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Customer Support · head to head

Gladly vs Zoho CRM

Gladly logo

Gladly

Customer Support

Radically personal customer service

From
$180/month
Free plan
No
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

CRM

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Only Zoho CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Gladly covers Lifelong conversation, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gladly and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Gladly and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeGladlyZoho CRM
Starting price$180/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryCustomer SupportCRM
Founded20141996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Shopify
  • Salesforce

Only in Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • GDPR

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 Zoho CRM
  • Handling support conversations across voice, messaging and emailnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Gladly
  • Lead managementnot Gladly
  • Customer supportnot Gladly
  • Marketing automationnot Gladly
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

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

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Gladly if

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

Choose Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Gladly or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Gladly starts at $180/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gladly or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $180/month for Gladly and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does Gladly or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Gladly runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
Yes. Zoho CRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Gladly starts at $180/month.
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 Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Gladly do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Gladly covers Lifelong conversation, Omnichannel support, Customer timeline, Task management. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle 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
Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

Source
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

Source
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

Source
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