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Customer Support · head to head

Gladly vs Zendesk Chat

Gladly logo

Gladly

Customer Support

Radically personal customer service

From
$180/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Live Chat

Live chat software from Zendesk

From
$19/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gladly no pricing is published at any level, and the pricing page states no per agent cost, per conversation rate, minimum commitment or feature tiers; Zendesk Chat enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • They diverge on capability: Gladly covers Lifelong conversation, Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gladly and Zendesk Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Gladly and Zendesk Chat differ
AttributeGladlyZendesk Chat
Starting price$180/month$19/month
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20142007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Gladly

  • Lifelong conversation
  • Omnichannel support
  • Customer timeline
  • Task management
  • Knowledge base
  • IVR
  • Magento
  • Kustomer

Only in Zendesk Chat

  • Web messaging
  • Mobile messaging
  • Chatbots
  • Proactive chat
  • Analytics
  • Triggers
  • Zendesk Support
  • WordPress

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Gladly

  • Customer service built around a single customer record rather than ticketsnot Zendesk Chat
  • Handling support conversations across voice, messaging and emailnot Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat

  • Customer support team managementnot Gladly
  • Multi-channel messagingnot Gladly
  • AI-powered contact centersnot Gladly

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Gladly

  • No pricing is published at any level, and the pricing page states no per agent cost, per conversation rate, minimum commitment or feature tiers
  • The pricing page presents outcome statistics in place of any cost information
  • Every route to a figure goes through a demo or sales conversation

Zendesk Chat

  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing quote
  • AI agent usage beyond plan allowance billed separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Gladly

$180/month
  • Hero$180/month
    • All channels
    • Customer timeline
    • Knowledge base
  • Superhero$210/month
    • Everything in Hero
    • Custom reporting
    • Advanced rules

Zendesk Chat

$19/month
  • Support Team$19/month
    • Email ticketing
    • Routing and analytics
    • Pre-written responses
  • Suite Team$55/month
    • All Support features
    • AI Agents
    • Knowledge Base
  • Suite Professional$115/month
    • Suite Team features
    • Admin Copilot
    • App Builder

Which should you pick?

Choose Gladly if

  • You need lifelong conversation.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want omnichannel support.
Gladly review

Choose Zendesk Chat if

  • You need web messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want mobile messaging.
Zendesk Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Gladly or Zendesk Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Gladly starts at $180/month and Zendesk Chat at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gladly or Zendesk Chat?
Gladly starts at $180/month and Zendesk Chat at $19/month.
Does Gladly or Zendesk Chat run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Gladly best used for?
Gladly is most often used for customer service built around a single customer record rather than tickets, handling support conversations across voice, messaging and email. Of those, customer service built around a single customer record rather than tickets and handling support conversations across voice, messaging and email are not what Zendesk Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Gladly do that Zendesk Chat cannot?
Gladly covers Lifelong conversation, Omnichannel support, Customer timeline, Task management. Zendesk Chat covers Web messaging, Mobile messaging, Chatbots, Proactive chat. Both handle Shopify, Salesforce, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gladly: How much does Gladly cost?

Gladly does not publish pricing on its website. The vendor directs prospective customers to request a demo or contact the sales team for custom pricing tailored to organizational needs.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can Messaging be used for live, session-based conversations or asynchronous chats?

Both. Messaging supports real-time sessions for fast help as well as ongoing asynchronous conversations, so customers can chat at their own pace and agents stay flexible.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Do agents need a separate tool or tab to use Messaging?

No. Messaging is built right into the Zendesk Agent Workspace, so agents can manage conversations seamlessly without switching tools or tabs.

Source
Zendesk Chat: How do I know if my AI agents are handling my tickets effectively?

Zendesk QA automatically reviews all conversations, enabling performance tracking and continuous improvement of AI and agent support.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Once I build an AI agent, can I deploy it across more than one social channel?

Yes. Build your AI Agent once and deploy it to web, mobile, and social messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Why should I switch from legacy live chat to Messaging?

Messaging enables users to replicate and enhance live chat experiences by leveraging AI agents and omnichannel routing capabilities.

Source
Zendesk Chat: Can I build something custom or go beyond the out-of-the-box experience?

Absolutely. With access to the Zendesk messaging platform, you can create fully custom experiences that fit your unique business needs.

Source
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