Nine helpdesks and chat tools that work with Shopify have a free-forever plan: Shopify Inbox, Fyncall, Tidio, Commslayer, Help Scout, HubSpot, Zoho Desk, Crisp and Chatwoot. None of them is unlimited. Each caps something, usually seats, monthly conversations, channels or AI replies. Gorgias, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Re:amaze, Richpanel and eDesk offer free trials only.
This guide is for Shopify store owners who want a helpdesk without a monthly bill yet, or who need to know where a free plan stops. Fyncall wrote it and makes one of the tools listed, so weigh it accordingly. Every limit below comes from the vendor’s own pricing page or help docs, checked on 14 November 2026. Free plans change often, so confirm on each vendor’s site before you commit.
What does a free helpdesk plan usually include?
A free helpdesk plan usually includes a shared inbox for a small team and at least one channel, often live chat. It usually stops short of AI replies at volume, extra channels and automation. Vendors tend to limit free plans in four ways:
- Seats: how many people can log in, from 2 to unlimited.
- Volume: a monthly cap on conversations, tickets or contacts.
- Channels: live chat is common on free plans; WhatsApp and Instagram are less so.
- AI: some plans include a monthly allowance of AI replies, some a one-off allowance, and some none.
The cap that matters is the one your store hits first. A two-person team with 400 chats a month will outgrow a 50-conversation cap long before a 2-seat limit.
Which Shopify helpdesks have a free plan?
| Tool | Seats on free | Monthly cap | Channels on free | AI on free | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Inbox | Not stated | None stated | Store chat and email chat | Inbox agent and suggested replies | App listing |
| Fyncall | 2 team members | 25 AI messages; human replies unlimited | WhatsApp, Instagram, email, web chat | 25 AI messages a month | Pricing |
| Tidio | 10 seats | 50 billable conversations | Chat, email, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp | 50 Lyro AI conversations, once only | Pricing |
| Commslayer | Unlimited | 300 conversations | Email, chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook | 300 AI agent messages and 300 AI drafts | Pricing |
| Help Scout | 5 users | 100 contacts | 1 inbox and 1 Docs site | Not listed on the free plan | Pricing |
| HubSpot | 2 users | None stated | Live chat, shared inbox, 1-to-1 email, ticketing | Not listed on the free plan | Pricing |
| Zoho Desk | 3 users | Not stated | Email ticketing only | Not listed | Pricing |
| Crisp | 2 seats | Unlimited conversations | Website chat only | ”No AI credits included” | Pricing |
| Chatwoot (cloud) | 2 agents | 500 conversations; 30-day data retention | Live chat only | Not included | Pricing |
Two things stand out. Only Fyncall, Tidio and Commslayer put WhatsApp and Instagram on a free plan alongside AI replies. And the generous seat counts (Tidio’s 10, Commslayer’s unlimited) come with tighter conversation caps.
What does each free plan leave out?
Shopify Inbox is Shopify’s own free chat app. It is built into Shopify, so order details sit next to the chat, and its Inbox agent can answer common questions. It is a chat tool rather than a helpdesk: it does not bring WhatsApp, Instagram and email into one queue with assignment and reporting. Our comparison of Shopify Inbox and an AI agent goes into the difference.
Fyncall Free includes the shared inbox on all four channels, up to 2 team members, unlimited replies from your team and 25 AI messages a month. It also includes 1 AI workflow, 5 knowledge base files, guardrails, handover rules and Draft & Review. When the AI messages run out, the AI pauses and your team keeps replying at no charge. Instagram automations, unlimited workflows, AI Copilot and SLA ticketing are on Pro.
Tidio Free allows 10 seats but 50 billable conversations a month. Its 50 free Lyro AI conversations are a one-off allowance, not monthly. Tidio lists native Shopify actions, such as order lookups inside the chat, on Growth and above, and removing Tidio’s branding is a paid add-on.
Commslayer Free has unlimited seats and a Shopify integration, with 300 conversations, 300 AI agent messages and 300 AI drafts a month. Its plans run month to month.
Help Scout Free allows 5 users, 1 inbox and 1 Docs site, capped at 100 contacts a month. It suits email-first stores with low volume.
HubSpot’s free tools cover 2 users with live chat, a shared inbox, 1-to-1 email and basic ticketing. Live chat carries HubSpot branding on the free tier.
Zoho Desk Free allows 3 users but covers email ticketing only. Social channels and web forms start on its paid Express plan.
Crisp Free has 2 seats and unlimited conversations, but website chat only, with no AI credits. Its email inbox, WhatsApp and Instagram are on paid plans.
Chatwoot’s free cloud plan allows 2 agents and 500 conversations a month on live chat only, and keeps data for 30 days. Its help docs say new Shopify connections are temporarily unavailable.
Which helpdesks have no free plan?
These tools offer a free trial, a demo or a low entry price, but no free-forever plan:
| Tool | Cheapest paid option | Trial |
|---|---|---|
| Gorgias | Starter $10 a month for 50 tickets (pricing) | 7 days |
| Re:amaze | Starter $59 a month flat, up to 500 responded conversations (pricing) | 14 days |
| Freshdesk | Growth $23 per agent a month, or $19 billed yearly (pricing) | 14 days |
| Zendesk | Per agent, on Support or Suite plans (pricing) | 14 days |
| eDesk | Essential $55 per agent a month, or $45 billed yearly (pricing) | 14 days |
| Richpanel | Per seat, plus a monthly AI minimum (pricing) | Demo only |
Gorgias’s $10 Starter plan is the cheapest way into a full Shopify helpdesk among these, but 50 tickets a month is a small allowance, and extra tickets cost $0.40 each.
When should you move off a free plan?
Move to a paid plan when the free plan’s cap starts costing you replies, not just when you hit a number. Watch for these signs:
- Conversations wait because of a cap. If chats go unanswered because you hit a monthly limit, the plan is now slowing you down.
- You need a third or fourth person in the inbox. Several free plans stop at 2 or 3 seats.
- A channel is missing. If customers message you on WhatsApp or Instagram and your free plan only covers chat, you are answering from two places.
- The AI runs out early in the month. If your AI allowance is gone by week two, routine questions are back on your team.
Our guide to reducing Shopify support tickets can push that point further out, by cutting the number of questions customers need to ask.
What is the most affordable paid Shopify helpdesk?
The most affordable paid plan depends on your team size, because many tools charge per person. For one person, Gorgias Starter at $10 a month is the lowest entry price. For a team of three or more, flat plans pull ahead:
| Tool | Entry price | What grows the bill |
|---|---|---|
| Gorgias Starter | $10 a month | Tickets, at $0.40 each above 50 |
| Commslayer Plus | $29 a month with your own AI key, or $39 with theirs | Conversations above the plan’s allowance |
| Tidio Starter | $29 a month, $24.17 billed yearly | Conversations; Lyro AI is priced separately |
| Fyncall Pro | $34 a month, $370 a year | Only AI messages above 500; human replies and team members are unlimited |
| Re:amaze Starter | $59 a month flat | Capped at 500 responded conversations |
| Help Scout Standard | $25 per user a month billed yearly | Each user, plus AI resolutions |
A low entry price can still turn into a large bill. For a worked example, see what a 5-person team pays on each tool, where monthly bills ranged from $64 to $895 at the same volume. To compare at your own numbers, use the calculator on our pricing page, or read our Shopify helpdesk price comparison.
Where does Fyncall’s free plan fit?
Fyncall Free suits a small Shopify store that gets messages on WhatsApp or Instagram as well as email and web chat, and wants them in one inbox at no cost. It includes 2 team members, unlimited human replies and 25 AI messages a month, which is enough to test the AI on real questions before you rely on it.
It is less suited to a store that needs AI to answer hundreds of questions a month for free; Commslayer’s free plan includes more AI replies. It is also not the right tool if you need phone or SMS support, or if you sell outside Shopify. To get started, follow our Fyncall setup guide for Shopify.
Common questions
Is there a completely free helpdesk for Shopify?
Yes, but every free plan has a limit. Shopify Inbox is free with no stated cap, but it is a store chat rather than a multi-channel helpdesk. Fyncall, Tidio and Commslayer have free plans that include WhatsApp, Instagram and AI replies, each with its own monthly cap.
Does Gorgias have a free plan?
No. Gorgias offers a 7-day trial, and its cheapest plan, Starter, is $10 a month for 50 tickets (pricing).
Does Zendesk have a free plan for Shopify stores?
No. Zendesk offers a 14-day trial, then charges per agent on its Support and Suite plans.
Which free helpdesk includes AI replies?
Fyncall Free includes 25 AI messages a month, Commslayer Free includes 300 AI agent messages and 300 AI drafts a month, and Tidio Free includes 50 Lyro AI conversations once. Shopify Inbox includes its Inbox agent and suggested replies. Crisp and Chatwoot’s free plans include no AI.
What happens when a free plan runs out?
It depends on the tool. On Fyncall Free, the AI pauses and your team keeps replying at no charge. On plans with a conversation cap, such as Tidio’s, check the vendor’s page for what happens to new conversations once the cap is reached.
