Updated March 2026
Zendesk vs Gorgias: General Help Desk vs E-Commerce Support
Zendesk handles any industry. Gorgias handles Shopify stores. If you sell physical products online, this comparison matters. If you don't, Gorgias probably isn't for you.
The 30-Second Version
Zendesk is the general-purpose help desk. $55-$169/agent/month. Email, phone, chat, social, AI agents, 1,500+ integrations, enterprise compliance. It works for airlines, banks, SaaS companies, and retail brands. 100,000+ customers. The tradeoff: no native e-commerce features. Connecting Shopify requires third-party apps and custom setup.
Gorgias is the Shopify help desk. $10-$900/month, priced per-ticket with unlimited agents. Order data, refund actions, shipping status, and customer purchase history are built into every ticket view. Revenue-per-ticket tracking, social media support for DTC brands, and macros with Shopify variables. 15,000+ stores. The tradeoff: if you're not in e-commerce, Gorgias has nothing to offer you.
Pricing
| Plan | Zendesk | Gorgias |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $55/agent/mo (Suite Team) | $10/mo (Starter, 50 tickets) |
| Growth / Basic | $89/agent/mo (Suite Growth) | $60/mo (Basic, 300 tickets) |
| Pro | $115/agent/mo (Suite Professional) | $360/mo (Pro, 2,000 tickets) |
| Enterprise / Advanced | $169/agent/mo | $900/mo (Advanced, 5,000 tickets) |
| Pricing model | Per-agent | Per-ticket (unlimited agents) |
| AI cost | $1/automated resolution | Automate included in plans |
| 5 agents, 2,000 tickets/mo | $445/mo (Growth) | $360/mo (Pro) |
Different models make direct comparison tricky. Zendesk gets expensive as you add agents. Gorgias gets expensive as ticket volume grows. A 5-agent team handling 2,000 tickets pays $445/month on Zendesk Growth vs $360/month on Gorgias Pro. But a 5-agent team handling 10,000 tickets? Gorgias hits $900+/month while Zendesk stays at $445.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Zendesk | Gorgias |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify integration | Via third-party apps | Native (deep, inline actions) |
| Order management | Requires app/custom build | Built-in (refunds, edits, cancels) |
| Email ticketing | Yes (core) | Yes |
| Phone support | Zendesk Talk | No |
| Live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Social (FB, Instagram) | Yes | Yes (strong for DTC) |
| Ticket routing | Advanced (skills, load, round-robin) | Basic rules |
| SLA management | Yes (Professional+) | No |
| Knowledge base | Guide | Help center |
| Revenue tracking | No | Yes (revenue per ticket) |
| Compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA) | Yes | SOC 2 only |
| Integrations | 1,500+ | 200+ (e-commerce focused) |
| Unlimited agents | No (per-seat) | Yes (all plans) |
| BigCommerce/Magento | Via third-party | Yes (native) |
When Gorgias Wins
- 1. You're on Shopify (or BigCommerce or Magento). Gorgias pulls order data, shipping status, and purchase history into every ticket. Agents can refund, cancel, and edit orders without switching tabs. Zendesk needs third-party apps to do any of this.
- 2. You have seasonal support staff. Unlimited agents on every Gorgias plan means you can add 15 holiday temps without changing your bill. Zendesk charges per seat.
- 3. Revenue attribution matters. Gorgias tracks how much revenue each support interaction generates (post-support purchases, upsells). Zendesk doesn't measure this.
- 4. DTC social media support. Gorgias handles Facebook and Instagram comments, DMs, and ads in one queue. Good for brands where social is a sales channel.
When Zendesk Wins
- 1. You're not in e-commerce. SaaS, fintech, healthcare, travel, education. Zendesk works everywhere. Gorgias works in one industry.
- 2. Phone support matters. Zendesk Talk is a real call center product. Gorgias has no phone channel.
- 3. You need enterprise features. SLA management, skill-based routing, HIPAA/FedRAMP compliance, custom roles, sandbox environments. Gorgias doesn't offer these.
- 4. Ticket volume is high. Once you pass 5,000 tickets/month, Gorgias's per-ticket pricing gets expensive. Zendesk's per-agent pricing stays flat regardless of volume.
- 5. You need 1,500+ integrations. Gorgias has 200+ focused on e-commerce. Zendesk's marketplace covers every category.
Who Uses What
Zendesk customers: Uber, Shopify (the platform), Airbnb, Slack, Tesco. Companies across every industry with dedicated support teams. 100,000+ customers.
Gorgias customers: Steve Madden, OLIPOP, Parade, Princess Polly, Dr. Squatch. DTC and e-commerce brands on Shopify. 15,000+ stores, mostly in fashion, beauty, food, and wellness.