7 Best Gorgias competitors for ecommerce teams in 2026

If you’re running an ecommerce store on Shopify, you’ve likely heard of Gorgias. It's a popular helpdesk, largely due to its strong Shopify integration. However, as brands scale, they sometimes explore alternatives to find a platform that better fits their budget, workflow, or future plans. That’s why we put this list together. We’ve looked at the top Gorgias competitors to help you find an option that works for you, whether you’re seeking different AI capabilities, more predictable costs, or a new approach to customer service.

What is an ecommerce helpdesk?

An ecommerce helpdesk is more than a standard inbox. It acts as a central hub for all customer conversations, pulling in emails, live chats, and social media DMs into a single view. This prevents support agents from having to switch between multiple applications.

A key feature is deep integration with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, or Magento. This connection allows an agent to view a customer's complete order history, shipping status, and past conversations alongside their current inquiry. This context helps create a faster, more personalized support experience.

Modern ecommerce helpdesks also lean on automation. They can instantly handle repetitive questions like "Where is my order?" (WISMO), freeing up the support team to focus on more complex issues that require a human touch.

Why look for Gorgias competitors?

While Gorgias is a capable solution, some growing teams begin to look for alternatives. Here are a few common reasons why.

• Per-ticket pricing model: Gorgias offers a per-ticket pricing model that allows brands to pay based on their activity volume. Some teams explore other options like per-agent pricing to see which model best fits their specific budgeting preferences during high-volume periods.

• Reporting capabilities: While Gorgias offers reliable reports, teams requiring specific, deeply customized analysis of support trends or agent performance sometimes seek additional tools to supplement their reporting.

• Scalability for larger teams: As support teams grow significantly, their needs evolve. Scaling teams may explore alternative platforms to evaluate different workflow management styles, specific permission controls, and other specialized enterprise-level features.

• Collaboration features: Modern support often requires input from logistics, marketing, or product teams. Gorgias’s internal tools, like commenting, are functional and reliable, but some teams may look for different approaches to shared drafts or departmental integrations.

How we evaluated the top Gorgias alternatives

To create this list, we evaluated each platform based on criteria that are important for a growing ecommerce team.

• Ecommerce integration depth: How deeply does the platform connect with Shopify? Can agents only view data, or can they also perform actions like processing a refund or creating an order without leaving the helpdesk?

• AI & automation smarts: Does the platform use AI to understand customer intent and automate repetitive tasks, or does it rely on older, keyword-based rules?

• Scalability & pricing: Is the pricing model predictable and fair? Can the platform support the team's growth, or will success lead to unexpected fees?

• Ease of use & teamwork: How quickly can a new agent learn the platform? Does it facilitate collaboration or create confusion?

A quick comparison of the best Gorgias competitors

The 7 best Gorgias competitors for 2026

Here’s a detailed breakdown of each tool, looking at what makes it a strong contender and who it’s best suited for.

1. eesel AI

For teams looking to enhance their current helpdesk rather than replace it, an AI layer like eesel AI can be an option. It isn't a standalone helpdesk; instead, it's an AI tool that integrates with existing platforms like Gorgias and Zendesk to add AI capabilities.

The AI Agent learns from past tickets and knowledge base articles to automate frontline support. For more complex issues, the AI Copilot drafts on-brand replies that agents can review, edit, and send with one click.

• Pros and cons: The integration process is designed to be quick, often taking minutes. It allows for a human-in-the-loop approach, where agents approve AI-drafted replies. Users can also simulate its performance on past tickets to see how much it can automate before activation. It is important to note that it is an AI layer, so a core helpdesk is still required.
  

  we use eesel AI for the same reason, you can fully customize the prompt so it doesn't sound like a robot. The Shopify integration is solid too, it can look up live order info instead of just relying on static docs

  Reddit

• Pricing: eesel AI uses a transparent, interaction-based pricing model. The Team plan starts at $299/month for up to 1,000 AI interactions.

2. Zendesk


Zendesk is a widely used platform in the customer service industry, with over 100,000 companies using its software. For large, complex operations that want a gold-standard solution, Zendesk is the top choice. It is built for enterprise-grade requirements and unmatched reliability.

• Pros and cons: Zendesk's primary strengths are its power and flexibility. It can be customized for nearly any workflow, its reporting is comprehensive, and its app marketplace is extensive. This robust set of tools is designed for teams that want a platform capable of growing with them. While it offers sophisticated features, its maturity ensures that it can handle the most complex enterprise requirements and can be tailored to meet specific needs.

• Pricing: The Suite Team plan starts at $55 per agent per month when billed annually. Advanced AI features are often available as a separate add-on to further enhance the platform.

3. Kustomer

Kustomer operates on a different principle than many ticket-based helpdesks. It focuses on the customer, making it a suitable choice for brands that view support as part of a long-term customer relationship.

• Pros and cons: Kustomer's main feature is its unified customer timeline. It provides agents with a complete, chronological view of every customer interaction, from their first website visit to their latest purchase. This context helps in providing personalized support. The platform's price point and 8-seat minimum make it a fit for larger businesses.

• Pricing: Plans start at $89 per agent per month, billed annually, with an 8-seat minimum.

4. Help Scout

For teams who find most helpdesks to be overly complex, Help Scout offers a more streamlined alternative. It is designed for those who prioritize a clean interface and a personal touch in their customer communications.

• Pros and cons: Users often praise Help Scout for its ease of use. Its interface feels more like a shared email inbox than a ticketing system, which reduces the learning curve. It is also known for its transparent pricing and customer support. The trade-off is that it may lack some advanced, ecommerce-specific automation and reporting features needed by high-volume stores. Its AI Answers chatbot is also an add-on.

• Pricing: The Standard plan starts at $25 per user per month (billed annually).

5. Re:amaze

Re:amaze is one of the more direct Gorgias competitors. It provides a similar feature set tailored for ecommerce but with a few key differences that may appeal to certain businesses.

• Pros and cons: A major advantage of Re:amaze is its ability to manage multiple brands or storefronts from a single account. This is a significant benefit for businesses running several online stores. It also includes native live chat and pre-built chatbots. One consideration is that its library of third-party integrations is not as extensive as some alternatives.

• Pricing: The Basic plan starts at $29 per user per month.

6. Richpanel

Richpanel focuses on reducing the number of incoming support tickets by empowering customers to find answers themselves. It does this by helping businesses build a comprehensive self-service portal.

• Pros and cons: Richpanel excels at creating a portal where customers can track orders, initiate returns, make exchanges, and find answers without contacting an agent. This can lead to a significant reduction in ticket volume. The agent-facing side of the platform is less developed than some dedicated helpdesks, and setting up custom workflows for the portal can require an adjustment period.

• Pricing: The Pro plan is $69 per agent per month when billed annually, but the self-service portal is a required add-on that starts at $99 per month.

7. Front

Front is designed for teams where resolving customer issues often involves cross-departmental collaboration. If support agents frequently need to consult with sales, logistics, or finance, Front can be a suitable option.

• Pros and cons: Front's core strength is collaboration. Features like internal comments and shared drafts are deeply integrated and more robust than those found in many other helpdesks. It effectively turns the inbox into a collaborative workspace. The platform is a general communication tool rather than a specialized ecommerce helpdesk, so it lacks the deep order management and platform-specific integrations of tools like Gorgias.

• Pricing: The Starter plan begins at $25 per seat per month (billed annually), with a two-seat minimum.

How to choose the right Gorgias competitor

Here’s a straightforward way to narrow down your options. To make this easier, we've outlined the process in the graphic below.

• Start with your primary requirements: What is the main reason you are looking for an alternative to Gorgias? Is it the pricing model, reporting features, or interface? Let that problem guide your decision.

• Consider an AI upgrade: If your current helpdesk is mostly functional but you need more automation, a tool like eesel AI is a logical first step. It integrates with your current setup (like Gorgias or Zendesk) to add automation capabilities, without the complexities of a full data migration and retraining your team.

• Be realistic about your team's size and technical skills: For those who need maximum scalability and deep customization, an industry leader like Zendesk provides a robust path forward.

• Always use the free trial (or simulation): Never commit to a new tool without testing it. For AI platforms, look for a simulation feature. eesel AI offers a free simulation, running its AI against your past tickets to provide a precise forecast of how many conversations it could have automated.

For a more in-depth look at how Gorgias stacks up against other helpdesks, this independent review provides a detailed comparison.

A detailed independent review comparing Gorgias to other helpdesk solutions, focusing on pros, cons, and specific features for ecommerce.

Final thoughts

Gorgias has long been a go-to helpdesk for Shopify stores, but the landscape is evolving. There are now powerful Gorgias competitors designed for various needs, from industry-leading platforms like Zendesk that offer enterprise-level customization to tools focused on team collaboration and self-service.

Finding the right platform involves matching its strengths with your team's specific goals, budget, and workflows. The best tool is not always the one with the most features; it's the one that solves your most pressing problems.

If you're looking to improve your current system before committing to a full migration, consider how an AI tool could enhance your existing helpdesk's capabilities. Simulate eesel AI for free and see how many conversations you could be automating within your current ecosystem.