Zendesk vs Gorgias: An Honest Comparison for 2026

Let's talk about your options

If you're reading this, you're probably knee-deep in researching customer support platforms. Maybe you're frustrated with your current setup. Maybe your team is scaling and your tools aren't keeping up. Or maybe you're just starting out and want to make the right choice from day one.

Either way, you've likely come across both Zendesk and Gorgias. They're frequently mentioned in the same breath, which makes comparing them important if you want to make an informed decision.

Zendesk (2007) positions itself as “General-Purpose Support” — Versatile customer service platform for any industry.

Gorgias (2015) takes a different approach: “E-commerce Specialist” — Helpdesk built specifically for online stores.

We've spent significant time with both platforms. Here's what we honestly think.

Who should actually consider each option?

Before we dive into features and pricing, let's be real about who each platform is actually built for. Not every tool is right for every team, and that's okay.

What each platform does well

Let's start with the positives. Both platforms have been around for years and have real strengths.

What we like about Zendesk

Zendesk has built a solid reputation over the years, and for good reason:

• Works for any industry, not just e-commerce
• More mature platform with proven scale
• Larger integration marketplace
• Better knowledge base features
• More customization options

What we like about Gorgias

Gorgias brings its own set of strengths to the table:

• Built specifically for e-commerce workflows
• Deep Shopify integration (edit orders, process refunds)
• Revenue tracking shows support's business impact
• Ticket-based pricing scales with seasonality
• Macros can pull order data automatically
• AI automation included

Where each platform falls short

No software is perfect. Here's where each platform will likely frustrate you.

Our frustrations with Zendesk

After spending time with Zendesk, these issues stood out:

• E-commerce integrations are surface-level
• Can't process refunds or manage orders
• No revenue attribution
• Per-agent pricing is expensive for seasonal scaling
• Requires multiple integrations to match Gorgias features

Our frustrations with Gorgias

Gorgias isn't without its problems either:

• Only makes sense for e-commerce
• Knowledge base is basic
• Fewer integrations outside e-commerce
• Ticket pricing can get expensive at scale
• Less customization than Zendesk

Feature-by-feature breakdown

If you're the type who wants to see exactly what you get with each platform, here's the detailed breakdown. We've highlighted the features that we think matter most.

Let's talk money

Pricing is often the deciding factor, so let's break down what you'll actually pay. Keep in mind that both platforms love to hide costs in add-ons, so the sticker price rarely tells the whole story.

What Zendesk will cost you

What Gorgias will cost you

So, which one should you choose?

After all this analysis, here's our honest take: For e-commerce, Gorgias wins hands down. The Shopify integration alone makes it worth it. Zendesk only makes sense if you have significant non-e-commerce support needs.

If you're an online store (especially on Shopify), choose Gorgias. The ability to manage orders, process refunds, and track revenue directly from support tickets is game-changing. Zendesk is only better if you need a general-purpose platform.

Common questions

Here are the questions we hear most often from people comparing these platforms.