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Side-by-side record

Front vs. Gladly

A side-by-side view of the product records we have today. Use it to narrow the question, then confirm current pricing, limits, and security details with each vendor.

The short version

Front starts at $25 per seat, versus Gladly at Custom pricing. Gladly carries the higher aggregate rating (4.7/5 vs 4.6/5). Front lists more integrations (160+ vs 43+).

Full comparison

Frontfrom $25 per seat / month
Gladlyfrom Custom pricing
Audyense Score81ASStrong70ASStrong
PositioningShared inbox and customer service platform for team email and supportPeople-centered customer service platform, not tickets
Free tierNoNo
DeploymentCloud / SaaSCloud / SaaS
Best fitSMB, Mid-market, EnterpriseMid-market, Enterprise
Pricing plans
  • Starter$25
  • Professional$65
  • Enterprise$105
  • HeroCustom pricing
  • SuperheroCustom pricing
AI featuresPartialAI Topics included on all plans, but Copilot, Autopilot, Smart QA and CSAT are paid add-ons unless on EnterpriseYesNative AI (Sidekick) automates routine resolutions; brands report high AI resolution rates.
Automation & macrosYesMacros and automation rules on all plans; rule count scales with tier (unlimited on Enterprise)YesWorkflow automation, rules, and answers/macros for repeatable responses.
CSAT & satisfaction surveysPartialSmart CSAT is a paid add-on; included only on EnterprisePartialCSAT supported natively and via integrations like Delighted, Qualtrics, and Medallia Agent Connect.
Knowledge base & help centerYesNo-code public knowledge base; multi-language on EnterpriseYesBuilt-in Answers/knowledge base powering self-service and agent assist.
Live chat & messagingYesLive chat channel available; omnichannel including chat on Professional and aboveYesLive chat is a first-class channel in the unified conversation.
Omnichannel supportYesEmail, SMS, social and chat unified from Professional plan upYesCore strength: voice, email, chat, SMS, and social unified per customer.
Public APIYesPublic REST API and developer platform at dev.frontapp.comYesPublic REST API and developer platform (developer.gladly.com) plus app integrations.
Reporting & dashboardsYesBasic analytics on Starter; advanced analytics on Professional and abovePartialStandard dashboards exist, but reviewers say deep custom reporting is awkward and manual.
Shared inbox & ticketingYesCore product; shared inbox with assignment on all plansYesTeam collaboration on a single customer conversation replaces separate ticket queues.
SLA managementYesSLA rules, routing and assignment rules widely cited as a strengthPartialSupports routing, prioritization, and task/escalation handling rather than a traditional ticket-SLA engine.
Integrations verified160+43+
Aggregate rating4.6 · 2.4k reviews4.7 · 1.2k reviews
Integrations
SalesforceHubSpotSlackJiraAsanaShopify+9 more
ShopifyBigCommerceMagentoKlaviyoAttentiveRecharge+9 more
Security & compliance
SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001GDPR
SOC 2 Type IIPCI DSSGDPR
Pros
  • Shared inbox with clear conversation assignment prevents messages from being missed and gives clear ownership
  • Easy to use with minimal training; a major step up from a traditional email client
  • Strong routing, SLA management, and analytics for teams handling high message volumes
  • Automation rules and macros streamline repetitive support work
  • Single lifelong customer conversation across channels eliminates duplicate tickets and gives agents full context
  • Intuitive, agent-friendly interface that reviewers say makes support feel 'as easy as texting a friend'
  • Genuinely native omnichannel including built-in voice, plus responsive vendor support and onboarding
  • Strong e-commerce integrations pull order history and lifetime value directly into conversations
Cons
  • High per-seat pricing that scales poorly for larger teams and is steep for SMBs
  • AI features (Copilot, Smart QA, Smart CSAT, Autopilot) are unbundled paid add-ons outside the Enterprise plan
  • Some integrations (e.g. HubSpot) and Outlook two-way sync are reported as unreliable
  • Native AI tools seen as lightweight compared with dedicated third-party AI platforms
  • Premium priced with minimum-seat commitments, making it inefficient for small teams
  • Reporting/analytics feels segmented and requires manual work to build in-depth custom reports
  • Occasional slowness loading past conversations, and reports of timeouts dropping calls
  • Some gaps noted (e.g. social comment handling, mobile app) and a learning curve requiring training
Visit Front ↗Visit Gladly ↗

Editorial read of this comparison

The table summarizes structured facts; this section explains what the differences mean for a real buying decision.

Where each tool fits, and where it may not

Front

Front is a customer service and communication platform built around a shared inbox, letting support and operations teams manage email, chat, SMS, and social messages collaboratively from one place with clear assignment and accountability. It layers automation, routing, SLA management, analytics, and AI assistance on top of familiar email workflows. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, Front serves more than 9,000 businesses.

A particularly good fit for: Customer support and success teams that need shared inboxes with clear ownership Operations-heavy teams processing high volumes of email, SMS, and chat across channels Mid-market and enterprise teams needing routing, SLA management, and analytics

May be a poor fit if: Small teams or startups on a tight budget sensitive to per-seat costs Teams wanting advanced AI automation included without paying for separate add-ons

Gladly

Gladly is an enterprise customer service platform built around people rather than tickets, unifying voice, email, chat, SMS, and social into a single lifelong customer conversation. It layers AI (Sidekick) on top to automate resolutions while giving agents full customer context. It is most commonly adopted by consumer/retail and e-commerce brands running high-volume, relationship-driven support.

A particularly good fit for: Consumer and retail/e-commerce brands wanting relationship-based rather than ticket-based support Mid-market and enterprise CX teams consolidating voice, chat, email, SMS, and social into one workspace Teams that want native AI (Sidekick) to automate a high share of routine resolutions

May be a poor fit if: Small businesses or startups — high per-seat pricing plus 10+ seat minimums make it a large commitment Teams needing deep, self-serve custom analytics out of the box without extra reporting work

Pricing and plan structure

Front: Published starting price $25 per seat / month

  • Starter$25 per seat / month
  • Professional$65 per seat / month
  • Enterprise$105 per seat / month

Gladly: Published starting price Custom pricing

  • HeroCustom pricing
  • SuperheroCustom pricing

Capabilities worth validating

  • Front: AI features, Automation & macros, CSAT & satisfaction surveys, Knowledge base & help center, Live chat & messaging Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Jira.
  • Gladly: AI features, Automation & macros, CSAT & satisfaction surveys, Knowledge base & help center, Live chat & messaging Integrations include Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, Klaviyo.

Questions to answer before switching

  • Does Front's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does Gladly's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does the exact integration path for Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack support the sync direction, permissions, and volume we need?
  • Is a hosted-only deployment acceptable for the team and customers who will use this system?

How to evaluate this shortlist

A useful comparison turns the differences between Customer Support tools into a concrete test. Use these steps to avoid choosing from a feature table or the lowest headline price alone.

  1. Start with a representative Customer Support workflow, not a feature checklist. Define who will use it, what data goes in, and what outcome the team needs.
  2. Test the complete path through Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack: permissions, sync direction, failure handling, and volume limits often matter more than the integration name.
  3. Compare the cost of the real scenario, including users, usage, storage, support, and contract requirements. The entry price alone does not measure adoption cost.
  4. Before switching, list the evidence gaps, request a demo of the critical workflow, and confirm security, data residency, export, and support with each vendor.

Structured signals help narrow the shortlist, but a trial with a real workflow is still the best way to validate the decision.

Research basis

Last checked: 2026-07-21. Pricing, integrations, feature support, and review signals can change, so treat this as a research snapshot and verify the final decision with the vendor.

Sources consulted: Front product site, G2, Capterra; Gladly product site, G2, Capterra