Pega Customer Service vs Stept

Pega Customer Service is an omnichannel digital engagement solution for enterprises. It combines automated service, self-service agents, and a unified representative desktop. Pega says Predictable AI can resolve routine requests automatically while supplying context and guidance for complex cases. Workflow-powered Self Service Agents handle requests across channels, provide end-to-end resolutions, or transfer customers to live support. The agent desktop includes AI guidance, automated responses, and task automation for data capture, form filling, and wrap-up. Conversations can move between channels while retaining context, and representatives can view interaction history across channels. Listed capabilities include workflow automation, attended and unattended robotic process automation, Email AI, Pega Knowledge Agent, and real-time Next Best Action recommendations. Supported channels include inbound and outbound telephone, web and mobile chat, email, web self-service, fax, and white mail, with WhatsApp and SMS integrations. Deployment options include Pega Cloud, client-managed cloud, and on-premises. Pricing is on request; a 30-day trial is advertised but currently being upgraded.

Stept is an open-source customer-support platform with a shared inbox, AI agent, help center, product tours, and automation. Its AI agent can read company documents, guide visitors through an interface, and act on a page after the visitor opts in. Teams can select a model, configure the agent’s persona, and decide which tools run automatically, require approval, or stay off. Sensitive actions can require human approval; password fields are excluded, and actions are capped per run. Knowledge sources can be crawled, uploaded, or synced, then re-indexed on a schedule. The shared inbox includes assignment, snoozing, tags, notes, SLAs, macros, and team collaboration. Channels include email, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, LINE, a web widget, and API. Self-hosting is MIT-licensed and supports Postgres or SQLite, offline operation with a mock AI provider, and unlimited seats. Stept Cloud is free during early access; the listed Cloud and Business prices are marked as upcoming.