I tried the 7 best Shopify live chat apps in 2025 (Here’s the winner)

Running a Shopify store has its highs and lows, right? It’s awesome when the orders start piling up, but then the customer questions follow. "Where's my order?" "Got this in another color?" "What's your return policy again?" Before you know it, you're buried in your inbox, answering the same things over and over instead of, you know, actually running your business.

You figure live chat is the solution, but a quick look at the Shopify App Store is... a lot. There are hundreds of them. How are you supposed to tell the basic chat bubbles from the ones with smart AI that can actually lift some weight off your shoulders?

I was in the same boat, so I decided to test them all out. This is my no-fluff guide to the 7 best Shopify live chat apps I found, breaking down what’s good, what’s not, and who each one is really for.

What are the best Shopify live chat apps?

So, what are we even talking about here? In short, Shopify live chat apps are tools you pop onto your store to talk with customers in real time. But they're not just the simple chat pop-ups from years ago.

Today's apps are much smarter. Many come with AI chatbots that can handle questions around the clock, link up with your social media like WhatsApp and Instagram, and pull info straight from Shopify. That means they can look up an order status or check if a product is in stock, all on their own.

The whole point is to give customers fast answers, stop them from leaving their carts behind, and make online shopping feel a bit more like talking to a helpful person in a real store.

Key features to look for in the best Shopify live chat apps

When I was testing these apps, a few things stood out as non-negotiable. If you're shopping around, here’s what I think you should be looking for.

• Deep Shopify integration: A chat widget should do more than just sit on your site. The best ones pull customer data, show order history, and even let you process refunds right from the chat, saving you from constantly switching tabs.

• AI and automation capabilities: Let's be honest, modern support runs on automation. Look for AI chatbots that can handle common questions (like "Where is my order?"), send tricky issues to the right person, and keep working while you're asleep.

• Ease of setup and use: You're busy. You shouldn't need a developer to get a chat app working. The best tools have a self-serve setup that you can complete in minutes, not months. This is a huge change from older enterprise platforms that often make you sit through a demo just to see the product.

• Omnichannel support: Your customers are everywhere. They'll message you on Instagram, send you an email, or use your chat widget. A good app pulls all these conversations into one inbox so your team always has the full picture.

• Transparent pricing: Nothing’s worse than a surprise bill. I focused on tools with clear, predictable pricing. Watch out for apps that charge "per resolution", your bill can explode during busy times like Black Friday.

Comparison of the best Shopify live chat apps for 2025

Here's a quick side-by-side look at the top contenders we'll be diving into.

App	Best For	Key Features	Starting Price	Shopify Rating
eesel AI	Integrating powerful AI into your existing helpdesk	AI Chatbot, trains on past tickets, simulation mode, custom actions	$299/month	N/A (Integrates with existing apps)
Gorgias	Stores deeply embedded in the Shopify ecosystem	Deep Shopify integration, social media support, rules & macros	$10/month (Starter)	4.0/5
Tidio	Small businesses wanting a free, all-in-one solution	Free plan, visual chatbot builder, email marketing	$0/month (Free)	4.6/5
LiveChat	Teams focused on sales and proactive engagement	Product cards, chat routing, extensive reporting	$20/agent/month	4.1/5
Zendesk	Large enterprises needing a comprehensive support suite	Omnichannel ticketing, help center, advanced analytics	$55/agent/month (Suite Team)	3.0/5
Re:amaze	Multi-brand stores needing a unified inbox	Multi-store support, push campaigns, satisfaction surveys	$29/user/month	4.7/5
Tawk.to	Businesses on a tight budget needing basic chat	100% free, unlimited agents, built-in knowledge base	$0/month	4.3/5

A closer look at the 7 best Shopify live chat apps

Let's get into the details. Here’s my hands-on review of each platform.

1. eesel AI

eesel AI does things differently. It isn't another helpdesk you have to move your whole operation to. Instead, it’s a smart AI layer that connects right into the tools you’re already using. So instead of ditching your current setup, it gives platforms like Gorgias or Zendesk a serious boost with a customizable AI agent and chatbot. The cool part is that it learns from your own business data, so it actually sounds like your team.

• Pros:

  • Go live in minutes: You can set it up completely on your own without talking to a sales rep. It's genuinely self-serve.

  • Unifies all your knowledge: It learns from everything, past support tickets, your help center, Google Docs, and even your Shopify product data.

  • Risk-free testing: It has a simulation mode that lets you test the AI on your past tickets before it ever speaks to a real customer. This is a huge confidence booster.

  • No "rip and replace": It works with the helpdesk you already have, so there's no painful migration process.

• Cons:

  • The starting price is higher than basic chat-only tools.

  • It's best for businesses that are serious about support and likely already have a helpdesk in place.

• Pricing: Plans start at $299/month for the Team plan, which includes up to 1,000 AI interactions per month (one interaction is one AI reply or action). Business plans at $799/month include 3,000 interactions and advanced features like training on past tickets.

• Why we included it: For me, eesel AI represents where support is heading. It’s a great option for stores that want to use smart AI without having to overhaul their entire workflow. It gives you a level of control and customization that you just don't get with most all-in-one platforms.

An infographic showing how eesel AI unifies knowledge from various sources to power its chatbot, a key feature for the best Shopify live chat apps.

2. Gorgias

Gorgias is a helpdesk made specifically for ecommerce stores, and its connection with Shopify is probably the tightest I've seen. It gathers all your customer chats, emails, and social media messages into one place and puts all the customer's Shopify data right next to the conversation.

• Pros:

  • The Shopify integration is second to none. You can edit orders and issue refunds without leaving the chat.

  • Great for managing social media comments and DMs from Facebook and Instagram.

  • You can create rules and macros to automate common responses.

• Cons:

  • The built-in AI features are less customizable than what you'd get from a dedicated AI platform.

  • The pricing is based on ticket volume, so it can get expensive quickly as your store grows.

  • Some users report that the interface can feel a bit slow, especially if you're managing multiple stores.

• Pricing: Pricing starts at $10/month for the Starter plan with only 50 tickets. Most growing stores will need the Basic plan at $50/month (billed annually) for 300 tickets. AI features are an additional cost per automated resolution.

• Why we included it: If your business lives and breathes Shopify, Gorgias is a top contender. Its tight integration makes handling daily support tasks incredibly efficient.

3. Tidio

Tidio is a popular tool because it bundles live chat, AI chatbots, and email marketing into a single platform. It’s known for being simple to use and having a really solid free plan, which makes it an obvious choice for stores just starting out.

• Pros:

  • An excellent free plan that includes live chat conversations with up to 50 unique users.

  • An intuitive visual editor lets you build your own chatbots without writing any code.

  • Comes with basic email marketing and lead generation features.

• Cons:

  • The AI chatbot, Lyro, is powerful but its usage is very limited on the lower-tier plans.

  • Once you have a high volume of conversations, managing them can start to feel a little clunky.

• Pricing: A free plan is available. The Starter plan is $24.17/month with 100 "billable conversations" (conversations a human agent replies to). Standalone AI plans start at $32.50/month for 50 AI-powered conversations.

• Why we included it: Tidio is the perfect entry point for small businesses. It gives you a fantastic set of features for free and has an easy upgrade path for when you're ready to scale.

4. LiveChat

LiveChat is one of the old guards in this space, and its focus has always been on turning conversations into sales. It's packed with features designed to proactively engage your website visitors, like "product cards" that your agents can share directly in the chat to recommend items.

• Pros:

  • Perfect for sales-focused teams who want to drive conversions.

  • Offers detailed reporting and analytics to track agent performance and sales goals.

  • Has over 200 integrations with other business tools.

• Cons:

  • The interface feels a bit dated compared to some of the newer platforms on this list.

  • The more advanced AI and chatbot features are sold as a separate add-on product, which can get pricey.

• Pricing: Plans are priced per agent and start at $20/month per agent (billed annually). The Team plan is $41/agent/month. Their ChatBot add-on starts at an additional $52/month.

• Why we included it: If your main goal with live chat is to increase your store's revenue and average order value, LiveChat's sales-oriented features make it a very strong choice.

5. Zendesk

Zendesk is the enterprise-grade behemoth of customer service. It’s a massive, all-in-one suite with a powerful ticketing system, a help center builder, and deep analytics, not just live chat. It’s really designed for large teams with complex support needs.

• Pros:

  • Extremely powerful and can scale to support even the largest teams.

  • Provides true omnichannel support, bringing every customer channel into one unified view.

  • Its advanced reporting gives you deep insights into every aspect of your support operations.

• Cons:

  • It's complex and can be overwhelming for small businesses to set up and manage.

  • It's one of the more expensive options on this list.

  • There's a steep learning curve; it requires a significant time investment to customize it properly.

• Pricing: The Suite Team plan starts at $55/agent/month (billed annually).

• Why we included it: For large, established Shopify stores with dedicated support teams, Zendesk is the industry standard for a reason. It offers unparalleled power and scalability if you have the budget and resources to manage it.

6. Re:amaze

Re:amaze is a helpdesk and live chat solution designed specifically for businesses that manage multiple brands or stores. It combines email, chat, social media, SMS, and more into a single shared inbox, making it easy to provide consistent support across all your different properties.

• Pros:

  • Excellent for managing support for multiple Shopify stores from a single account.

  • Has built-in features for creating an FAQ and a status page.

  • Allows you to send proactive push notification campaigns to engage customers.

• Cons:

  • The user interface can feel a bit cluttered with all the features packed in.

  • Its chatbot and automation capabilities aren't as advanced as some of the more modern competitors.

• Pricing: Plans are priced per user and start at $29/user/month for the Basic plan. A 14-day free trial is available.

• Why we included it: If you're juggling customer support for more than one online store, Re:amaze's multi-brand capabilities are a total lifesaver and can really simplify your workflow.

7. Tawk.to

Tawk.to is unique on this list because its core live chat software is completely, 100% free. It lets you add unlimited agents and use it on as many websites as you want without paying a dime. The company makes money by offering optional services, like hiring their chat agents to answer chats for you for about $1/hour.

• Pros:

  • The software is genuinely free, with unlimited agents and chat history.

  • Includes basic ticketing features and a built-in knowledge base.

  • Very easy to set up and get started with.

• Cons:

  • It lacks the advanced automation and AI features found in paid tools.

  • The interface and design feel quite basic and a little dated.

  • Reporting is not as detailed as what you'd get from paid alternatives.

• Pricing: Free. You can pay for add-ons, like removing the "Powered by tawk.to" branding or hiring their agents.

• Why we included it: For any business on a shoestring budget, Tawk.to is simply unbeatable. It provides all the essential live chat functionality you need to get started without any cost.

Pro tips for success with your Shopify live chat app

Just installing a chat app won't magically solve everything. To really get the most out of it, you need to be a little strategic. Here are a few things I picked up that can make a huge difference.

• Connect your knowledge base first. Before you let an AI or even your agents start answering questions, make sure your chat tool is connected to your help center and FAQs. This ensures answers are consistent and empowers chatbots to resolve issues on their own.

• Start by automating common questions. Don't try to automate everything at once. Begin with the top 3-5 questions your team gets every day, like "Where's my order?" or "What's your return policy?" This will immediately free up your team for more valuable conversations.

• Simulate and test before you go live. The biggest fear with AI is that it will say the wrong thing to a customer. That's why testing is so important. Platforms like eesel AI let you run simulations on thousands of your past customer tickets, so you can see exactly how the AI will perform and build confidence before you activate it.

• Define a clear escalation path. Your bot needs to know when to give up and hand a conversation over to a human. A frustrated customer stuck talking to a bot that can't help is a recipe for a lost sale. Set a clear escalation path for when a human needs to step in.

The simulation mode in eesel AI allows businesses to test their chatbot on past customer tickets, a key step for success with the best Shopify live chat apps.

The verdict on the best Shopify live chat apps: Moving beyond basic chat with AI

So, there you have it. There’s a live chat app for pretty much any Shopify store, whether you're starting with zero budget with Tawk.to or need the deep ecommerce features of Gorgias.

But if you’re looking to grow, manually answering every chat just isn't going to cut it for long. This is where AI really starts to matter. Being able to automate the common questions and learn from your own data is what lets you scale your support without just hiring more people.

While tools like Tidio and Gorgias have some great features, something like eesel AI feels like a more sustainable solution. Because it works with your existing helpdesk, you get the benefits of powerful automation without having to rip everything out and start over. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

If you’re curious about what that could look like for your store, it's worth checking out eesel AI's AI Chatbot for ecommerce to see how you can automate the repetitive stuff and free up your team for what matters.