Vrid - Niyam - FAAD Network - Nimblocity - Pure Digital - QCall - Serri - The Medical Insurance Exchange How it works ## Set up the AI without an API key, then compare answers. Setup takes about 5 minutes. Your Desku widget stays live until you swap the snippet. - 01 Sources Add your Desku help center by URL Point the Agent at your help center articles, pricing page, and files. There is no import from Desku, so each source is added by hand. Knowledge Connected Help center Ready for answers - Pricing page Ready for answers - Shipping PDF Ready for answers - 02 Rules Set when a chat goes to a person Write plain rules for refunds, complaints, and questions the sources cannot answer. Those chats land in the Shared Inbox, assigned. Handoff rules Saved Refund request Member required - Complaint Hand off - Product question Agent answers - 03 Compare Ask both the same questions Use questions Eva handles today. Read the source behind each answer, then decide. Preview Grounded Question Can I change my order? - Action Order lookup - Result Ready to publish ++++Knowledge Connected - Help center Ready for answers - Pricing page Ready for answers - Shipping PDF Ready for answers Handoff rules Saved - Refund request Member required - Complaint Hand off - Product question Agent answers Preview Grounded - Question Can I change my order? - Action Order lookup - Result Ready to publish 01 / 03 Designed for the edge cases ## What you get on every Plan. No add-ons. Plans differ only in credits, seats, and Agents. 01 ### Managed AI Agents Up to 3 Agents on Starter and 10 on Growth. We run the model; you add sources. Removesmanaging an AI provider account. 02 ### Actions with approval Look up an order or update a record. Mark risky Actions Member required. Removesswitching tabs to answer “where is my order?”. 03 ### In-App Messages Show a targeted message inside your product from the Workspace that answers chat. Removesa separate tool for announcements. 04 ### API, MCP, and CLI Work with Conversations and Agents from your code, an AI assistant, or the terminal. Removeswaiting for the Business plan to get webhooks. ++++ Managed AI Agents Actions with approval In-App Messages API, MCP, and CLI Every feature here runsthrough the same Agent. ## Ask how Communicate compares to Desku. This page runs on Communicate. Type a question below and the assistant on this page answers it. Where is my order #4821? It left the warehouse on Tuesday. Tracking says it arrives Thursday.From: Shipping times That helped Choose what it can read - Help center articles - Refund policy PDF - Past support replies - Product pages Tasks it may run Check order status Update a delivery address Issue a refund Refunds wait for a teammate to approve. Sam joined the chat Handed over with the full thread S Reply style FriendlyFormalShort Drop a help PDF anywhere Answered from your help pages Question askedTeammate if needed Ask our support assistant a question FAQ ## What Desku users ask before they switch. Including the cases where Desku is the better fit. ### 01How does Desku charge for Eva AI? ### 02Desku gives 6 agents for $39. Why pick Communicate? ### 03Can I keep the Desku help center? ### 04Does Communicate work with Shopify? ### 05Is my data safe? ### 06When is Desku the better choice? READY WHEN YOU ARE ## Same price. The AI is already in it. Open the Workspace for $1, add your help center, and see 3,000 AI replies without a key. [Start with 100 credits](https://app.communicate.so)[Or book a demo](https://cal.com/team/tinycheque/communicate)[Back to the top](#home) One-time $1 activation · Grounded answers · Human takeover · Cancel anytime