Gorgias vs Tidio in 2026: what each bill counts, and which fits your store
Billing units, free plans, AI agents and Shopify order actions, side by side. Checked against each vendor's own pages on 12 October 2026.
Gorgias and Tidio both answer Shopify shoppers in one inbox. Both have an AI agent. Their bills count different moments. Gorgias counts a ticket when any reply goes out. Tidio counts a conversation only when a human replies. That one rule decides which is cheaper for your store.
In this article
Side by side
| Gorgias | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No, 7-day trial | Yes |
| Entry plan | Starter: $10 a month, 50 tickets | Starter: $29 a month, 100 conversations |
| Bill counts | Tickets with any outgoing reply | Conversations a human answers |
| Over the limit | A fee per extra ticket | Check the plan terms |
| AI agent | AI Agent, per automated interaction | Lyro, its own monthly quota |
| Shopify order actions | Cancel, refund, edit, duplicate | Listed as a paid feature |
| Pay through Shopify | Yes, or directly | Check the listing |
What each bill counts
Gorgias counts a ticket once a reply leaves the helpdesk. An agent, a rule or the AI Agent can send it. A ticket counts once, however long the thread. Inbound messages with no reply are free. Over your plan, each extra ticket adds a fee. Gorgias's example: a 300-ticket plan at $60, plus $0.40 per extra ticket.
Tidio counts a conversation once a human agent replies. Replies from Flows or Lyro do not count. Unanswered messages are free, and a long thread counts once. Tidio Starter is $29 a month, or $24.17 billed yearly, for 100 conversations.
One shopper question, two bills
- 01
Shopper asks
"Where is my order?" Free on both.
- 02
A rule replies
Gorgias: one ticket. Tidio: a Flow, which is free.
- 03
A human follows up
Gorgias: same ticket. Tidio: one conversation.
- 04
Result
One unit on each bill, counted at different moments.
The AI agents
Gorgias's AI Agent bills per automated interaction. It counts when no human steps in within 72 hours. If an agent replies inside that window, it bills as a ticket instead. Gorgias's own pages quote different AI prices, so check the live pricing page.
Tidio's Lyro starts at $39 a month, or $32.50 billed yearly, for 50 AI conversations. A conversation counts once Lyro sends any reply. Tidio's pages disagree on the free Lyro allowance. The pricing page calls it a one-time 50.
Inside Shopify orders
Gorgias documents its Shopify actions in detail. Agents and rules can cancel, refund, edit or duplicate an order from the ticket. Edits do not work on archived orders or orders over 60 days old. A refund with a quantity also creates a Shopify return. Tidio lists Shopify order actions as a paid feature. Its help centre gives fewer details.
Built on Shopify orders
A helpdesk for teams handling many order questions.
Wins at
- Order actions inside each ticket
- Pay through your Shopify bill
Struggles with
- No free plan
- Rule and AI replies make tickets billable
Free chat that grows
Chat first, with a helpdesk and AI on top.
Wins at
- Free plan
- Only human replies use the quota
Struggles with
- Lyro is a second bill
- Thinner Shopify order docs
Our reading of each vendor's own pages. We make neither.
Which one fits
Start here
What do most of your messages ask?
- Order changes and refunds
Gorgias
Cancel, refund and edit from the ticket.
- Under 50 tickets a month: Starter, $10 a month
- Product questions before purchase
Tidio
Free chat, with Flows for common answers.
- Many repeat questions: Add Lyro and price its quota
Where Idukki fits (ours)
We make Idukki. It shows customer photos and video on the product page, tagged to the cart. That answers some fit and look questions before a shopper opens chat. For six support apps compared, read the best Shopify live chat and helpdesk apps.
Questions store owners ask
Is Tidio free?
Tidio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29 a month for 100 human-answered conversations.
Does Gorgias have a free plan?
No. It has a 7-day trial, capped at 10 email ticket messages.
Do automated replies count on Gorgias?
Yes. A ticket counts once any reply goes out, including rules and the AI Agent.
Can Gorgias refund a Shopify order?
Yes. Agents and rules can cancel, refund, edit or duplicate orders from the ticket, with documented limits.
Sources
- 1Gorgias: how you are billed · Billable tickets, overage example.
- 2Gorgias: choose your plan · Trial terms.
- 3Gorgias: Shopify actions · Order actions and limits.
- 4Gorgias: legacy pricing and AI Agent · Ticket and automation fees.
- 5Gorgias: billing and usage · Pay via Shopify.
- 6Gorgias on the Shopify App Store · Plans.
- 7Tidio pricing · Plans, billable conversations, Lyro.
- 8Tidio: monthly conversations limit · What counts.
- 9Tidio on the Shopify App Store · Channels.
Continue reading
1 piece in this clusterThese long-form pieces on the Idukki blog link back to this article, go deeper on the cluster.
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