Front vs Gladly

Detailed side-by-side comparison

Front

From $19/mo

Front is a collaborative inbox platform that transforms shared email and multi-channel communication into a hub for teamwork. It combines the familiar simplicity of email with help desk capabilities, enabling teams to collaborate on customer messages through internal comments, automation, and integrations.

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Gladly

From $150/mo

Gladly is a customer service platform built around people rather than tickets, organizing all customer interactions into a single lifelong conversation thread. Designed specifically for retail and e-commerce brands, it unifies voice, email, SMS, chat, and social media with built-in calling capabilities and deep e-commerce integrations.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Front	Gladly
Conversation Organization	Uses traditional shared inbox model with folders and tags, organizing messages by channel and timestamp	Organizes all conversations by customer profile in a single chronological timeline, eliminating ticket numbers entirely
Voice/Phone Support	Requires third-party phone system integrations to handle voice calls	Includes built-in voice capabilities with no additional phone system needed
Team Collaboration	Robust internal comments, @mentions, and assignment features that work like email threads with team visibility	Collaboration tools available but focused more on customer continuity than internal team workflows
E-commerce Integration	Connects with e-commerce platforms through general integrations and Zapier	Deep native integrations with Shopify and other e-commerce platforms, built specifically for retail use cases
Automation Capabilities	Powerful rule-based automation and AI features for routing, assignment, and workflow optimization	AI-powered automation and self-service tools focused on customer experience rather than internal workflows
Learning Curve	Minimal learning curve with familiar email-like interface that teams adopt quickly	Steeper learning curve when transitioning from ticket-based systems due to person-centered paradigm shift

Pricing Comparison

Front starts at $19/month per user, making it accessible for small to medium teams, though costs can escalate with team growth. Gladly begins at $150/month per user with premium pricing positioned for established retail and e-commerce brands with higher support volumes.

Verdict

Choose Front if...

Choose Front if you need an affordable, easy-to-adopt shared inbox solution with strong team collaboration features, extensive integrations, and your team is comfortable with an enhanced email-style workflow. It's ideal for small to medium businesses across various industries looking to improve internal coordination.

Choose Gladly if...

Choose Gladly if you're a retail or e-commerce brand prioritizing customer relationships over ticket resolution, need built-in voice capabilities, and want a platform that maintains complete customer context across all channels. It's best for established brands willing to invest in premium customer experience tools and can absorb the higher per-user cost.

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Customer Support

Pros & Cons

Front

Pros

+ Intuitive email-like interface with minimal learning curve
+ Excellent team collaboration features with internal commenting
+ Robust integration ecosystem with 100+ apps
+ Powerful automation and routing capabilities

Cons

- Can become expensive as team size grows
- Advanced features require higher-tier plans
- Mobile app has limited functionality compared to desktop

Gladly

Pros

+ Intuitive interface that organizes all customer interactions by person rather than tickets
+ Seamless channel switching allowing customers to move between channels without repeating information
+ Built specifically for retail and e-commerce brands with relevant features
+ Excellent for building lasting customer relationships with full conversation history

Cons

- Premium pricing may be prohibitive for small businesses or startups
- Limited customization options compared to more enterprise-focused platforms
- Steeper learning curve for teams transitioning from traditional ticket-based systems