Blog · Chat
The best live chat for Shopify keeps answering when your team is offline
We make Uptonica, one of the apps on this list. Most “best live chat for Shopify” lists are written by a vendor, and several rank themselves first. This one has no ranking: it says which app fits which store, and where each one falls short, ours included.
Quick answer
- Free, built by Shopify: Shopify Inbox.
- Free, with many people answering: Tidio, with up to 10 team members, or tawk.to.
- A support team with tickets and order actions: Gorgias or Re:amaze.
- A classic live chat with a seat for each agent: LiveChat or Zendesk.
- Chat, WhatsApp and Instagram in one inbox, with AI replying first: Chatty, Tidio or Uptonica.
How we chose
We read the pricing pages and Shopify App Store listings of every app on 15 November 2026. Prices are the cheapest paid plan with live chat, in US dollars. Some apps charge per team member, others a flat price; the table shows how many people can answer.
The nine apps side by side
| App | Best for | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Who can answer | AI replies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Inbox | Free, Shopify only | Free | Yes | Not stated | Included, store chat only |
| Tidio | Many people answering on a small budget | $29 a month ($24.17 billed yearly), 100 conversations | Yes, 50 conversations | 10 team members | Lyro AI from $32.50 a month |
| Chatty | Shopify stores on a budget | $19.99 a month | Yes, unlimited human chats | 5 members | 100 AI conversations, then $0.075 per reply |
| Gorgias | Support teams with tickets | $10 a month, 50 tickets | No, 7-day trial | 3 agents | AI Agent from $30 a month more |
| LiveChat | A classic live chat | $25 per agent a month ($19 billed yearly) | No, 14-day trial | One seat per agent | 10 AI resolutions, then $49.50 per 50 |
| Re:amaze | Helpdesk with chat and email | $29 per member a month, or $59 flat for unlimited members | No, 14-day trial | Per member, or unlimited at $59 | 5 per member, then $0.85 each |
| Zendesk | Larger support teams | $55 per agent a month, billed yearly (Suite Team) | No, 14-day trial | One seat per agent | Included in Suite plans |
| tawk.to | Free live chat | Free; $29 a month to remove the branding | Yes | Unlimited | AI Assist from $29 a month |
| Uptonica | Chat, WhatsApp and phone together | $19 a month on Shopify (Chat plan) | Yes, with the Uptonica badge | 1 user (5 on the $249 Pro plan) | A monthly pool of credits; a chat reply uses from 1 credit |
Prices and features from each vendor’s own site and Shopify App Store listing, checked on 15 November 2026. For Zendesk we used its Shopify listing. Per-agent prices multiply with your team, so count the people who will answer before comparing.
Each app
Shopify Inbox
Shopify’s own free chat app, with an AI that answers product questions from your catalog and policies. Good for: Shopify stores starting out. Watch for: it answers only in your store’s chat, not on WhatsApp or social channels, and has no email replies.
Tidio
Live chat and tickets, with WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email in one inbox, and Lyro, its AI agent. Good for: small teams where several people answer. Watch for: the AI is priced on top of the chat plan, and both count conversations.
Chatty
A Shopify app for live chat and AI, with unlimited human chats on the free plan. Good for: small Shopify stores. Watch for: it works only on Shopify, and AI replies above the plan are charged one by one.
Gorgias
A Shopify helpdesk: chat, email and social messages become tickets, with order details and actions next to them. Good for: stores with a support team. Watch for: the $10 plan covers 50 tickets a month, and the AI Agent is extra.
LiveChat
A long-standing live chat app, with an AI agent included in small numbers. Good for: teams that want a classic chat window and a seat for each agent. Watch for: each agent is a paid seat, and extra AI resolutions come in packs.
Re:amaze
A helpdesk with live chat, email and social messages, and a flat plan for unlimited team members. Good for: stores with several people answering. Watch for: the $59 flat plan stops at 500 answered conversations a month.
Zendesk
A full support suite with chat, email, phone and a help center. Good for: larger support teams. Watch for: it starts at $55 per agent a month billed yearly, the highest price on this list.
tawk.to
Free live chat with unlimited agents, paid only for extras. Good for: stores that want human chat at no cost. Watch for: removing its branding costs $29 a month, and the AI is a paid add-on.
Uptonica
Live chat on your site, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram and email in one inbox. The AI answers from your catalog and orders, and your team takes over in the same conversation. Good for: shops whose customers write on many channels and also call. Watch for: the free and $19 plans include one user, the free plan shows the Uptonica badge, and the phone assistant starts with the $69 Core plan.
How to choose
Count the people who will answer. Per-agent prices look cheap for one person and grow with every seat.
Decide who answers at night. Without AI, a live chat is an empty window outside your hours.
Check the channels. If your customers write on WhatsApp or Instagram, keep those messages in the same inbox as your store chat.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have a live chat?
Yes. Shopify Inbox is Shopify’s free chat app, with an AI that answers product questions in your store’s chat.
What is the best free live chat app for Shopify?
Shopify Inbox, Tidio, Chatty and tawk.to all have free plans with live chat; Tidio’s includes up to 10 team members.
How much does live chat for Shopify cost?
From free to about $30 a month for the cheapest paid plans here, more when you pay per agent or for AI replies.