Best Gorgias alternatives (2026): Which AI agent is best for your customer support team?

TL;DR

• Gorgias is a useful helpdesk, but it struggles with deep ticket resolution
• Choosing the right alternative depends on whether you need automation that can act inside your systems or simply keep your inbox organised
• Engaige is the strongest alternative for brands that want true AI automation and real issue resolution

Why more brands are looking for Gorgias alternatives

When working in a customer service team, you feel the strain when order volume grows faster than headcount. It’s always the same pattern: more orders bring more WISMO tickets, more return questions and more customers chasing updates about missing parcels. At some point, adding extra agents stops being the solution. That is when you start looking at automation.

Tools like Gorgias help you manage conversations, yet they still rely on you or your team to complete most tasks. For example, when a customer asks to cancel their order, the system does not do it for you. Or when a shipment is stuck, your team still needs to decide what happens next.

This is why more e-commerce brands are now looking for automation that goes beyond simply giving response suggestions. They want AI agents that can understand context and take action.

What is Gorgias and who uses it?

Gorgias is known for its smooth Shopify connection and its combined inbox for email, chat and social. The platform helps growing brands manage conversations in one place and gives agents a structured workflow. It fits stores that want a helpdesk with strong macros and productivity tools. Setup is quick, and teams get a reliable central hub to keep support running smoothly.

Pros of Gorgias

• Tidy inbox: see every channel in one place with quick access to Shopify details, so checking orders or correcting mistakes takes only a few clicks.
• Productivity shortcuts: speed up work during busy periods and clear long queues more efficiently.
• Central hub for growth: helps organise messages when early-stage growth brings chaos and decentralised communication.

Cons of Gorgias

• Limited AI resolution: suggests replies but cannot resolve cases independently, leaving your team to manage heavy workloads.
• Manual bottlenecks: common tasks like refunds, cancellations, address updates or order changes require full agent involvement, slowing down processes during peak periods.
• Volume strain: hundreds of WISMO tickets or frequent refund requests can overwhelm your team, reducing time for meaningful customer interactions.

Once these limitations become clear, it’s natural to explore other options. You want fewer manual tasks, fewer repeated actions, and a tool that can take care of the simple work without your team getting involved. That’s when Gorgias’ alternatives come in.

Top 5 Gorgias alternatives for customer service automation

The customer service market is full of platforms that promise automation, yet most are limited to help you accomplish only a specific set of tasks rather than the end-to-end process. Some help you reply faster, some help you stay organised… There are some out there, though, that actually resolve issues from start to finish. The five options below show you the difference clearly so you can pick the tool that matches your workload.

1. Engaige: Best for automating customer service tickets 

Engaige (that’s us 👋) is built for e-commerce brands that want an AI agent that actually works like a team member. It uses your policies, your product data and your back-office systems so it can complete real tasks.

Highlights: 

• Automates order cancellations before fulfilment
• Detects tracking issues and triggers replacements or refunds automatically
• Handles returns end-to-end by checking eligibility and progressing cases according to your rules
• Goes beyond messaging: takes real actions, not just suggestions
• Can integrate with Gorgias to combine familiar inbox workflows with AI automation

But don’t just take our word for it.

At Otrium, their AI agent Oliver resolves half of all support tickets. You know the type: refund requests, return updates, order checks, exchange questions. Tasks that normally eat up your time. Oliver handles these day and night, then hands over the exceptions to a human agent whenever needed.

Curious how Engaige helps other e-commerce teams? Take a look at our case studies to see how CX teams handle big volumes of tickets.  

If your e-commerce store has daily pressure from order questions, refunds, exchanges or returns, Engaige is the strongest alternative to Gorgias because it resolves the work instead of passing it back to you.

2. Tidio: Best for small businesses

Tidio fits your team if you run a smaller store and want a tool that you can install fast. It helps with simple questions like “Do you ship to the UK” or “What are your delivery times?”. Many small brands use it to offer a quick chat experience on their website without needing a full helpdesk. 

Pros:

• Gets you started quickly: install and start using without complications
• Handles simple FAQ questions like shipping, delivery times, and basic guidance
• Provides a chat layer with instant support on your website

Cons: 

• Requires manual handling for tasks like order cancellations or delivery address updates
• Cannot take actions inside your systems; refunds, exchanges, and fulfilment checks are done by agents
• Provides only a chat layer and does not offer full automation for workflows

Website

https://www.tidio.com

If you want a clearer view of how Tidio compares to Gorgias in more detail, you can read our side by side comparison here.

3. Zendesk: Best for enterprise helpdesk software

Zendesk suits your organisation if your team manages large volumes across email, chat and social. It gives you strong routing, reporting and internal structure. Many enterprise brands use it because it keeps huge support teams organised, even during heavy peak seasons. It works well when you need complex workflows or strict service level agreements.

Pros:

• Manages high volumes so large support teams can keep up across email, chat, and social
• Organises teams effectively with routing, reporting, and internal structure to prevent chaos during busy periods
• Supports agents by drafting replies and suggesting help articles

Cons:

• Requires agent involvement for most resolution tasks
• Cannot fully automate workflows: agents must step in for order modifications or fulfilment issues
• Limited for deep automation: works best as a helpdesk, not a complete automation solution

Website

https://www.zendesk.co.uk

4. Freshdesk: Best omnichannel platform for mid-market brands

Freshdesk is a solid option if you want to manage email, chat and phone in one place. Many mid-market brands use it because it gives you structured SLAs, ticket routing and tools that help during busy seasons. It helps your team stay organised and gives you a clear overview of who is working on which case.

Pros:

• Supports multiple channels, so your team can manage email, chat, and phone all in one place
• Keeps workflows organised, helping your team stay on top even during busy periods
• Gives clear visibility, making it easy to see who’s handling each case and avoid confusion

Cons:

• Requires manual handling for most customer issues.
• Handles refunds, address updates, and late parcel checks only with agent involvement.
• Limited automation: provides structure and visibility but doesn’t reduce workload through real automation.

Website

https://www.freshworks.com/freshdesk/ 

5. Help Scout: Best for human-centric teams

Help Scout is a good Gorgias alternative if you value a warm, human-first experience. Many smaller and mid-sized stores choose it because it keeps conversations simple and personal. It makes it easy to respond with empathy and maintain a friendly tone across channels. Customers appreciate the natural feel of the conversations.

Pros:

• Keeps service personal, so every interaction feels human and attentive
• Maintains a friendly tone across channels, making communication feel natural
• Supports empathetic responses, helping your team build stronger relationships with customers

Cons:

• Assists with replies but cannot automate returns, refunds, or order status checks
• Requires manual handling for most e-commerce workflow tasks
• Limited automation: best suited for brands prioritising personal service rather than full automation

Website

https://www.helpscout.com/ 

Comparison table: Gorgias vs the alternatives

This table helps you compare the tools in a simple way. It shows how each platform handles your day to day work, how far the automation goes and where you will still step in yourself. Once you look at the details, the gap between assistive tools and real automation becomes clear.

How to choose the right Gorgias alternative

Your best choice depends on the type of tickets you handle every day. If most of your workload sits in WISMO questions, refunds, address updates or returns, you need a tool that acts inside your systems. A reply assistant will not reduce your queue. You will still carry the work yourself. Think of moments where a customer wants to cancel an order they just placed or update the delivery address. If the tool cannot take the action, the work comes back to you.

If your product catalogue is complex or if you rely on specific policies, you also need transparency and control. You should be able to test responses, adjust tone and set clear rules so the AI knows how to behave in edge cases. This matters when you have mixed return rules, seasonal products or warranties. It helps you keep service safe and consistent while still reducing workload.

Key things to look for in a Gorgias alternative:

• End-to-end automation for common tasks
• Integration with your systems for real-time actions
• Transparency and control over AI decisions
• Customisable rules and tone for complex policies
• Handles volume efficiently to reduce agent workload

Engaige: The best Gorgias alternative for automating e-commerce support

Engaige stands out as the most capable Gorgias alternative because it actually resolves your manual problems. Our AI agent can look at your order, check your policies, review the data and take the right action automatically.

When a customer wants to change a delivery address, the AI checks the fulfilment status and updates it. If a parcel is delayed, it can spot the issue and trigger the right next step based on your rules. And when a return request comes in, there’s no manual intervention needed. Engaige’s AI can check for eligibility and handle the whole process for you.

Plus, you stay fully in control: test responses before they go live, set the tone of voice, and define how refunds or returns should be handled. Your team only steps in where they add value.

Curious what this would look like for your brand? Book a demo and we’ll walk through your real use cases so you can see exactly how much work you can remove from your daily queue.

FAQs about Gorgias alternatives

Below, we’ve listed the questions we hear most from e-commerce teams related to Gorgias. If you have a question that isn’t covered here, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to help! 

Is there a better Gorgias alternative for customer service automation?

Yes. Engaige offers deeper automation and real resolution. It handles a wide range of e-commerce tasks without human involvement.

Which Gorgias alternatives can fully automate customer support?

Engaige is the strongest option for complete end-to-end automation in e-commerce. Others like Tidio or Help Scout focus on replies rather than actions.

What is the best Gorgias alternative for Shopify stores?

Engaige fits Shopify stores in fashion, beauty and electronics that want to automate most routine tasks. It pulls data in real time and follows your policies accurately. Gorgias is still useful for teams that prefer a traditional helpdesk setup with agent macros.

Why switch from Gorgias to an alternative like Engaige?

Teams switch when they reach a volume of work that macros cannot manage. They want fewer manual tasks and faster resolution. Engaige is able to resolve many more tickets on its own, which saves your agents time and improves customer satisfaction. 

What features matter most when choosing a Gorgias alternative? 

Prioritise deep integration with your store. Choose an AI that can reason with your policies. And demand transparency, so every action is easy to understand. This is the foundation for safe and accurate automation.

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