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The best ecommerce chatbot depends on how you pay for each answer
We make Uptonica, one of the tools on this list. Most “best ecommerce chatbot” lists are written by a vendor, and several rank themselves first. This one has no ranking: it says which tool fits which store, and where each one falls short, ours included.
Quick answer
- Free, on Shopify: Shopify Inbox, which answers product questions in your store’s chat at no cost.
- A small store that wants AI on WhatsApp and Instagram too: Chatty, Tidio or Uptonica.
- A support team with tickets and order actions: Gorgias.
- A chat that sells, not just answers: Zipchat or Rep AI.
- Paying only when the AI solves the question: Intercom’s Fin, at $0.99 per resolved conversation.
How we chose
We read the pricing and product pages of every tool on 15 November 2026. Prices are the cheapest paid plan that includes the AI chatbot, in the currency each site shows. Most tools also charge per AI reply or per resolved conversation above a limit; the table shows how.
The eight tools side by side
| Tool | Best for | Cheapest plan with AI | Free plan | Extra AI replies | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Inbox | Free, Shopify only | Free | Yes | Included | Store chat |
| Tidio | Small stores, many channels | Lyro AI from $32.50 a month, added to a chat plan | Yes, 50 AI conversations | Counted in conversations per plan | Chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email |
| Chatty | Shopify stores on a budget | $19.99 a month, 100 AI conversations | Yes, 50 AI conversations | $0.075 per AI reply | Chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email |
| Zipchat | A chat that sells | $80 a month ($64 billed yearly), 750 AI replies | No, 7-day trial | $49 per 250 replies | Chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, email |
| Gorgias | Support teams with tickets | $40 a month, monthly only: 50 tickets and 30 AI interactions | No, 7-day trial | $1.50 per AI interaction | Email, chat, SMS, voice, social |
| Intercom (Fin) | Paying per resolved question | $0.99 per resolved conversation, plus $29 per seat a month ($19 billed yearly) | No, 14-day trial | $0.99 per resolved conversation | Chat, email, phone; WhatsApp charged per message |
| Rep AI | A sales assistant on the site | $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) | No, 14-day trial | Other channels $0.75 per resolved conversation | Website; email, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp as an add-on |
| Uptonica | Chat, WhatsApp and phone together | $19 a month on Shopify (Chat plan) | Yes, with the Uptonica badge | A monthly pool of credits; a chat reply uses from 1 credit | Chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, email |
Prices and features from each vendor’s own site, checked on 15 November 2026. Most tools charge per AI reply or resolution above a limit, so estimate your monthly conversations before comparing.
Each tool
Shopify Inbox
Shopify’s own free chat app, with an AI that answers product questions from your catalog, stock and policies, and sends order updates. Good for: Shopify stores starting out. Watch for: it answers only in your store’s chat, not on WhatsApp or social channels, and works only on Shopify.
Tidio
Live chat with Lyro, its AI agent, and WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email in one inbox. Good for: small stores that want chat and AI in one app. Watch for: Lyro is priced on top of the chat plan, and both count conversations, so the cost grows with your traffic.
Chatty
A Shopify app that answers product and order-tracking questions, recommends products and hands the chat to a person when the shopper asks. Good for: Shopify stores on a budget. Watch for: it works only on Shopify, and the shopping assistant and cart recovery start with the $68.99 plan.
Zipchat
An AI chat built to sell, for Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce, on the site, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email. Good for: stores that want the chat to sell, not just answer. Watch for: the cheapest plan is $64 a month billed yearly, and extra replies cost $49 per 250.
Gorgias
A helpdesk for online stores with an AI Agent, on email, chat, SMS, voice and social channels. Good for: support teams handling many tickets. Watch for: AI interactions are billed on top of tickets, and the $40 Starter plan includes only 30 of them.
Intercom (Fin)
An AI agent you pay per resolved conversation, on Intercom’s helpdesk or on the one you already use. Good for: teams that want to pay only when the AI solves the question. Watch for: seats are billed separately, and WhatsApp is charged per message.
Rep AI
An AI chat on the store website that sells and supports, for Shopify, WooCommerce and Salesforce Commerce. Good for: stores that want a sales assistant on the site. Watch for: email, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp are an add-on at $0.75 per resolved conversation.
Uptonica
AI chat on your site, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram and email, answering from your catalog and orders, with your team taking over in the same inbox. Good for: shops whose customers write on many channels and also call. Watch for: the free plan shows the Uptonica badge, the $19 Chat plan includes one user and up to 500 products, and the phone assistant starts with the $69 Core plan.
How to choose
Count your monthly conversations. Most tools charge per AI reply or resolution above a limit: the cheapest plan is cheap only at low volume.
Check the channels. If your customers write on WhatsApp or Instagram, make sure the AI answers there too, not only in the site chat.
Check what it reads. A useful ecommerce chatbot answers from your real catalog, stock and orders, and hands over to a person when it doesn’t know.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ecommerce chatbot?
An assistant that answers shoppers in your store’s chat and messaging apps, using your products, stock, policies and orders, and passes the conversation to your team when needed.
Is there a free ecommerce chatbot?
Shopify Inbox is free on Shopify. Tidio, Chatty and Uptonica have free plans with a limited number of AI replies.
How much does an ecommerce chatbot cost?
About $19 to $80 a month for the cheapest paid plans here, plus a fee per AI reply or resolution above the limit on most tools.