Comprehensive Comparison of Zendesk vs Gorgias

In today’s fast-paced digital world, providing exceptional customer support is essential for building long-term relationships with your customers. Whether you're running a growing eCommerce business or managing a large customer service team, choosing the right platform to handle customer inquiries can be a game-changer. Two leading platforms, Zendesk and Gorgias, offer powerful solutions tailored to meet different business needs.

Zendesk is widely recognized for its AI-driven automation and multichannel support, making it a top choice for companies looking to streamline support across email, phone, chat, and social media. Its versatility and robust feature set make it suitable for businesses of all sizes, especially those with complex support needs. On the other hand, Gorgias shines as the go-to platform for eCommerce businesses, seamlessly integrating with platforms like Shopify and Magento to help businesses manage orders, automate responses, and boost sales through personalized support.

In this article, we’ll explore how Zendesk and Gorgias compare in terms of features, pricing, and strengths, helping you decide which platform is the best fit for your customer support strategy.

Feature Zendesk Gorgias
Customization Customizable workflows, ticket forms, dashboards, and roles Customizable email templates, chat, social media integration, and automation rules
Automation Advanced automation with workflows, triggers, and AI-powered tools (Answer Bot) Gorgias Automate for macros, rules, and automation flows with AI integration
Reporting & Analytics Real-time dashboards, customizable reports, and advanced analytics Live statistics, performance tracking, automation statistics, and revenue insights
Chatbots & AI Answer Bot for automating responses and self-service Gorgias Automate for article recommendations and ticket automation
Help Center & Knowledge Base Multilingual help centers, customizable knowledge base Integrated help center, FAQ, and self-service tools
Ticketing System Multichannel ticketing (email, chat, social media, phone, SMS) Email, live chat, SMS, social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), and eCommerce integration
Team Management Custom roles, team inbox, workload management, and permissions Custom roles, permissions, agent-to-agent messaging, and team performance statistics
Multichannel Support Email, chat, phone, social media, and SMS Email, live chat, social media, SMS, and voice with add-ons
Integrations CRM systems, telephony, third-party apps, and productivity tools eCommerce integrations (Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce), and CRM apps
Pricing Starts at $19/month per agent (Team Plan) Starts at $10/month (Starter Plan) with 50 tickets, scaling up with ticket volume

Pros and Cons Analysis

Zendesk

Zendesk is a powerful, multichannel customer support platform with a focus on AI-powered automation, customizable workflows, and real-time analytics. Its Answer Bot helps businesses automate customer interactions, while detailed reporting and ticketing tools ensure businesses can track performance across channels such as email, chat, and phone.

Pros:

  • Advanced AI Tools: Zendesk’s Answer Bot and workflow automation streamline customer service, enabling faster response times and more efficient ticket handling.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: With real-time dashboards, businesses can track agent performance and customer satisfaction across multiple channels.
  • Multichannel Support: Zendesk integrates email, chat, phone, SMS, and social media into a unified system, making it easy to manage customer interactions.

Cons:

  • Higher Costs for Advanced Features: Although Zendesk offers affordable entry-level plans, the cost increases significantly when using advanced automation and analytics.
  • Complex Setup: The broad feature set can be overwhelming for smaller teams, requiring time and technical expertise to fully implement.

Gorgias

Gorgias is an eCommerce-focused customer support platform designed to help businesses automate repetitive tasks and provide multichannel support through email, live chat, SMS, and social media integrations. With deep integration into platforms like Shopify and Magento, Gorgias enables businesses to manage customer service directly within their eCommerce environment.

Pros:

  • eCommerce Integration: Gorgias excels in eCommerce customer support by integrating with platforms like Shopify, allowing agents to manage orders, returns, and customer inquiries all in one place.
  • Automation Tools: Gorgias Automate streamlines ticket handling with automation rules, macros, and AI-driven article recommendations, helping agents resolve repetitive issues quickly.
  • Affordable Pricing: Gorgias offers pricing that scales based on the number of tickets, making it an affordable option for businesses handling large volumes of customer inquiries.

Cons:

  • Ticket-Based Pricing: Gorgias’ pricing is based on the number of tickets handled, which can lead to higher costs for businesses with high ticket volumes.
  • Limited Advanced Features for Smaller Plans: Some advanced automation and reporting features are only available in higher-tier plans, making it less suitable for very small businesses looking for advanced tools.

Key Feature Comparison

1. Automation and AI

Zendesk: Offers AI-driven automation with Answer Bot, which handles customer queries through self-service automation, and advanced triggers and workflows that streamline ticket handling.

Gorgias: Uses Gorgias Automate for automating responses and managing repetitive tickets, with features like macros and AI-powered article recommendations to help agents resolve issues faster.

Key Difference: While both platforms offer automation, Zendesk’s Answer Bot is more suited for general customer service needs, while Gorgias Automate is tailored for eCommerce businesses handling order-related queries.

2. Multichannel Support

Zendesk: Provides multichannel support across email, chat, phone, social media, and SMS, enabling businesses to manage all customer interactions from one platform.

Gorgias: Offers multichannel support with a focus on eCommerce, integrating email, live chat, SMS, and social media (including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok), making it ideal for eCommerce stores looking to centralize customer communications.

Key Difference: Gorgias is more specialized for eCommerce brands, while Zendesk provides a broader range of multichannel support for businesses across various industries.

3. Customization and Flexibility

Zendesk: Provides deep customization for workflows, ticket forms, help centers, and dashboards, giving businesses full control over their support processes.

Gorgias: Offers customizable email templates, chat integrations, and automation flows, making it easy for eCommerce businesses to personalize customer support while automating repetitive tasks.

Key Difference: Both platforms are customizable, but Zendesk provides more flexibility for general customer service, while Gorgias is optimized for eCommerce support.

4. Reporting and Analytics

Zendesk: Provides real-time dashboards and customizable reports that allow businesses to track customer interactions, agent performance, and satisfaction across multiple channels.

Gorgias: Offers live statistics, automation performance tracking, and insights into revenue generated through customer support interactions, making it especially useful for eCommerce businesses looking to tie support efforts to sales metrics.

Key Difference: Gorgias is more focused on eCommerce revenue tracking, while Zendesk offers broader reporting for overall customer service metrics.

Pricing Comparison for Different Business Sizes

Business Size Zendesk Price Gorgias Price
Solopreneur (1 Seat) $19/month $10/month (up to 50 tickets)
Small Business (2 - 5 Seats) $49 - $79/month per agent $60 - $360/month (300 - 2,000 tickets)
Medium Business (5 - 10 Seats) $79 - $150/month per agent $360 - $900/month (2,000 - 5,000 tickets)
Large Enterprise (10 - 50 Seats) Custom pricing depending on add-ons Custom pricing for Enterprise Plan

Conclusion and Recommendations

Both Zendesk and Gorgias offer powerful customer support platforms, but they serve different business needs:

  • Choose Zendesk if your business needs advanced automation, AI-driven tools, and comprehensive multichannel support across email, chat, phone, and social media. Zendesk is ideal for larger businesses or enterprises that require deep customization, detailed analytics, and scalable workflows.
  • Choose Gorgias if your business is focused on eCommerce and needs a platform that integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Magento, or other eCommerce platforms. Gorgias is perfect for businesses that want to automate order-related inquiries and track the impact of customer support on sales.

Your choice depends on the scale of your business, the channels you support, and whether your customer interactions are tied directly to eCommerce transactions.