If you have an ecommerce brand, you will you that your support needs to be on point. That means fast, scalable and reliable.
Zendesk is a tool that had been around for a while and promises to do all of those things.
Like I said, it is one of the older tools out there, and has become somewhat of an industry standard.
In this guide, I'll look at Zendesk's competitors, and when you should choose a certain alternative to Zendesk.
At the end, I'll give you my favourite Zendesk alternative (depending on what you need).
After reading this post, you'll know exactly which tool is best for your ecommerce business, so you can have:
- better communication with customers
- a better customer experience
- a faster response time than your competitors.
In the TLDR table, you'll find the 11 best options with features you should know.
TLDR of Zendesk alternatives
1. Ringly.io: AI phone support for Shopify stores
Best for Shopify stores to offer 24/7 phone support without spending much.
Did you know that 83% of your customers want to call you when they need help? People are less likely to buy when they cannot reach you.
Features:
- AI resolves an average of 73% of calls without human intervention
- Order tracking, returns/exchanges are automated
- Integrates with 7,000+ tools
- 30+ languages supported
- Only pay when at least 60% of your calls are resolved (results based pricing)
Pros:
- Makes your support way cheaper and more effective
- Analyzes every call, so you don't need to track CSAT
- Speaks 30 languages and is available 24/7. (this alone is groundbreaking for ecommerce stores)
- Scales with you on autopilot.
Cons:
- Focused on phone support (you still need an extra tool if you want more channels)
Built for Shopify, you can install Ringly from the Shopify app store. It lets the AI phone support rep find info about your customers before the call even starts.
Ideal for: Shopify stores that want to "wow" customers on the phone (= common reaction for people who try Ringly). And also save a lot of money on support.
What's unique about Ringly.io: currently the only AI phone support tool for e-commerce (73% average resolution rate on over 2,100 Shopify stores).
Editors note: Ringly.io opened 5 spots for Shopify stores to pay $0 until AI resolves 60% of your support calls. You can book a call to claim it.
2. Help Scout: User-friendly, personal customer support platform
Best for smaller to medium stores that need simplicity and top tier customer support.
Features:
- A shared inbox for team collaboration
- A built-in knowledge base (SEO)
- Customer satisfaction ratings and reporting
- Live chat with proactive messaging
Pros:
- Very good UI and easy to use
- Good customer support reputation
- Most important features available in base plan
Cons:
- Limited customization options compared to enterprise tools
- Reporting could be more advanced
Pricing starts at $20 per user/month
Shopify integration connects customer history, order data, and automates responses
Ideal for: businesses that need fast setup and a friendly, lightweight customer support tool.
What's unique about Help Scout is that it delivers a personal-feeling customer experience without the complexity of enterprise tools like Zendesk.
3. Freshworks: Affordable automation for growing teams
Best for growing teams that need good automation on a budget.
Features:
- AI-powered chatbot (Freddy AI)
- Omnichannel support
- Automated ticket routing
- Ticketing collaboration
- A big app marketplace
Pros:
- AI and phone support included in lower tiers
- Good automation flexibility
- Gamification features
Cons:
- Interface can feel chaotic
- Not a lot of customization in cheaper plans
Pricing: free plan available, paid plans start at $15 per agent/month
Shopify integration allows ticket creation and order updates directly from Shopify
Ideal for: support teams scaling and that need AI and workflow automation.
What's unique about Freshworks is that it offers enterprise level automation to SMB budgets.
4. Intercom: proactive, product-led customer engagement
Best for SaaS products and product-led companies.
Features:
- Very good conversational AI and automation
- Product tours and onboarding flows
- Behavioral-based messaging and segmentation
- Good analytics and reporting
Pros:
- Prevents tickets with proactive support
- Modern UI
- Good product usage data (Fin.ai)
Cons:
- Expensive for multiple users
- A lot of features are locked behind higher tiers
Pricing starts at $39 per seat/month
Shopify integration: syncs customer data and triggers messages based on store behavior
Ideal for SaaS and product-led businesses that want engagement through product experiences.
What's unique about Intercom is that it merges support, sales, and onboarding into one tool.
5. Zoho Desk: Enterprise features without enterprise pricing
Best for businesses that are already using the Zoho ecosystem.
Features:
- Context-aware ticketing with customer history
- Zia AI assistant for automation
- Custom dashboards and analytics
- Native integration across other Zoho apps
Pros:
- A lot of AI and automation in mid-tier plans
- Zoho CRM integration
- Affordable
Cons:
- UI is older than other alternatives
- Occasional bugs or lag with large datasets
Pricing starts free for 3 agents, paid plans start at $14 per agent/month
Shopify integration connects tickets with order details and customer profiles
Ideal for businesses that are already using other Zoho tools and want enterprise functionality without enterprise costs.
What's unique about Zoho Desk is that it combines CRM, AI, and automation at a price smaller businesses can afford.
6. Kustomer: Customer-first, ecommerce CRM support
Best for bigger ecommerce brands that need more scale and automation.
Features:
- Timeline-based customer view
- Good automation and routing
- AI-powered chatbots
- Omnichannel support
Pros:
- Full view of customer journey in one interface
- Very good Shopify integration
- Supports refunds and orders directly in-app
Cons:
- More difficult to use
- More expensive and custom pricing
Pricing is custom based on what you need
Shopify integration: one of the best on this list, enabling full order management inside tickets
Ideal for ecommerce companies that manage thousands of customer interactions monthly.
What's unique about Kustomer is that it organizes support for people instead of tickets.
7. Gorgias: Purpose-built support for Shopify stores
Best for Shopify brands that need a native Shopify tool.
Features:
- Automated replies
- Revenue tracking tied to tickets
- Social media integration
- Order management within tickets
Pros:
- Built specifically for e-commerce workflows
- Tracks ROI from support interactions
- Easy Shopify setup
Cons:
- Limited reporting flexibility
- Can get expensive with high ticket volume
Pricing starts at $10/month for 50 tickets
Shopify integration: Native and has real-time sync with Shopify order data and customer info
Ideal for Shopify stores that need end-to-end order management inside their helpdesk.
What's unique about Gorgias is that it ties support directly to revenue, which makes it easy to measure the ROI of every customer interaction.
8. LiveAgent: All-in-one omnichannel support for tight budgets
Best for teams on a budget that need phone, chat and ticketing in one tool.
Features:
- Built-in VoIP call center
- Live chat
- Social media management
- Gamification tools
Pros:
- Good value for price
- Includes phone support in base plan
- Easy to set up and use
Cons:
- UI feels old to me
- Integrations are not as good as newer competitors
Pricing starts at $9 per agent/month
Shopify integration: integrates for order data and contact syncing
Ideal for small businesses that want all support channels in one affordable tool.
What's unique about LiveAgent is that it offers all channels at entry-level pricing.
9. Salesforce Service Cloud: The enterprise-grade powerhouse
Best for larger enterprises that need more scale and customization.
Features:
- Einstein AI
- Omnichannel communication
- Very good analytics and reporting
- Custom app and workflow builder
Pros:
- Most customization and scalability available
- Integrates with Salesforce CRM
- Enterprise-level security and compliance
Cons:
- More difficult to use
- Expensive and complex implementation
Pricing starts at $25 per user/month
Shopify integration: via third-party connectors (Zapier, Mulesoft, etc.)
Ideal for enterprises managing large, complex customer service operations.
What's unique about Salesforce Service Cloud is that it can be customized to fit any support architecture, no matter how complex or global.
10. Re:amaze: Affordable, eCommerce-focused multi-channel support
Best for smaller to medium ecommerce brands that need affordable multichannel support.
Features:
- Support via email, chat, social, SMS
- Built-in chatbots and automations
- Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- CSAT surveys and reporting
- Status page for store updates
Pros:
- Affordable multi-channel support
- Very good Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- SMS support
Cons:
- Limited AI or enterprise automation
- Interface is not as good as tools like Intercom or Gorgias
Pricing starts at $29 per staff/month
Shopify integration allows to view and edit order info directly from tickets
Ideal for smaller ecommerce teams that need everything connected in one platform.
What's unique about Re:amaze is that it combines chat, SMS, and order management at a fraction of the cost of Zendesk.
11. Gladly: Customer-obsessed, conversation-based support
Best for customer focused ecommerce brands.
Features:
- One single conversation timeline across channels
- Email, SMS, chat, and voice in one thread
- Customer context at every interaction
- Internal collaboration tools
Pros:
- A customer-centric model (no tickets)
- Omnichannel history
- Very good personalization and retention features
Cons:
- More expensive than most SMB tools
- Overkill for smaller teams
Pricing: Custom pricing based on conversation volume
Shopify integration: syncs orders, refunds, and customer details in real time
Ideal for premium DTC and service brands that want to compete on experience.
What's unique about Gladly is that it organizes communication by customer, not ticket.
What to look for in a Zendesk alternative (5 things)
- Make sure the tool you pick connects to your ecommerce platform.
- Does the tool offer multiple channels?
- Think of how much of your support AI can take over, and what tool offers that capability.
- Can the tool you pick scale without having to hire more humans?
- Does the pricing model fit your business?
Some context on Zendesk: Zendesk is one of the most recognizable support tools, and has been around for a while.
Although it is a really good tool, with it being older there are some downsides
The biggest one for me being the price and ease of use, which it lacks.
Overall, Zendesk is a great solution for support, but Zendesk still lacks features like AI phone support.
Conclusion: choose the right alternative to Zendesk for your ecom store
Switching from Zendesk is not just about finding a cheaper alternative. The goal should be to give your customers the best experience possible.
If you want AI phone support, Ringly.io is the best option.
If you want live chat, Gorgias and Intercom are the best options.
If you are a large brand, Kustomer or Salesforce would be my pick.
While deciding, keep your specific ecommerce use cases in mind and make sure the support platform you pick will:
- Make your customers happier
- Not cost you a fortune
That's it!
Want to bring your support to the next level? Pick one of the best Zendesk alternatives above to find the tool for your customer support needs.
Have questions about automating your phone support or integrating with Shopify? Discover how Ringly.io is helping merchants like you save time, cut costs, and help every caller.
