The 10 Best Shopify Customer Support Apps

Picture this: Your Shopify brand is gaining traction and orders are streaming in, but so are the customer questions — hundreds of them. Emails about order statuses, messages asking for product details, requests for returns or exchanges — your notifications are pinging nonstop, and despite your best efforts, you can't keep up. Each unanswered inquiry could turn into a lost sale or a negative review with lasting effects on your sales and reputation.

One customer service expert surveyed American consumers and found that 58% were willing to pay more if it guaranteed they'd receive great service. Customer support isn't a post-sale formality; it's vital to your customers. But as a small business owner with tight budgets and limited resources, how do you meet sky-high expectations without burning out?

What if you could turn an overwhelming influx of customer interactions into a streamlined, efficient process that keeps customers coming back? Imagine having a super-powered sidekick that can handle inquiries, automate routine tasks, and provide personalized support, all while you focus on growing your business.

Welcome to the ultimate guide on the 10 best Shopify customer support apps. We've scoured the marketplace to find tools that not only alleviate your customer service headaches but also enhance your customers' shopping experience. From AI-driven assistants to live chat solutions and self-service portals, these apps are the secret weapons you need to stay ahead of the competition.

Ready to transform your customer support into a competitive advantage? Let's dive in and discover the app that will become your new business superpower.

Why consider a customer service app?

As a Shopify merchant, you might be grappling with:

• An overwhelming number of inquiries: A flood of customer questions can quickly become unmanageable.
• Manual processes that hold you back: Handling each inquiry individually eats up precious time.
• Limited resources: Small teams often struggle to provide 24/7 support.
• Disjointed experiences for your customers: Inconsistent communication channels frustrate customers — the last thing you want them to experience.
• Cost and scalability concerns: Expanding support often means escalating expenses.
• A lack of insights: Not having the right knowledge or data can hold you back from improving the customer experience or solving customer issues at their source.
• Apprehensions about new technologies like AI: Uncertainty about implementing the latest tech. Can you afford it? Is it too much for your business to handle? Will it really help, or will it further complicate a support situation you're already struggling to keep up with?

Customer service apps are designed to tackle these pain points head-on. They automate routine tasks, centralize communications, and provide tools that scale with your business — all while keeping costs in check.

What to look for in a Shopify customer service app

With those pain points in mind, let's discuss what Shopify brands should look for in their customer support tools. At the end of the day, every business has unique needs, and you may want a point solution to address a specific aspect of your support ecosystem — like an app for managing returns, for example. But there are still some key features to look for, regardless of the type of tool you need:

• AI and automation capabilities: Yes, AI can be intimidating. But it's a game changer for many businesses, helping automate responses to common inquiries and tasks.
• Scalability and cost-effectiveness: Choose solutions that grow with you without breaking the bank.
• Customization and personalization: Tailor the customer experience to reflect your brand.
• User friendly features and interface: Make sure you (and your team) can quickly adopt and utilize whatever tool you choose.
• Data and insights: Look for a tool that helps you learn about your customers — and use the data and insights you unlock to improve their experiences with your brand.

And it should go without saying, but look for tools that offer a seamless integration with Shopify. The last thing you want is another headache caused by a tool that doesn't play nicely with your existing tech.

Top 10 Shopify customer service apps

Apps with exceptional AI and automation

1. OpenDesk

Superpower: Smarter support that optimizes your business with less time and effort

Imagine having an assistant who not only handles repetitive inquiries but also provides insights to improve your business. OpenDesk uses AI to streamline and optimize customer support, freeing up your time to focus on growth by providing faster, human-centered responses and actionable data to power customer retention.

With OpenDesk, you can connect your customer channels in seconds and manage all your inboxes in one place. They get automatically sorted, labeled, and prioritized, so you can identify your key customers and automate common inquiries.

Then, OpenDesk gathers and analyzes customer data in real time, empowering you to optimize your supply chain through customer feedback and improve customer retention with insights-driven support.

We know OpenDesk works because Jack Archer doubled their customer retention rate by finding and solving operational issues. Sensory Joy cut response times by over 75%. And Regen Health has a customer satisfaction score of over 92% — while increasing its automation rate from 35% to 70%.

Key features:

• All your inboxes in one place — sorted, labeled, and prioritized
• Respond faster with auto-drafts and auto ticket categorization
• Train OpenDesk how to respond like you and automate tickets with confidence
• Pinpoint and fix root causes of issues that lead to unhappy customers
• Make data-informed decisions to optimize your support and business

Ideal for: Shopify brands looking to enhance efficiency without sacrificing quality

Pricing: $49/month for all features, including unlimited tickets, users, channels and automations.

Ready to see how OpenDesk can help your Shopify brand manage support like a pro with less time and effort? Start your free trial today.

2. Gorgias

Superpower: Automates repetitive tasks

Gorgias centralizes all customer interactions and automates responses, freeing up your team to focus on complex issues.

Key features:

• Unified inbox to bring together email, chat, and social media messages
• Macros and rules to automate responses to FAQs
• Shopify data integration to access order info directly within support tickets.

Ideal for: Businesses that want to streamline support across multiple channels

Pricing: Starts at $300 per month for 2,000 tickets, but automation and other features are only included in more expensive plans.

3. Richpanel

Superpower: Self-service customer portals

Let your customers help themselves with Richpanel's intuitive self-service options.

Key features:

• Customer portals where customers can track orders and initiate returns
• Live chat with AI that combines chatbots with human support
• Personalized timelines where agents can view customer interaction history at a glance

Ideal for: Reducing support tickets and empowering customers

Pricing: Starts at $59 per agent per month, with add-on self-service plans starting at $99 per month.

Apps for rapidly scaling or "unicorn" brands

4. Zendesk

Superpower: Comprehensive ticketing system

Zendesk is a powerhouse for managing customer inquiries from various channels, designed for enterprise or rapidly growing businesses.

Key features:

• Advanced ticketing so you can organize and prioritize support tickets effectively
• Customizable workflows to tailor the system to your processes
• In-depth analytics for monitoring performance and customer satisfaction

Ideal for: Larger enterprises with complex support needs

Pricing: Starts at $19 per agent per month for a build-your-own plan, but most features aren't included and need to be purchased as add-ons for extra fees.

Apps for live customer interaction

5. LiveChat

Superpower: Real-time customer engagement

LiveChat helps you connect with customers instantly, increasing satisfaction and conversions.

Key features:

• Customizable chat windows you can design to match your brand's look and feel
• Chat tags and ratings to help you gain insights into customer interactions
• Integrations with over 170 tools, including CRM and email marketing

Ideal for: Businesses aiming to enhance their real-time support

Pricing: Starts at $20 per person per month for a single-user starter plan that works on limited channels. To add more users or channels like SMS, email, Instagram, or X (formerly known as Twitter), you'll have to upgrade.

6. Tawk.to

Superpower: Free live chat with premium features

Tawk.to gives you robust live chat capabilities free of charge.

Key features:

• No extra cost for additional team members
• File sharing allows you to send and receive files within chats
• A mobile app is available so you can stay connected on the go

Ideal for: Budget-conscious businesses

Pricing: Free.

Apps with self-service solutions

7. HelpCenter

Superpower: Easy-to-build FAQs

Simplify customer support by providing clear, organized FAQs with HelpCenter.

Key features:

• Straightforward FAQ builder to create and categorize questions effortlessly
• Search functionality helps customers find answers quickly
• More expensive tiers offer multilingual support so your brand can cater to a global audience

Ideal for: Reducing repetitive inquiries

Pricing: Starts at $29 per month for a single user. When you add more users and features, the price goes up substantially (the next tier is $110 per month).

8. HelpDocs

Superpower: Advanced knowledge base tools

Build a comprehensive self-service portal with HelpDocs.

Key features:

• Customizable design allows you to build a knowledge base that matches your brand identity
• SEO optimization is available to increase the visibility of help articles
• User feedback helps you gather insights to improve help content

Ideal for: Businesses needing detailed support documentation

Pricing: Starts at $55 per month for a small business team account with unlimited views and quite a few advanced features.

Apps that enhance the post-purchase experience

9. AfterShip

Superpower: Automated returns management

Simplify your returns process with AfterShip.

Key features:

• Self-service returns allow customers to initiate returns without support
• Automated labels reduce manual work for your support team
• Notifications keep customers informed throughout the process

Ideal for: Reducing manual workload on returns

Pricing: Starts at $19 per month for an Essentials plan with up to 720 returns per year. The allowed returns can be increased for an extra monthly fee, or your business can pay individually for extra returns.

10. Loop Returns

Superpower: Seamless exchanges and returns

Encourage exchanges over refunds with Loop Returns.

Key features:

• Intelligent exchanges to suggest alternative products
• Automated workflows to reduce manual tasks for your support team
• Detailed reporting helps your team understand return reasons and trends

Ideal for: Retaining revenue through exchanges

Pricing: Loop's paid plans are pricey and no free trials are available, but the company offers Offset, free software with return shipping, labels, and expert support — all for free.

How to choose the right customer service app for your Shopify brand

Selecting the right customer service app isn't easy. It depends on:

• Budget constraints: Determine how much you can invest in customer support tools.
• Scalability: Choose an app that can grow with your business.
• Features: For example, will automation benefit your team? If so, you might look for apps that offer AI and automated workflows.
• Customer reviews and testimonials: Learn from other users' experiences to choose apps that best fit with your brand and its needs.

If possible, consider starting with a free trial to test the app's functionality and see if it meets your expectations.

Elevate your customer service with OpenDesk

By exploring these top Shopify customer support apps and understanding their unique superpowers, you're well-equipped to choose the right tool for your business. Turn customer support from a source of stress into a streamlined, efficient operation that delights your customers and drives growth.

Exceptional customer service is no longer optional — it's a necessity for thriving in the competitive ecommerce landscape. OpenDesk offers a powerful solution that addresses the core challenges faced by Shopify business owners. By harnessing AI and automation, OpenDesk optimizes your support processes, reduces response times, and enhances customer satisfaction.

Join the growing number of businesses transforming their customer support with OpenDesk. Start your trial today and take the first step toward smarter, more efficient customer service.