# 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.

By Rohin Aggarwal · 2026-10-12

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.

**Quick answer**

- **Tidio has a free plan.** Gorgias has a 7-day trial.
- **Gorgias counts any reply.** Agent, rule or AI, a ticket counts once.
- **Tidio counts human replies only.** Its AI agent, Lyro, has its own bill.
- **Order actions:** Gorgias documents cancel, refund and edit from the ticket.
- We make Idukki. We make neither of these.

## 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 |

_From each vendor's pricing page, help centre and Shopify listing, checked 12 October 2026._

## 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**
1. **Shopper asks** — "Where is my order?" Free on both.
2. **A rule replies** — Gorgias: one ticket. Tidio: a Flow, which is free.
3. **A human follows up** — Gorgias: same ticket. Tidio: one conversation.
4. **Result** — One unit on each bill, counted at different moments.
_How each vendor's help pages count the same exchange._

## 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.

### Each one in a line
_Our reading of each vendor's own pages. We make neither._

**Gorgias: Built on Shopify orders**
A helpdesk for teams handling many order questions.
- ✓ Order actions inside each ticket
- ✓ Pay through your Shopify bill
- ✗ No free plan
- ✗ Rule and AI replies make tickets billable

**Tidio: Free chat that grows**
Chat first, with a helpdesk and AI on top.
- ✓ Free plan
- ✓ Only human replies use the quota
- ✗ Lyro is a second bill
- ✗ Thinner Shopify order docs

**Which one fits**
Q: 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](/blog/best-shopify-live-chat-and-helpdesk-apps-2026).

**The takeaway:** Count how many of your replies come from rules or AI. Those cost a ticket on Gorgias and nothing on Tidio's main quota. That count decides which bill stays smaller.

### Questions store owners ask

**Q: Is Tidio free?**

A: Tidio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29 a month for 100 human-answered conversations.

**Q: Does Gorgias have a free plan?**

A: No. It has a 7-day trial, capped at 10 email ticket messages.

**Q: Do automated replies count on Gorgias?**

A: Yes. A ticket counts once any reply goes out, including rules and the AI Agent.

**Q: Can Gorgias refund a Shopify order?**

A: Yes. Agents and rules can cancel, refund, edit or duplicate orders from the ticket, with documented limits.

### Sources
- [Gorgias: how you are billed](https://docs.gorgias.com/en-US/how-youre-billed-for-using-gorgias-199385) — Billable tickets, overage example.
- [Gorgias: choose your plan](https://www.gorgias.com/pricing/choose-your-plan) — Trial terms.
- [Gorgias: Shopify actions](https://docs.gorgias.com/en-US/shopify-actions-461552) — Order actions and limits.
- [Gorgias: legacy pricing and AI Agent](https://docs.gorgias.com/en-US/legacy-pricing-for-helpdesk-and-ai-agent-subscribers-2315106) — Ticket and automation fees.
- [Gorgias: billing and usage](https://docs.gorgias.com/en-US/articles/billing-and-usage-18375) — Pay via Shopify.
- [Gorgias on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/helpdesk) — Plans.
- [Tidio pricing](https://www.tidio.com/pricing/) — Plans, billable conversations, Lyro.
- [Tidio: monthly conversations limit](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/11874534946460-The-monthly-conversations-limit) — What counts.
- [Tidio on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/tidio-chat) — Channels.

---
Canonical: https://idukki.io/blog/gorgias-vs-tidio-2026
Tags: support, helpdesk, gorgias, tidio, comparison, shopify-apps