statlyst

Ecommerce · ranking

10 Best Helpdesk for Ecommerce of 2026

Statlyst data desk · updated November 12, 2026 · next review December 27, 2026

Gorgias is the best helpdesk for ecommerce in 2026 for Shopify brands, because it prices by ticket volume rather than by agent and says it powers customer conversations for 40% of Shopify brands. Zendesk suits stores that want the largest support platform, from $19 per agent per month billed yearly, and Freshdesk suits teams that want an AI agent bundled in from $19 per agent per month billed annually. Tidio and Help Scout both have free plans, and Gorgias starts at $10 a month for 50 tickets, as of November 2026.

Market data

#ProductFeatures (35%)Adoption and reviews (35%)Value (30%)OverallUsers or customersFrom
1Gorgias9.39.08.69.017,000+ (2026)$10
2Zendesk9.29.47.28.780,000+ (2026)$19
3Freshdesk8.58.98.48.674,000+ (2026)$19
4Tidio7.89.09.08.6300,000+ (2026)$24.17
5eDesk8.78.08.28.350 million conversations a month (2026)$45
6Help Scout7.88.08.88.212,000+ (2026)$25
7Re:amaze8.36.88.87.9n/a$29
8Gladly8.87.46.07.5Hundreds of brands (2026)Check price
9Kustomer8.77.26.07.4600+ (2026)Check price
10Richpanel8.46.47.27.3n/aCheck price

Adoption figures come from company filings, official releases or independent surveys, linked in each entry. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Scoring method

This list is for online stores choosing a helpdesk to answer order, shipping and return questions across email, chat and social channels. Each product is scored on documented features (35 percent), adoption backed by a published customer count from the vendor (35 percent) and value based on published US prices (30 percent). We compared documented features and published prices on vendor pages and did not run hands-on tests. Vendors that do not publish a USD price are marked as pending and score lower on value.

AssessmentGorgias ranks first because it is built around store data: its pricing page sells plans by monthly ticket count, from 50 to 5,000 tickets, with no per-agent fee, and Gorgias says 17,000+ ecommerce brands use it. Zendesk is second on the biggest installed base, 80,000+ companies, with AI agents starting on the $55 Suite Team plan. Freshdesk is third, with 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions included on every plan from $19 per agent. Tidio is the budget pick with a free plan and 300,000+ businesses, and eDesk is the pick for sellers on Amazon, eBay and Walmart as well as their own store. Help Scout and Re:amaze are straightforward per-seat options, while Gladly, Kustomer and Richpanel sell mainly through demos and score lower on value because their prices are not confirmed in USD here.

  1. 1

    Gorgias

    9.0overall

    A helpdesk and AI agent built for ecommerce brands, priced by monthly ticket volume rather than by agent seat.

    Best forShopify brands with seasonal ticket spikes

    Adoption data

    17,000+Gorgias says more than 17,000 ecommerce brands use its platform worldwide.

    Gorgias, Gorgias home page (2026): “17,000+ ecommerce brands powered globally”

    Gorgias is the helpdesk most clearly shaped around online stores. Its pricing page sells four plans by monthly ticket count, 50 on Starter, 300 on Basic, 2,000 on Pro and 5,000 on Advanced, and states that the helpdesk is never priced per agent. That suits stores that add seasonal staff for peak weeks. Starter costs $10 a month, billed monthly, and Basic costs $50 a month on annual billing. Agents see Shopify orders, customers and products inside each ticket and can cancel, discount or upsell without switching tabs. Channels cover email, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, and Gorgias lists 300+ integrations. The AI Agent is available on every plan, from $30 a month on Starter, with $1.50 charged per automated interaction past the plan limit. Gorgias reports 17,000+ ecommerce brands as customers. The tradeoff is overage: every ticket beyond the plan costs $0.36 to $0.40, so busy months can exceed the sticker price.

    Strengths

    • +Starter helpdesk costs $10 per month for 50 tickets
    • +Gorgias says it powers customer conversations for 40% of Shopify brands
    • +Revenue attribution reporting shows sales generated by support

    Limitations

    • −Starter is billed monthly only
    • −Past the included volume, each ticket costs $0.36 to $0.40 extra
    • −Pro jumps to $300 per month billed annually for 2,000 tickets

    SummaryGorgias is the best choice for Shopify brands because it charges by ticket volume from $10 a month and works on live order data inside every ticket. Model your peak months against the per-ticket overage before choosing a tier.

  2. 2

    Zendesk

    8.7overall

    A general customer service platform with ticketing, messaging, voice and AI agents used across many industries, including retail.

    Best forLarge stores that want a mature, widely used platform

    Adoption data

    80,000+Zendesk says more than 80,000 companies use it for customer service.

    Zendesk, About Zendesk (2026): “See why 80,000+ companies choose Zendesk for AI service”

    Zendesk is the default choice for stores that have outgrown a basic inbox and want a platform with a long track record and a large partner ecosystem. Support Team costs $19 per agent per month paid yearly and covers email ticketing, routing, prewritten responses, customer context, automations and prebuilt dashboards. Most ecommerce teams will want Suite Team at $55, which adds AI Agents, an AI Knowledge Base, the AI Action Builder, omnichannel routing, messaging, live chat and telephony. Suite Professional at $115 adds skills-based routing and an IVR phone tree for larger contact centers. Zendesk says 80,000+ companies use it, the highest published figure on this list. The tradeoff for online stores is that Zendesk is a general platform: order lookups and refunds depend on marketplace apps rather than a built-in store connection, and the per-agent cost of the useful tier is nearly three times the entry price.

    Strengths

    • +Largest published customer base here, 80,000+ companies
    • +Entry plan at $19 per agent per month paid yearly
    • +Voice, chat and email in one platform from Suite Team

    Limitations

    • −Not built specifically for ecommerce; store data needs a marketplace app
    • −AI agents and live chat start at $55 per agent per month
    • −Advanced routing requires Suite Professional at $115

    SummaryZendesk is the best choice for large stores that want a proven platform, backed by 80,000+ companies and plans from $19 per agent. Budget for Suite Team at $55 if you need chat and AI agents.

  3. 3

    Freshdesk

    8.6overall

    A ticketing helpdesk from Freshworks with the Freddy AI Agent included on every paid plan.

    Best forStores that want AI included in a low per-agent price

    Adoption data

    74,000+Freshworks says 74,000+ businesses worldwide use Freshdesk.

    Freshworks, Freshdesk pricing (2026): “Trusted by 74,000+ Businesses Worldwide”

    Freshdesk gives an online store the most AI for the entry price on this list. The Growth plan costs $19 per agent per month billed annually and includes ticketing, a shared inbox, a customer portal with knowledge base, reporting, and the Freddy AI Agent with the first 500 sessions included. Further sessions cost $49 per 100. Day passes, from $2 each on Growth, let a store add temporary agents during sales without buying full seats. Freshworks publishes a free Shopify app that shows a customer's recent orders inside Freshdesk. Pro at $55 adds a multilingual helpdesk, custom dashboards, intelligent routing and multiple SLA policies, which matter for stores selling across countries. Freshworks says 74,000+ businesses use Freshdesk. The limits are that Freddy AI Copilot for agents is a $29 per agent add-on and that order actions are narrower than in ecommerce-native tools such as Gorgias.

    Strengths

    • +500 AI Agent sessions included from the $19 plan
    • +Day passes for seasonal agents from $2 per pass on Growth
    • +14-day free trial

    Limitations

    • −Freddy AI Copilot is a $29 per agent add-on
    • −Multilingual support needs the $55 Pro plan
    • −Store actions are limited to what the Shopify app exposes

    SummaryFreshdesk is the best choice for stores that want an AI agent bundled in, with 500 sessions included from $19 per agent. Check that the Shopify app covers the order actions you need.

  4. 4

    Tidio

    8.6overall

    Live chat, helpdesk and the Lyro AI agent for small online stores, with a permanent free plan.

    Best forSmall stores on a tight budget

    Adoption data

    300,000+Tidio says more than 300,000 businesses use its customer service software.

    Tidio, Tidio home page (2026): “Trusted by 300,000+ businesses”

    Tidio is the cheapest way for a small store to run chat and tickets in one tool. The free plan covers 50 billable conversations a month, and Starter costs $24.17 a month on annual billing for 100 conversations with 10 seats, which makes it cheaper than per-agent tools for small teams. Starter also includes 50 one-off conversations with the Lyro AI Agent so a store can test automation. Growth starts at $49.17 a month and adds advanced analytics, user permissions, automatic chat assignment and macros. Tidio lists integrations with Shopify, WordPress and Wix, and it says 300,000+ businesses use the product. Tidio also states that its customers average a 75% resolution rate with Lyro. The limits are volume caps: every tier is sized by billable conversations, and the Plus tier starts at $300 a month plus usage, so a growing store should model its conversation count before committing.

    Strengths

    • +Permanent free plan
    • +Highest published business count here, 300,000+
    • +Seats are not the main pricing unit; Starter includes 10

    Limitations

    • −Paid tiers are capped by billable conversations
    • −Starter's Lyro allowance is a one-off 50 conversations
    • −Plus starts at $300 per month plus usage

    SummaryTidio is the best choice for small stores on a budget because it offers a free plan with 50 conversations and paid plans from $24.17 a month. Stores with heavy volume will hit conversation caps quickly.

  5. 5

    eDesk

    8.3overall

    An ecommerce helpdesk that brings marketplace and webstore messages into one inbox, with an AI agent billed per outcome.

    Best forSellers on Amazon, eBay and Walmart as well as their own store

    Adoption data

    50 million conversations a montheDesk says it powers more than 50 million customer conversations every month.

    eDesk, About eDesk (2026): “we are trusted by thousands of customers around the world and power over 50 million conversations every month”

    eDesk is built for merchants who sell in several places at once. Its pricing page lists Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Mirakl, Cdiscount and Kaufland next to Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop and Shopware, so marketplace messages and webstore tickets land in the same inbox. Essential costs $45 per agent per month billed annually, or $55 monthly, and connects one store or marketplace; Growth at $99 connects five and adds performance reporting and CSAT surveys; Professional at $129 connects ten. The AI Agent is included on every plan and billed at $0.99 per outcome, charged once per ticket and only when it answers the customer or takes an action such as a return or cancellation. eDesk says it powers more than 50 million conversations a month. The tradeoff is cost per seat: a single-store Shopify brand pays more here than on Freshdesk or Zendesk entry plans for features it may not use.

    Strengths

    • +Strongest marketplace coverage on this list
    • +AI charged only when it answers or takes an action
    • +14-day full-feature trial and a 30-day guarantee

    Limitations

    • −Essential connects only 1 store or marketplace
    • −Per-agent price is higher than Freshdesk or Zendesk entry plans
    • −CSAT surveys require the $99 Growth plan

    SummaryeDesk is the best choice for multichannel sellers because it puts Amazon, eBay, Walmart and webstore messages in one inbox from $45 per agent. Single-store brands can find cheaper options.

  6. 6

    Help Scout

    8.2overall

    A shared inbox and help center for small and midsize teams, with a free plan and per-resolution AI.

    Best forSmall teams that want an email-first inbox

    Adoption data

    12,000+Help Scout says more than 12,000 businesses use its support platform.

    Help Scout, Help Scout customers (2026): “More than 12,000 businesses delight their customers with Help”

    Help Scout fits a store whose support still runs mostly on email and wants a tidy shared inbox without enterprise overhead. The free plan covers 5 users, 1 inbox and 1 Docs site, which is enough for a small brand to start. Standard at $25 per user per month adds multiple inboxes, live chat and SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, multiple knowledge bases, basic workflows and an AI inbox assistant. Plus at $45 adds advanced workflows, a secure customer portal, unlimited AI drafts and round robin routing. AI resolutions cost $0.75 each and are billed monthly on a pay-per-resolution basis. Help Scout says 12,000+ businesses use it. For ecommerce, the gap is depth: the pricing page does not document order actions such as refunds or cancellations, so stores that handle many order changes may prefer an ecommerce-native helpdesk.

    Strengths

    • +Free plan covers 5 users
    • +Social and messaging channels included from the $25 Standard plan
    • +15-day free trial of Standard or Plus

    Limitations

    • −Free plan is limited to 1 inbox
    • −Advanced workflows and round robin routing need Plus at $45
    • −No ecommerce-specific order actions documented on the pricing page

    SummaryHelp Scout is the best choice for small teams that want an email-first inbox, with a free plan for 5 users and paid seats from $25. Stores that edit orders all day should look at Gorgias or Re:amaze.

  7. 7

    Re:amaze

    7.9overall

    A helpdesk with live chat, chatbots and a native Shopify integration aimed at online businesses.

    Best forShopify stores that want refunds inside the inbox at a low seat price

    Re:amaze offers ecommerce-grade order handling at a modest seat price. Its native Shopify integration lets agents see customer orders, process refunds and create draft orders from the conversation. Basic costs $29 per team member per month, or $26.10 billed annually, and includes unlimited email inboxes, live chat, social channels, an FAQ center, workflow macros, chatbots and proactive messages. Pro at $49 adds multiple brands in one account, a live view of site visitors, SMS and voice channels and a status page. Stores with many occasional helpers can choose the Starter flat rate of $59 a month, which gives Basic features to unlimited team members for up to 500 responded conversations. The AI Agent includes 5 to 20 resolutions per user each month depending on plan, then $0.85 per resolution. Re:amaze does not publish a specific customer count, so it scores lower on adoption, and several AI tools are still labeled beta.

    Strengths

    • +Refunds and draft orders handled from inside the conversation
    • +Flat-rate Starter plan suits stores with many part-time helpers
    • +No contracts and a 14-day trial with no credit card

    Limitations

    • −No published customer count beyond thousands of teams
    • −SMS and voice channels require Pro at $49
    • −Some AI features are labeled beta

    SummaryRe:amaze is the best choice for Shopify stores that want refunds and draft orders in the inbox from $29 per seat. Its adoption is less documented than the leaders here.

  8. 8

    Gladly

    7.5overall

    A customer service and AI commerce platform for retail brands, organized around the customer rather than the ticket.

    Best forLarge retail brands that want service and selling in one chat

    Adoption data

    Hundreds of brandsGladly says hundreds of retail brands use its platform, naming Hoka, Ulta Beauty, Tumi, Tecovas and Rothy's.

    Gladly, The power of and (2026): “Now, hundreds of the world's most customer-centric brands like Hoka (part of Deckers Brands), Ulta Beauty”

    Gladly targets large retail brands that want one AI to both sell and serve. Instead of separate tickets, it keeps a customer profile with every past chat, call and email threaded across channels, and its site shows live context such as what the shopper is browsing and has in the cart. The same AI handles product guidance before purchase and returns afterward, and merchandisers can set how assertively it recommends items or offers discounts without engineering help. Voice AI sits alongside chat. Gladly says hundreds of brands use it and names Hoka, Ulta Beauty, Tumi, Tecovas and Rothy's. The platform does not publish prices; its pricing address leads to a demo request, so we could not verify a USD price and score it low on value. It is a fit for brands with large service teams and a budget for an enterprise contract, not for small stores.

    Strengths

    • +Customer-centric conversation history instead of separate tickets
    • +Named retail customers such as Ulta Beauty and Tumi
    • +Combines pre-sale guidance and post-sale support

    Limitations

    • −No published price; demo required
    • −No published customer count beyond hundreds of brands
    • −Built for larger brands rather than small stores

    SummaryGladly is the best choice for large retail brands that want one customer timeline and an AI that both sells and serves. Small stores will find self-serve tools cheaper and faster to start.

  9. 9

    Kustomer

    7.4overall

    A CRM-based customer service platform with omnichannel messaging and AI agents for B2C and B2B companies.

    Best forLarge DTC brands that need a CRM-style data model

    Adoption data

    600+Kustomer says more than 600 B2C and B2B companies use its platform.

    Kustomer, Kustomer home page (2026): “Trusted by 600+ B2C & B2B companies to deliver better experiences”

    Kustomer suits large direct-to-consumer brands that want customer service built on a CRM-style data model. Its pricing page lists omnichannel messaging across chat, email, text, voice, Slack and online forms, plus Facebook for up to 50 pages, Instagram for up to 50 accounts, WhatsApp for up to 5 business accounts and a TikTok Shop channel. Custom objects, support for up to 300 brands, 20 workflows and an API limit of 2,000 requests per minute point to complex, multi-brand operations. The AI layer includes agents called Concierge, Architect and Envoy. Kustomer says 600+ B2C and B2B companies use it. It does not publish prices: buyers complete a two-minute assessment and then speak to sales, and voice and WhatsApp are billed pay as you go. The pricing page also notes that some configurations may require a statement of work and implementation fee, so total cost is hard to compare with self-serve tools.

    Strengths

    • +Supports up to 300 brands on one platform
    • +TikTok Shop and WhatsApp channels listed
    • +SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR listed on the pricing page

    Limitations

    • −No published price; an assessment and sales call are required
    • −Some channel setups may need a statement of work and implementation fee
    • −Smaller published customer base than self-serve rivals

    SummaryKustomer is the best choice for large multi-brand DTC companies that want a CRM-style customer record, with up to 300 brands per account. Smaller stores will pay less with a self-serve helpdesk.

  10. 10

    Richpanel

    7.3overall

    An AI-first helpdesk and self-service portal for ecommerce support teams moving off Gorgias or Zendesk.

    Best forEcommerce teams with high order-status volume

    Richpanel is aimed at ecommerce brands with a support team that have outgrown Gorgias or Zendesk. Its self-service portal lets customers track orders and start returns and exchanges, and it can sit on top of Zendesk, Gorgias, Help Scout or Salesforce, so a store can deflect order-status tickets without changing helpdesk. A free self-service tier covers up to 50 orders a month. The full helpdesk adds a multichannel agent console, assignments, automations and reporting, and Richpanel documents ticket migration from Zendesk, Gorgias, Help Scout and Salesforce. Its AI is described as using connected tools to resolve multi-step tickets. We could not confirm a single USD seat price: the pricing page as fetched shows several different per-agent figures for the same plans, so we mark pricing as pending and score value conservatively. Richpanel does not publish a customer count, and helpdesk plans are sold on yearly contracts.

    Strengths

    • +Self-service portal works alongside an existing helpdesk
    • +Free self-service tier for small order volumes
    • +Documented migration paths from Gorgias and Zendesk

    Limitations

    • −Pricing page shows several conflicting per-agent figures
    • −Helpdesk subscriptions are on yearly contracts
    • −No published customer count

    SummaryRichpanel is the best choice for ecommerce teams that want to deflect order-status tickets with a self-service portal, even on top of their current helpdesk. Get a written quote, since the published seat prices are inconsistent.

Choosing a product

Pick the pricing model that matches your ticket pattern
Ecommerce support volume spikes around sales and holidays. Gorgias charges by tickets per month, starting with 50 tickets on the $10 Starter helpdesk and $0.40 per ticket past the limit, so cost follows volume rather than headcount. Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout, Re:amaze and eDesk charge per agent, which suits stores with a stable team and steady volume. Tidio counts billable conversations, with 50 on the free plan and 100 on Starter.
Check how deep the store integration goes
The useful test is whether an agent can act on an order without leaving the ticket. Re:amaze documents seeing orders, processing refunds and creating draft orders in Shopify. Gorgias lets agents cancel, discount or upsell inside the conversation. Freshworks publishes a free Shopify app that shows recent orders inside Freshdesk. Confirm the actions you need, such as refunds, cancellations and address edits, on your own store platform.
Count marketplaces as well as your own store
Sellers on Amazon, eBay or Walmart need marketplace messages in the same inbox. eDesk lists Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Mirakl and TikTok Shop alongside Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, and its plans include 1, 5 or 10 connected stores or marketplaces. Most Shopify-first helpdesks focus on the brand's own storefront and social channels.
Price the AI agent separately from the seats
AI agents are billed in different units. eDesk charges $0.99 per outcome, Help Scout $0.75 per resolution, Re:amaze $0.85 per resolution past the included allowance and Gorgias $1.50 per automated interaction past the plan limit. Freshdesk includes the first 500 AI Agent sessions and sells more at $49 per 100. Estimate your monthly automated volume before comparing totals.
Ask demo-led vendors for written quotes
Gladly and Kustomer do not publish list prices and ask buyers to book a demo or complete an assessment. Richpanel shows several conflicting per-agent figures on its pricing page. For these vendors, request a written quote covering seats, AI usage, voice and implementation fees before you compare them with self-serve plans.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best helpdesk for ecommerce?

Gorgias is the best helpdesk for most ecommerce brands in 2026. It prices by ticket volume from $10 a month for 50 tickets, shows Shopify orders inside each ticket, and says 17,000+ ecommerce brands use it.

Is there a free helpdesk for online stores?

Yes, Tidio and Help Scout both have permanent free plans. Tidio's free plan covers 50 billable conversations a month, and Help Scout's covers 5 users, 1 inbox and 1 Docs site.

Is Gorgias better than Zendesk for Shopify stores?

For most Shopify stores, yes. Gorgias is built around Shopify data and lets agents cancel, discount or upsell an order inside the conversation, while Zendesk is a general platform with 80,000+ companies that relies on apps for store data and charges $55 per agent for its plan with AI agents and chat.

How much does an ecommerce helpdesk cost?

Published entry prices range from $10 to $45 a month as of November 2026. Gorgias Starter costs $10 a month for 50 tickets, Zendesk and Freshdesk start at $19 per agent billed yearly, Help Scout at $25 per user and eDesk at $45 per agent billed annually.

Which helpdesk works with Amazon and eBay messages?

eDesk is the strongest fit for marketplace sellers. Its pricing page lists Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Mirakl and TikTok Shop alongside Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, with plans that connect 1, 5 or 10 stores or marketplaces.

Do ecommerce helpdesks charge extra for AI?

Usually yes, by usage. eDesk charges $0.99 per outcome, Help Scout $0.75 per resolution and Re:amaze $0.85 per resolution past its allowance, while Freshdesk includes the first 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions on every plan.

How did you rank these helpdesks?

We scored features (35 percent), adoption (35 percent) and value (30 percent). Adoption uses customer counts published by each vendor, and value uses USD prices checked on vendor pages in November 2026; vendors without a confirmed USD price score lower on value.

Questions or corrections: editorial@statlyst.com · Disclosure

More rankings