Live chat
Last updated · A-Widget
| Decision | Shopify Inbox | Tidio | LiveChat | Gorgias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A merchant who needs a direct storefront conversation route | A store comparing a human queue with a narrow automated FAQ | A team that can answer pre-sale questions and route order issues | A store handling a wider set of order-support tasks |
| Documented scope | Shopify storefront chat; Instant answers and availability settings; Requires an eligible Shopify store and access | Live chat and help desk; Lyro AI and Flows have distinct usage units; Published free tier has finite allowances | New trials use Text plans with chat, inbox and AI Agent; Essential and Growth charge per user with AI limits; Existing LiveChat plans remain on legacy pricing | Ecommerce help-desk product; Shopify integration route; Ticket and automation units need checking |
| Trade-off | A broader support process may need another system | Human, AI and Flows usage are distinct | Seats and staffing both affect the decision | Ticket and automation definitions need careful checking |
| Next step | Read Shopify Inbox analysis | Read Tidio analysis | Read LiveChat analysis | Read Gorgias analysis |
Shopify Inbox
Our verdict:
Shopify store questions
Best for A merchant who needs a direct storefront conversation route
Keep in mind: A broader support process may need another system
Shopify Inbox fits a store already on Shopify. Its main job is a direct conversation with a shopper. Its official help describes store chat, instant answers and availability. Keep the answers aligned with current store policies.
Start here for a narrow task before adopting a separate help desk. Check store access and staff access. An app connection does not prove that the person chatting owns the order they mention.
Tidio
Our verdict:
Mixed support workload
Best for A store comparing a human queue with a narrow automated FAQ
Keep in mind: Human, AI and Flows usage are distinct
Tidio is a candidate for stores that want to assess chat and automation together. A bot can handle a defined knowledge task while a person handles exceptions. Confirm the real product and plan for each part.
Keep the bot away from promises it cannot verify. If the current source does not prove stock, delivery or refund access, the reply should say so and hand over. Our pricing guide distinguishes conversation allowances, AI usage and staff-seat charges.
LiveChat
Our verdict:
Human store support
Best for A team that can answer pre-sale questions and route order issues
Keep in mind: Seats and staffing both affect the decision
LiveChat is a candidate when people are assigned to reply during stated hours. Compare the current plan against staff access and the supported store connection. A per-person price does not include the labour of covering the queue.
For new buyers, the current offer is Text: Essential, Growth and Enterprise combine chat with AI Agent scope. Include AI limits in the store workload check. Existing LiveChat subscriptions use legacy pricing; the distinct ChatBot product does not define Text's included AI.
A pre-sale conversation may need a product explanation. An order change needs a distinct, verified path. Give staff a clear rule for moving private or account-specific work into the store's secure process.
Gorgias
Our verdict:
Ecommerce support queue
Best for A store handling a wider set of order-support tasks
Keep in mind: Ticket and automation definitions need careful checking
Gorgias is useful to a broader ecommerce help-desk workflow. Inspect its documented store connection and current charging units. A business that only needs a small chat entrance should consider whether that wider scope is necessary.
Check the difference between viewing order context and taking an order action. Staff permissions should follow the task. A convenient inbox should not grant more access than the role needs.
For a pre-sale question, point to accurate product and delivery facts. For order status, use the supported status route and verify access where needed. For a return, apply the current policy and hand off exceptions to someone with authority.
These are distinct workflows even if one launcher receives them. Mark them clearly for staff so a bot answer does not masquerade as a final decision on a user's account.
Count the people who need access and the types of work they handle. Then inspect the vendor's billing units. Seats, tickets, conversations and AI use are not interchangeable.
Do not present abandoned-cart or revenue claims as your own observed results. A vendor's marketing claim is not evidence that your store will achieve it. Track real conversations separately from completed purchases.
Set the hours the team can cover. Give users a clear message when a reply will come later. A bot should find its limits rather than imply that a human is typing.
Keep a contact and policy route available without chat. A blocked widget should not stop a user from finding the returns process. Check the published mobile view near cart controls.
Inspect which data the app receives and how staff use it. Read the current vendor terms and keep the store's privacy details exact. Do not send private order details into an unsupported external tool.
Ask users to use a secure account route for sensitive changes. Avoid collecting passwords or card details in chat. A conversation is not a universal identity check.
Use the Shopify chat comparison for platform fit. Use the main live chat guide if the store runs elsewhere.
Keep an order change in the store's secure process. A name or order number typed into chat is not enough to prove who owns it. Staff can still help by showing the user the correct next step without exposing private details.
A fictional shop gets a question about an item. Staff can point to the current product page and explain what it says. If stock is not verified through a supported source, they should not promise that the item will be held.
A user may then ask to change an order. That is a new task. Move it to the store's secure process rather than asking for a password in chat. The first friendly exchange does not prove account ownership.
When staff are away, say that the user is leaving a message. Keep the order-status and contact routes visible on the page. A bot can help explain those routes without claiming that a person has read the request.
This makes the boundary useful to the user. They receive a clear answer or next step instead of a claim the store cannot support. Staff also get a better-defined task to handle.
No result is promised here. Chat provides a route for questions, while outcomes depend on traffic, products, answers and staff. A new inquiry is not a sale. Measure the real events you can observe and keep vendor marketing claims separate from your own results.
