Buyer’s guide · 8 tools

The 8 Best Ecommerce Chatbots in 2026

An ecommerce chatbot should do two jobs: help shoppers decide before they buy, and answer the “where is my order” questions after. Few tools are equally good at both. This guide explains what to look for, shows example conversations, and compares eight options on real pricing. We make Sukar, so it is listed first.

Last checked October 2026

Quick picks

If you need…Pick
AI that sells before checkout, AI included in the priceSukar
Post-purchase helpdesk with Shopify order actionsGorgias
A low-cost start with a visual bot builderTidio
A large support team with a mature AI agentIntercom
Ticketing and SLAs across many channelsZendesk
A multichannel inbox priced per workspaceCrisp

What an ecommerce chatbot does

A good AI chatbot for ecommerce works like a well-informed shop assistant who knows your whole catalog. These are the jobs worth checking for:

  • Product search. “Do you have this in black?” or “something for a beginner under $50”: the bot searches your catalog and shows matching products with links.
  • Sizing and fit questions. It answers from your size guides and product descriptions, so shoppers do not have to leave the page to find them.
  • Shipping, returns and policies. The questions that cause hesitation, answered from your own policy pages.
  • Discount codes and offers. Mentions a running promotion at the right moment instead of a coupon popup on every page.
  • Order status. Looks up an order by number. This needs a connection to your store’s orders, which not every chatbot has.
  • Cart recovery. Some tools send abandoned-cart messages after the visit; others, like Sukar, focus on keeping the shopper during the visit with a timely message on the product page.
  • Checkout links. Sends the shopper straight to the product page or checkout, where your store takes the payment.

Ecommerce chatbot examples

Short example conversations showing what a store chatbot should handle well. They are written for illustration, not taken from a real store.

Example: finding the right product

I need running shoes for flat feet, under $120

Two good fits: the Stride Support ($109) and the Arc Trainer ($115). Both have firm arch support. Want me to compare them?

Example: sizing question

I’m usually an M, is this jacket true to size?

It runs slightly small, so most people who wear an M order an L. Free exchanges within 30 days if it doesn’t fit.

Example: price hesitation

Any discount on this?

Yes, code SPRING10 takes 10% off your order this week. Here’s the product page if you want to add it to your cart.

Example: handing off to a person

My parcel arrived damaged, can I talk to someone?

Sorry about that. I’ve passed this to the team with your order details. What’s the best email to reach you?

The best chatbot examples share three traits: they answer the actual question first, they keep replies short, and they recommend only products that match what the shopper asked for.

How to choose an ecommerce chatbot

  • Catalog sync. Does it import your products from Shopify or WooCommerce and keep them current, or do you have to write answers by hand? See the Shopify and WooCommerce integrations.
  • Grounding. A bot that invents a price or a delivery date costs you money. Look for one that answers from your own content and says so when it does not know. More in our guide to a chatbot knowledge base.
  • Handoff. Damaged orders and big purchases need a person. Check that the bot hands over with the full conversation and collects an email when nobody is online.
  • Pricing model. Per-resolution AI (Intercom, Gorgias) is cheap at low volume and expensive in peak season. AI included in a flat plan is easier to budget.
  • Selling, not only support. Can it recommend products, mention offers and spot shoppers who are ready to buy? That is the difference between an AI sales agent and a ticket-deflection bot.
  • Languages. If you sell across borders, check that both the AI and the chat widget work in your customers’ languages.

Pricing compared

ToolFree planStarting priceAI pricing
SukarYes, 50 AI conversations/mo$29/mo flat (3 agents)Included in plan
GorgiasNo$10/mo (50 tickets)$0.90–$1.00 per interaction
TidioYes~$24.17/mo (annual)Lyro add-on
IntercomNo$39/seat/mo$0.99 per resolution
ZendeskNo (trial)$55/agent/mo (annual)Add-on
CrispYes$45/mo per workspaceAI credits included
FreshchatUp to 10 agents$19/agent/mo (annual)$49 per 100 sessions
HubSpotYesPaid hubsVaries by tier

Prices from each vendor’s public pricing page, October 2026. They change often, so check before you buy.

The best ecommerce chatbots, reviewed

1. Sukar

Best for selling in chat on Shopify, WooCommerce and YouCan
Price:
Free; Starter $29/mo (3 agents); Pro $79/mo (10 agents)
AI:
Included on every plan: 50 / 300 / 3,000 AI conversations a month

Live chat with an AI agent that learns your website automatically and answers like a salesperson: product questions, pricing, discount codes and checkout links. On Pro it scores every visitor’s buying intent (0–100) and switches into a closer mode for hot leads, then alerts your team.

Good

  • + AI included in the plan price, no per-resolution fees
  • + Trains itself by crawling your site, no help center needed
  • + Shopify, WooCommerce and YouCan: product search and discount codes in chat
  • + Widget in English and Arabic (right-to-left)

Watch out for

  • − Visitor scoring, closer mode, team inbox and WhatsApp/Messenger/Instagram are Pro ($79/mo)
  • − Newer product: no ticketing suite or knowledge-base builder
Start free

2. Gorgias

Best for e-commerce support helpdesks
Price:
From $10/mo (50 tickets), scales with ticket volume
AI:
AI Agent, $0.90–$1.00 per interaction

A helpdesk built for online stores, with deep Shopify order actions. Strong for post-purchase support; pricing grows with ticket volume and AI interactions.

Good

  • + Deep Shopify order actions
  • + Built for e-commerce support
  • + Low entry price

Watch out for

  • − Per-ticket and per-AI-interaction pricing
  • − Helpdesk-first rather than pre-sale selling
Sukar vs GorgiasGorgias pricing

3. Tidio

Best for small Shopify stores
Price:
Free plan; Starter about $24.17/mo (billed annually)
AI:
Lyro AI agent, separate add-on

Easy live chat and chatbot builder that is popular with small online stores. Low entry price; the Lyro AI agent is billed separately, so AI-heavy use costs more than the headline price.

Good

  • + Low entry price and a free plan
  • + Simple visual chatbot builder
  • + Good Shopify fit

Watch out for

  • − Lyro AI is an add-on
  • − No visitor intent scoring listed
Sukar vs TidioTidio pricing

4. Intercom

Best for large support teams
Price:
Essential from $39/seat/mo; no free plan
AI:
Fin AI agent, $0.99 per resolution

A mature customer-service platform with a strong AI agent (Fin), help center, workflows and reporting. Excellent for support organisations; costs climb with seats and with every conversation Fin resolves.

Good

  • + Deep support workflows and reporting
  • + Fin is a capable AI agent
  • + Large integration ecosystem

Watch out for

  • − Per-seat pricing plus per-resolution AI fees
  • − No free plan
  • − More setup to get full value
Sukar vs IntercomIntercom pricing

5. Zendesk

Best for ticket-based support at scale
Price:
From $55/agent/mo (billed annually); 14-day trial
AI:
AI add-on, extra per-agent cost

The standard for ticketing and omnichannel support. Very capable for structured support operations; expensive and slow to set up if you mainly want website chat that sells.

Good

  • + Full ticketing and SLA tooling
  • + Enterprise-grade
  • + Huge app marketplace

Watch out for

  • − Per-agent pricing from $55
  • − AI is an add-on
  • − Setup takes days to weeks
Sukar vs ZendeskZendesk pricing

6. Crisp

Best for multichannel inbox on a budget
Price:
Free plan; paid $45 / $95 / $295 per month per workspace
AI:
AI credits included on all plans

A popular all-in-one inbox with chat, email and social channels, priced per workspace instead of per seat. A good fit for small teams that want many channels in one place.

Good

  • + Workspace pricing, not per seat
  • + Many channels in one inbox
  • + Free plan with AI credits

Watch out for

  • − First paid plan is $45/mo
  • − No visitor intent scoring or sales closer mode listed
Sukar vs CrispCrisp pricing

7. Freshchat

Best for teams already on Freshworks
Price:
Free up to 10 agents; Growth $19/agent/mo (annual)
AI:
Freddy AI Agent, $49 per 100 sessions

Messaging from the Freshworks suite with a generous free tier. Natural choice if you already use Freshdesk; AI is bought in session packs.

Good

  • + Free for up to 10 agents
  • + Fits the Freshworks suite
  • + Omnichannel messaging

Watch out for

  • − AI billed per session pack
  • − Per-agent pricing on paid plans
Sukar vs FreshchatFreshchat pricing

8. HubSpot

Best for teams living in the HubSpot CRM
Price:
Free chat; AI and automation on paid hubs
AI:
Chatbots / Breeze, varies by tier

Free live chat connected to the HubSpot CRM. Great if HubSpot is already your system of record; advanced bots, lead scoring and branding removal sit in paid tiers.

Good

  • + Free chat tied to a free CRM
  • + Strong marketing and sales suite

Watch out for

  • − Best features need paid hub seats
  • − HubSpot branding on free
Sukar vs HubSpotHubSpot pricing

Where Sukar fits for online stores

Sukar is built for the pre-sale side. Connect a Shopify, WooCommerce or YouCan store and it imports your products, crawls your pages and answers shoppers from that content. It shows matching products as cards with links, mentions your running offers and discount codes, and can send a short message about the product a shopper is viewing, once per visit. On paid plans you can add AI actions, including order-status lookups for Shopify and WooCommerce. On Pro it scores each visitor’s buying intent and alerts your team when a hot lead appears.

What it does not do: it does not take payments or place orders, and it is not a ticketing helpdesk. If your volume is mostly post-purchase tickets, a helpdesk such as Gorgias may suit you better, or alongside it. More on the ecommerce use case and the AI customer service agent.

Ecommerce chatbot or live chat?

Both. The chatbot answers instantly at any hour and handles the repeat questions; your team steps in for complaints, unusual requests and large orders. If you are also comparing general chat tools, see the best live chat software.

Put an AI shop assistant on your store

Sukar imports your catalog, answers shoppers 24/7 and points them to checkout. Free plan, AI included.

Start freeSee pricing

Free plan, no credit card. One script tag to install.

All product names are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is for informational comparison only.

Frequently asked questions

What is an ecommerce chatbot?+

A chat assistant on an online store that answers shopper questions automatically: which product fits, what it costs, shipping and returns, discount codes and where an order is. Modern ones use AI trained on your store’s products and pages, and hand the chat to a person when needed.

What is the best ecommerce chatbot for Shopify?+

For pre-sale selling with AI included in a flat price, Sukar. For a post-purchase support helpdesk with deep Shopify order actions, Gorgias. For a low-cost start with a visual bot builder, Tidio. Many stores pair a selling chatbot with a helpdesk.

Can an ecommerce chatbot increase sales?+

It can, when it answers the questions that stop people from buying (fit, delivery, price, trust) at the moment they are on the product page, and points them to the right product and checkout. A bot that only deflects support tickets will not move sales much.

Do ecommerce chatbots take payments or place orders?+

Most do not, and Sukar does not. The chatbot answers questions, recommends products, shares discount codes and sends the shopper to your product page or checkout, where your store handles payment.

How much does an AI chatbot for ecommerce cost?+

It depends mostly on how AI is billed. Sukar includes AI in the plan (50 AI conversations a month free, 300 on Starter at $29/mo, 3,000 on Pro at $79/mo). Gorgias and Intercom charge per AI interaction or resolution; Tidio and Zendesk sell AI as an add-on.

How long does it take to set up?+

With a tool that learns from your store, minutes: connect Shopify, WooCommerce or YouCan, let it import products and crawl your pages, then paste one script tag or install the app. Tools that need a help center written first take longer.