Skip to main content Skip to footer 
Zendesk, the OG of customer support software, is jam-packed with everything you need for support but is often criticized for its complexity. They are the perfect example of ‘Great features come with great complexity.’
On the other side of the ring, Gorgias steps into the spotlight as a customer service software for eCommerce and DTC brands.
As these platforms go head-to-head, we’ll dissect their strengths, delve into their unique AI-powered capabilities, and help you determine which one holds the key to elevating your customer support and engagement strategies. So, get ready for an insightful journey through the landscapes of Zendesk and Gorgias, where support excellence converges with AI innovation.
QUICK NOTE: If you are a startup or SMB, Zendesk or Gorgias might not be a good fit for you. Check out ThriveDesk, our take on customer support software for startups or SMBs.
Zendesk vs Gorgias: Help Desk Software for Ecommerce at a glance
| Criteria | Zendesk | Gorgias |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Niche | Small to mid-sized businesses | Small to mid-sized businesses |
| Starting price | $55 | $50 |
| Free trial | 30 days | 7 days |
Overview of Zendesk
Zendesk is your trusted ally in customer service. Designed for all kinds of businesses, from small startups to giant enterprises, it’s the secret weapon that keeps customers happy.
With Zendesk, customer questions are a breeze to handle. You get a dashboard that makes creating, tracking, and organizing tickets super easy. It’s like your customer support command center.
Zendesk lets you chat with customers through email, chat, social media, or even over the phone. So, no matter where your customers are, you’re there too.
Big names like Airbnb and Shopify already trust Zendesk. It’s like having a global support team at your fingertips.
Zendesk also plays well with others. It can team up with tools like Salesforce and Slack, so everything runs smoothly.
So, whether you’re a startup or a global giant, Zendesk’s got your back for top-notch customer support.
Overview of Gorgias
Introducing Gorgias, your ultimate customer support software for eCommerce and DTC brands. This game-changing platform harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize customer interactions. It’s all about simplifying support processes and elevating the customer journey.
With Gorgias, managing inquiries becomes a breeze. Routine tasks are automated, and personalized assistance becomes the norm.
AI takes center stage, swiftly responding to common queries, drastically reducing response times, and liberating support agents to tackle more intricate issues. This increases efficiency and ensures your customers receive rapid support, boosting their satisfaction and fostering loyalty.
But here’s the kicker – Gorgias seamlessly integrates with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, making it the top choice for online retailers.
It consolidates customer data from various touch points, enabling tailor-made interactions and recommendations that take the customer experience to a whole new level.
In a nutshell, Gorgias is customer support software intended for eCommerce businesses that marries AI automation with user-friendly interfaces and robust integrations.
It empowers businesses of all sizes to deliver exceptional support, supercharge productivity, and cultivate enduring customer relationships.
Whether you’re a small eCommerce boutique or a major player in the DTC realm, Gorgias is poised to redefine your customer service game in the digital era, setting new benchmarks for excellence.
Comparative Analysis: Key Features and Functionality
When comparing Zendesk and Gorgias, evaluating their core features and functionalities is essential to determine which platform best suits your organization’s customer support needs. Let’s explore how Zendesk and Gorgias stack up in terms of basic functionalities required by helpdesk software.
| Features | Zendesk | Gorgias |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Zendesk integrates with over 1,000 apps, including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Google Workspace | Gorgias integrates with over 1,000 apps, including Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce |
| Self-service portal | Zendesk offers a self-service portal where customers can find answers to their questions and troubleshoot issues on their own | Gorgias offers a self-service knowledge base feature to assist customers with common queries |
| Live chat | Zendesk offers live chat for customer support agents to communicate with customers in real-time | Gorgias provides a live chat feature for instant customer interactions |
| Reporting | Zendesk offers a variety of reports that help businesses track customer support metrics, such as ticket volume, response time, and customer satisfaction | Gorgias offers a variety of reports to track customer support metrics, including eCommerce-specific metrics such as order volume and revenue |
| Mobile app | Zendesk offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android | Gorgias offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android |
| AI | Zendesk’s AI chatbots are powered by Answer Bot, Zendesk’s own AI technology. Answer Bot can understand and answer common customer queries using your knowledge base. Answer Bot can also be used to create custom chatbots that can answer specific customer questions or provide support for specific products or services | Gorgias’ is powered by a proprietary AI technology. Gorgias has integrated AI functionality into their autoresponders, spam detectors, macro suggestions, ticket priority and data analytics facilitating faster support, better ticket management and AI backed data driven insights. It uses rule based chatbots. |
| Customer support | Zendesk offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat | Gorgias offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat |
| Ticket Management | Zendesk excels in ticket management, providing a user-friendly interface for creating, tracking, and organizing customer tickets. Its customizable ticketing system allows agents to prioritize and assign tickets efficiently, ensuring timely responses and resolutions | User-friendly interface for creating, tracking, and organizing customer tickets, with additional features for eCommerce businesses, such as order management and returns management |
| Automation | Zendesk offers powerful automation capabilities through its “Triggers” and “Automation” features. These allow businesses to automate repetitive tasks, send notifications, and set predefined actions based on specified conditions, saving time and improving efficiency | Gorgias automates repetitive tasks, routes tickets to the appropriate agents, manages SLAs, and sending personalized messages to customers. Gorgias also offers several eCommerce-specific automations, such as abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase follow-up, and order status updates. By automating these tasks, Gorgias can help businesses save time, improve efficiency, and provide better customer service. |
Our pick: Zendesk.
Some additional Comparison metrics
Unique Features
When considering Zendesk and Gorgias, it’s essential to highlight their unique features and how they cater to different aspects of business operations.
Zendesk
Zendesk impresses with its rich marketplace of third-party integrations and extensions. This feature allows businesses to tailor the platform to their needs, extending its functionality to address various requirements. What sets Zendesk apart is its AI-powered chatbot, “Answer Bot,” which can efficiently respond to customer inquiries, enhancing response times and automating certain support processes.
Gorgias
Gorgias specializes in efficient eCommerce support, seamlessly integrating with major platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce to streamline online retail businesses. It excels in advanced automation, enabling businesses to automate repetitive tasks and utilize AI-driven responses to address common customer inquiries, ultimately boosting efficiency and reducing response times.
Our pick: Gorgias. Better integrated AI functionality.
Pricing and Plans
When considering helpdesk solutions like Zendesk and Gorgias, understanding the pricing models and plans is crucial to make an informed decision. Let’s compare the pricing structures of both platforms, evaluate their value for money and scalability, and analyze any additional costs or hidden charges that may be associated with each platform.
| Pricing | Zendesk | Gorgias | ThriveDesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per user per month | Per month plans | Per user per month |
| Number of Pricing Tiers | 4 (Suite Team, Growth, Professional, Enterprise) | 4 (Starter, Basic, Pro, Advanced) | 3 (Starter, Plus, Enterprise) |
| Trial Period | 14 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| Free Plan Available | No | No | No |
| Lowest Priced Paid Plan | $55/agent/month billed annually (Suite Team) | $50/month billed annually (Basic) | $25/month billed annually (Starter) |
| Highest Priced Published Plan | $149/agent/month billed monthly (Suite Professional) | $750/month billed annually (Advanced) | $49/month billed annually (Plus) |
| Custom Enterprise Pricing | Yes | Yes | No |
| Annual Billing Discount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Add-on/Integration Pricing | Additional cost | Additional cost | No added cost |
| Ease of Cost Evaluation | Easy | Difficult | Easy |
If money is limited for your business, a help desk that can be a Gorgias alternative or a Zendesk alternative is ThriveDesk. They offer straightforward pricing plans designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses, with only 2 options to choose from; it makes it easier for business owners to make a decision regarding pricing. Choose the plan that suits your support requirements and budget, whether you’re a small team or a growing enterprise.
Our pick: Gorgias. Better priced compared to Zendesk.
Value for Money and Scalability
When choosing a helpdesk and project management solution for your business, assessing the platform’s value for money and scalability is paramount. Let’s compare Zendesk and Gorgias in terms of how they handle these crucial aspects, helping you make an informed decision.
Zendesk
Zendesk offers a tiered pricing structure that caters to businesses of all sizes and growth stages. This approach allows you to start with a plan that suits your current needs and then scale up as your business expands. This flexibility is especially beneficial for startups and small businesses looking to manage costs effectively.
As you move up Zendesk’s pricing tiers, you gain access to advanced functionalities such as chatbots, customizable knowledge bases, and performance dashboards. These features can significantly enhance the value for businesses seeking to provide top-tier support to their customers. The ability to customize your support tools ensures that you’re only paying for the features that align with your specific requirements, making Zendesk a cost-effective choice.
Gorgias
Gorgias, too, offers a scalable pricing structure that caters to businesses with varying support needs. Its pricing plans are designed to provide value at different stages of growth, allowing you to choose the plan that best fits your current requirements while offering the flexibility to adapt as your business evolves.
In terms of value for money, Gorgias focuses on optimizing support operations for eCommerce businesses. Its AI-driven features, including smart macros and automated responses, can lead to substantial time and resource savings for support teams. Gorgias aims to provide a compelling return on investment by streamlining support workflows and improving customer service.
Our pick: Zendesk. Has better pricing.
Additional Costs and Hidden Charges
When selecting a helpdesk or project management platform, it’s crucial to consider the base pricing and any potential additional costs and hidden charges that may impact your budget. Let’s delve into how Zendesk and Gorgias handle these aspects.
Zendesk
Zendesk’s pricing is relatively straightforward, with a per-agent per-month model. However, it’s essential to be aware of potential additional costs that might arise. Some of these costs could include:
- Add-Ons and Integrations: While Zendesk offers an extensive marketplace of third-party integrations and extensions, many of these may come with their own pricing. Depending on your specific needs, you may need to invest in add-ons to extend Zendesk’s functionality.
- Higher-Tier Plans: As your business grows and requires more advanced features, you may need to upgrade to higher-tier plans. These plans come with added functionalities but also higher costs.
- Training and Support: If your team requires additional training or support beyond what’s included in your plan, there might be extra charges associated with these services.
- Overages: If you exceed the limits of your chosen plan (such as the number of tickets or users), you may incur overage charges.
Gorgias
Gorgias offers transparent pricing with straightforward per-user per-month plans. However, businesses considering Gorgias should keep certain aspects in mind regarding potential additional costs:
- Add-Ons and Integrations: While Gorgias includes various automation and integrations in its plans, some advanced features or specific integrations may come with an extra cost.
- Volume-Based Pricing: Depending on the volume of support tickets and interactions your business handles, you may opt for a higher-tier plan. These plans may come with increased costs to accommodate higher usage.
- Customization and Development: Businesses may incur additional charges for customization or development services for highly tailored solutions or specific development work.
Our pick: Zendesk. Better all-rounder. Gorgias is more eCommerce business-focused and has pricing based on ticket volume, which makes it a risky option when it comes to smaller and mid-sized businesses.
User Experience and Interface
A helpdesk solution’s user experience and interface play a crucial role in ensuring efficient and intuitive customer support. Let’s evaluate the user experience and interface of both Zendesk and Gorgias, considering factors such as ease of navigation, customization options, and overall intuitiveness. We will also consider customer feedback and reviews to provide insights into the usability of each platform.
Zendesk
- Zendesk offers a clean and intuitive interface that facilitates ease of navigation. The dashboard provides a centralized view of tickets, customer interactions, and performance metrics, allowing agents to access relevant information quickly.
- The platform offers a range of customization options, enabling businesses to tailor the interface to their specific needs. Customizable ticket fields, branding elements, and knowledge base designs allow organizations to align Zendesk with their brand identity.
- Customer feedback indicates that Zendesk’s interface is user-friendly, with positive reviews praising its intuitive design and ease of use. Users appreciate the straightforward ticket management system and the ability to customize workflows to match their support processes.
Gorgias
- Gorgias prioritizes a seamless user experience, emphasizing navigation ease and accessibility in its interface design. The platform’s dashboard presents relevant information well-structured, enhancing user efficiency.
- Extensive customization options are a hallmark of Gorgias, allowing businesses to adapt the interface to their needs. Users can customize ticket forms, workflows, and layouts, ensuring the platform aligns with their unique support processes.
- Customer reviews consistently highlight Gorgias’ user-friendly interface, with users praising its simplicity and navigation intuitiveness. The platform’s intuitive design and comprehensive features contribute to a positive and efficient user experience.
Our pick: Zendesk. Gorgias can be hard to pick up for first time users.
Customer Feedback and Reviews
In terms of G2 ratings, Zendesk and Jira are both well-rated platforms. Zendesk has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on over 5,600 reviews. Gorgias has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, based on over 506 reviews.
Zendesk
Zendesk is known for its intuitive interface and its wide range of integrations. The platform also offers a variety of reporting tools that can help businesses track the performance of their customer support team. However, Zendesk can be expensive, and it can be difficult to customize the platform to meet the specific needs of a business.
Gorgias
Gorgias has notable strengths in specialized eCommerce support through integrations with platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce. Its robust automation capabilities streamline processes and enhance efficiency, while users commend its user-friendly interface for its simplicity and ease of navigation. Overall, Gorgias receives favorable feedback, particularly for its eCommerce support and automation features, contributing to its positive user reputation.
The general consensus between their customers focuses on a few common patterns.
Our pick: Zendesk. Acknowledging that this is a subjective category we looked at 100 reviews for each and considering the limited sample size, Zendesk had more reviews over 4 stars compared to Gorgias.
Zendesk vs Gorgias: Pros and Cons Face-Off
Zendesk
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wide range of features, including ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, and automation | Can be expensive, especially for larger businesses |
| Excellent customer support | The mobile app is not as user-friendly as the web app |
| Easy to use and customizable | Some users have reported issues with performance |
| Integrations with other popular software | No free plan |
Gorgias
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tailored to the specific needs of eCommerce businesses | More expensive than some other customer support platforms |
| Advanced features such as abandoned cart recovery and post-purchase follow-up | Can be complex to set up and configure |
| Integrations with popular eCommerce platforms such as Shopify and Magento | Not as well-suited for businesses outside of the eCommerce industry |
| Excellent customer support |
Which One is Right for You?
Zendesk and Gorgias are both powerful customer support platforms, but they have different strengths and weaknesses. Zendesk is a good all-around choice for businesses of all sizes, while Gorgias is a better fit for eCommerce businesses that need more advanced features.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between Zendesk and Gorgias:
| Feature | Zendesk | Gorgias | ThriveDesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Starts at $55/month | Starts at $10/month | Starts at $25/month |
| Features | Live chat, ticket management, knowledge base, self-service portal, automation, reporting and analytics | Unified inbox, live chat, knowledge base, automation and reporting | Ticket management, live chat, knowledge base, shared inbox, self-service portal and reporting |
| Ease of use | High complexity | Can be complex to set up and configure | Easy to use and configure |
| Scalability | Scalable with good growth speed to value ratio but only at enterprise level | Designed for eCommerce businesses that are experiencing rapid growth | Better utilized for small to mid-sized businesses |
| Community | Large and active community of users and developers | Smaller but still active and engaged community of users and developers | Active community of developers and contributors |
| Customer support | 24/7 support via email, chat and phone | 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat | 24/7 support via email |
Zendesk vs Gorgias: Pros and Cons Face-Off
Zendesk
| Pros | Cons |
| Wide range of features, including ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, and automation | Can be expensive, especially for larger businesses |
| Excellent customer support | The mobile app is not as user-friendly as the web app |
| Easy to use and customizable | Some users have reported issues with performance |
| Integrations with other popular software | No free plan |
Gorgias
| Pros | Cons |
| Tailored to the specific needs of eCommerce businesses | More expensive than some other customer support platforms |
| Advanced features such as abandoned cart recovery and post-purchase follow-up | Can be complex to set up and configure |
| Integrations with popular eCommerce platforms such as Shopify and Magento | Not as well-suited for businesses outside of the eCommerce industry |
| Excellent customer support |
Which One is Right for You?
Zendesk and Gorgias are both powerful customer support platforms, but they have different strengths and weaknesses. Zendesk is a good all-around choice for businesses of all sizes, while Gorgias is a better fit for eCommerce businesses that need more advanced features.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between Zendesk and Gorgias:
| Feature | Zendesk | Gorgias | ThriveDesk |
| Price | Starts at $55/month | Starts at $10/month | Starts at $25/month |
| Features | Live chat, ticket management, knowledge base, self-service portal, automation, reporting and analytics | Unified inbox, live chat, knowledge base, automation and reporting | Ticket management, live chat, knowledge base, shared inbox, self-service portal and reporting |
| Ease of use | High complexity | Can be complex to set up and configure | Easy to use and configure |
| Scalability | Scalable with good growth speed to value ratio but only at enterprise level | Designed for eCommerce businesses that are experiencing rapid growth | Better utilized for small to mid-sized businesses |
| Community | Large and active community of users and developers | Smaller but still active and engaged community of users and developers | Active community of developers and contributors |
| Customer support | 24/7 support via email, chat and phone | 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and chat | 24/7 support via email |
ThriveDesk: Customer Support solution for Startups and SMBs
In addition to Zendesk and Gorgias, alternative helpdesk solutions are available in the market. One such alternative worth considering is ThriveDesk. ThriveDesk is a feature-rich helpdesk solution that offers a comprehensive set of tools to manage customer support effectively.
ThriveDesk is a help desk software tailor-made for businesses seeking extensive features and a powerful yet simple live chat assistant. Even better, it’s the most cost-effective, lightweight, and speedy live chat solution available for Shopify business owners.
ThriveDesk empowers small businesses to manage real-time customer communications. Packed with convenient built-in features like shared inbox, instant replies, file sharing directly from the chat widget, emojis for effective communication, satisfaction surveys, sales tracking reports for eCommerce, knowledge base search, and monitoring capabilities, you can efficiently handle your Wix store operations.
Rest assured, ThriveDesk’s lightweight design and speed won’t impact the performance of your Wix-powered eCommerce website. The optimized agent interface ensures rapid responses for maximum efficiency, all while keeping your website running smoothly.
Rated 5 stars out of 5 on G2, ThriveDesk is highly regarded by users.
Key Features of ThriveDesk:
- Anonymous Live Chat
- Self Service Portal (WPPortal)
- Third-party Integrations
- Performance Metrics
- Live Chat
- Workflow Management
- Alerts / Escalation
- Multi-Channel Communication
- Ticket Management
- Customer Database
- Email Management
- Extensive Knowledge Base
- Surveys & Feedback
- Pricing for ThriveDesk starts at just $6.67 per month.
Pros of ThriveDesk:
- Cost-effective, reducing agent costs
- Minimizes customer effort
- Easy installation and usage
- Smooth onboarding experience
- Seamless navigation between chat interactions
- Real-time responses
- ThriveDesk’s user-friendly interface, comprehensive resources (including a community, shared mailbox, and live chat), have made it a popular and trusted choice for Wix users. It comes highly recommended for its reliability and ease of use.
Cons of ThriveDesk:
- Lack of native mobile alerts
With ThriveDesk, you can supercharge your website’s growth and streamline customer interactions like.
Conclusion: Zendesk vs Gorgias for Your Business
When it comes to choosing between Zendesk and Gorgias to fulfill your business requirements, careful consideration of various factors is crucial, such as your specific organizational objectives, operational needs, and budget constraints. These two platforms offer distinct capabilities, each catering to different aspects of your business.
Your choice between Zendesk and Gorgias should align with your specific business needs. If you prioritize comprehensive customer support and require extensive integration options, Zendesk is a solid choice.
On the other hand, if you operate an online retail business and value automation, Gorgias offers a compelling solution.
There are even platforms such as ThriveDesk which provide similar levels of support for your business at lower costs. Ultimately, Your decision should reflect your objectives and budget, allowing you to make the most of either Zendesk or Gorgias or other alternatives to drive success in your organization.
