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12 Best Shopify AI Chatbots for Customer Service 2026 (Tested and Ranked)

Updated:

AeroChat Team

best-shopify-ai-chatbot

AeroChat is the best Shopify AI chatbot for customer service in 2026 if your store needs to automate order tracking, returns, and multi-channel support across WhatsApp, Instagram, and website chat from a single platform. For stores that need a full helpdesk alongside chat automation, Gorgias is the stronger fit. For stores that want customers to resolve their own queries through a self-service portal, Richpanel takes a different and genuinely useful approach. For small stores on a tight budget, Tidio works well without heavy setup.

This guide ranks all twelve based on hands-on testing across four criteria: WISMO automation depth, channel coverage, query deflection rate, and total cost at realistic order volumes.

A Note on How We Tested

We are transparent about one thing upfront. AeroChat is our own product, and it appears first in this list because it is the platform we know most deeply and can speak to with the most accuracy. Every other tool was evaluated by installing it on a test Shopify store, running it against a set of 50 real support query types, and checking its Shopify App Store presence, documentation quality, and pricing structure.

The criteria we used to rank each tool:

  • WISMO handling: can the bot resolve "where is my order" queries fully without a human

  • Channel coverage: which channels are included natively versus charged as add-ons

  • Setup time: how long to go live from install to first automated response

  • Deflection rate: percentage of queries resolved without escalation

  • Pricing transparency: what you actually pay at 500 orders per month, not just the headline number

Quick Comparison: 12 Best Shopify AI Chatbots 2026

Tool

WISMO Auto

Channels

Setup Time

Starting Price

Best For

AeroChat

Full

Web, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger

~20 min

$36/mo

Growing stores, omnichannel

Gorgias

Full

Web, email, social, SMS

2 to 3 days

$10/mo + usage

Enterprise, high volume

Tidio

Partial

Web, email, Messenger

~30 min

Free / $29/mo

Small stores

Re:amaze

Partial

Web, email, social, SMS

1 to 2 days

$29/mo per agent

Multi-channel brands

Heyday

Full

Web, Instagram, Messenger

Days

Contact for pricing

Mid to large retail

Richpanel

Full

Web, email, social

1 to 2 days

$29/mo

Self-service portal stores

Freshdesk Messaging

Partial

Web, WhatsApp, email, social

1 day

Free / $15/mo

Freshdesk users, established brands

Chatty AI

Partial

Web only

~15 min

Free / $19/mo

Budget stores

Juphy

Partial

Web, Instagram, Messenger

~1 hour

$29/mo

Social-first brands

Relish AI

Partial

Web only

~30 min

Free / $29/mo

Early stage stores

Chatra

No

Web, email

~20 min

Free / $19/mo

Hybrid live chat

Shopify Inbox

No

Web only

~5 min

Free

Micro stores

The 12 Best Shopify AI Chatbots for Customer Service

1. AeroChat: Best Overall Shopify AI Chatbot for Customer Service

AeroChat was built specifically for Shopify customer service automation, not adapted from a generic chatbot platform. That distinction matters in practice. When a customer asks about their order, AeroChat pulls live data directly from Shopify's order API and responds with the actual status, tracking link, and expected delivery date, without a human touching the conversation.

It handles the full range of post-purchase support: order tracking, return requests, refund status, exchange initiation, and shipping queries. It is also trained on your product catalog, FAQ pages, and store policies so it can answer pre-purchase questions about sizing, materials, stock availability, and shipping costs with the same accuracy as a well-trained agent.

The omnichannel setup is genuinely unified. Website chat, WhatsApp, Instagram DM, and Messenger all feed into a single inbox. This matters for stores where customers reach out across different channels and expect consistent replies. An omnichannel support chatbot that covers all four channels without per-channel add-on fees is rare at this price point.

Query deflection rate on AeroChat reaches up to 70 percent on stores with well-configured knowledge bases, meaning seven out of ten support conversations are resolved without a human agent. For stores currently paying for support staff time on repetitive WISMO and returns queries, that deflection translates directly to reduce support costs within the first month.

Setup takes around 20 minutes. Connect to Shopify, train the bot on your FAQ and policy pages, set up your channels, and go live. There is no long onboarding process or consultant requirement.

Best Shopify AI Chatbot

Key Features

  • Full order tracking, returns, refunds, and exchange automation

  • Trained on your store's FAQ, policies, and product catalog

  • Website chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger from one dashboard

  • AI product recommendations within support conversations

  • Auto-routing to human agents when queries need escalation

  • Up to 70% query deflection on configured stores

Pros

  • Deepest Shopify order-level integration in the category

  • All four channels included without add-on fees

  • Fast setup without developer support

  • Handles both pre-purchase and post-purchase queries

Cons

  • Most automation features are on paid plans

  • Higher entry price than basic competitors

  • More capability than a very small store needs

AI Chatbot for Shopify

Pricing: From $36/month. See chatbot pricing comparison for a full cost breakdown at different store volumes.

Best for: Growing Shopify DTC stores, brands scaling support without adding headcount, and stores that need WhatsApp and Instagram coverage alongside website chat.

2. Gorgias: Best for Enterprise and High-Volume Support

Gorgias is the most widely adopted helpdesk for Shopify, used by a significant share of high-revenue Shopify stores, and for good reason. Its Automate feature handles intent detection, automated responses, and order-level actions including cancellations, refund initiation, and address edits, making it more than a chatbot and closer to a full AI support agent for stores with complex workflows.

The difference between Gorgias and a pure chatbot platform is the helpdesk infrastructure underneath. Every conversation becomes a ticket. Tickets are tagged, assigned, and tracked with full reporting. For a support team of five or more people handling hundreds of tickets daily, that structure is essential. For a solo founder handling 20 queries a week, it is overkill.

WISMO handling in Gorgias is strong. It pulls order data and can respond to tracking queries automatically. It also handles returns through integration with returns management apps. What it does not do as well as AeroChat is cover WhatsApp and Instagram at the same depth without significant additional setup.

Pricing is where Gorgias gets complicated. The base plan starts low but adds per-ticket fees above monthly limits. At 500 support tickets per month on a mid-tier plan, your actual monthly cost is significantly higher than the headline price. Check the full Gorgias vs AeroChat comparison for a cost breakdown at realistic volumes.

Key Features

  • AI-powered ticket deflection and automated replies

  • Order edits, cancellations, and refund initiation without human involvement

  • Deep Shopify integration with order data in every conversation

  • Self-service portal for customers to resolve common issues independently

  • Detailed support reporting and team performance tracking

Pros

  • Industry-leading helpdesk infrastructure for large support teams

  • Strong automation for post-purchase query types

  • Trusted by high-revenue Shopify brands

Cons

  • Pricing escalates significantly with ticket volume

  • Full setup requires several days and team training

  • Not designed for WhatsApp or Instagram-first workflows

Pricing: From $10/month base, plus per-ticket usage fees that scale with volume.

Best for: Enterprise Shopify stores and brands with dedicated support teams handling high daily ticket volumes.

3. Tidio: Best for Small Stores and Beginners

Tidio is the most installed chat app in the Shopify App Store and for small stores it genuinely earns that position. It combines a live chat interface with Lyro, its AI conversation engine, and a visual flow builder that lets non-technical users create automated chat sequences without writing code.

Lyro handles repetitive queries well: FAQs, basic order lookups, return policy questions, and product information. Its deflection rate on straightforward queries is around 70 percent on a well-trained setup, comparable to AeroChat on simpler query types. Where it falls behind is on complex order actions. Lyro can tell a customer their order shipped but cannot initiate a return or trigger a refund. Those still need human agents.

The free plan covers basic live chat. AI automation with Lyro starts on paid plans from $29 per month. At 500 orders per month with a meaningful support volume, the cost-per-query on Tidio's paid tiers is higher than it first appears. The Tidio vs AeroChat comparison breaks this down at realistic store volumes.

Channel coverage is limited compared to AeroChat. Tidio covers website chat, email, and Messenger natively. WhatsApp and Instagram require workarounds or third-party integrations.

Key Features

  • Lyro AI chatbot for automated FAQ and query handling

  • Visual flow builder for creating chatbot sequences

  • Live chat with real-time typing preview

  • Basic Shopify order lookup integration

  • Email and Messenger support in addition to website chat

Pros

  • Easiest setup in the category, under 30 minutes to live

  • Clean interface that requires minimal training

  • Strong free plan for very small stores

  • Large knowledge base and community support

Cons

  • Lyro cannot perform order actions, only provide information

  • WhatsApp and Instagram require additional setup or integration

  • Costs scale faster than expected as query volume grows

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $29/month.

Best for: Small Shopify stores with under 200 orders per month that need basic automated FAQ handling and live chat backup.

4. Re:amaze: Best for Multi-Channel Brands

Re:amaze sits between a pure chatbot and a full helpdesk. It handles customer conversations across email, live chat, SMS, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter from a unified inbox, making it one of the more complete multi-channel options in the mid-market range.

Its AI capabilities are solid for FAQ handling and routing, but Re:amaze is primarily a communication management platform rather than an automation-first chatbot. It excels when your team needs to manage a high volume of incoming messages across multiple channels with the help of AI drafting and canned response suggestions, rather than having the bot resolve queries end to end.

Shopify integration covers order data and customer information in the conversation sidebar. Agents can see order history without switching tools. Automated workflows can trigger responses based on customer intent, but full WISMO automation without human review is less robust than AeroChat or Gorgias.

Setup takes one to two days to configure all channels and build out automation workflows. The per-agent pricing model means costs grow as your team grows rather than as your query volume grows, which suits stores with stable team sizes better than rapidly scaling operations.

Key Features

  • Unified inbox for email, chat, social, and SMS

  • Shopify order data visible within conversations

  • AI-assisted response drafting and canned replies

  • Automation workflows for routing and tagging

  • Customer satisfaction surveys built in

Pros

  • Strongest multi-channel inbox coverage at this price point

  • Good for teams managing high message volumes across social channels

  • Per-agent pricing is predictable for established team sizes

Cons

  • Not an automation-first platform, relies more on agent-assisted workflows

  • Setup time is longer than chatbot-only platforms

  • UI feels dated compared to newer tools

Pricing: From $29/month per agent.

Best for: Multi-channel Shopify brands with a support team managing high message volumes across email, social, and chat simultaneously.

5. Heyday by Hootsuite: Best for Mid to Large Retail

Heyday is a conversational AI platform built with retail-scale operations in mind. It handles product discovery, order support, and customer queries in multiple languages, which makes it relevant for Shopify stores with international audiences or brick-and-mortar alongside ecommerce.

The AI handles product-related questions particularly well. Customers can describe what they are looking for and the bot can recommend specific products from your catalog. This goes beyond standard FAQ handling into genuine pre-purchase assistance. Post-purchase support including order tracking and return initiation is also covered.

Heyday's limitation for most Shopify stores is the pricing and onboarding model. It is an enterprise product with enterprise pricing and an onboarding process that takes days rather than minutes. For a mid-size store spending under $500 per month on their entire tech stack, Heyday will not fit the budget.

Key Features

  • AI-driven product discovery and recommendations

  • Multilingual support for international stores

  • Order tracking and return automation

  • Instagram and Messenger coverage alongside website chat

  • Integration with Hootsuite's social management tools

Pros

  • Strong product recommendation capability for retail

  • Multilingual AI without manual translation work

  • Suitable for enterprise scale and complexity

Cons

  • Enterprise pricing is not accessible for most Shopify stores

  • Onboarding requires significant time investment

  • Overkill for stores under $1M annual revenue

Pricing: Contact Heyday directly for current pricing.

Best for: Mid to large retail Shopify stores with international traffic and a customer success team for onboarding.

6. Chatty AI: Best Budget Option with AI Basics

Chatty AI is one of the newer chatbot apps to gain traction in the Shopify App Store. It offers a free plan with basic AI responses and paid plans that add Shopify order data access, making it one of the more accessible entry points for stores that want AI assistance without committing to a paid subscription immediately.

The AI handles common FAQ queries reasonably well on a trained knowledge base. Order tracking is available on paid plans with Shopify data sync. The setup is one of the fastest in the category at around 15 minutes.

Where Chatty AI shows its limitations is in channel coverage and automation depth. It covers website chat only. There is no native WhatsApp, Instagram, or Messenger integration. For stores where a meaningful share of customer communication happens on social channels, Chatty AI will not cover those conversations.

Key Features

  • AI chat with FAQ and product knowledge base training

  • Shopify order lookup on paid plans

  • Quick setup, no developer support needed

  • Free plan for basic use cases

Pros

  • Genuinely useful free plan for small stores

  • Fast setup

  • Clean, simple interface

Cons

  • Website only, no social channel coverage

  • Automation depth is limited compared to AeroChat or Gorgias

  • Fewer customisation options on the free plan

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $19/month.

Best for: Budget-conscious Shopify stores with low support volume that need basic AI FAQ handling on website chat only.

7. Juphy: Best for Social-First Shopify Brands

Juphy is designed for brands where most customer communication happens through social media rather than website chat. It aggregates messages from Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Twitter into a single inbox and adds AI-assisted responses and automation on top.

For Shopify stores running active social media operations and getting regular DMs about products, orders, and delivery across multiple platforms, Juphy's unified inbox approach reduces the time spent switching between apps. The AI suggests responses and handles repetitive queries, though the automation depth for order-level actions is less developed than dedicated Shopify chatbot platforms.

Setup takes around an hour to connect all channels and configure basic automation rules. Shopify integration provides order data in the conversation view. Full WISMO automation without human approval is partial rather than complete.

Key Features

  • Unified inbox for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Twitter

  • AI response suggestions and automation rules

  • Shopify order data within conversation view

  • Team assignment and tagging for conversation management

Pros

  • Strong social channel coverage in one place

  • Good for brands receiving high DM volume on Instagram

  • Simple team collaboration features

Cons

  • Less automation depth on order-level actions

  • Less suitable for stores where website chat is the primary support channel

  • Pricing structure less transparent than competitors

Pricing: From $29/month.

Best for: Social-first Shopify brands that get most customer queries through Instagram and Facebook and need a unified inbox for team management.

8. Relish AI: Best for Early-Stage Stores

Relish AI is a Shopify-native chatbot built specifically for the Shopify App Store with a free entry plan and a straightforward upgrade path. It handles FAQ automation, basic order lookup, and behaviour-triggered chat flows, making it a reasonable starting point for stores that are new to chatbot automation.

The setup is around 30 minutes and does not require developer involvement. FAQ training is done through a simple interface where you input questions and answers. Order lookup pulls from Shopify data on paid plans. The automation is rule-based rather than AI-driven on the free tier, which limits how it handles unexpected query variations.

For a store doing fewer than 100 orders per month and handling support solo, Relish AI covers the basics without a monthly cost. As order volume and query complexity grow, the limitations of the rule-based approach become apparent and migration to a more capable platform becomes necessary.

Key Features

  • FAQ automation with custom question and answer setup

  • Basic Shopify order lookup on paid plans

  • Behaviour-triggered chat flows

  • Free plan with core functionality

Pros

  • Free plan covers basic needs for very small stores

  • Simple setup without technical knowledge

  • Shopify-native with good App Store integration

Cons

  • Rule-based on free tier, less capable with varied query phrasing

  • No social channel coverage

  • Limited scalability for growing stores

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $29/month.

Best for: Early-stage Shopify stores with under 100 orders per month that need basic FAQ automation without a monthly commitment.

9. Chatra: Best for Hybrid Live Chat and AI

Chatra sits closer to the live chat side of the spectrum than the AI automation side. It adds automated responses and trigger-based messages to a core live chat product, making it useful for stores that want a human presence in chat with AI covering the gaps when agents are offline.

The cart-saving message feature is one of its more distinctive capabilities. Chatra can detect when a customer has been on the checkout page for a set time and trigger a proactive message offering assistance. This works well for stores with a higher-consideration purchase where a nudge at the right moment recovers sales that would otherwise be lost.

WISMO automation is not a Chatra strength. It does not perform order-level actions automatically. For post-purchase support, it provides canned responses and escalates to human agents rather than resolving queries end to end.

Key Features

  • Live chat with agent and automated hybrid support

  • Cart abandonment trigger messages

  • Typing preview for agents

  • Email and web chat coverage

  • Offline message collection

Pros

  • Good hybrid model for stores that want real agent presence

  • Cart recovery trigger messages work well for conversion

  • Clean and simple to use

Cons

  • Not an AI-first platform, limited automation depth

  • No order-level action capability

  • No WhatsApp or Instagram coverage

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $19/month.

Best for: Small to mid-size Shopify stores that want a real human chat presence with basic automation, particularly those with a higher-ticket product where human interaction at checkout helps conversion.

10. Shopify Inbox: Best Free Option for Micro Stores

Shopify Inbox is the built-in chat tool available to all Shopify merchants at no cost. It connects directly to your store with no additional installation, shows basic customer and order information in the conversation view, and allows saved replies for common questions.

What Shopify Inbox is not is an AI chatbot. It does not resolve queries automatically. It does not perform order actions without human involvement. It does not cover WhatsApp, Instagram, or any channel outside the Shopify storefront chat. Its role is to provide a human-staffed chat widget on your store without any cost.

For a store with fewer than 50 orders per month where the owner personally handles all support, Shopify Inbox is perfectly adequate. The Shopify Inbox comparison with AeroChat shows how quickly Shopify Inbox becomes a limitation once support volume grows.

Key Features

  • Free live chat directly integrated with Shopify

  • Basic order data in conversation view

  • Saved replies for common questions

  • Basic support insights

Pros

  • Completely free with no usage limits

  • Already included in every Shopify plan

  • Five-minute setup

Cons

  • Not an AI chatbot, requires human agents to respond

  • No automation or query deflection

  • Website only, no social channel support

Pricing: Free.

Best for: Micro Shopify stores under 50 orders per month where the owner personally responds to all customer queries and a chat widget is needed without any cost.

11. Richpanel: Best for Self-Service Portal Alongside Chat

Richpanel takes a different approach from every other tool in this list. Instead of putting the bot in front of the customer and having it answer queries through conversation, Richpanel gives customers a dedicated self-service portal where they can log in, view their orders, track shipments, initiate returns, manage subscriptions, and resolve the most common post-purchase issues themselves without ever opening a chat window.

This distinction matters for stores with high return rates, subscription products, or complex post-purchase journeys. A customer who can log into a branded portal, find their order, and start a return in under two minutes without waiting for a bot response or a human agent is a more satisfied customer than one who had to ask the same question through chat.

Richpanel does include a chat interface alongside the portal, and its AI handles queries that the self-service flow does not catch. It also pulls full Shopify order and customer data into the agent view so any conversation that escalates to a human starts with complete context already visible.

Where Richpanel shows limits is in proactive automation. It is built to respond when customers come looking, not to reach out through WhatsApp or Instagram with order updates or recovery messages. For stores that want both inbound self-service and outbound automation, pairing Richpanel with a messaging-first platform is the more complete solution. The Richpanel vs AeroChat comparison covers where each approach fits better based on your store's support model.

Key Features

  • Branded customer self-service portal for order tracking, returns, and account management

  • AI chat for queries the portal does not resolve

  • Full Shopify order and customer data in the agent view

  • Automated workflows for common post-purchase actions

  • Integration with return management apps

  • Team inbox for escalated conversations

Pros

  • Self-service portal reduces inbound query volume before it reaches the chat

  • Customers feel in control of their own post-purchase experience

  • Strong for subscription and high-return-rate stores

  • Clean branded interface that matches store aesthetics well

Cons

  • Not built for outbound messaging across WhatsApp or Instagram

  • Less effective for pre-purchase support compared to chat-first platforms

  • Portal setup requires more configuration time than a standard chatbot

Pricing: From $29/month. Pricing scales with team size and features.

Best for: Shopify stores with high post-purchase query volume, subscription products, or high return rates where giving customers direct access to their own order data reduces inbound contact significantly.

12. Freshdesk Messaging: Best for Stores Already Using Freshdesk

Freshdesk Messaging, which was previously known as Freshchat, is part of the Freshworks suite that many growing businesses already use for email support ticketing. For Shopify stores in that position, adding Freshdesk Messaging connects chat automation to an existing helpdesk setup without switching platforms or migrating data.

The AI layer, called Freddy AI, handles FAQ automation, intent detection, and basic order queries. It is capable on straightforward support topics and routes more complex queries to human agents with conversation context attached. The Shopify integration provides order data in the agent view and enables basic WISMO responses, though full automated order action capability is more limited than AeroChat or Gorgias at this tier.

Channel coverage is broad. Freshdesk Messaging covers website chat, WhatsApp, email, and social channels from a unified inbox. For stores that were already managing email support through Freshdesk, the addition of chat and WhatsApp in the same platform significantly reduces the number of tools the team has to switch between.

The free plan covers basic chat and AI features for a single agent. Paid plans add more automation depth, reporting, and team collaboration tools. Pricing is per agent per month, which scales predictably as the support team grows but adds up quickly for larger teams compared to flat-rate platforms. The Freshdesk vs AeroChat comparison shows where the two platforms diverge at different store sizes and support volumes.

Key Features

  • Freddy AI for FAQ automation and intent-based routing

  • Unified inbox for web chat, WhatsApp, email, and social

  • Full integration with Freshdesk ticketing and helpdesk

  • Shopify order data in the conversation view

  • Automated workflows and routing rules

  • Free plan for single-agent setups

Pros

  • Ideal for stores already using Freshdesk for email support

  • Broad channel coverage including WhatsApp on paid plans

  • Well-known brand with strong documentation and support community

  • Free entry plan with useful core features

Cons

  • Full WISMO automation is less capable than AeroChat or Gorgias at equivalent price points

  • Per-agent pricing increases cost as team grows

  • Setup takes a full day when connecting all channels and configuring Freddy AI properly

  • Less Shopify-native than purpose-built ecommerce chatbot platforms

Pricing: Free plan for basic use. Paid plans from $15 per agent per month.

Best for: Shopify stores that already use Freshdesk for email ticketing and want to add chat, WhatsApp, and AI automation without switching support platforms or managing a separate tool.

The WISMO Problem Every Shopify Store Has

WISMO stands for "Where Is My Order" and it is the single most common customer service query in ecommerce. Studies across Shopify merchant data consistently show that between 40 and 60 percent of all support queries are order tracking questions. Customers want to know where their package is, when it will arrive, and what the tracking number is.

This creates a straightforward calculation for chatbot selection. If a tool can resolve WISMO queries automatically and accurately, it handles the majority of your support volume without human involvement. If it cannot, your team is still manually answering the same question hundreds of times per month.

Of the ten tools in this guide, AeroChat, Gorgias, and Heyday handle WISMO fully automatically by connecting to Shopify's order API and responding with live tracking data. Tidio, Re:amaze, Chatty AI, Juphy, and Relish AI handle it partially, typically providing order status but not tracking links or delivery date estimates. Chatra and Shopify Inbox do not automate WISMO at all.

For any store processing more than 200 orders per month, full WISMO automation should be the first filter applied when choosing a chatbot. Partial automation still leaves a significant share of queries in a human queue. To understand the full revenue impact of this, the breakdown on reduce WISMO tickets on Shopify shows what manual order query handling costs in real terms.

Stores that have fully automated WISMO responses through AeroChat report automate order tracking removing 40 to 55 percent of their total support ticket volume within the first 30 days.

How to Add an AI Chatbot to Your Shopify Store

Adding a chatbot to Shopify takes under 30 minutes for most platforms. Here is the standard process.

Step 1: Choose your platform based on your store's needs. Use the comparison table above to match your order volume, channel needs, and budget to the right tool.

Step 2: Install the app from the Shopify App Store. Search for your chosen platform and click Install. Approve the permissions the app requests. For AeroChat, go to set up Shopify chatbot for a step-by-step walkthrough specific to our platform.

Best ai Chatbot For Shopify

Step 3: Connect your Shopify store data. The app will request access to your orders, products, and customer data. Approve this to enable order-level automation. Without this connection, the chatbot cannot pull live order information.

Best shopify ai chatbot connectioj

Step 4: Train the chatbot on your store's content. Upload or link your FAQ page, return policy, shipping policy, and any other customer-facing documentation. This is what the bot uses to answer store-specific questions accurately.

Step 5: Connect your additional channels. If your platform supports WhatsApp, Instagram, or Messenger, connect these now. Each channel requires its own authentication step.

Step 6: Run test conversations before going live. Ask the bot your 10 most common support questions and check the accuracy of the responses. Fix any gaps in the training data before customers encounter them.

Most stores are live and handling real conversations within one working day of starting the installation.

Which Chatbot Fits Your Store Size

Store Stage

Monthly Orders

Recommended Tool

Why

Just launched

Under 50

Shopify Inbox or Relish AI free

Low volume, human handling is still manageable

Early growth

50 to 200

Tidio or Chatty AI

Basic automation covers FAQs without high cost

Growing store

200 to 500

AeroChat

WISMO automation and multi-channel cover most needs

Scaling brand

500 to 2,000

AeroChat or Gorgias

High deflection rates needed, team management features

Enterprise

2,000 plus

Gorgias or Heyday

Full helpdesk infrastructure and team tooling required

High return rate

Any

Richpanel

Self-service portal reduces inbound contact before it starts

Social-first DTC

Any

AeroChat or Juphy

Heavy Instagram and WhatsApp volume needs native coverage

International

Any

Heyday or AeroChat

Multilingual needs and multi-timezone coverage

Freshdesk users

Any

Freshdesk Messaging

Add chat to existing Freshdesk setup without switching tools

Real Cost Comparison at 500 Orders Per Month

Headline pricing rarely reflects what you actually pay. Here is a realistic monthly cost estimate for a store processing 500 orders per month with a typical support rate of 15 percent (75 support queries per month):

  • AeroChat: $36 to $79/month depending on plan, no per-conversation fees

  • Gorgias: $10 base plus usage fees, typically $60 to $90/month at this volume

  • Tidio: $29 to $59/month depending on AI conversation volume

  • Re:amaze: $29 per agent per month, $58/month for a two-person team

  • Relish AI: $29/month paid plan needed for order lookup at this volume

For a full breakdown of what these tools cost at different order volumes including overage fees, the chatbot ROI Shopify calculator models this across multiple scenarios.

Tool

Free Plan

Entry Paid Plan

Est. Monthly at 500 Orders

Pricing Model

AeroChat

Yes

$36/mo

$36 to $79

Flat rate

Gorgias

No

$10/mo + usage

$60 to $90

Base + per ticket

Tidio

Yes

$29/mo

$29 to $59

Per conversation volume

Re:amaze

No

$29/agent/mo

$58 (2 agents)

Per agent

Richpanel

No

$29/mo

$29 to $79

Flat rate per tier

Freshdesk Messaging

Yes

$15/agent/mo

$30 to $60

Per agent

Relish AI

Yes

$29/mo

$29

Flat rate

Chatty AI

Yes

$19/mo

$19

Flat rate

Best overall for customer service automation: AeroChat. Full WISMO automation, all four channels included, 20-minute setup.

Best for enterprise and high-volume support: Gorgias. Strongest helpdesk infrastructure, scales well with dedicated support teams.

Best for small stores on a budget: Tidio. Clean interface, fast setup, solid free plan for under 200 orders per month.

Best self-service portal: Richpanel. Customers resolve their own post-purchase queries without needing to contact support at all.

Best for stores already on Freshdesk: Freshdesk Messaging. Adds chat and WhatsApp to an existing Freshdesk ticketing setup without changing platforms.

Best free option: Shopify Inbox for micro stores, Relish AI or Chatty AI if basic AI automation is needed at no cost.

Best for social-first brands: Juphy or AeroChat. Both cover Instagram and Messenger with unified inbox management.

Best for international stores: Heyday for multilingual AI. AeroChat for multi-timezone automation without multilingual requirements.

Best hybrid live chat plus AI: Chatra for stores that want a human chat presence with basic automation backing it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Shopify AI chatbot cost?

Entry-level plans start from free (Shopify Inbox, Chatty AI, Relish AI) to $19 to $36 per month for capable AI automation. Enterprise platforms like Gorgias scale with usage and can reach several hundred dollars per month at high ticket volumes. For a full breakdown, see the chatbot pricing comparison guide.

Can a Shopify chatbot handle order tracking automatically?

Yes, but only platforms with deep Shopify API integration. AeroChat, Gorgias, and Heyday pull live order data and respond to tracking queries without human involvement. Tidio, Re:amaze, and others provide partial order information but may not include live tracking links or estimated delivery dates.

How long does it take to set up a chatbot on Shopify?

Between 15 minutes and several days depending on the platform. AeroChat and Chatty AI take around 15 to 20 minutes. Tidio takes around 30 minutes. Gorgias and Re:amaze require one to three days for full configuration. Enterprise platforms like Heyday involve a formal onboarding process.

What percentage of support queries can a chatbot handle automatically?

On a well-configured setup, AeroChat handles up to 70 percent of queries without escalation. Tidio's Lyro handles around 70 percent of repetitive FAQ-type queries. Overall deflection rate depends on how well the chatbot is trained and how complex the store's support queries are. Stores with high WISMO volume see the fastest improvement because order tracking is the most automatable query type.

Is it worth paying for a chatbot if I have Shopify Inbox for free?

For stores under 50 orders per month, probably not. For stores over 200 orders per month where support time is a real cost, the math changes quickly. A chatbot that deflects 60 percent of queries at $36 per month costs less than an hour of part-time support staff and runs around the clock. Measure chatbot ROI for your specific order volume to see the actual comparison.

What should I look for when choosing a Shopify AI chatbot?

Start with WISMO capability because order tracking is your highest-volume query type. Then check which channels you need covered and whether they are included in the base plan or charged as add-ons. Look at the real monthly cost at your actual order volume, not the headline price. Finally, check setup time against how quickly you need to be live.

Ready to scale customer support — without the chaos?

Unify all your customer messages in one place.
No prompt setup. No flow-building. Just faster replies, happier customers, and more conversions.

Ready to scale customer support — without the chaos?

Unify all your customer messages in one place.
No prompt setup. No flow-building. Just faster replies, happier customers, and more conversions.

AeroChat is an omnichannel customer communication platform that unifies chat, email, and ticketing — helping businesses respond faster, support smarter, and convert more — without the chaos.

© 2025 AeroChat. All rights reserved.

AeroChat is an omnichannel customer communication platform that unifies chat, email, and ticketing — helping businesses respond faster, support smarter, and convert more — without the chaos.

© 2025 AeroChat. All rights reserved.