Zendesk vs Gladly: Which is best for Shopify support?
See how Zendesk and Gladly compare to each other (and to Ringly.io) to help you decide what is the best platform for you.
Ruben Boonzaaijer, medeoprichterAre you struggling to choose between Zendesk and Gladly? You’re not the only one.
Both tools promise simple, unified support, but it’s tough to know which fits your team.
In this short guide, we'll cover:
- Key features
- Pricing
- User reviews
- Integrations
By the end, you will know which tool is best for your Shopify store.
Zendesk vs Gladly: TL;DR
| Product area | Zendesk | Gladly | Ringly.io |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnichannel support | Robust omnichannel across channels | Unified inbox, conversation-centric channels | AI phone support; inbound calls 24/7 |
| Workflow model | Ticketing backbone; advanced routing | People-first threads; less tickets | No-code flows; self-learning agents |
| AI and automation | Built-in bots; tier-gated features | Hero AI, Sidekick included | AI phone support; Shopify actions |
| Setup and onboarding | Powerful, but complex onboarding | Fast onboarding; friendly UI | Live in under 1 hour; no code |
| Pricing and contracts | Tiered pricing; add-ons escalate | Higher per-seat; annual minimums | Usage based; monthly, cancel anytime |
| Reporting and analytics | Deep analytics; steeper learning | Real-time reporting; basics covered | Real-time calls, intents, performance |
| Integrations and ecommerce | Huge marketplace; variable depth | Commerce and CRM integrations | Best for ecommerce; Shopify integration |
Zendesk - a quick overview
Best for: medium to large e-commerce businesses that need reliability.
Features:
- Multi-channel support (email, chat, phone, social)
- Good reporting & analytics
- Custom help center and knowledge base
- AI-powered automation
- A lot of third-party integrations
Pros:
- Very scalable
- Older and proven platform
- A big ecosystem
Cons:
- Can be complex for small teams
- Per-agent pricing can get expensive fast
Pricing: from $55 per agent/month (Suite Team), higher tiers are available for advanced features.
Shopify integration: a native app that syncs order/customer data into tickets.
Ideal for: e-commerce orgs that need more enterprise functionality.
What's unique about Zendesk: scalable (you will probably never grow out of Zendesk)
Gladly - a quick overview
Best for customer focused ecommerce brands.
Also read: Best Gladly alternatives
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 cost than typical 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.
Pricing - Zendesk vs Gladly
Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.
Zendesk pricing
| Product | Plan | Price (annual) | Main Features | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zendesk Suite | Team | $55/agent/mo | Ticketing, chat, voice, help center, automation & AI, reports | Monthly or annual; renews unless canceled 30 days prior |
| Growth | $89/agent/mo | Team + SLAs, CSAT, multilingual support, business hours | ||
| Professional | $115/agent/mo | Growth + live analytics, skills routing, side chats, forums, HIPAA | ||
| Enterprise / Plus | Custom pricing | Pro + sandbox, AI content tools, roles, dynamic workspaces | ||
| Zendesk Support | Team | $19/agent/mo | Basic ticketing (email/social), automation, AI, basic reports | Monthly or annual; renews unless canceled 30 days prior |
| Professional | $55/agent/mo | Team + SLAs, CSAT, multilingual, advanced reporting | ||
| Enterprise | ~$115/agent/mo | Pro + skills routing, roles, workspaces, sandbox | ||
| Zendesk Sell (CRM) | Team | $19/user/mo | Basic CRM, email sync, mobile app, single pipeline | Monthly or annual; renews unless canceled 30 days prior |
| Growth / Pro / Enterprise | Custom pricing | Advanced CRM tools; contact sales for current rates |
Gladly pricing
| Product / Plan | Price (annual) | Main Features | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Plan (Public) | $150/user/mo | Omnichannel inbox (voice, chat, email, SMS, social); unified customer view; one timeline; routing; knowledge base; AI tools; reporting; integrations; no ticket limits | Flat rate with all features included; no per-ticket fees |
| Hero | $180/user/mo (10-user min) | All Flat features + Hero AI & Sidekick; optional $0.60 per assisted conversation; advanced reporting | Annual billing; 10-user minimum; listed by SMB Guide & Vendr |
| Superhero | $210/user/mo (45-user min) | Hero + scaling tools and deeper context for larger teams | Annual billing; designed for large teams; pricing confirmed by SMB Guide |
| Task-Based (Entry) | $38/user/mo | Core channels; self-service; usage-based model; intelligent routing | Listed on third-party sites; exact features may vary by quote |
Ringly.io pricing
At Ringly, if Seth resolves under 65% of calls in a month, that month comes back as credit (after 90 days on Pay per call). Try it for free.
| Plans | Price | Included | Contract | Cancellation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per call | $99/mo |
✓ First 50 included, then $1.99 per call ✓ Spam, hang-ups and wrong numbers are free |
Monthly | Anytime | Try for free → |
| Custom | Talk to us | ✓ 1,000+ calls a month | Custom | Custom | Book a demo → |
Online customer reviews: Zendesk vs Gladly
What users are saying about Zendesk
“Centralized and efficient”: Helps us centralize email, live chat, and social in one workspace; automation and macros route tickets and lift team productivity. Verified G2 reviewer, Customer Support Lead
“Powerful but complex”: Admin settings get complex for advanced workflows; reporting customization often needs Explore or an upgrade. Verified G2 reviewer, Admin
What users are saying about Gladly
“User friendly and unified”: All member interactions live in one thread, making it faster to find history and respond across channels. Verified Capterra reviewer, Customer Advisor
“Better than Zendesk for our team”: Reps work easier and faster than on Zendesk; wish chat showed when a member leaves and supported quicker screenshot pasting. Verified Capterra reviewer, CX Manager
What users are saying about Ringly.io:
"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.
"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."
"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.
"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.
Which is best for your Shopify store?
Ringly.io is best for Shopify stores that want:
- Live in under 1 hour, free to try.
- AI phone help for orders and product questions.
- Simple pay per call pricing.
- Smart AI that learns and remembers customers.
Zendesk is best for Shopify brands that need:
- Big team tools for lots of chats, calls, and emails.
- Custom workflows, reports, and routing.
- Time and budget for setup and add-ons.
Gladly is best for Shopify stores that value:
- All customer chats in one easy timeline.
- A clean, simple interface.
- Yearly plans with flat per-seat pricing.
Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice
Highly Rated: 4.8/5
Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io is AI phone support built for Shopify. Seth, the AI phone agent, resolves up to 90% of support calls and has handled 200,000+ calls.
With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io will turn your support channel into a profit center instead of a cost center.
Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Zendesk and Gladly:
No-code setup, instant results: Ringly.io is live in under 1 hour. Just add your website, docs, or text, no engineering required, and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.
AI-powered sales & support: Seth answers every inbound call, 24/7. Callers get real-time order tracking from Shopify and answers to product and stock questions, so they finish their order on the call.
Advanced analytics for smarter decisions: Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports, helping you optimize support and sales strategies.
Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts: Ringly.io offers transparent pay per call pricing without locked-in contracts.
Conclusion: pick the platform that fits your reality
Pick Zendesk for complex enterprise control.
Pick Gladly for human, unified conversations at scale.
For most ecommerce brands, start with Ringly.io for the fastest path to value, lower risk, and AI that drives both support and sales.
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