Customer support apps for a Shopify store do two different jobs. Helpdesks and shared inboxes put order and customer details in front of your agents, while live chat and AI agents answer shoppers on the storefront. Decide which problem you have, agents switching tabs or shoppers waiting, then compare tools that solve that one.
Picture the two complaints a growing store hears most. Agents say they're flipping between the helpdesk and the Shopify admin to find one order. Shoppers say nobody answered their question before they gave up and left. Both get called customer support, and the apps that fix them are rarely the same.
So I've split ten Shopify support apps by where they sit: in the agent's inbox, in front of the shopper, or both. They're in no particular order, and each is described only as its own page describes it, with vendor claims marked.
Two jobs sold under one label
Inside the agent's inbox
Gorgias, Richpanel, Helpwise and Freshdesk each put Shopify order and customer details into the agent's view, so nobody has to open the store admin mid-reply. Re:amaze goes a step further: its page says agents can process refunds and create draft orders from the inbox.
In front of the shopper
Tidio, LiveChat, Zipchat and Siena AI sit on the storefront or in your messaging channels. They're pitched on answering shoppers quickly, and some on selling too, with AI agents that suggest products or handle common questions.
Both at once
Crisp pairs a shared inbox with live chat and shows Shopify order history from the inbox, so it covers both sides in one suite.
Where these descriptions come from
Every entry here rests on the vendor's own Shopify page or site. I haven't checked the Shopify app store listings, so before you install anything, open the listing in your Shopify admin and confirm it's the right app from the right developer, and read what it asks permission to see.
Inbox or storefront, at a glance
| Tool | Where it sits | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Crisp | Inbox and live chat in one suite | Order history beside chats in a shared inbox |
| Freshdesk | General helpdesk with a Shopify app | Recent orders shown inside an existing helpdesk |
| Gorgias | Ecommerce helpdesk | Customer profiles and orders in the ticket view |
| Helpwise | Shared inbox with order context | Past orders and contact details beside each email |
| LiveChat | Live chat with in-chat selling | Product suggestions and add-to-cart inside the chat |
| Re:amaze | Helpdesk with refunds from the inbox | Refunds and draft orders without leaving the inbox |
| Richpanel | Ecommerce help desk | Order details on the dashboard while answering tickets |
| Siena AI | Customer service agent, AI-led | AI agents for consumer and commerce brands |
| Tidio | Live chat and AI agent | Live chat plus an AI agent called Lyro |
| Zipchat | AI support and sales agent | One AI agent across site chat, WhatsApp, DMs and email |
The ten apps, in no particular order
Crisp
Best for: Small teams wanting one suite for shared inbox, live chat and AI features, with Shopify order history visible from the inbox, per its Shopify page.
Freshdesk
Best for: Support teams already using this Freshworks helpdesk who want a customer's recent orders shown to agents inside it, via the app page on the Freshworks site.
Gorgias
Best for: Ecommerce teams after a helpdesk the vendor says is built for Shopify merchants, with customer profiles and order management in the same view.
Helpwise
Best for: Teams working from a shared inbox across email and other channels who want previous orders and customer contact details in view while they reply.
LiveChat
Best for: Stores that want chat to sell as well as support: the vendor says its AI agent recommends products, lets shoppers add to cart in chat and shows which chats sold.
Re:amaze
Best for: Agents handling refunds, draft orders and order changes from the inbox, plus chat, contact form and FAQ widgets on the store, per its Shopify page.
Richpanel
Best for: Ticket-heavy stores wanting Shopify customer and order details on the dashboard as agents answer, in an ecommerce help desk with AI support features.
Siena AI
Best for: Consumer brands looking at AI customer service agents the vendor calls empathic, listing Shopify, Zendesk, Yotpo and Recharge among the tools it works with.
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Tidio
Best for: Shopify stores wanting live chat and an AI agent, Lyro, in one customer service app, as described on its Shopify page.
Zipchat
Best for: Brands answering shoppers in many places at once: an AI agent across site chat, WhatsApp, social DMs and email that works with Shopify and Zendesk, per the vendor.
Three things to settle before you trial anything
- Which complaint is louder? If agents are slow because they lack order details, start with the inbox tools. If shoppers leave without answers, start with chat.
- Who writes the answers an AI agent gives? AI agents answer from your policies and help pages, so make sure those are current before you switch one on.
- Does it reach your other channels? If customers also message you by email, WhatsApp or social DMs, check each app covers the channels you use.
My advice for Shopify store owners
Most small stores should fix the inbox first. When your agents can see orders and act on them in one place, every reply gets faster, and that helps whether the customer wrote by email or chat. Add a storefront chat or AI agent once your answers to common questions are written down, because an AI agent is only as good as the policies it's reading from.
If you're choosing a helpdesk from scratch, our guide to help desk software for small businesses goes wider than Shopify. And if a chatbot is the main thing you're after, our round-up of chatbot builders covers tools beyond ecommerce.
Read the permissions before you click install
Support apps ask to see a lot: customers, orders and sometimes the ability to change orders or issue refunds. That's what makes them useful, and it's also why you should read the permission screen carefully in your Shopify admin. Give refund rights to the people who need them and no one else, and remove any app you stop using.
Do you make a Shopify customer support app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a helpdesk and a live chat app for Shopify?
A helpdesk organises customer messages for your agents and shows order details beside them. A live chat app sits on your store so shoppers can ask questions while they browse. Some tools do both.
Can agents issue refunds without opening the Shopify admin?
Some helpdesks say they can. One vendor here states agents can process refunds and create draft orders from its inbox. Check each vendor's Shopify page and the permissions the app asks for.
Should a small store use an AI support agent?
It can help with common questions such as order tracking and returns, but only if your policies and help pages are clear and current. Start with a narrow set of questions and widen it as you trust the answers.
Do Shopify support apps work with email and social messages too?
Many do. Several tools here cover email, WhatsApp or social DMs alongside chat. Check the channel list on each vendor's page.
How do I check a support app is safe to install on Shopify?
Open its Shopify app store listing from your admin, confirm the developer, and read the permissions it requests before you approve them.
Do I need both a helpdesk and a chat app?
Not always. Some suites cover both. Smaller stores often start with one and add the other once they see where customers get stuck.
