Quick answer
Start with how much of your support depends on store actions—orders, refunds, returns—and how your cost should scale: by tickets or by agents. Gorgias and Zendesk represent those two models; Tidio adds a conversation-priced option for smaller stores. Hands-on testing is pending for all three.
Not ranked
Live editorial overviews
Independent editorial overview · Ecommerce helpdesk · Ticket volume
Gorgias
Ecommerce helpdesk combining email, chat, social, phone and SMS with store context; Helpdesk plans are priced by ticket volume, not per agent.
- Published pricing
- From $10/mo (Starter, 50 tickets/mo)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Independent editorial overview · Customer service platform · Per agent (seat)
Zendesk
Broad, cross-industry customer service platform with Support and Suite plans priced per agent, plus add-ons and usage-based features.
- Published pricing
- Support Team from $19/agent/mo (paid yearly)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Independent editorial overview · Live chat & AI support · Conversation-based subscription
Tidio
Live chat, ticketing and AI agent (Lyro) customer service software for small and mid-sized online stores, priced by billable conversations.
- Published pricing
- Free plan; paid from $29/mo ($24.17/mo billed annually)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 30, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Kustomer and Gladly are on the research list; no dedicated previews are published yet.
Framework
How to choose ecommerce support software
Ecommerce and store context
What order, customer, and subscription data agents see without switching systems.
Channel coverage
Email, chat, social, SMS, and voice—by plan, not just by product.
Automation and AI
Setup, accuracy, handoff, guardrails, and how automated work is billed.
Ticket vs seat vs usage economics
Model cost at normal and peak volume against real agent counts.
Order and refund actions
Which actions agents or AI can take inside the helpdesk, with audit trails.
Integrations
Storefront, returns, loyalty, subscriptions, and shipping connections.
Reporting
Response and resolution metrics, revenue attribution claims, and exports.
Knowledge base
Help center, macros, and sources AI draws answers from.
Implementation and admin burden
Who configures routing, rules, and fields—and maintains them.
Enterprise needs
Multi-brand, regions, permissions, security, and governance.
Research
Next reads
- Gorgias editorial overview · Zendesk editorial overview
- Gorgias vs Zendesk
- Gorgias alternatives: eight helpdesks, including Tidio and Klaviyo Helpdesk, compared by billing model with a 3-agent, 1,000-ticket cost example.
- Ecommerce customer support software: how to choose
- How we research and test
Decision support
Frequently asked questions
Is Gorgias or Zendesk better?
Neither universally. Gorgias is ecommerce-specific with ticket-volume pricing; Zendesk is a broader platform priced per agent. Fit depends on your operation.
Have these been tested?
Not yet. Both are editorial overviews based on first-party sources.