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Savena

7 best Gorgias alternatives for Shopify stores in 2026

Last updated 2026-10-26 · Written by the Savena team. Savena is our product, and it is listed first; every other entry is described from the vendor's own pricing and feature pages.

Gorgias is the default helpdesk for many Shopify brands, and for good reason: agents can edit, refund and cancel orders without leaving the ticket. The most common reason teams look elsewhere is the bill. Gorgias prices by ticket volume, and its AI Agent is charged per automated interaction on top, with each of those interactions also counting as a ticket.

Below are seven alternatives, what each costs as of October 2026, and who each one suits.

Why teams look for a Gorgias alternative

  • Ticket-based pricing: plans include 50 to 5,000 tickets a month, and each ticket over the allowance costs $0.36–$0.40.
  • AI is billed on top at $0.90–$1.00 per automated interaction, which also uses up the ticket allowance.
  • Phone and SMS are paid add-ons on every plan.
  • Teams that want the AI, rather than an agent, to carry out order changes look for tools built around that.

At a glance

ToolBest forPricing modelStarts at
SavenaShopify stores that want the AI to act on the order, not just answer about itFlat platform fee + per AI resolution$99/mo
RichpanelDTC brands that want self-service and AI on per-seat pricingPer seat, plus AI credits$99 per seat/mo (annual)
ZendeskLarger or multi-brand teams that need enterprise workflowsPer agent$55 per agent/mo (annual)
Re:amazeSmall and mid-size teams, often running several stores, that want per-seat pricingPer seat (or a flat Starter plan)$29 per user/mo
Help ScoutEmail-first teams that want a simple, human-feeling shared inboxPer userFree; paid from $25 per user/mo
KustomerHigh-volume enterprise ecommerce supportQuote onlyNot published
TidioSmall stores that want free or low-cost live chat with an AI chatbotConversation volume, plus separate AI and Flows usageFree; paid from $29/mo

1. SavenaOur product

Best for: Shopify stores that want the AI to act on the order, not just answer about it

Savena is a unified support inbox with an AI agent that reads the live Shopify order and makes the change the customer asks for: it cancels orders, edits the shipping address before the order ships, and adds, removes or swaps items, after verifying the customer with a one-time code. You choose which actions it is allowed to take; anything else goes to your team with the conversation and a short brief attached.

Pricing
$99/month including 3 team members ($25/month each after), unlimited conversations, plus $0.99 for each conversation the AI resolves on its own. 21-day free trial.
AI
Included in the platform; billed $0.99 only when the AI resolves a conversation without a human. Handoffs cost nothing.
Channels
Email, live chat widget, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and comments, Facebook Messenger
Shopify
Order lookup and tracking, cancellations, address and item edits, and capped discount codes, each switched on per store

Strengths

  • The AI takes the action in Shopify instead of drafting a reply for an agent to carry out.
  • Every write is gated: a one-time code to the email on the order, plus a confirmation step.
  • Conversations are unlimited; you pay for AI outcomes, not ticket volume.
  • Stripe integration for refunds and subscription changes in the same inbox.

Limitations

  • Refunds on Shopify orders are handed to a person rather than issued by the AI.
  • No SMS or phone channel.
  • No importer for past tickets from another helpdesk; history stays in the old tool.
  • No permanently free plan.

2. Richpanel

Best for: DTC brands that want self-service and AI on per-seat pricing

Richpanel is an ecommerce helpdesk focused on customer self-service. It prices per seat with no per-ticket fees, and agents can refund, edit addresses and discounts, and create draft orders in Shopify.

Pricing
$119 per seat/month billed monthly, $99 billed annually; no per-ticket fees.
AI
About $0.20 per AI-handled conversation, with a $200/month minimum.
Channels
Email, chat, social, SMS, WhatsApp, phone
Shopify
Refunds, address and discount edits, draft orders

Strengths

  • Low price per AI conversation.
  • Phone and SMS included in the channel list.

Limitations

  • The AI minimum puts the realistic starting cost near $300/month.

3. Zendesk

Best for: Larger or multi-brand teams that need enterprise workflows

Zendesk Suite is the most widely used enterprise helpdesk, with mature ticketing, SLAs, reporting and a large app marketplace. It is priced per agent, with AI resolutions and some channels billed on top.

Pricing
Suite Team $55 per agent/month billed annually ($69 monthly); Suite Professional $115 ($149 monthly).
AI
5 or 10 automated resolutions per agent per month included; then $1.50–$2.00 each. Copilot is $50 per agent/month.
Channels
Email, chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook; voice and SMS as add-ons
Shopify
Through marketplace apps

Strengths

  • Mature ticketing, SLAs and reporting.
  • Large marketplace of integrations.

Limitations

  • Per-agent price plus resolution fees and channel add-ons.
  • Heavier to set up than ecommerce-specific tools.

Savena vs Zendesk

4. Re:amaze

Best for: Small and mid-size teams, often running several stores, that want per-seat pricing

Re:amaze, owned by GoDaddy, is a multichannel helpdesk with chat, email, social and a hosted FAQ. Agents can manage, modify and create Shopify orders, and each plan includes a monthly allowance of AI resolutions per user.

Pricing
Basic $29, Pro $49, Plus $69 per user per month (10% off annually); flat Starter plan $59/month for unlimited users and up to 500 responded conversations.
AI
5, 10 or 20 AI resolutions per user per month included; $0.85 each after that.
Channels
Email, chat, Instagram, Messenger; WhatsApp through a Twilio number; SMS and voice on Pro and Plus
Shopify
Agents manage, modify and create orders

Strengths

  • Predictable per-seat pricing.
  • Low price per AI resolution beyond the allowance.

Limitations

  • WhatsApp requires a Twilio-provided number.
  • SMS and voice need Pro or higher.

Savena vs Re:amaze

5. Help Scout

Best for: Email-first teams that want a simple, human-feeling shared inbox

Help Scout is a shared inbox and help center known for being easy to use. It added chat, messaging channels and per-resolution AI, and its Shopify integration lets agents refund, cancel, edit and duplicate recent orders from the sidebar.

Pricing
Free (5 users, 100 contacts a month); Standard $25, Plus $45, Pro $75 per user/month. Annual billing saves 16%.
AI
$0.75 per resolution.
Channels
Email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger (from Standard)
Shopify
Agents refund, cancel, edit and duplicate recent orders

Strengths

  • Easy to learn, with a built-in help center.
  • Lowest per-resolution AI price on this list.

Limitations

  • No native voice.
  • Less ecommerce-specific automation than Shopify-first tools.

6. Kustomer

Best for: High-volume enterprise ecommerce support

Kustomer is a CRM-style helpdesk built around the customer timeline, used by large ecommerce teams. Agents can refund and cancel unfulfilled Shopify orders.

Pricing
Pricing is by quote; some setups carry an implementation fee.
AI
Not published.
Channels
Chat, email, text, voice, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp (voice and WhatsApp pay as you go)
Shopify
Agents refund and cancel unfulfilled orders

Strengths

  • Built for large teams and complex routing.
  • Voice included in the platform.

Limitations

  • No public pricing.
  • More than most small and mid-size stores need.

7. Tidio

Best for: Small stores that want free or low-cost live chat with an AI chatbot

Tidio is a live chat and chatbot tool with a free plan and the Lyro AI add-on. It is quick to install on Shopify, and agents can cancel unfulfilled orders and issue refunds from the chat panel.

Pricing
Free plan for 50 conversations a month; Starter $29/month ($24.17 billed annually); Growth from $49.17; Plus from $300.
AI
Lyro add-on from $32.50/month for 50 AI conversations.
Channels
Live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger
Shopify
Agents cancel unfulfilled orders and refund from the chat panel; Lyro looks up order status

Strengths

  • Permanently free plan.
  • Fast to set up on a Shopify store.

Limitations

  • Conversations, Lyro AI and Flows are metered separately.
  • Plans below Plus are capped at 10 seats.

Savena vs Tidio

How to choose a Gorgias alternative

  • Price your real volume on each model. Per-ticket pricing (Gorgias) favors low volume, per-seat pricing (Zendesk, Re:amaze, Help Scout, Richpanel) favors small teams, and a flat fee with unlimited conversations (Savena) favors high volume. Run your last three months through each.
  • Ask what the AI completes on its own. If most of your messages are "where is my order", "cancel it" or "change my address", ask each vendor which of those the AI finishes without an agent, and which it only drafts or hands off.
  • Check how AI is billed. Per resolution (Savena, Help Scout, and Re:amaze and Zendesk beyond their allowances), per automated interaction (Gorgias), or credits (Richpanel). The unit decides how the bill grows.
  • List the channels you actually need. If phone or SMS matter, Gorgias, Re:amaze, Richpanel, Kustomer and Zendesk cover them; Savena does not.

Read the full Savena vs Gorgias comparison

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Gorgias alternative for Shopify?

It depends on why you are leaving. If the bill is the problem, a per-seat or flat-fee tool (Help Scout, Re:amaze, Savena) usually costs less at higher volume. If you need enterprise workflows, Zendesk or Kustomer. If you want the AI to cancel and edit orders itself, Savena is built around that.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Gorgias?

At low volume, Gorgias Starter ($10 for 50 tickets) is hard to beat. Above a few hundred tickets a month, per-seat tools like Help Scout ($25 per user) and flat-fee tools like Savena ($99/month including 3 team members and unlimited conversations, plus $0.99 per AI resolution) usually cost less, because neither charges per ticket.

Which Gorgias alternatives can act on Shopify orders?

Help Scout, Richpanel, Kustomer, Re:amaze and Tidio all let agents work on Shopify orders from the helpdesk, each to a different extent; Zendesk does it through marketplace apps. In Savena the AI agent itself cancels orders, edits addresses before shipping and changes items, after verifying the customer.

Can I bring my ticket history from Gorgias?

It depends on the tool you move to. Savena does not import past tickets, so most teams keep Gorgias open read-only while existing tickets close out.

Try Savena on your own store

Connect Shopify and your channels, switch on the actions you want the AI to take, and see what it resolves before you pay for anything.

Start free trial

Other alternatives guides

Tidio alternativesRe:amaze alternativesCrisp alternatives

Key terms

AI agentAI customer serviceFirst response time