WISMO — "where is my order" — accounts for 30 to 40% of all ecommerce support tickets. Add return requests, product questions, and policy inquiries on top of that, and 60 to 80% of your daily support load is repetitive work that doesn't need a human. The best Shopify chatbot apps handle exactly this kind of volume, pulling order data directly from your store to resolve tickets without anyone on your team touching them.
A Shopify chatbot app is an AI-powered tool that automates customer support conversations inside your store. It answers common questions, tracks orders, processes returns, and recommends products — all without a human agent. The best ones integrate directly with Shopify's order and product data so responses are accurate and real-time.
The 7 apps below range from free tools for small stores to full helpdesk platforms for high-volume brands. Each one was verified on the Shopify App Store with real pricing, ratings, and merchant reviews checked in April 2026. If you're looking for broader support tools beyond chatbots, see our best Shopify customer service apps roundup.
What Makes a Good Shopify Chatbot App?
Not every chatbot is worth installing. Before comparing apps, here's what separates a useful AI chatbot from a glorified FAQ widget. For real-time support options that include human agents, see our best Shopify live chat apps guide.
- Shopify data access — Can the bot pull real-time order status, tracking numbers, and product availability? Without this, customers still end up messaging you.
- AI resolution vs. deflection — Deflection means the bot shows an FAQ article and hopes the customer stops asking. Resolution means the bot actually processes a return, applies a discount code, or updates an order. Resolution is what saves you time.
- Handoff quality — When the bot can't help, does it pass the full conversation context to a human agent? Or does the customer have to repeat everything?
- Pricing model — Some apps charge per seat, some per ticket, some per AI resolution. The cheapest plan isn't always the cheapest in practice.
1. Tidio — Best All-Around for Small to Mid-Size Stores
Tidio is the most installed chatbot app on Shopify, with a 4.8/5 rating across 1,200+ reviews. It combines live chat, rule-based chatbots, and an AI agent called Lyro that pulls answers from your help content and store data.
Lyro handles common questions — shipping times, return policies, product specs — by learning from the content you feed it. It won't process returns or edit orders like Gorgias can, but for stores that mostly need to answer questions faster, it covers a lot of ground.
Pricing: Free plan available (50 live chat conversations/month). Paid plans start at $29/month, but Lyro AI and chatbot flows are billed separately — $39/month and $29/month respectively. Total cost with AI typically runs $70 to $100/month for most stores.
Best for: Stores doing under 200 orders/month that want live chat and basic AI in one tool. The free plan is genuinely usable for testing.
Watch out for: Pricing ramps up fast once you add AI and chatbot automations. The "starting at $29" headline doesn't include the features most merchants actually want.
2. Gorgias — Best for High-Volume Stores That Need Full Automation
Gorgias is built for stores that treat support as a revenue channel, not a cost center. Its AI agent doesn't just answer questions — it processes returns, edits orders, generates discount codes, and handles cancellations without human involvement. Every interaction pulls the full customer profile: order history, tracking status, subscription data, and loyalty points.
That depth comes at a price. Gorgias uses a ticket-based model plus a separate per-resolution fee for AI. Every AI-resolved ticket costs $0.90 (annual) or $1.00 (monthly) on top of your base plan.
Pricing: Starts at $10/month (50 tickets). AI resolutions cost $0.90 to $1.00 each on top. A store automating 200 tickets/month could pay $200+ between the base plan and AI fees. Overages run $0.32 to $0.40 per extra ticket.
Best for: Stores doing 100+ orders/day where the AI resolution fee pays for itself by replacing agent hours. Gorgias makes financial sense when your support volume is high enough that $0.90 per automated ticket is cheaper than paying a person.
Watch out for: The double-billing structure (helpdesk fee + AI fee) catches merchants off guard. A brand on the $10 Starter plan automating just 30 tickets sees their bill jump to $52.
3. Chatty AI — Best Budget Option With Surprisingly Deep Features
Chatty has earned a perfect 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store by doing one thing well: giving small stores an AI chatbot that actually works without costing $100/month. It combines AI chat, live chat, an FAQ help center, and WhatsApp/Messenger/Instagram integration in one app.
The AI learns from your store's products, policies, and FAQs to handle common questions. It's not as deep as Gorgias for order management, but for stores where most support is pre-purchase questions ("Does this come in blue?" "How long does shipping take?"), Chatty handles it well.
Pricing: Free plan available. Pro plan starts at $49.99 to $68.99/month depending on features.
Best for: Stores spending under $50/month on support tools that want AI chat, live chat, and multi-channel messaging without juggling multiple apps.
Watch out for: Chatty is a newer app with a smaller install base than Tidio or Gorgias. If you need advanced automation workflows or deep reporting, you'll outgrow it.
4. Crisp — Best Multi-Channel Helpdesk With AI Built In
Crisp is a full helpdesk platform that happens to have a strong AI chatbot, rather than a chatbot with helpdesk features bolted on. It covers live chat, email, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS from a single inbox. The AI chatbot handles routine queries, and one merchant reported a 40% reduction in support volume after enabling it.
The catch: you need the $95/month Essentials plan to get the omnichannel AI chatbot. The free and lower tiers give you basic chat but not the AI capabilities that make Crisp worth considering.
Pricing: Free plan for basic chat. Paid plans start at $45/month, but the AI chatbot requires the $95/month Essentials plan (10 seats included). AI usage is credit-based, so heavy automation costs more.
Best for: Teams of 2 to 10 support agents who need a unified inbox across channels. The $95 plan includes 10 seats, which makes per-agent costs lower than Gorgias or Zendesk for mid-size teams.
Watch out for: The free plan is too limited for real use. And the jump from $45 to $95 for AI features is steep if you only need chatbot automation.
5. Re:amaze — Best Value for Small Teams
Re:amaze (now owned by GoDaddy) packs features that cost extra elsewhere — phone support, SMS, and workflow automation — into plans starting at $29/month per agent. It integrates tightly with Shopify, pulling in customer and order data for context-rich support.
The AI capabilities are less mature than Tidio's Lyro or Gorgias's AI agent. Re:amaze is a better fit if you want a solid helpdesk with basic automation rather than a cutting-edge AI chatbot.
Pricing: Starts at $29/month per agent (Basic plan). Pro plan at $49/month per agent adds automation and workflows. Flat-rate Starter plan at $59/month for small teams with under 500 conversations.
Best for: Teams of 1 to 3 agents who need a helpdesk with Shopify integration and don't want to pay Gorgias prices. The flat-rate $59 Starter plan is a standout for solo operators.
Watch out for: AI features sit on higher tiers and aren't as capable as dedicated AI-first tools. If chatbot automation is your priority, Tidio or Gorgias will serve you better.
6. Juphy — Best for AI-Powered Product Recommendations
Juphy takes a different approach: it's a sales chatbot first, support tool second. It syncs with your Shopify catalog and uses conversational AI to help shoppers find products based on what they describe — not just what they search for. A customer who says "I need something for a beach wedding" gets relevant product suggestions, not a search results page.
It's rated 4.7/5 on the Shopify App Store, though with a smaller review base (39 reviews) than Tidio or Gorgias. The install base is 231 stores, which means it's still proving itself at scale.
Pricing: Starts at $19 to $25/month with a 7-day free trial.
Best for: Stores with large catalogs (50+ products) where customers need help finding the right item. If your biggest support question is "which product should I get?", Juphy is purpose-built for that.
Watch out for: Small install base means fewer community resources and integration examples. It won't replace a helpdesk for order management or returns — it's a product discovery tool with chat attached.
7. Zendesk — Best for Stores Already Using Zendesk
Zendesk is the enterprise default for customer service. Its Shopify integration is free to install, pulling customer profiles and order history into the agent workspace. AI agents are included on all plans, with per-resolution pricing at $1.00 each.
For stores already running Zendesk for support, adding the Shopify integration makes sense. For stores starting from scratch, Zendesk's complexity and pricing make it hard to justify over Shopify-native tools like Gorgias or Tidio.
Pricing: Starts at $19/user/month (email and ticketing only). Plans with live chat and AI start at $55/user/month. AI resolutions cost $1.00 each. Advanced AI agents require a custom-priced add-on.
Best for: Stores already on Zendesk that want to add Shopify order context. Also works for brands selling on multiple platforms (not just Shopify) that need one helpdesk across all channels.
Watch out for: Overkill for most Shopify stores. The per-user pricing adds up fast with small teams, and the AI add-on pricing isn't transparent until you talk to sales.
Which Shopify Chatbot App Should You Pick?
Match the tool to your support volume and biggest pain point:
- Under 50 orders/month: Start with Tidio's free plan or Chatty. You don't need a full helpdesk yet.
- 50 to 200 orders/month: Tidio with Lyro AI or Re:amaze's flat-rate plan. You need automation but not enterprise tooling.
- 200+ orders/month: Gorgias or Crisp. At this volume, the AI resolution fee pays for itself by replacing agent hours.
- Large catalog with complex products: Add Juphy alongside your helpdesk for product discovery.
- Already using Zendesk: Install the free Shopify integration. Don't switch platforms just for Shopify support.
Install one app. Run it for 30 days. Track two numbers: how many tickets the AI resolves without a human, and how much time your team gets back. If the bot handles 50%+ of volume in the first month, it's working. If it's below 30%, either train it better with more FAQ content or try a different tool. The right Shopify chatbot app should pay for itself within the first billing cycle — if it doesn't, you picked the wrong one.