| Criteria |
Gravio |
Shopify Inbox |
Tidio |
Gorgias |
Chatty |
| Core tool type |
AI chatbot + live chat |
Native live chat + AI sales assistant |
Live chat + chatbot automation + helpdesk |
Ecommerce helpdesk + live chat + AI agents |
AI sales agent + live chat + FAQ support |
| AI support |
Knowledge-base AI, product and order support, multilingual replies |
AI sales associate trained on catalog, policies, and store content |
Lyro AI, chatbot flows, and AI reply assistant |
AI Agent and AI Shopping Assistant |
AI answers, product recommendations, order tracking, and sales assistance |
| Shopify context |
Products, orders, discounts, and customer context |
Native Shopify catalog, inventory, orders, and analytics |
Cart previews, past orders, product recommendations, and discounts |
Deep ecommerce support context and integrations |
Product data, order support, and sales workflows |
| Multichannel or helpdesk depth |
Hybrid human chat and helpdesk features |
Mainly Shopify-native chat |
Email, social, ticketing, unified inbox, and automation |
Email, chat, social, voice, SMS, and unified helpdesk |
WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, email, FAQ, and mobile app |
| Main tradeoff |
Smaller review base and conversation limits on lower plans |
Less suitable for teams that need a broader external helpdesk |
Pricing can become complex because services are separated |
Usage-based pricing requires careful monitoring |
AI conversation allowances and overage fees matter |
Shopify Inbox - Best for new store owners on a strict budget.
Shopify Inbox is the most obvious choice when “free” is the first requirement. Shopify builds it, works with Shopify Admin and Online Store, and gives merchants a native way to chat with shoppers while they browse. The current listing also positions Inbox as an AI sales associate that can help shoppers find products, learn from catalog and policy information, and follow rules set by the merchant.
What Shopify Inbox does well
This pricing is hard to find elsewhere. The store can start without any additional monthly subscription fees, then figure out if customers are actually using the chat channel. Inbox also understands Shopify's basic commerce data, so the chat isn't entirely separate from the important products and orders.
Its AI assistant can operate with or without customer service support. Retailers can control the assistant's tone, style, and rules, while ratings on chat responses help improve future responses. This provides a small team with a practical way to experiment with AI without having to purchase a full customer service platform right away.
Where Shopify Inbox may fall short
Shopify Inbox was developed by Shopify itself. If you require a unified inbox for multiple external channels along with advanced routing features, this app may no longer meet your needs.
Recent reviews on the Shopify App Store have also raised concerns about changes to the customer login process and the new interface. Shopify has responded that sellers can disable the login requirement in their Inbox settings, but this is the kind of detail that needs to be tested on the online store before launch. A free app can still create costly barriers if buyers have to go through too many steps before they can ask a simple question.
Best fit: New or small Shopify stores need basic support for live chat and AI without having to subscribe to any additional service plans.
Watch before choosing: Consider your customer chat settings, mobile interface behavior, and whether the default workflow is sufficient to handle your support workload.
Tidio - Best for small-to-medium stores wanting easy AI automation.
Tidio sits between a simple chat utility and a comprehensive customer service platform. It includes live chat, chatbot streams, Lyro AI, a support request management system, a unified inbox, customer browsing context, cart previews, order history, and product recommendations. If your support team wants to automate repetitive questions while maintaining a live chat channel with a real person, Tidio offers a diverse set of tools.
The app's Shopify listing also includes social media and email support, real-time translation, behavior tracking, cart recovery, discounts, cross-selling, auto-assignment, escalation, order tracking, analytics, and reports. You do not need every feature on day one. That is part of the appeal, although it also makes the product more demanding to evaluate.
What Tidio does well
Tidio is very flexible. Sellers can start with live chat, add a few chatbot streams, and then integrate artificial intelligence (AI) or a more sophisticated support request processing system. Visual automation is especially useful when the store has frequently asked questions like “Where is my order?”, “Which size should I choose?”, or “Do you ship to my country?”.
This app also brings useful e-commerce information into conversations. Support staff can preview shopping carts, view previous orders, suggest products, and use discount codes. For a store that views customer support as part of the sales process rather than a separate inbox, these details can make conversations more effective.
Where Tidio may fall short
Tidio's pricing needs careful consideration. The free plan includes live chat with up to 50 users, workflows for up to 100 visitors per month, a support request management system, a mobile app, and social media integrations. CS plans start at $29 per month; another plan also priced at $29 includes workflows, and Lyro AI is charged separately. The real question isn't "Which plan is the cheapest?" but rather "What combination of services does this store actually need?"
Best fit: Small and medium-sized businesses want more visual automation, live chat, artificial intelligence, and a more comprehensive customer service process.
Watch before choosing: Pricing varies for customer service, automation, and artificial intelligence, along with limitations applied to each component.
Gorgias - Best for scaling e-commerce brands needing deep order management.
Gorgias is built for a different stage of business. It is a helpdesk first, with live chat and AI layered into a wider support system. The Shopify App Store listing describes a unified platform for email, chat, social, voice, and SMS, with an AI Agent, an AI Shopping Assistant, integrations, analytics, and customer data in one place.
This is the app to consider when support has become a team process rather than a task handled from a phone between product uploads. Agents need assignment, history, internal workflows, automation, and a reliable view of the customer. Gorgias is designed around that reality.
Pricing Plans:
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Free plan: No
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Starter plan: $10/month
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Basic plan: $60/month
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Pro plan: $360/month
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Advanced plan: $900/month
What Gorgias does well
Its greatest strength lies in its multifunctionality. A single inbox can integrate multiple different channels, while the call center structure provides teams with a way to manage large volumes of conversations. AI assistants can handle repetitive support requests, and AI shopping assistants are designed to guide shoppers to products in real time.
Gorgias also connects to a broad e-commerce ecosystem. The website mentions Shopify Flow and integrations such as Klaviyo, Recharge, Yotpo, and Aircall. For a growing brand, the value lies not just in the chat utility. It lies in the ability to link supporting data with the systems that marketing, customer retention, and operations teams are using.
Where Gorgias may fall short
Gorgias is not really a cost-effective option. Current pricing starts at $10 per month for the Starter plan with 50 support requests and three customer support staff, followed by plans with higher request volumes and usage-based fees. The Basic plan costs $60 per month, while higher plans see rapidly increasing prices. Adding automation or AI features can impact the final bill.
That pricing model might be reasonable for a brand, saving significant support staff time, but it needs to be monitored. If the number of support requests increases during product launches or peak seasons, support costs may also rise. Forecast usage during regular and peak months before choosing a service package.
Best fit: Growing e-commerce brands with large workforces and multiple support channels require a systematic approach to order management.
Watch before choosing: Ticket limits, usage-based charges, and the amount of setup required to build a useful helpdesk workflow.
Chatty - Best for sales-focused AI and affordable human chat
Chatty takes a sales-oriented approach to live chat. Its AI can answer product questions, recommend products, help with order tracking, and support customers through a live chat and helpdesk system. The app also offers an FAQ page, a multichannel inbox, proactive messages, and a mobile app for managing conversations away from a desk.
The free plan is quite practical for a small shop as it includes 50 AI conversations per month and unlimited conversations with real people. It also supports AI-powered FAQs and product recommendations, email integration, widget customization, and after-hours responses. Paid plans add features such as order tracking, more team members, translation, social media replies, abandoned cart recovery, advanced analytics, and higher product or AI limits.
Pricing Plans:
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Free plan: Yes
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Basic plan: $19.99/month
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Pro plan: $68.99/month
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Plus plan: $199/month
What Chatty does well
Chatty is easy to understand from a merchant's perspective. The free plan can cover basic human chat while giving the store a limited AI layer. If the store wants more automation, the Basic plan is $19.99 per month for 100 AI conversations, while the Pro plan is $68.99 for 500. There is also a $199 Plus plan for larger product catalogs and higher usage.
Another strength of the app is its focus on sales. Omitting product suggestions and shopping cart features makes the chat channel more dynamic compared to a passive "contact us" button. This is useful for stores where customers need assistance selecting products rather than just checking order status.
Where Chatty may fall short
Limiting AI conversations is a core factor in pricing. The Basic, Pro, and Plus packages charge $0.40 for each additional AI conversation, so a busy store should base its pricing on usage rather than just looking at the monthly subscription fee.
The app also has a much broader feature set than a basic live chat widget. That can be helpful, but it means setup deserves attention. Decide which channels should live in the shared inbox, define when the AI should hand off to a person, and review the answers it gives before promoting the tool heavily.
Best fit: Small and growing stores that want product recommendations, FAQ automation, and human chat without paying for a large helpdesk.
Watch before choosing: AI conversation allowances, overage charges, and the quality of product information used to train the assistant.
How to choose the best Shopify live chat apps
Start by asking the questions your customers actually need to ask. If most conversations revolve around shipping and returns, a professional sales assistant might not be your top priority. If customers frequently need help comparing products, then product recommendations and context will be more important than a long list of features on the invoice.
For stores that want to build trust before shoppers start a conversation, Shopify review apps can complement live chat by displaying customer feedback beside product details.
Choose the right level of complexity
A free, built-in tool is usually sufficient for a new store. When multiple employees, channels, and automation rules are involved, a dedicated support department will be easier to manage than a collection of separate tools.
Check the real pricing unit
Apps charge based on different units: conversations, visitors, support requests, support staff, AI responses, or channels. A $19 plan might be great value for one store but not for another. Monitor average monthly traffic, the number of real-person conversations, the number of AI conversations, and the number of support staff before comparing plans.
Decide what the AI is allowed to do
An AI assistant that only answers frequently asked questions is easier to manage than one that can suggest products, apply discounts, or change orders. The more actions an application can perform, the more carefully you need to consider its authority, escalation rules, and agent behavior when responses fail.
Test the storefront, not just the admin
Open the widget on your computer and mobile device. Check if it includes navigation, product options, a fixed add-to-cart button, or cookie control. Then, enter a real question, take the store offline, trigger an order-related query, and see what happens when the AI doesn't know the answer.
Look for a clean human handoff
Automation should eliminate repetitive tasks, not keep customers in a loop. The handover process needs to preserve the conversation history and clearly let the buyer know that someone has taken over.
Common Errors When Setting Up and Using Live Chat
1. Installing the app but forgetting to activate the online store widget
Many chat apps on Shopify utilize app embeds or theme settings. Simply installing the app in the admin dashboard does not always guarantee that the widget will appear to customers; remember to check the theme editor, enable the corresponding app embed, and preview your online store.
2. Letting the widget obscure important controls on mobile devices
Placing the chat bubble right above the "Add to Cart" button is a mistake. Check the mobile display before launching the store.
3. Training AI on incomplete or outdated information
Keep source information up to date and regularly review feedback regarding shipping, refunds, product compatibility, and discount programs.
4. Forgetting offline hours and human handoff
Customers need to know when support staff is available and what happens outside of business hours. Provide realistic information regarding response times and define the point at which the AI should hand over the conversation to a human support agent.
5. Measuring chats without measuring outcomes
A high volume of conversations does not equate to success. Track supported orders, qualified leads, response times, customer satisfaction levels, and conversations that end without a helpful answer.
Conclusion
Ensure your decision is based on the list of features. Install the app, experience the mobile interface, ask critical questions, and calculate costs based on peak-season traffic. The chat widget is just the visible interface; it is the underlying operational processes that truly create a lasting impression on customers.
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