Shopify Inbox vs. the Big Players: Free Chat That Holds Its Own

Shopify Inbox vs Leading Customer-Support Apps (2025)

Shopify’s free app portfolio has grown steadily, offering welcome relief from the mounting subscription fees many merchants face. One standout is Shopify Inbox, a live-chat tool integrated directly into the admin. Below, we compare Inbox with four widely used alternatives—Zendesk, Gorgias, Tidio, and Trengo—to help merchants weigh cost, capability, and fit.

Why Native, Low-Cost Support Matters

With more than 2.49 million Shopify stores and online retail sales projected at $6.3 trillion this year, even modest savings on support tools can compound quickly. Native solutions reduce technical overhead, whereas paid suites often supply broader features at a higher monthly cost.

App Summaries

Zendesk

• Price: $55 – $150 per month.
• Features: Email, live chat, phone, social channels, robust analytics.
• Shopify rating: 2.9 / 5 from 161 reviews.
• Note: Comprehensive but can feel complex; some merchants cite dated UI and difficult setup.

Gorgias

• Price: From $10 per month (50 tickets) to $60 for higher volume.
• Features: Live chat, WhatsApp, multi-store support, AI-assisted responses.
• Shopify rating: 4.2 / 5 from 712 reviews.
• Note: Popular among larger Shopify brands; costs rise quickly as ticket volume grows.

Tidio

• Price: Free for 50 chats, then $29 or $59 per month.
• Features: AI chatbot (“Lyro”), live chat with cart visibility, email automation.
• Shopify rating: 4.6 / 5 from roughly 2,000 reviews.
• Note: Strong automation at an accessible price; some users report occasional spam traffic.

Trengo

• Price: Starts at $25 per month (five users).
• Features: Unified inbox for WhatsApp, chat, email, social channels.
• Shopify integration: Requires a custom app; no App-Store listing.
• Note: Broader channel mix, but setup is manual and Trustpilot ratings are low.

Shopify Inbox

• Price: Free on all plans.
• Features: Live chat embedded in storefront, mobile app, order lookup, saved replies.
• Shopify rating: 4.7 / 5 from more than 6,000 reviews.
• Note: Conversion-rate lift of up to 70 percent reported by Shopify; best suited to small-to-mid-size stores that do not need advanced ticket routing.

Key Takeaways

• Cost sensitive? Inbox and Tidio’s free tiers provide solid basics without new fees.
• Mid-market growth? Gorgias balances live chat and help-desk depth, but ticket tiers add up.
• Enterprise or omnichannel? Zendesk offers the widest feature set yet feels heavy for some Shopify users.
• DIY omnichannel? Trengo can work if you need WhatsApp plus email, though integration requires developer time.