Zipchat Alternatives for Shopify (2026)

The main Zipchat alternatives for Shopify are BOBBI Smart Store, Rep AI, Dialog, Tidio with Lyro AI, iAdvize and Manifest AI. Zipchat is a well-rated AI chatbot with live chat across your site, email, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, priced by AI replies. Merchants usually compare alternatives for one of three reasons: they want costs that do not rise with every reply, they want the store itself to guide shoppers rather than a chat window, or they need a support-first helpdesk.

Disclosure: this comparison is published by BOBBI Oy, the maker of BOBBI Smart Store, which is listed first. Every other app is described by what it does best, using its official Shopify App Store listing, checked on 6 and 7 October 2026.

Zipchat alternatives compared

Prices in USD as listed on each app's Shopify App Store listing on 6 and 7 October 2026; several apps list 17–25% lower annual prices. Ratings change daily.

Why merchants look for Zipchat alternatives

Cost that follows your conversations. Zipchat is priced by AI replies: $80 a month for 750, $300 for 3,000 and $600 for 6,000, so a busy season raises the bill.
A different approach to selling. Some merchants want the whole storefront to guide shoppers, not a chat window that opens on top of the existing page.
A different main job. Stores whose chats are mostly about orders and returns often prefer a support-first helpdesk with ticketing.
Worth knowing first. Zipchat is rated 4.9 from 202 reviews and covers more messaging channels than most alternatives, so a switch makes sense only if one of the reasons above applies.

The alternatives, one by one

1. BOBBI Smart Store — best for a storefront that sells by itself

BOBBI turns your Shopify catalog into a Smart Store: shoppers say what they need, tap simple choices and see the matching products while the conversation narrows them down, then pay in your native Shopify checkout. It installs from the Shopify App Store in minutes and runs in parallel with your theme; you choose what share of visitors sees the Smart Store, and each shopper stays on the same version. Consider that it is new (launched August 2026) and works on your storefront rather than in WhatsApp, Instagram or email.

2. Rep AI — best for proactive sales chat priced by visitors

Rep AI adds a proactive AI chat to your existing theme that recommends products and also answers support questions. It is priced by monthly visitors rather than replies: $104 for up to 10,000, $209 for up to 25,000 and $368 for up to 50,000, plus $12 per extra 1,000 visitors, with a 14-day trial.

3. Dialog — best for an Amazon Rufus-style assistant

Dialog describes itself as an Amazon-inspired, Rufus-style shopping agent. It is priced by monthly unique visitors: $249 up to 25,000, $399 up to 50,000 and $799 up to 100,000, with a free plan of 200 conversations a month and a 14-day trial.

4. Tidio with Lyro AI — best for support-first chat

Tidio combines live chat, ticketing and the Lyro AI agent across chat, email and social channels. There is a free plan, paid plans from $29 a month, and Lyro AI from $39 a month for 200 Lyro conversations. It is rated 4.8 from 1,352 reviews.

5. iAdvize — best for large catalogs that want onboarding help

iAdvize offers an AI shopping assistant priced by conversations and catalog size: $290 a month for 500 conversations and up to 1,000 SKUs, $520 for 1,000 conversations and up to 10,000 SKUs, and $1,330 for 3,000 conversations and up to 50,000 SKUs with onboarding from its customer success team. There is a 30-day free trial.

6. Manifest AI — best for ChatGPT-style recommendation chat

Manifest AI is an AI chat on your existing store that recommends products, with cart recovery and lead collection. It is free to test; paid pricing is not published on the listing.

How to choose

Want every visitor guided to the right product by the store itself: BOBBI Smart Store.
Want pricing by visitors rather than by AI replies: Rep AI or Dialog.
Most chats are about orders, shipping and returns: Tidio with Lyro AI.
A very large catalog and hands-on onboarding: iAdvize.
The same chat-on-theme model from a different vendor: Manifest AI.
Whatever you choose, run it on part of your traffic first and judge it by revenue per visitor.

App	Best for	How it differs from Zipchat	Pricing model	Starting paid price	Free plan / trial	App Store rating
BOBBI Smart Store	A storefront that guides every shopper to the right product	The store is the conversation: shoppers chat and tap simple choices with products in view, instead of a chat window on top of the page	Billed through Shopify	See App Store listing	See App Store listing	5.0 (4)
Rep AI	Proactive AI sales chat plus support automation	Priced by monthly visitors instead of AI replies	Monthly visitors	$104/month (up to 10,000 visitors)	100 free visitors/month; 14-day trial	4.6 (117)
Dialog	An Amazon Rufus-style shopping assistant	Priced by monthly unique visitors and focused on shopping questions	Monthly unique visitors	$249/month (up to 25,000 visitors)	200 free conversations/month; 14-day trial	5.0 (38)
Tidio (Lyro AI)	Support-first live chat with an AI agent	Stronger on helpdesk and ticketing; selling is secondary	Conversations	$29/month; Lyro AI from $39/month (200 Lyro conversations)	Free plan; 7-day trial	4.8 (1,352)
iAdvize	Large catalogs that want onboarding help	Priced by conversations and catalog size, with onboarding on larger plans	Conversations	$290/month (500 conversations, up to 1,000 SKUs)	30-day free trial	5.0 (29)
Manifest AI	ChatGPT-style product recommendation chat	A similar chat on your existing theme; paid pricing is not published	Contact sales	Contact sales	Free plan to test	4.6 (60)
Zipchat (for reference)	AI chat for sales and support across channels	—	AI replies	$80/month (750 AI replies, about 300 conversations)	Free plan (120 AI replies); 7-day trial	4.9 (202)

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Zipchat for Shopify?

It depends on why you are switching. If you want the store itself to guide every shopper to the right product, BOBBI Smart Store turns the storefront into a conversation where shoppers chat and tap simple choices. For proactive sales chat priced by visitors instead of AI replies, Rep AI or Dialog. If support tickets are the main job, Tidio with Lyro AI. For very large catalogs with onboarding help, iAdvize.

How is Zipchat priced?

As listed on the Shopify App Store on 6 October 2026, Zipchat is priced by AI replies: a free plan with 120 AI replies a month, Starter at $80 per month for 750 AI replies (about 300 conversations), Pro at $300 for 3,000 (about 1,250 conversations) and Scale at $600 for 6,000 (about 2,500 conversations). Annual billing saves 20%, and paid plans have a 7-day free trial.

How is BOBBI different from Zipchat?

Zipchat is an AI chatbot and live chat that answers shoppers on your site, email, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, for both sales and support. BOBBI Smart Store is the storefront itself: shoppers find and buy the right product by chatting and tapping simple choices, with the matching products in view, and pay in your native Shopify checkout. BOBBI focuses on guiding the purchase on your store rather than support across messaging channels.

Can I try BOBBI without removing Zipchat?

Yes. BOBBI installs from the Shopify App Store, reads your catalog from Shopify automatically and runs in parallel with your theme. You choose what share of visitors sees the Smart Store, so you can compare results before you change anything else.