10 Best Shopify Live Chat Apps: Both FREE and PAID

Your Shopify website serves as the central hub where your potential customers explore, gather information, and make purchases. It’s also the go-to destination for consumers when they need assistance. Providing real-time support is crucial for these important interactions, and implementing a live chat feature is the most efficient and impactful method for you to achieve that.

You are in the right spot if you’re all set to invest in the top-notch Shopify live chat app for your online store. Shopify is globally recognized as one of the leading eCommerce platforms, renowned for its user-friendly interface and extensive range of features. With Shopify, you can equip yourself with all the necessary tools to excel in the digital realm and ensure your online business thrives.

With numerous Shopify apps at your disposal, covering everything from SEO optimization to inventory management, it can be overwhelming to navigate through the options. 

But in this article, we will specifically focus on one of the most sought-after functionalities for offering great customer service and enhanced customer experience: live chat. However, given the extensive range of choices, the question arises: How can you discover the best Shopify live chat app that suits your needs?

Here I have designed this blog precisely to address your concern. In the following sections, I will provide you with an understanding of what Shopify live chat entails. Additionally, I will also present a concise compilation of the top 10 paid and free live chat options to assist you in making an informed decision.

Shopify Live Chat App: What’s this all about?

Shopify live chat apps are utilized by companies to offer pre and post-sale assistance through live chat and social messaging. Websites have limitations in terms of displaying information, and visitors may feel confused and leave your website without getting proper assistance. 

By incorporating a live chat app into your Shopify site, you can ensure that a helpful resource is readily available to provide real-time support whenever necessary, especially when visitors lack the time to search for answers independently.

Live chat apps enable your customers to interact and inquire about various aspects such as shipping status, returns, exchanges, product recommendations, and more. Agents can also utilize live chat proactively to remind customers about abandoned carts or gently guide them back to items they have shown interest in multiple times. 

The combination of real-time assistance, personalized engagements, and proactive outreach not only enhances conversion rates and fosters customer loyalty but also reduces operational costs associated with customer service.

10 Best Live Chat Apps for Shopify: Both FREE and PAID

The Shopify store is filled with numerous live chat apps. Don’t be enticed by flashy features, as not all of them provide the level of customization desired by many businesses.

That’s why we have carefully selected and compiled this list of the top choices available both free and paid. Even if you’re new to researching live chat options for Shopify, we will be there to guide you throughout. 

First, let’s start with the best FREE options available!

1. Tawk (FREE)

Tawk is a renowned provider of Shopify live chat apps, offering a popular free application called Tawk.To Live chat. It serves as an effective tool for managing both your Shopify online store and customer transactions. It ensures seamless communication with customers, supporting compatibility with various modern browsers like Facebook and Zalo. 

Engaging in chat interactions with your website visitors, fosters increased user interaction and enables tracking of customer behaviors to fulfill their specific demands. Notably, the app allows unlimited usage of chat representatives, chats, and website integration without any charges.

Key Features:

• Efficiently handle and oversee Shopify orders directly within chats and tickets.
• Customize greetings using triggers based on factors such as location and previous visits.
• Deliver quick and precise responses using canned messages.
• Effectively manage an unlimited number of customers within your CRM.

Cons:

• It’s a bit complicated to use.
• Does not offer a chatbot.
• To remove the “Powered by tawk.to” branding logo, payment is required.

2. Chatra (Free Plan Available)

The Chatra Live Chat and Facebook app, developed by Roger Wilco LLC, enhances communication between Shopify store owners and their customers through live chat and Facebook Messenger. This app not only enables increased customer engagement but also contributes to boosting sales by assisting customers in placing orders. 

Notably, it allows you to gather actionable feedback from customers, thereby improving their trust and enhancing your online store’s reputation. Additionally, you can identify issues, collect customer contact information, and gain a better understanding of their needs. Furthermore, it lets you track the contents of a shopper’s cart in real-time, identifying the most valuable customers and offering personalized assistance.

Key Features: 

• Reply to chat and Facebook messages.
• Respond to inquiries, address doubts, and promote additional products/services.
• Combat cart abandonment.
• Display agent photos with the Agent profile.

Cons:

• Some users may find that Chatra’s customization options are not as extensive as they would like to have.
• It has limitations when it comes to integrating with certain third-party apps or platforms.
• For businesses that require advanced functionalities or complex automation options, Chatra may not provide all the advanced features they are looking for. 

3. Pure Chat (Free Plan Available)

The Pure Chat live chat app is a valuable tool to consider for your Shopify online store. Additionally, it empowers you to engage in real-time conversations with online store visitors, thereby increasing customer interaction. Furthermore, you can easily reduce operational costs and minimize cart abandonment. 

The unlimited chat box feature ensures customers receive support at any time, ultimately contributing to increased store profitability. What’s more, this app is completely free and can be installed with just one click, eliminating the need for coding. Pure Chat also provides customization options to tailor the store to individual preferences. 

Key Features:

• Enable scheduling for operator availability.
• Receive automatic live chat alerts.
• Complete advanced widget customization according to your preferences
• Maintain an unlimited chat history record.

Cons:

• While Pure Chat offers a free version, it may have limitations in terms of features and functionality compared to the paid plans.
• It may not offer as many advanced automation features compared to some other live chat software options.
• Pure Chat offers limited customization options, particularly in terms of color schemes, language choices, and branding possibilities. 
• Free users do not receive an uptime guarantee.

4. Facebook Chatbox (Free)

The Facebook Chat Box, developed by Autoketing, offers a convenient way for Shopify store owners to engage with customers through Facebook Messenger. This app stands out as a top solution, providing numerous effective features to connect businesses with customers worldwide. Setting up the app is quick and straightforward, with automatic installation. 

Leveraging the popularity of Facebook, the Facebook Chat Box app ensures continuous customer care regardless of time or location. Additionally, the app allows you to enhance the aesthetics and professionalism of your online store through customizable icons with text and color. 

Furthermore, it ensures optimal product display across multiple devices, providing your customers with the best-in-class viewing experience. Lastly, seamless integration with Shopify enables you to maximize customer satisfaction effortlessly.

Key Features:

• Offer personalized assistance to your online customers 24/7.
• Seamlessly integrates with Shopify.
• Ensures a fully responsive display on all devices.
• Automatically set up without hassle.
• Allows your customers to send direct messages to your Facebook page through Messenger.
• Display pop-ups featuring discount codes to incentivize customers to sign up.
• Send messages to customers for abandoned items in their carts.
• Create automated marketing campaigns through Messenger for targeted engagement.
•  Provide detailed notifications regarding the status of customer orders.

Cons:

• It may have limitations when it comes to customization options. Users may not have complete control over the design and appearance of the chatbot.
• As it relies on the Facebook Messenger platform, any changes or updates made by Facebook can directly impact the functionality and performance of the chatbot.
• The Facebook Chat Box – Chatbot is primarily designed for businesses that have a presence on Facebook. For users who do not have a Facebook account or are not familiar with the platform, there may be a learning curve and added complexity in setting up and using the chatbot.
• As it primarily operates through Facebook Messenger, which means that customer support and communication may be limited to this channel. Businesses that require support through other channels may find this limiting.

5. Easy Messenger (Free Plan Available)

Developed by the NexusMedia team, it is a valuable tool for Shopify Ecommerce administrators seeking to utilize Facebook Messenger as a live chat platform for their online stores. 

Given the widespread popularity of Facebook Messenger as a communication channel, integrating a live chat directly into it provides a powerful means to actively engage potential customers with your online store or brand. 

By offering real-time customer support, you can significantly boost your conversion rate and foster stronger customer relationships. Easy Messenger is an essential extension for expanding your global sales, implementing cross-selling strategies, and executing effective marketing campaigns. It enables you to grow your Facebook target audience and reach potential leads, even if they have left your website.

Key Features:

• Deliver automated messages for order confirmation and fulfillment.
• Utilize “Send Me” product widgets for offering discounts and boost conversions, while growing your audience.
• Add a Messenger Live Chat widget on your online store for instant customer support.

Cons:

• The app primarily operates within the Facebook Messenger ecosystem, which means it may not cater to customers who are not active Facebook users.
• It may have limitations when it comes to integrating with other third-party apps or platforms. If your business relies on specific tools or systems for cart recovery or customer communication, it’s essential to ensure compatibility with this app. 
• As the app is built around Facebook Messenger, any changes or updates made by Facebook to its platform can directly affect its performance and functionality.

Now it’s time for the ‘Paid Options’ of the best Shopify live chat apps! Keep on reading this space to know more.

6. REVE Chat

It is an omni-channel live chat platform that allows you to offer instant assistance to your Shopify store, mobile app, and other messaging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Viber, and WhatsApp. 

Apart from live chat, it also offers an AI-powered chatbot to automate all your customer support and business operations. 

Being a business owner, if you are looking for improved customer engagement or seeking to streamline the support process, opting for REVE Chat with advanced features will be a great investment for improved customer service, lead generation, and great sales. 

Key Features:

• Automate your whole customer service operations with an AI-powered chatbot and provide instant assistance to customers when your team is not available.
• Let your customers initiate live chat sessions to interact with your support team for instant assistance. 
• REVE Chat’s video chat feature allows customers to initiate video calls to your customer support agents through the chat interface.
• View and control your customer’s screen during a live chat session for providing technical support, assisting with online purchases, or demonstrating a product or service.
• With the ticketing system, track and manage customer queries and chat requests efficiently through the same interface. 
• REVE Chat offers detailed analytics on the performance of your support team and customers to identify the pain points for further improvements and better customer engagement.

7. Tidio

Tidio Chat holds the distinction of being the most reviewed Live Chat application on the Shopify Store, and it’s not without good reason. With over 300,000 businesses currently utilizing it, Tidio Chat is packed with features and offers a user-friendly, cloud-based platform that seamlessly integrates with your store, making it highly accessible on mobile devices.

Whether your focus is on enhancing customer service or providing self-help options for your users, Tidio Chat is well-suited for the task. Additionally, small businesses may find its free chat option particularly appealing. Let’s delve into what sets Tidio apart and makes it a popular choice.

Key Features:

• Offers complete customization options for its chat box, allowing you to match its design with your online store.
• You can save visitor profiles, enabling you to provide customized solutions or targeted marketing campaigns to them in the future.
• The chat box can be integrated with a lead capture form, allowing you to capture the visitor’s email before starting the chat.
• pre-built chatbots that can engage customers and help convert their hesitation into motivation by offering quick responses.
• A notable feature of Tidio Chat is the ability to see what the customer is typing in real-time, enabling you to prepare your responses in advance.

Cons: 

• There is a lack of language assistance options, limiting your ability to provide support in customers’ native languages.
• Tidio may be inaccessible to some due to its high pricing.
• It is not equipped to handle multiple chats simultaneously, and operators are not notified when they respond in multiple windows, potentially leading to delays in addressing customer queries.

8. LiveChat

LiveChat is an extensively utilized Live Chat software within the Ecommerce sector, appreciated for its seamless integrations and comprehensive range of top-notch features. 

It excels in areas such as data collection, automation, customization, marketing capabilities, conditional rules, archiving, ratings, transfers, and more. Simply put, LiveChat encompasses a vast array of functionalities to meet your diverse needs.

According to customer feedback, LiveChat stands out as an excellent choice for medium to large-sized stores with multiple chat agents, primarily due to its comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities. 

With LiveChat, you can delve into the performance, SLAs, and activities of each of your operators, enabling you to optimize your services and enhance the efficiency of your support team. It allows you to analyze agent-specific data and make informed decisions to streamline your operations and boost support team productivity.

Key Features:

• LiveChat simplifies the process of integrating with Facebook, Apple Business Chat, and text messaging, enabling effortless connections with just a single click. Moreover, it provides a centralized dashboard where you can manage and control all these integrations from a single location.
• It offers a single license plan that grants you the ability to utilize it on an unlimited number of websites.
• To enhance your response time, LiveChat provides a preview of the customer’s input, enabling you to have a glimpse of what they are typing.
• It provides an extensive selection of nearly 200 integrations with various customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics tools, marketing tools, sales platforms, and more.

Cons:

• The capacity to address complex issues may be somewhat limited in LiveChat, so you have to offer other alternative communication channels such as phone calls or emails to reach a satisfactory resolution.
• Can be expensive for startups.

9. Zendesk

Zendesk is a widely recognized tool in the realm of customer service. It encompasses a range of features, including popup triggers, different offline forms, chat box routing, and a customizable chat button, making it a delightful solution to work with. 

In addition to being a Shopify live chat app, Zendesk seamlessly integrates with other leading content management systems (CMS) such as Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, and many more.

One notable aspect of Zendesk is its ability to track the specific pages your customers are browsing. This feature empowers you to take proactive actions such as initiating a chat with your website visitors to enhance sales. Additionally, Zendesk offers the convenience of replying to chats through a mobile app, ensuring you can stay responsive and engaged even while on the go.

Key Features:

• Seamlessly integrate live chat into any storefront with a simple click.
• Effortlessly handle refunds and cancellations through its Support sidebar app.
• Get relevant customer data and resolve issues faster.

Cons:

• For newcomers, the wide array of features and customization possibilities in Zendesk can feel overwhelming.
• Small businesses may find Zendesk relatively expensive compared to their budgetary constraints.
• Integrating Zendesk with your existing infrastructure may necessitate additional development work and technical expertise that leads to delays.
• While Zendesk offers customization options, there may be some limitations to align with your specific business requirements.

10. Gorgias

Gorgias stands out as the premier customer support system for eCommerce merchants. It offers a comprehensive set of features that empower you to deliver an exceptional customer support experience, enhance your team performance, and drive sales growth.

Gorgias excels in its seamless integration with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. This integration allows Gorgias to effortlessly retrieve essential data directly from your Shopify dashboard, such as customers’ order tracking numbers, their recent order details, loyalty points, and more, presenting them conveniently within the Gorgias interface.

It offers a compelling feature called chat campaigns, enabling you to initiate chat conversations on specific web pages. This functionality empowers you to proactively engage with your visitors and provide guidance throughout their checkout process, ensuring a smooth and personalized experience.

If you operate a Shopify store, be sure that Gorgias will seamlessly integrate with your website. It boasts a hassle-free installation process, user-friendly interface, and cost-effective pricing that caters specifically to eCommerce business owners.

Key Features:

• Offers omni-channel communication, encompassing email, live chat, phone, and other social media channels.
• You can conveniently access the complete live chat and message history of a specific customer across various channels in a unified view.
• It supports multiple stores, accommodating businesses with more than one online storefront.
• You can engage in real-time chat with customers who are actively browsing your store.
• With pre-made templates, you can respond to customer inquiries swiftly and efficiently.

Cons:

• No free plan is available.
• Gorgias has a steep learning curve, making it less user-friendly for some.
• Comparatively expensive.
• Collaboration on Gorgias can be challenging, as transferring chats to other support agents may not always be straightforward.
• Some users perceive Gorgias more as a ticketing system than a comprehensive online communication tool, although this perception can vary based on personal preferences.

Summing Up!

Before wrapping up, here’s an important statistic for you!

“44% of people say live chat is the most valuable tool a company can offer on their website.”

Multiple statistics highlight the effectiveness of the live chat customer support platform as a powerful tool, making it a necessary component in today’s fiercely competitive business landscape.

With this given list, you now have a solid understanding of the top ten choices available for your Shopify online store. Many of these options offer fully functional free trials, allowing you to test multiple software solutions before making a final purchase decision.

Wishing you the best of luck in your selection process!