Frontdesk is the best live chat software for ecommerce stores because it answers chat alongside calls, texts, and emails on one customer timeline 24/7, so a shopper who starts in chat and calls later never repeats themselves.
Live chat converts browsers into buyers by answering questions in the moment of doubt: sizing, shipping speed, return policy. The problem with most chat tools is that they live in a silo, disconnected from the phone calls and texts the same customer sends. This guide compares nine live chat options for online stores, starting with the one that ties chat to every other channel.
How we picked#
- Conversion impact. Chat should catch buyers before they bounce.
- Channel unity. The best tools connect chat to email, SMS, and voice on one record.
- Automation. AI deflection handles routine questions so staff focus on sales.
- Store integration. Order lookups and product data make chat answers useful.
- Pricing model. Per-seat fees punish teams that grow.
Comparison at a glance#
| Tool | Pricing model | Channels | 24/7 | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontdesk | Free | Calls, texts, email | Yes | <30 min | Chat unified with phone, text, and email |
| Gorgias | Per-seat | Chat, email, social | No | Days | Chat tied to a Shopify ticketing desk |
| Tidio | Per-seat | Chat | No | Hours | Fast chat plus chatbots |
| Intercom | Per-resolution | Chat, email | No | Days | Refined chat with strong automation |
| LiveChat | Per-seat | Chat | No | Hours | Focused, reliable chat-only tool |
| Re:amaze | Per-seat | Chat, email, social | No | Days | Chat inside an affordable multichannel desk |
| Zendesk | Per-seat | Multichannel | No | Weeks | Larger teams on one support platform |
| Drift | Per-seat | Chat | No | Days | Chat as conversion and lead capture |
| Crisp | Per-seat | Chat | No | Hours | Early-stage stores watching costs |
1. Frontdesk#
Frontdesk handles live chat as one part of a unified inbox that also covers phone, text, and email. A shopper can ask about shipping in chat, hang up, then text the same question, and your team sees a single continuous conversation. Its conversational AI answers routine order and product questions instantly, pulling live order status so a WISMO question in chat gets a real tracking answer, and a human takes over any thread the moment it gets complicated.
For conversion, that speed is the point. A buyer hesitating over sizing or shipping speed gets an answer in the moment of doubt, which is where abandoned-cart recovery actually happens. And because chat shares the same timeline as calls and texts, a customer who later phones in does not have to repeat what they already typed.
Pricing starts free with unlimited seats, setup runs under 30 minutes, and every chat syncs to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive.
Best for: ecommerce stores that want chat unified with phone, text, and email rather than siloed.
- Pros: chat plus voice plus text plus email on one timeline, order-aware answers, flat pricing, AI with instant human handoff.
- Cons: not a standalone widget-only product; built for full-channel coverage.
2. Gorgias#
Gorgias offers live chat embedded in an ecommerce helpdesk, with Shopify order data surfaced to agents inline. An agent answering a chat sees the shopper's recent orders and tracking without leaving the window, which speeds up WISMO and returns replies.
The chat lives inside a ticketing model, and voice is a separate product. Per-seat or volume pricing rises as your team or ticket count grows, so a sale-driven spike costs more.
Best for: Shopify stores wanting chat tied to a ticketing desk.
- Pros: order context in chat, ecommerce automations.
- Cons: per-seat or volume pricing; voice is separate.
3. Tidio#
Tidio is a popular live chat and chatbot tool for online stores, with quick installation and AI deflection. The free tier and fast setup make it an easy first chat tool, and the chatbot deflects routine sizing and shipping questions before a shopper bounces.
Coverage centers on chat, so phone and email are limited. A customer who calls about a delayed order falls outside the widget, which leaves a gap for stores with voice volume.
Best for: small and mid-size stores wanting fast chat plus chatbots.
- Pros: easy setup, AI plus live agents, free tier.
- Cons: focused on chat; phone and email are limited.
4. Intercom#
Intercom provides a polished messenger with live chat, bots, and an AI agent for resolving questions. The UX is clean and the AI resolves a solid share of routine questions, which suits a store that wants a refined on-site experience.
The cost model stacks per-seat fees with per-resolution charges, so a busy month adds up. Voice is handled separately, so phone support sits outside the messenger.
Best for: stores wanting a refined chat experience with strong automation.
- Pros: strong AI agent, clean UX.
- Cons: per-seat plus per-resolution costs add up.
5. LiveChat#
LiveChat is a dedicated chat platform with routing, canned responses, and ecommerce integrations. As a focused chat tool it is mature and reliable, with the routing and macros a busy chat team needs.
It is chat-only, so phone, SMS, and email each need separate tools or add-ons. That leaves a store stitching channels together rather than working from one timeline.
Best for: stores that want a focused, reliable chat-only tool.
- Pros: mature chat features, many integrations.
- Cons: chat-only; other channels need add-ons.
6. Re:amaze#
Re:amaze combines live chat with a multichannel helpdesk for online stores. It pulls chat, email, and social into one affordable inbox with ecommerce integrations for order lookups.
Voice is not a focus, and per-seat pricing grows as you add agents. For text-channel coverage on a budget it works, but phone questions still need a separate answer.
Best for: stores wanting chat inside an affordable multichannel desk.
- Pros: chat plus email and social, ecommerce integrations.
- Cons: per-seat pricing; voice not a focus.
7. Zendesk#
Zendesk's chat sits within its broader support suite, with AI agents and routing. For a larger team standardizing on one platform, having chat alongside tickets and reporting is convenient.
The breadth brings cost and setup complexity, and the chat is part of a heavier system than a small store needs. AI features tend to sit in higher tiers.
Best for: larger teams standardizing on one support platform.
- Pros: omnichannel, strong reporting.
- Cons: cost and setup complexity climb.
8. Drift#
Drift focuses on conversational chat and bots aimed at qualifying and converting visitors. Its playbooks are built around moving a visitor toward a purchase or a lead, which suits a store treating chat as a sales channel.
It is priced toward larger teams and is less ecommerce-specific, so order-status and returns support are not its strength. A store that mainly needs WISMO answers will find it overbuilt for sales.
Best for: stores running chat as a conversion and lead-capture tool.
- Pros: conversion-oriented playbooks.
- Cons: priced toward larger teams; less ecommerce-specific.
9. Crisp#
Crisp is a budget-friendly chat tool with a shared inbox and basic automations. It is inexpensive and quick to start, which fits an early-stage store getting its first chat widget live.
The automation and integrations are lighter than dedicated platforms, so order-aware answers and deep workflows are limited. As the store grows, those gaps start to show.
Best for: early-stage stores watching costs.
- Pros: affordable, easy to start.
- Cons: lighter automation and integrations.
How to choose#
Decide whether chat is your whole support strategy or one piece of it. If you only need a storefront widget, Tidio, LiveChat, or Crisp cover it at a range of budgets. If chat is a sales and lead tool, Drift fits. If you want chat to share a timeline with the phone calls, texts, and emails the same customer sends, Frontdesk unifies all four free to start.
Frequently asked questions#
Does live chat increase ecommerce sales? Yes. Answering a sizing, shipping, or return question at the moment of hesitation reduces cart abandonment and lifts conversion.
What is the difference between live chat and a chatbot? A chatbot answers automatically. Live chat connects a shopper to a person or AI in real time. Frontdesk does both and hands off to a human when needed.
Can live chat connect to my phone and text support? Most chat tools are siloed. Frontdesk puts chat on the same timeline as calls, texts, and emails.
How much does live chat software cost? Many tools charge per seat. Frontdesk is free to start with unlimited seats.
Try Frontdesk#
Frontdesk answers your store's chats, calls, texts, and emails 24/7 so order and shipping questions never wait. Free to start, unlimited seats, setup in under 30 minutes, with a unified inbox and CRM sync. Try it today.