Gladly vs Hiver

Detailed side-by-side comparison

Gladly

From $150/mo

Gladly is a customer-centric support platform designed specifically for retail and e-commerce brands that organizes all interactions around people rather than tickets. It provides true omnichannel support across voice, email, SMS, chat, and social media with a unified conversation timeline that maintains full customer history across all touchpoints.

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Hiver

Free

Hiver transforms Gmail into a collaborative customer support platform, allowing teams to manage shared inboxes, assign emails, and track customer interactions without leaving their familiar Gmail interface. It's designed for teams seeking straightforward customer support capabilities without the complexity or cost of traditional helpdesk software.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Gladly	Hiver
Core Philosophy	People-centered platform with lifelong conversation timelines organized by customer, not tickets	Email-first approach that enhances Gmail with shared inbox collaboration and assignment features
Channel Support	Full omnichannel including voice (built-in), email, SMS, chat, and social media with seamless channel switching	Multi-channel support for email (primary), chat, and WhatsApp, but focused primarily on email management
Interface & Learning Curve	Standalone platform with steeper learning curve for teams used to ticket systems, but intuitive once adopted	Works entirely within Gmail interface with minimal learning curve for teams already using Google Workspace
E-commerce Integration	Deep integrations with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, built specifically for retail brands	Basic integrations available but not specifically optimized for e-commerce use cases
Collaboration Features	Real-time customer context, conversation history, and AI-powered automation for team collaboration	Email notes, @mentions, collision detection to prevent duplicate responses, and shared inbox assignment
Automation & Reporting	Advanced AI-powered automation and self-service tools with comprehensive analytics	SLA tracking, CSAT surveys, and analytics dashboards, though less robust than enterprise solutions

Pricing Comparison

Gladly starts at $150/month with premium pricing suited for established e-commerce brands, while Hiver offers a free tier starting at $0/month, making it significantly more accessible for small teams and startups. The pricing difference reflects their target markets: Gladly for growth-stage consumer brands versus Hiver for cost-conscious teams wanting Gmail-based support.

Verdict

Choose Gladly if...

Choose Gladly if you're a retail or e-commerce brand that needs true omnichannel support, wants to build lasting customer relationships through unified conversation histories, and has the budget for a premium customer service platform built specifically for consumer brands.

Choose Hiver if...

Choose Hiver if your team lives in Gmail, you want a simple and affordable solution to manage shared inboxes and customer emails, and you don't need extensive omnichannel capabilities or advanced e-commerce integrations.

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Customer Support

Pros & Cons

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