Gorgias
from $10/mo
Ecommerce helpdesk + chat with deep Shopify and BigCommerce hooks.
Visit GorgiasGorgias vs Zendesk
A side-by-side of Gorgias and Zendesk on pricing and our methodology scores, drawn from each tool's category Listings. They compete in Live Chat for Ecommerce.
Zendesk
from $19/mo
Enterprise-grade support suite with live chat, AI, and ticketing.
Visit ZendeskThe verdict
Gorgias is the stronger overall pick. In the Live Chat for Ecommerce ranking it scores 3.97 to Zendesk's 3.38 out of 5. That said, Zendesk wins on individual criteria below, so read the breakdown against your own priorities.
At a glance
| Gorgias | Zendesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/mo | $19/mo |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Live Chat for Ecommerce score | 3.97 (#1) | 3.38 (#6) |
Head to head: Live Chat for Ecommerce
scored / 5 Ecommerce Integrations 25% weight
Gorgias 5.0
The deepest ecommerce integration in the category — agents issue refunds, cancel orders, and act on order data inside the ticket, not just view it. Shopify's only Premier CX Partner, used by roughly 40% of top Shopify brands; full depth lands on Shopify specifically.
Zendesk 4.0
The Shopify tie-in is strong on paper — order lookup plus in-conversation refunds and cancellations — but reviewers treat it as capable rather than a standout they tested deeply, and the depth sits behind the broader Suite.
AI Capabilities 25% weight
Gorgias 3.5
Deflects routine post-purchase tickets well, but the marketed 60% automation is a ceiling, not typical, and merchants report occasional hallucinations that need human oversight.
Zendesk 2.5
Real-world automation reviewers measure lands around 40-60% of common queries, far below the marketed 80-90%, and one hands-on test couldn't get the bot to answer basics that were already in the Help Center — a real risk for shopper deflection.
Shopper UI 20% weight
Gorgias 4.0
Reviewers call it a good-looking widget that surfaces order data in the panel, but pre-purchase conversation is weaker than post-purchase automation.
Zendesk 3.5
The storefront widget itself is customizable and rated decent with proactive messaging, but the agent-side interface behind it is repeatedly called heavy and slow at scale.
Agent Routing 15% weight
Gorgias 4.5
Macros and a flexible rules builder draw steady praise, with an organized folder-based inbox, even if how the automation pieces relate isn't always obvious.
Zendesk 4.5
A consistent strength — the unified omnichannel inbox holds context across channels and skills-based routing plus behavior triggers are well regarded, though the strongest routing sits at the Professional tier.
Value for Money 15% weight
Gorgias 2.5
Per-ticket pricing is loved for skipping seat limits, but stacked AI per-resolution charges push bills high enough that small stores are told to look elsewhere.
Zendesk 2.5
The weakest dimension for a small store: lowest Capterra sub-score, repeatedly called expensive for smaller teams, and you pay for the whole Suite plus unpredictable per-resolution AI charges even when you only need chat.
Gorgias
Pros
- Order history, refunds, and order edits live inside the ticket — agents never switch apps
- Shopify's only Premier CX Partner, used by roughly 40% of the top 1,500 Shopify brands
- Per-ticket pricing instead of per-seat lets your whole team work the inbox without seat limits
- Time-saving macros and a rules builder flexible enough to actually triage volume
Cons
- Full AI and order-action depth are effectively Shopify-only; WooCommerce stores miss most of it
- AI per-resolution fees stack on top of ticket fees, so bills get unpredictable fast
- Too expensive for a small DTC store under heavy order volume
- Merchants flag a slow feature-development pace that lets the widget fall behind faster movers
Zendesk
Pros
- Native Shopify sidebar shows order, fulfilment, and tracking, and lets agents refund or cancel orders without leaving the chat
- Unified omnichannel inbox keeps web chat, email, social, WhatsApp, and SMS in one workspace with shared context
- Skills-based routing plus behavior-based proactive triggers (e.g. a nudge on the cancellation page) that genuinely lift conversion
- Storefront chat widget is customizable and rated decent, with proactive messaging
Cons
- Real-world AI resolution lands around 40-60% of common queries, well below the 80-90% vendor figure, and one hands-on test couldn't get answers that were sitting in the Help Center
- Live chat only unlocks at Suite Team ($55/agent/mo), so a small DTC store pays for the whole Suite to get chat
- Per-resolution AI billing stacks variable cost on top of seats, making spend hard to forecast
- Agent-side workspace gets heavy and slow at ticket volume and grows complex to configure
FAQ
- Is Gorgias or Zendesk better?
- Gorgias edges ahead in our scoring. In the Live Chat for Ecommerce ranking Gorgias scores 3.97 and Zendesk scores 3.38 out of 5. Zendesk still wins on specific criteria, so the right pick depends on what you weight most.
- Is Gorgias cheaper than Zendesk?
- Gorgias has the lower entry price: Gorgias starts at $10/mo and Zendesk starts at $19/mo.
- What is the difference between Gorgias and Zendesk?
- Gorgias is positioned as Ecommerce helpdesk + chat with deep Shopify and BigCommerce hooks. Zendesk is positioned as Enterprise-grade support suite with live chat, AI, and ticketing. They go head to head in Live Chat for Ecommerce.
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