Gorgias vs Zendesk (2026)

What sets it apart Pricing scales by monthly ticket volume rather than per agent seat, and the AI Agent is charged only when it fully resolves a conversation, on top of native Shopify order and customer context inside the inbox

Best for Shopify and direct-to-consumer ecommerce brands, from solo/SMB operators up to larger retailers, that want support tooling integrated with their store's order and customer data · Pricing model Ticket-volume-based subscription starting at $10/month (Starter), scaling by monthly tickets rather than per agent. The AI Agent is billed per resolved conversation (about $0.90 per resolution on annual plans, $1.00 on Starter/monthly), with resolution allocations included per tier and overages beyond them. No standing free plan; a free trial is offered.

Built specifically for ecommerce, Gorgias is a customer support helpdesk that consolidates email, live chat, SMS, and social messaging into one inbox and surfaces Shopify order and customer data next to each conversation. Its AI Agent resolves routine pre- and post-sale questions and is billed per resolved conversation, matching a subscription that is priced by monthly ticket volume rather than per agent and starts at $10 a month. The fit is clearest for Shopify and other direct-to-consumer brands, from solo operators to larger retailers, that want support tooling wired into store data rather than a general-purpose help desk.

Sources Gorgias homepage · Gorgias pricing page · Gorgias AI Agent pricing (vendor blog) · Gorgias About us

What sets it apart AI agents are metered by outcome ("automated resolutions"): the customer pays only for requests the bot resolves without human escalation, rather than paying a flat per-seat AI fee

Best for Support teams from small businesses to enterprises that want email, chat, phone, and messaging unified in one ticketing system with AI automation and reporting · Pricing model Per-agent monthly subscription billed yearly: Support Team $19, Suite Team $55, Suite Professional $115, and Suite Enterprise via sales. AI agents are included and billed separately by automated resolution (consumption-based). A 14-day free trial is offered; there is no permanent free tier. Optional add-ons include Copilot ($50/agent/mo).

Zendesk is a service platform that consolidates email, chat, phone, messaging, and a help center into one ticketing and routing system, with AI agents that handle customer requests alongside human staff. Its distinguishing feature is billing: AI agents are included across plans but metered by "automated resolutions," so customers pay only for requests the bot closes without escalating to a person. Seat pricing runs from $19 per agent monthly on the Support Team plan up to $115 on Suite Professional, with a 14-day trial and no permanent free tier. It suits support teams from small businesses through enterprises that want multiple channels, automation, and analytics under a single vendor.

Sources Zendesk official pricing page · Zendesk homepage · Richpanel - Zendesk Pricing in 2026