As your Shopify store grows, the limitations of Shopify Inbox become painfully clear. Your team struggles to track conversations across different channels, and routine questions eat up valuable time that could be spent selling.
That’s why we’ve spent dozens of hours testing the best Shopify Inbox alternatives on the market. In this guide, we’ll break down the top contenders, with standouts like Chatty, Gorgias, and Tidio, so you can find the perfect fit to scale your support and turn more conversations into conversions. Let’s dive into it now!
What is Shopify Inbox missing?
While Shopify Inbox is a great free tool to get started, it’s more of a basic messaging app than a full-fledged support system. As your business grows and customer conversations increase, its limitations can hinder your team’s productivity and impact the overall experience.
Here’s a fuller look at what it lacks:
- No real AI assistant or automation: Inbox includes suggested replies and basic FAQs, which are helpful for simple questions, but not enough for complex queries. Other apps like Chatty, powered by ChatGPT-4o, can handle detailed product information and process order questions. The app can even suggest bundles automatically, which reduces your support load.
- Lacks proactive sales and CRM tools: Seeing a customer’s cart is helpful, but that’s about it. Inbox cannot track customer lifetime value, tag leads, or send targeted messages, making it challenging to close more sales or build long-term relationships.
- Not built for teams or scale: Its interface is clean and straightforward, but it lacks essentials for growing teams, such as internal notes, routing rules, and limited collaboration tools, which makes it challenging to manage multiple agents and conversations efficiently.
- Limited integrations: Inbox connects nicely with Shopify, but doesn’t sync with external platforms. You can’t unify email, Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp support, which makes your help feel fragmented.
When should you switch from Shopify Inbox?
Shopify Inbox is a great starting point, but its limits will eventually slow your growth. Here are the four most common signs that it’s time to move to a more powerful tool.
1. You’re drowning in repetitive questions.
If your team spends hours every day answering “Where is my order?” or “What’s your return policy?”, it’s a clear sign you need automation customer service. A smarter tool can handle these basic queries for you, potentially saving your business up to 30% in customer service costs and freeing up your team for customers who need real, human help.
2. Your team is growing, and conversations get lost.
Once you have more than one person handling support, Inbox’s lack of team features becomes a real problem. There’s no easy way to assign conversations or leave internal notes, which can lead to missed follow-ups and a messy customer experience.
3. Customers are contacting you everywhere.
If you’re juggling DMs on Instagram, messages on Facebook, and emails on top of your on-site chat, you need a unified inbox. Companies that consolidate channels this way often see customer satisfaction jump by 30% because no message slips through the cracks, and customers never have to repeat themselves.
4. You want to be proactive, not just reactive.
If you’re ready to move beyond simply answering questions and want to proactively engage shoppers with targeted messages to prevent cart abandonment or recommend products, you’ll need the advanced sales and marketing automation features that Shopify Inbox lacks.
Best Shopify inbox alternatives you should know
The good news is, the Shopify App Store is filled with powerful Shopify Inbox alternatives designed to handle everything Inbox can’t. We’ve collected the best 6 options below that not only fill in the gaps but also elevate your customer support and sales capabilities. This is the table comparison:
| App Name | Reviews & Ratings | Price Range | Pros | Cons |
| Chatty | 4.9★ (1,500+ reviews) | Free – $49.99/mo | Easy FAQ setup, customizable bot, handles complex queries, responsive support | Not mentioned |
| Tawk.to | 3.2★ (85+ reviews) | Free | Closes sales fast, real-time visitor tracking, long-time free option | Intrusive defaults, clunky UI, weak support |
| Tidio | 4.4★ (820+ reviews) | Free – $39/mo | AI support, bot-agent handover, frequent updates | Inconsistent support, complex interface |
| Gorgias | 4.1★ (540+ reviews) | $10 – $900/mo + extras | Smooth onboarding, deep integrations, fast UI | Pricey, occasional spam or note issues |
| Re:amaze | 4.3★ (175+ reviews) | $29 – $899/mo | All-in-one helpdesk+CRM, strong email tools | Clunky AI setup, no WhatsApp integration |
| Willdesk | 4.8★ (390+ reviews) | Free – $149.90/mo | Fast AI support, mobile-friendly, budget-friendly | Weak variant support, unclear AI pricing |
Chatty
Highlight: AI-powered selling
Chatty is among the most ideal Shopify Inbox alternatives for merchants who want to leverage AI not just for customer support, but as a proactive, 24/7 sales assistant. Where Shopify Inbox offers only basic canned responses, Chatty uses a sophisticated AI (powered by ChatGPT-4o) that learns from your product data, FAQs, and customs information.
It doesn’t just answer questions; it provides intelligent product suggestions, helps with order tracking, and guides customers to a purchase — all while consolidating every conversation into a single, powerful inbox.
Top Features:
- AI assistant powered by ChatGPT-4o, trained on your products, FAQs, and policies
- Multichannel inbox for Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and email
- Sales-focused automation, including upselling, compatibility tips, and product suggestions
- Fully customizable FAQ hub with CSV import/export and analytics
- Mobile app with push notifications and offline response queuing
Pros: Easy FAQ organization, customizable bot responses, handles complex queries smoothly, consistently, and “sleepless” support team.
Cons: Not mentioned.
Pricing:
- Free: Includes 100 AI replies/month, 1 agent, and chat via Email, Messenger, and Instagram.
- Basic: $19.99/month for 1,000 AI replies, 3 agents, and multi-channel support.
- Pro: $49.99/month for 5,000 AI replies, 10 agents, and priority support.
Tawk.to
Highlight: A completely free alternative
Tawk.to is built for the new or budget-conscious merchant whose top priority is adding live chat for free. While Shopify Inbox is also free, Tawk.to offers a surprisingly robust feature set for no cost, including real-time visitor monitoring that lets you see what customers are doing on your site. However, its power comes with some significant usability trade-offs that growing stores might find limiting.
Top Features:
- Live chat system with unlimited agents, message history, and no usage caps
- Real-time visitor monitoring that shows page views and live typing insights
- Customizable chat widget to align with your store’s branding and UX
- Integrated ticketing for managing support requests outside of chat
- Chat scheduling tools to control availability based on business hours
Pros: Helps close sales fast, offers real-time visitor insights, and remains a popular long-time free option.
Cons: Default sounds and popups feel intrusive, managing settings outside Shopify is clunky, chatbox may block checkout, support is slow, and scheduling often fails.
Pricing: The core software is completely free. They make money by offering “Hire an Agent” services.
Tidio
Highlight: AI + Human Hybrid Chat
Tidio is designed for merchants seeking the power of advanced AI without losing the human touch. It stands out from Shopify Inbox by offering a flexible, hybrid approach where AI can either handle chats autonomously or “suggest” responses to live agents. This empowers your team to answer questions faster and more accurately, making it a great middle-ground solution.
Top Features:
- Lyro AI chatbot learn from your FAQs to deliver natural, brand-aligned responses
- Centralized live chat and help desk for managing customer messages and support tickets
- Visual automation builder for setting up lead capture, abandoned cart flows, and more
- Native integrations with Messenger, Instagram, email, and tools like Klaviyo and Mailchimp
Pros: AI speeds up response for small teams, smooth bot-to-agent transition, frequent updates, and solid value.
Cons: Support can be inconsistent, reps aren’t always helpful, UI feels overwhelming, and WhatsApp integration can be buggy.
Pricing:
- Free: 50 users, 100 visitors/month
- Customer Service ($29/mo): AI reply, live visitor list, analytics
- Flows ($29/mo): Automation + chatbot builder
- Lyro AI ($39/mo): Dedicated AI bot with full access to automation
Gorgias
Highlight: The enterprise-level helpdesk for scaling brands
Gorgias is the go-to helpdesk for established, high-volume Shopify stores that need powerful automation and deep integrations to turn customer service into a profit center. It goes far beyond Shopify Inbox by offering a robust, rule-based system that can automate responses, tag tickets, and manage complex workflows across all your sales and communication channels.
Top Features:
- Merge all conversations from email, chat, social, voice, and SMS into one view
- Manage orders, refunds, and subscriptions directly inside the helpdesk
- Automate repetitive tasks using custom rules and macros
- Integrate with over 100 Shopify apps like Klaviyo, Yotpo, and Attentive
- Let customers self-serve with an FAQ and order tracking portal
Pros: Smooth onboarding; clean UI; integrates well with Yotpo; responsive support; open to feedback.
Cons: Support can be spotty; risk of forwarding internal notes; no spam filter; occasional double-billing; pricey.
Pricing:
- Starter: $10/month for 50 tickets.
- Basic: $60/month for 300 tickets.
- Pro: $360/month for 2,000 tickets.
- Advanced: $900/month for 5,000 tickets.
Re:amaze
Highlight: All-in-One Helpdesk and CRM
Re:amaze is built for merchants who want a single platform to manage not just support conversations but also deeper customer relationships. It differentiates itself from Shopify Inbox by combining a multi-channel helpdesk with CRM-like features, aiming to give you a complete, 360-degree view of every customer interaction in one place.
Top Features:
- Unify email, social, SMS, and voice chats in one inbox
- Chat live and use bots for common questions
- Let customers self-serve with built-in FAQ/help center
- Edit Shopify orders right inside the chat
- Automate replies and tasks based on customer intent
Pros: All-in-one platform with strong email tools; fast, helpful support for many users; centralized view of customer interactions.
Cons: AI setup is messy for multi-language stores; support can be slow or rude; live chat feels clunky; high cost for small teams; no native WhatsApp integration.
Pricing:
- Basic – $29/mo: Core tools with inboxes, chatbots, and 1K push notifications. +$29/staff
- Pro – $49/mo: Adds multi-store, SMS, reports, and live view. +$49/staff
- Plus – $69/mo: Adds team roles, surveys, SSO, and 2K push. +$69/staff
- Enterprise – $899/mo: Fully custom setup with premium support.
Willdesk
Highlight: AI-Focused Helpdesk for a Lean Budget
Willdesk is for the modern merchant who is excited about leveraging AI and wants a feature-rich helpdesk without a hefty price tag. It stands apart from Shopify Inbox by putting an AI chatbot (powered by GPT-4) at the core of its operations, capable of handling order tracking, returns, and FAQs automatically. It’s a strong contender for stores wanting advanced automation on a budget.
Top Features:
- Resolve tickets, track orders, and reply to FAQs with AI
- Automate workflows for cart recovery and product tips
- Handle email, chat, and social messages in one place
- Let customers find answers in a custom help center
- Manage support on the go with a mobile app
Pros: Fast, professional support; strong AI tools; handy mobile app; responsive to feedback.
Cons: Weak Shopify integration for variants; clunky workflow builder; live chat replies are slow; unclear AI pricing.
Pricing:
- Free: 20 conversations, 1 store, basic tools
- Starter ($16.90/mo): 100 conversations, automation bot, custom FAQ
- Basic ($42.90/mo): 500 conversations, 3 stores, priority support
- Pro ($149.90/mo): 2,000 conversations, multiple stores, success manager
How to choose the best Shopify Inbox alternative?
Choosing the right tool comes down to honestly assessing your store’s unique needs. Let’s break down the key factors to consider so you can make a confident choice.
Factors to consider
1. Primary objective: sales or support?
This is the most critical question. Your answer will guide your entire decision.
- If your main goal is to drive sales, you need a tool built for conversion. Look for proactive features like automated chat pop-ups that engage visitors on high-intent pages (e.g., “Need help finding your size?”). The app should allow you to share product cards directly in the chat, run abandoned cart campaigns to recover lost sales, and track how much revenue your chat conversations are generating.
- If your focus is on providing excellent customer support, prioritize features that create efficiency and organization. This means a robust ticketing system where you can assign conversations, set priorities, and track issues until they are resolved. A key feature to look for is a deep integration with Shopify that lets you see order history and customer data right next to the conversation, so you don’t have to switch between tabs to answer questions about an order.
2. Team: How many people do you have?
The size of your team drastically changes what you need from a chat tool.
- For solo founders, simplicity is everything. You need a tool that is easy to set up and has a great mobile app so you can answer customer questions from anywhere. You don’t need complex features like team routing or detailed analytics.
- For small teams (2-5 people), collaboration is key. Look for features like a shared inbox, the ability to assign chats to specific team members, and internal notes so you can discuss a customer issue privately before replying. This prevents two people from answering the same customer and keeps everyone on the same page.
- For larger teams, you need advanced management tools. This includes the ability to route conversations to different departments (e.g., sales, support, returns), detailed analytics to track agent performance (like response time and customer satisfaction), and role-based permissions to control who can access what.
3. Budget: How much can you spend?
Your budget isn’t just about the monthly sticker price. You need to look deeper.
- Check the pricing model. Is it a flat rate per month, or does it charge per agent or per number of conversations? A per-agent model can get expensive quickly as your team grows.
- Look for hidden costs and feature limits. A “free” or “basic” plan might seem great, but it could be missing essential features like integrations or analytics that are only available on more expensive tiers. Make sure the plan you choose has the features you identified as critical in the steps above.
- Always use the free trial. Before you commit your money, use the free trial period to see if the app is a good fit for your workflow and if it truly helps you achieve your sales or support goals.
Recommended picks by use case
- Solo founder, low budget: Tawk.to – free, unlimited agents, basic tools.
- Sales-focused brand: Chatty – AI upselling, product suggestions, Shopify integration.
- High-volume support team: Gorgias – advanced workflows, automation, multi-channel inbox.
- AI + human mix: Tidio – chatbot handoff, omni-channel, budget-friendly.
Final thoughts
In the end, choosing from the many Shopify Inbox alternatives comes down to what your business truly needs to grow. While the native app is a great starting point, the right tool can transform your customer service from a cost center into a powerful sales engine. Use this guide to find an alternative that not only solves your current problems but also supports your vision for the future.