Help Scout vs Gorgias vs Zoho Desk Comparison
Help Scout
Starting at $20 /User/Month
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Help Scout is a modern help desk system for growing businesses. It helps support teams grow from a few people to 10s of thousands of users, retain customers, and delight them with exceptional support. The goal is to succ…
Gorgias
Starting at $10
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
The Gorgias Help Desk allows organizations to manage and communicate with their customers simply and efficiently. Designed specifically to manage customer interactions, the Gorgias Help Desk will provide companies with a…
Zoho Desk
Starting at $7 /user/month
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage unlimited agents efficiently wh…
Gorgias leads on user satisfaction with a 4.6-star rating across 499 reviews.
Help Scout vs Gorgias vs Zoho Desk — at a glance
| Feature | Help Scout | Gorgias | Zoho Desk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Reviews | 327 | 499 | 3,462 |
| Starting price | $20 /User/Month | $10 | $7 /user/month |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free version | No | No | No |
| Best for | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Help Desk Software | Help Desk Software | Help Desk Software |
| Integrations | — | 1+ apps | — |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS |
| API | Available | Available | Available |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR | SOC 2, GDPR | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
| Data residency | US | Global | Global |
Key differences between Help Scout and Gorgias
- Pricing: Help Scout starts at $20 /User/Month, while Gorgias starts at $10.
- User satisfaction: Gorgias scores higher with a 4.6-star average.
- Deployment: Help Scout supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Gorgias supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.
Compare Help Scout vs Gorgias vs Zoho Desk — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Help Desk Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for growing businesses needing simple, unified customer support tools.
- You want an all-in-one platform combining email, live chat, knowledge base, and help desk.
- Your team values a user-friendly interface for fast onboarding and deployment.
- You prioritize personalized, human-centered customer support and collaboration.
- You require highly complex, customizable workflows and advanced automation features.
- You need transparent, publicly available pricing and self-serve purchasing options.
Best help desk for e-commerce teams needing integrated, automated customer support.
- You operate an e-commerce or direct-to-consumer retail business.
- You want deep native integrations with Shopify, Magento, or BigCommerce.
- You need automation tools like macros and intent detection to speed support.
- Your company is outside e-commerce or online marketplaces.
- You require extensive customization beyond standard integrations for complex workflows.
Best for businesses needing AI-driven, multi-channel help desk with Zoho integration.
- You want a cost-effective help desk with a robust free plan for startups and SMBs.
- Your team requires AI-powered automation and intelligent ticket routing to boost productivity.
- You use Zoho CRM, Mail, or other Zoho apps and want seamless ecosystem integration.
- Your organization needs a fully mobile-optimized help desk experience with full app functionality.
- You prefer a very simple, out-of-the-box setup without technical configuration or learning curve.
Help Scout: Best for growing businesses needing simple, unified customer support tools. Gorgias: Best help desk for e-commerce teams needing integrated, automated customer support.
Description | Help Scout is a modern help desk system for growing businesses. It helps support teams grow from a few people to 10s of thousands of users, retain customers, and delight them with ... Read More about Help Scout | The Gorgias Help Desk allows organizations to manage and communicate with their customers simply and efficiently. Designed specifically to manage customer interactions, the Gorgias Help ... Read More about Gorgias | Zoho Desk is a robust help desk software that offers a free plan with essential features, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. It allows organizations to manage ... Read More about Zoho Desk |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 9.7/10 | 9.6/10 | 9.7/10 |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | |||
Best Company Size | 10-50 employees51-1,000 employees | 5-500 employeesMedium Business | 10-2000 employeesSmall to Large Businesses |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
- Unified Platform for Support Channels: Combines email, live chat, knowledge base, and help desk in one intuitive interface—ideal for simplifying customer service operations.
- User-Friendly & Fast Onboarding: Designed with simplicity in mind, allowing teams to deploy and adapt quickly, without the complexity of traditional help desk systems.
- Strong Focus on Personal, Human Support: Helps teams maintain a personalized touch with customers, supported by features like shared inboxes, customer profiles, and collaboration tools.
- Deep E-commerce Integration: Gorgias integrates natively with Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce, letting agents perform actions like refunds, edits, and cancellations directly from the helpdesk.
- Centralized Customer View: Displays customer interactions across multiple channels (email, chat, social) in one timeline, improving agent productivity and personalization.
- Automation Tools for Speed & Efficiency: Includes macros, rules, and intent detection to simplify repetitive support tasks and improve response times.
- Multi-Channel Support in One Dashboard: Centralizes email, social media, chat, and more, allowing teams to manage all customer interactions from a unified interface.
- AI-Powered Assistance and Automation: Includes intelligent suggestions, automated ticket routing, and prioritization through Zia AI, improving agent productivity and response accuracy.
- Reliable Free Plan & Zoho Ecosystem Integration: Offers a generous free plan and smooth connectivity with Zoho CRM, Zoho Mail, and other Zoho tools—ideal for businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem.
Best fit
- 10 – 1,000 Employees
- SaaS, E-commerce, Education, Nonprofits, Startups, Digital Agencies.
- Customer Support Manager, Customer Experience Lead, IT Support Specialist, Operations Manager, Client Success Coordinator, Knowledge Base Administrator.
- 5 – 500 Employee
- E-commerce, Direct-to-Consumer Retail, Subscription Boxes, Online Marketplaces
- Customer Support Manager, E-commerce Operations Manager, Help Desk Agent, Shopify Administrator, Customer Experience Lead, Fulfillment Specialist
- 10 – 2,000 Employee
- SaaS, Retail, E-commerce, Education, Insurance, Fintech, Healthcare
- Customer Support Manager, IT Service Desk Lead, Operations Manager, Technical Support Specialist, CRM Administrator, Client Services Director
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Help Scout is optimized for growing businesses, but larger enterprises may find it lacks advanced ITSM tools, ticket routing automation, or customizable SLAs available in platforms like Zendesk or ServiceNow.
- While it offers essential analytics, companies needing advanced BI integrations or custom reporting dashboards may seek tools with more granular insights.
- Help Scout includes customer profiles but doesn’t provide full CRM functionality; users with complex sales or account management workflows may require a dedicated CRM or deeper integration.
- Gorgias is designed mainly for e-commerce businesses, especially Shopify users. Companies in industries like healthcare, SaaS, or financial services may find its feature set too narrowly tailored.
- While Gorgias offers useful analytics, users needing in-depth, customizable reporting or BI tool integrations may find it less robust than other platforms
- Unlike some competitors, Gorgias does not include built-in voice calling functionality, which can be a drawback for teams requiring omnichannel support including phone.
- Steep learning curve for configuring automations and integrations — smaller teams often switch to Freshdesk or Help Scout for simpler setup
- Advanced automation, AI, and reporting features locked behind paid tiers — free plan users typically evaluate Freshdesk or Zendesk for better entry-level access
- Data sync issues with non-Zoho tools — teams relying on external integrations report inconsistent functionality compared to Intercom or Zendesk
Software Demo
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How do Help Scout, Gorgias and Zoho Desk Compare on Features?
Total Features | 15 Features | 16 Features | 27 Features |
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Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Help Scout, Gorgias and Zoho Desk on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Other Details
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | ✗ No | ✗ No |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🌐 Global |
Help Scout vs Gorgias User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | |||
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Rating Distribution | |||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Buyers appreciate Help Scout's ease of use and unified support channels but note limitations in advanced customization and pricing transparency. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Users appreciate Gorgias for its strong e-commerce integrations and automation features but note limitations in customization and pricing transparency. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Zoho Desk's powerful automation and multi-channel capabilities, though some users note a learning curve and mobile limitations. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
Integrations
Integration with other apps | No Integration information available. | No Integration information available. |
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List of Customers
Customers |  YETI  Trello  Mixmax |  Steve Madden  RadioShack  Bokksu |  NHS  Rogers  ESSILOR |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots |  7 Screenshots |  4 Screenshots |
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Videos |  3 Videos |  2 Videos |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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Related Blogs and Articles for Help Desk Software
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, Help Scout or Gorgias?
- Gorgias edges out the other on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.5). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Help Scout and Gorgias offer a free trial?
- Yes, both Help Scout and Gorgias offer a free trial.
- What is the starting price of Help Scout vs Gorgias?
- Help Scout starts at $20 /User/Month. Gorgias starts at $10.
- What are the top alternatives to Help Scout?
- Top alternatives to Help Scout include Zoho Desk, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Zendesk Support, LiveAgent.
- What are the top alternatives to Gorgias?
- Top alternatives to Gorgias include Zoho Desk, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Deskero, Zendesk Support.