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Side-by-side record

Gladly vs. tawk.to

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

tawk.to starts at Free per seat, versus Gladly at Custom pricing. Gladly carries the higher aggregate rating (4.7/5 vs 4.6/5). Gladly lists more integrations (43+ vs 12+).

Full comparison

Gladlyfrom Custom pricing
tawk.tofrom Free
Audyense Score70ASStrong76ASStrong
PositioningPeople-centered customer service platform, not tickets100% free live chat and support software
Free tierNoYes
DeploymentCloud / SaaSCloud / SaaS
Best fitMid-market, EnterpriseStartup, SMB, Mid-market
Pricing plans
  • HeroCustom pricing
  • SuperheroCustom pricing
  • FreeFree
  • Remove Branding$39
  • AI Assist$29
  • Video + Voice + Screensharing$49
  • Hired Agents$129
AI featuresYesNative AI (Sidekick) automates routine resolutions; brands report high AI resolution rates.PartialAI Assist is a paid add-on, not part of the free core
Automation & macrosYesWorkflow automation, rules, and answers/macros for repeatable responses.PartialCanned/shortcut responses and triggers; no advanced macro engine
CSAT & satisfaction surveysPartialCSAT supported natively and via integrations like Delighted, Qualtrics, and Medallia Agent Connect.NoNo built-in CSAT survey feature surfaced in sources
Knowledge base & help centerYesBuilt-in Answers/knowledge base powering self-service and agent assist.YesHosted knowledge base included free
Live chat & messagingYesLive chat is a first-class channel in the unified conversation.YesCore product; real-time chat with visitor monitoring
Omnichannel supportYesCore strength: voice, email, chat, SMS, and social unified per customer.PartialWeb chat, email ticketing and chat pages; limited channel breadth
Public APIYesPublic REST API and developer platform (developer.gladly.com) plus app integrations.YesJavaScript API and REST API available
Reporting & dashboardsPartialStandard dashboards exist, but reviewers say deep custom reporting is awkward and manual.YesDetailed reporting included free
Shared inbox & ticketingYesTeam collaboration on a single customer conversation replaces separate ticket queues.PartialEmail ticketing system rather than a full shared inbox
SLA managementPartialSupports routing, prioritization, and task/escalation handling rather than a traditional ticket-SLA engine.NoReviewers note no SLA timers or escalation workflows
Integrations verified43+12+
Aggregate rating4.7 · 1.2k reviews4.6 · 345 reviews
Integrations
ShopifyBigCommerceMagentoKlaviyoAttentiveRecharge+9 more
WordPressShopifyWixSquarespaceJoomlaWooCommerce+6 more
Security & compliance
SOC 2 Type IIPCI DSSGDPR
GDPREU-U.S. Data Privacy FrameworkUK-U.S. Data Privacy FrameworkSwiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
Pros
  • 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
  • Core platform is genuinely free with no feature wall, agent caps, or chat-history limits
  • Fast to set up with an intuitive interface and useful real-time visitor monitoring
  • Includes ticketing, hosted knowledge base, and CRM contacts alongside live chat
  • Desktop and mobile apps plus support for 45+ languages
Cons
  • 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
  • Mobile app is widely reported as unstable and less responsive than desktop
  • Interface feels dated and ticketing lacks SLA timers and advanced routing
  • Limited native third-party integrations; many connections require Zapier/Make
  • Advanced features (removing branding, AI Assist, hired agents) require paid add-ons
Visit Gladly ↗Visit tawk.to ↗

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

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

tawk.to

tawk.to is a free live chat, ticketing, knowledge base and contact-management platform that lets businesses message website visitors in real time. The core product is free with no limits on agents, chat volume, or sites, and the company monetizes through optional paid add-ons such as branding removal, AI Assist, video/voice, and hired live agents.

A particularly good fit for: Small businesses and startups wanting free website live chat Teams needing unlimited agents and chat history with no seat limits Sites that also want a basic ticketing system and hosted knowledge base at no cost

May be a poor fit if: Enterprises needing SLA timers, advanced routing, and escalation workflows Teams requiring deep, native integrations with many third-party tools

Pricing and plan structure

Gladly: Published starting price Custom pricing

  • HeroCustom pricing
  • SuperheroCustom pricing

tawk.to: Published starting price Free

  • FreeFree
  • Remove Branding$39 per month
  • AI Assist$29 per month
  • Video + Voice + Screensharing$49 per month
  • Hired Agents$129 per month

Capabilities worth validating

  • Gladly: AI features, Automation & macros, CSAT & satisfaction surveys, Knowledge base & help center, Live chat & messaging Integrations include Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, Klaviyo.
  • tawk.to: AI features, Automation & macros, Knowledge base & help center, Live chat & messaging, Omnichannel support Integrations include WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace.

Questions to answer before switching

  • Does Gladly's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does tawk.to's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does the exact integration path for Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento 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 Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento: 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: 2026-07-22. 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: Gladly product site, G2, Capterra; tawk.to product site, Capterra, G2