Best Live Chat for Shopify in 2026: 11 Apps Compared (Verified Pricing)
Picking the best live chat for Shopify can lift conversion, recover abandoned carts, and cut support load. We tested 12 Shopify live chat apps across pricing, native Shopify integration depth, AI chatbot quality, and free-plan generosity. Here is the 2026 ranking, with verified pricing as of May 2026.
Whether you are after the best live chat app for Shopify, a Shopify customer service app, 24/7 Shopify live chat support, or just a free Shopify chatbot to handle product questions overnight, this guide covers the realistic options for stores of every size. All twelve entries below count among the best live chat apps for Shopify in {year}; the right pick depends on your store's stage and budget.
Why use a live chat app for Shopify?
- Real-time answers convert browsers into buyers. Shoppers with unanswered questions leave; live chat catches them at the moment of doubt, on product pages, during checkout, and while comparing options.
- Abandoned cart recovery. A Shopify chatbot can detect a stalled checkout and proactively help: answering shipping questions, sharing a sizing guide, offering a small discount.
- 24/7 coverage without 24/7 staff. AI Shopify chatbots handle the FAQ load (sizes, returns, shipping windows) so your team only sees the inquiries that need a human.
- Native Shopify integration matters. The best Shopify live chat apps see order details, customer history, and cart contents directly inside the chat. No tab-switching for agents.
- Lower support cost per ticket. A chat-first model deflects tickets that would have become emails or phone calls.
Comparison table: Shopify live chat apps at a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from (verified, May 2026) | Best for | Built-in chatbot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatim | Yes, no agent limit | Free plan covers most small stores | All Shopify stores | Yes, AI + rules |
| Tidio | Yes, 50 conversations/month | From $24.17/workspace at Starter (annual) | Growing stores | Yes (Lyro AI add-on) |
| Gorgias | 7-day trial | $10/month at Starter (50 tickets, 3 agents) | Helpdesk-focused stores | Yes (AI Agent add-on) |
| Re:amaze | 14-day trial | $29/user at Basic ($26.10 annual) | Multichannel support | Yes |
| LiveChat | 14-day trial | $19/agent at Starter (annual) | Larger stores / Shopify Plus | Add-on (ChatBot.com) |
| Zendesk | 14-day trial | $55/agent at Suite Team (annual) | Enterprise | Yes |
| JivoChat | Yes, basic features | From $19/agent at Professional | All-in-one messenger | Yes |
| Chatra | Yes, 1 agent | From around $19/agent at Pro | Cart recovery | Yes (basic) |
| Tawk.to | Yes, unlimited agents (with Tawk branding) | $29/month to remove branding | Tight budgets | AI Assist add-on from $29/month |
| Crisp | Yes, 2 seats | From $45/workspace at Mini | Modern UI / startup stores | Yes (on Essentials and Plus) |
| Smartsupp | Yes, 25 conversations/month | $20/month at Standard (annual) | Session recordings + chat | Yes |
| Shopify Inbox | Yes, free with Shopify plan | Included in Shopify subscription | Native Shopify chat | No (Shopify Magic AI in admin) |
Pricing accurate as of May 2026. Plan names, tiers, and features change frequently, verify on each vendor's official pricing page before purchase. Some prices shown above reflect annual billing.
1. Chatim: Best Free Live Chat App for Shopify with AI Chatbot
At the top of our list is Chatim live chat for Shopify: the app we would pick first for any Shopify store, large or small. It bundles a live chat widget, an AI Shopify chatbot, a built-in CRM, and a help-center-style knowledge base in one Shopify chat plugin. The free plan has no agent limit, which is rare in this category.
- Quick Shopify install. Add Chatim to your Shopify store in under 3 minutes via a code snippet or Google Tag Manager. No developer required. The chat widget appears across product pages, collections, cart, and checkout.
- AI Shopify chatbot for product Q&A. Train it on your catalog and it answers sizing, materials, shipping, and returns questions 24/7. Hands off to a human only when the conversation needs one.
- Abandoned cart recovery. Proactive chat triggers fire on cart pages and checkout exits, recovering revenue you are currently losing.
- Shopify customer service app in one tool. Live chat, AI chatbot, shared inbox, and knowledge base. Replaces several separate Shopify support apps.
- Free forever, no agent limit. The free Chatim plan is enough for most small Shopify stores; paid tiers unlock advanced AI and analytics.
Ready to add Chatim to your Shopify store?
Install in under 3 minutes. Free plan with no agent limit, no credit card required.
Worth knowing: Chatim is best installed via the snippet method or GTM rather than the Shopify App Store at the moment; that gives you the fastest install and full theme freedom.
2. Tidio: Shopify Live Chat Alternative for Growing Stores
Tidio is a flexible Shopify live chat app that combines live chat and chatbot in a single dashboard. The Free plan covers 50 conversations per month with 10 seats. Paid Starter is $24.17 per workspace per month billed annually; Growth starts from $49.17. Lyro AI is priced separately as an add-on from $32.50/month.
- Automated chatbots answer common queries around the clock so customers always get a reply.
- Multichannel inbox handles live chat, Facebook Messenger, and email from one place.
- Customizable chat widget matched to your Shopify store's brand.
Worth knowing: Tidio's Free tier caps at 50 billable conversations per month and reserves Lyro AI for the separately priced add-on. Costs scale by conversation volume, so spiky seasonal traffic can blow past the cap mid-month.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Tidio alternatives.
3. Gorgias: Shopify Customer Service App
Gorgias is a Shopify-focused customer support platform built around helpdesk ticketing with live chat as one channel. Best for stores where support volume justifies a dedicated tool. Pricing starts at $10 per month at the Starter tier (50 tickets per month, up to 3 agents). Basic is $60 monthly ($50 annual, 300 tickets), Pro is $360 monthly ($300 annual, 2,000 tickets), and Advanced is $900 monthly ($750 annual, 5,000 tickets). AI Agent is priced separately at $0.90 per interaction on annual billing.
- Deep Shopify integration. View and edit Shopify orders directly from the chat thread without switching tabs.
- Ticketing system centralizes chat, email, and social into one helpdesk inbox.
- Automation answers FAQs and triages tickets based on rules.
Worth knowing: Gorgias pricing is ticket-based and can scale fast once support volume spikes. Overage fees are $0.36 to $0.40 per ticket above plan. Lighter chat-only stores often outgrow a free plan elsewhere before they need Gorgias.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Gorgias alternatives.
4. Re:amaze: Multichannel Shopify Support Chat
Re:amaze is a comprehensive customer service platform that adds email, social, and SMS to live chat; a strong fit for Shopify merchants who want a single inbox for every channel. Pricing starts at $29 per user per month at the Basic tier ($26.10 annual). Pro is $49 ($44.10 annual), Plus is $69 ($62.10 annual). 14-day free trial.
- Unified inbox brings live chat, email, Facebook Messenger, and SMS into one view.
- Automation and chatbots answer common questions when your team is offline.
- Multichannel support reachable wherever your customers are.
Worth knowing: Re:amaze can feel heavyweight for stores that just want chat. Its full value comes when you actually need email and SMS in the same inbox.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Re:amaze alternatives.
5. LiveChat: Live Chat for Shopify Plus and Larger Stores
LiveChat is a long-running pure live chat product with a feature set built to handle high chat volumes and a Shopify integration available via the App Store. Pricing (billed annually): Starter $19 per agent per month (1 user, track up to 100 visitors), Team $49 (unlimited users, 400 visitors), Business $79 (1,000 visitors), Enterprise contact sales. ChatBot.com is sold separately from $52 per month annual.
- Chat customization to match your store's branding.
- Canned responses and analytics handle common questions and track chat performance in detail.
- Polished agent UX, consistently rated among the best in the live-chat category.
Worth knowing: LiveChat has no permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial. Costs add up if you have a large agent team. The chatbot is sold as a separate product (ChatBot.com), so you pay for two subscriptions if you want both.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: LiveChat alternatives.
6. Zendesk: Enterprise Shopify Support Chat
Zendesk brings the Zendesk helpdesk model to live chat. Especially relevant if your Shopify store already runs other Zendesk products. The Support Team tier starts at $19 per agent per month for ticketing only (no chat). The full Suite Team plan (with live chat) starts at $55 per agent per month annual. Suite Growth is $89, Suite Professional from $115, and Suite Enterprise from $169.
- Omnichannel support, live chat, email, voice, and social in one Zendesk workspace.
- Advanced reporting on chat performance and agent productivity.
- Customizable widgets matched to your store's design.
Worth knowing: Zendesk is overkill for most small Shopify stores. The pricing curve is enterprise-shaped, and the live-chat capability sits in the Suite tier, not the cheaper Support tier.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Zendesk alternatives.
7. JivoChat: All-in-One Shopify Business Messenger
JivoChat is an all-in-one business messenger that adds phone support to the live-chat-and-chatbot mix. The Basic Free plan covers limited agents with basic features. Professional starts from $19 per agent per month, with discount tiers: 0% off monthly, 10% off 3-month, 30% off annual prepay.
- Omnichannel support: live chat, phone, email, and social from one dashboard.
- Easy Shopify integration via the App Store.
- Mobile-friendly agent apps for chatting on the go.
Worth knowing: JivoChat's Free plan is functional but most growth features (chatbot, advanced reports, CRM integrations) sit behind paid tiers.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: JivoChat alternatives.
8. Chatra: Shopify Live Chat with Cart Recovery
Chatra has been a steady Shopify pick for years, with a clean interface and a focus on cart abandonment recovery. Important context: Chatra was acquired by Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) in September 2021 and no longer ships new features as a standalone product. New chat capabilities ship in Brevo Conversations (the successor at €13/month Pro). Existing Chatra customers can keep using the product, but new Shopify stores should evaluate Brevo Conversations or one of the other apps in this guide. Chatra Free plan covers 1 agent; paid Pro starts from around $19 per agent per month. Verify current pricing on chatra.com before purchase.
- Shopping-cart recovery with proactive triggers on stalled checkouts.
- Group chat handles multi-agent conversations cleanly when several team members work the same ticket.
- Ready-to-use scripts for common Shopify scenarios: sizing, shipping, returns.
Worth knowing: Chatra's chatbot is lightweight compared to Chatim, Tidio, or Crisp. Fine for static FAQs, less so for AI conversations trained on your catalog.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Chatra alternatives.
9. Tawk.to: Free Shopify Chat App with Branding
Tawk.to takes a different approach to other Shopify live chat tools: it is free with unlimited agents and unlimited chat history, with the Tawk.to branding shown on the widget. Paid add-ons include $29 per month annual to remove branding (or $39 monthly), $1 per hour for hired chat agents, and AI Assist tiers from $29 per month for 1,000 AI messages.
- Free forever. No agent or chat limits on the free plan, with branding included.
- Visitor monitoring with geolocation, browsing path, and a live visitor list.
- Mobile and dashboard apps for the major operating systems with detailed analytics.
Worth knowing: The Tawk.to branding on the widget is shown on the free tier, and removing it costs more than many Shopify-app monthly fees on small-store volume.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Tawk.to alternatives.
10. Crisp: Modern Shopify Live Chat Widget
Crisp is a modern live chat widget with a clean, design-forward interface. The Free tier covers 2 seats and 100 customer profiles. Paid tiers: Mini $45 per workspace per month (4 seats, 5,000 customer profiles), Essentials $95 (10 seats, 50,000 profiles, AI chatbot unlocked), Plus $295 (20+ seats, 200,000 profiles, full AI-first suite).
- Shared inbox covering chat, email, and Messenger.
- MagicReply AI drafts replies based on your past conversations.
- Chatbots and triggers with a visual flow builder (available on Essentials and Plus).
Worth knowing: Crisp's Free tier covers 2 seats only, and the AI chatbot is gated to Essentials ($95) and Plus ($295). Crisp restructured pricing in 2025-2026, so older comparison content elsewhere on the web may show different tier names.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Crisp alternatives.
11. Smartsupp: Shopify Chat with Session Recordings
Smartsupp stands out from other Shopify live chat apps by bundling session recordings with the chat: see exactly what a shopper did before opening the chat. Free plan covers unlimited agents but caps at 25 conversations per month with 14-day history. Standard plan is $20 per month annual; Pro is $30; Ultimate starts from $239.
- Visitor session recordings alongside chat conversations. Useful for diagnosing checkout issues.
- Chatbots handle FAQs and route conversations to the right agent.
- Shopify App Store integration for one-click install.
Worth knowing: The session-recording feature is the headline reason to pick Smartsupp; without it, the rest of the product is comparable to its competitors at the same price point.
See how it stacks up against Chatim: Smartsupp alternatives.
12. Shopify Inbox: Native Free Shopify Chat
Shopify Inbox is Shopify's own native chat tool, included free with every Shopify subscription. It runs as a built-in app inside Shopify admin and on iOS / Android, with a Shop chat widget that customers can use across your store, in-app via the Shop app, and via Apple Business Chat. There is no separate subscription, and the integration with Shopify orders, products, and customers is the deepest in this guide because it ships from Shopify itself.
- Free with any Shopify plan. No separate per-agent or per-conversation pricing.
- Deepest Shopify integration. Send product links, share discount codes, and view full customer purchase history directly in chat.
- Shop app and Apple Business Chat. Customers can message you via the Shop app and through Apple Business Chat in addition to your storefront widget.
- Quick replies and auto-replies. Saved templates and Shopify Magic AI in admin help agents respond faster.
Worth knowing: Shopify Inbox does not include a customer-facing AI chatbot in the way Chatim, Tidio, or Crisp do. Cart-recovery automation, advanced chatbot flows, and multichannel support outside the Shopify ecosystem are limited. Pick Shopify Inbox if you want a fully free, Shopify-native chat with no third-party app; pick one of the apps above if you need an AI chatbot, multichannel inbox beyond Shop / Apple Business Chat, or proactive cart-recovery triggers.
How to pick the right Shopify live chat app
Use the framework below to narrow 11 options to one in under 20 minutes.
Step 1: Estimate your support volume
Under 50 tickets per month: Chatim Free, Tidio Free, Chatra Free, Tawk.to Free, or Smartsupp Free will cover you. Over 300 tickets per month: pay for Gorgias ($60 monthly Basic) or Re:amaze. Over 1,000 tickets per month: Gorgias Pro ($360 monthly) or Zendesk Suite Team.
Step 2: List the channels you actually need
Just website chat plus chatbot: Chatim, Tidio, Crisp, Chatra. Website plus WhatsApp/Messenger/Instagram: Re:amaze, JivoChat, Crisp. Website plus deep Shopify-order integration: Gorgias, Re:amaze. Website plus phone: JivoChat, ClickDesk.
Step 3: Set the per-month budget
Free: Chatim, Tidio Free, Chatra Free, Tawk.to, Smartsupp Free. Under $25 per agent: LiveChat Starter ($19), JivoChat Professional ($19), Smartsupp Standard ($20). $25-$50 per agent or workspace: Crisp Mini ($45), Re:amaze Basic ($29 annual), Tidio Starter ($24.17 annual), Gorgias Basic ($60 monthly). Above $50: Crisp Essentials, Gorgias Pro, Zendesk Suite Team, Re:amaze Plus.
Step 4: Pilot two finalists for 14 days
Most of the apps in this guide offer a free tier or 14-day trial. Pilot the top two finalists side by side on the same Shopify store for two weeks, compare cart-recovery results, agent UX, and time-to-first-response. Commit to the one that wins on workflow, not features-on-paper.
FAQ: Shopify live chat questions answered
The picks above cover the core decision. The FAQ section in the blog footer answers the rest of the common questions on Shopify live chat apps, pricing, free plans, AI chatbots, and Shopify Plus support.
For the broader chat landscape, see our guides on the best live chat platforms, WordPress live chat plugins, Crisp alternatives, Tidio alternatives, and LiveChat alternatives.
Choosing the best live chat for Shopify depends on your store's stage, support volume, and budget. Chatim stands out as the top all-rounder thanks to a generous free plan, a fast Shopify install, an AI Shopify chatbot, and a single tool that doubles as a Shopify customer service app. Tidio and Crisp are strong picks for growing stores with modern interfaces; Gorgias and Zendesk are for support-heavy operations; Re:amaze, LiveChat, and JivoChat all earn their spots for multichannel coverage; Chatra, Tawk.to, and Smartsupp round out the list with strong free tiers and niche specialties.
Spend ten minutes in each top-3 option and you will know which one fits your Shopify store best. If you specifically need Shopify live chat help on the cheap, start on a free plan from Chatim, Tidio, Chatra, or Crisp.
Want to start with our top pick?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best live chat app for Shopify?
For most Shopify stores Chatim is the best live chat app for Shopify because it bundles live chat, an AI Shopify chatbot, CRM, and a help-center knowledge base in one tool, and the free plan has no agent limit. Shopify Inbox is Shopify's own free native option but does not include an AI chatbot. Tidio (from $24.17 per workspace annual), Gorgias (from $10 per workspace at Starter, ticket-based), and Re:amaze ($29 per user annual at Basic) are strong alternatives depending on your support volume and budget. Pricing accurate as of May 2026, verify on each vendor's pricing page before purchase.
Does Shopify offer live chat support?
Yes. Shopify offers two layers of live chat: (1) Shopify Inbox is Shopify's own native chat tool, included free with every Shopify subscription, with a storefront widget plus Shop app and Apple Business Chat support. It does not include a customer-facing AI chatbot. (2) Third-party Shopify live chat apps like Chatim, Tidio, Gorgias, Re:amaze, LiveChat, JivoChat, Crisp, Tawk.to, Smartsupp, Chatra (now part of Brevo), and Zendesk add AI chatbots, multichannel inboxes, deeper helpdesk workflows, proactive cart-recovery, and other features that Shopify Inbox alone does not cover. Most stores start with Shopify Inbox and add a third-party app once they need AI chatbot or multichannel coverage.
How do I add live chat to Shopify?
To add Chatim live chat to your Shopify store: log in to Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes > Edit Code, and paste the Chatim snippet before the closing </body> tag in your theme.liquid file. You can also add live chat to Shopify via Google Tag Manager. Setup takes under 3 minutes. Most other apps (Tidio, Gorgias, Re:amaze, JivoChat, Smartsupp, Crisp) are installed via the Shopify App Store with one click.
Is there a free live chat for Shopify?
Yes. Chatim, Tidio, JivoChat, Chatra, Tawk.to, Crisp, and Smartsupp all offer free Shopify live chat plans with different limits. Chatim's free plan is the most generous of the group, no agent limit. Tawk.to is fully free with unlimited agents but shows Tawk.to branding on the widget. Tidio Free covers 50 conversations per month. Crisp Free covers 2 seats and 100 customer profiles. Smartsupp Free covers unlimited agents but caps at 25 conversations per month.
Can a Shopify chatbot recover abandoned carts?
Yes. A Shopify chatbot can detect when a shopper adds items to their cart but does not complete checkout, then proactively offer help: answering shipping or sizing questions, applying a small discount, or guiding the shopper back to the checkout page. Chatim, Tidio, Chatra, Crisp (on Essentials and Plus tiers), and Gorgias (with AI Agent add-on) all offer cart-recovery automation out of the box.
What's the difference between a Shopify live chat app and a Shopify chatbot?
A Shopify live chat app connects shoppers to a real human agent in real time. A Shopify chatbot is software that replies automatically using rules or AI, and it works 24/7 even when no agent is online. Modern Shopify live chat apps like Chatim, Tidio, Crisp, and JivoChat include both, so the chatbot handles common questions and only routes complex ones to a live agent. If you specifically need Shopify live chat help on the cheap, start on a free plan from Chatim, Tidio, Chatra, or Crisp.
Do these Shopify live chat apps work with Shopify Plus?
Yes. Chatim, LiveChat, Gorgias, Zendesk, Re:amaze, and JivoChat all support Shopify Plus. For high-volume Plus stores Gorgias (from $360 monthly Pro for 2,000 tickets) and LiveChat (from $79 per agent Business annual) have the deepest helpdesk integrations. Chatim is the most cost-effective if you want chat plus AI chatbot plus CRM in one tool. For Shopify Plus stores with very high ticket volume, Zendesk Suite Growth ($89 per agent annual) or Suite Professional (from $115) may be required.
How much does Shopify live chat cost in 2026?
Costs vary widely. Free plans available on Chatim, Tawk.to, Tidio (50 conversations/month), Crisp (2 seats), JivoChat (basic features), Chatra (1 agent), and Smartsupp (25 conversations/month). Paid tiers (verified as of May 2026): LiveChat from $19 per agent annual, JivoChat from $19 Professional, Smartsupp Standard $20 annual, Tidio Starter $24.17 per workspace annual, Re:amaze Basic $29 per user ($26.10 annual), Crisp Mini $45 per workspace. Gorgias is ticket-based: $10 Starter (50 tickets), $60 Basic, $360 Pro, $900 Advanced. Zendesk Suite Team is $55 per agent annual. Verify all pricing on the vendor's own pricing page before purchase.
Which Shopify live chat app has the best AI chatbot?
Chatim's AI Shopify chatbot trains on your product catalog and answers sizing, materials, shipping, and returns questions out of the box. Tidio's Lyro AI is the strongest sub-$50 alternative for SMB Shopify stores, priced as an add-on from $32.50 per month. Gorgias AI Agent costs $0.90 per interaction (annual). Crisp Chat's AI chatbot is available on the Essentials ($95) and Plus ($295) tiers. For pure SaaS-style AI deflection, Intercom Fin is the most-cited choice, but Intercom is rarely the right pick for a Shopify-only store.
What's the cheapest paid live chat for Shopify?
On a strict per-month basis, LiveChat Starter ($19 per agent annual), JivoChat Professional ($19 per agent), and Smartsupp Standard ($20 per month annual) are the cheapest paid tiers in this guide that include chat without significant feature gates. Tidio Starter is $24.17 per workspace annual, which is cheaper per-agent if you have multiple agents. Gorgias Starter is technically $10 per month but caps at 50 tickets per month, so it is the cheapest only for very-low-volume stores.
Can I install Chatim on Shopify without using the App Store?
Yes. The fastest install is via a code snippet pasted into your theme.liquid file (before the closing </body> tag) or via Google Tag Manager. Both methods take under 3 minutes and do not require a developer. The snippet method gives you full theme freedom and the fastest load times. Chatim is best installed this way rather than the Shopify App Store at the moment.
Which Shopify live chat app is best for cart abandonment recovery?
Chatim and Chatra are the most-cited Shopify live chat apps for cart-abandonment recovery, with proactive triggers that fire on stalled checkouts. Tidio and Crisp also support proactive chat triggers tied to cart events. Smartsupp adds visitor session recordings which let you replay exactly what a shopper did before abandoning the cart, useful for diagnosing recurring checkout friction. Gorgias supports cart-recovery messaging when paired with its AI Agent add-on.
Does Chatim integrate with the Shopify customer record?
Yes. Chatim pulls Shopify customer details (order history, cart contents, customer notes) directly into the chat thread, so agents see context without switching tabs. The integration installs in under 3 minutes via the Chatim snippet or Google Tag Manager. Order updates and cart-abandonment triggers fire from Shopify webhooks.
Which Shopify live chat app is best for stores running on multiple platforms?
Re:amaze is the strongest pick for merchants running Shopify alongside BigCommerce, Magento, or WooCommerce, with native integrations on all four platforms (Basic from $29 per user annual). Gorgias is Shopify-deep but also supports BigCommerce. Chatim works on any platform via the snippet method. Crisp's Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop, and Adobe Commerce integrations also cover multi-platform setups.
How accurate is the pricing in this guide?
All pricing in this guide reflects published vendor tiers as of May 2026 (chatim.app verification date). Plan names, prices, and feature limits change frequently. Crisp Chat restructured tiers in 2025-2026 (now Free / Mini / Essentials / Plus, not the old Pro / Unlimited). LiveChat list prices were updated in early 2026. Tidio shifted to conversation-metered pricing. Always verify current pricing on each vendor's official pricing page before purchase. The chatim.app team re-verifies competitor pricing every 30 days; the most recent COMPETITOR_PRICING reference was built on 2026-05-10.