Shopify Inbox vs Chatonbo: which is better for a small Shopify store in 2026?
Shopify Inbox is the right pick for a Shopify store where a person answers chats: it is free, made by Shopify, and its opt-in Inbox agent can cover the hours your staff are away using your catalog, policies and storefront pages. Chatonbo is the right pick when nobody is answering and you want the chat to handle it alone: it answers from your whole website, documents and catalog, looks up orders, shows product cards and replies in 50+ languages, with a free plan through the Shopify App Store and Pro at $19/mo. If free is the only budget and you reply yourself, choose Inbox; if the chat has to work unattended, choose Chatonbo.
What Shopify Inbox is
Shopify Inbox is Shopify's own chat app for the online store. Your staff reply from the desktop, iOS or Android app and can send product links, discount codes and images, with quick replies, availability hours and an automated first reply. It also has an opt-in Inbox agent, which Shopify describes as an AI sales associate that answers questions about products, shipping, returns, sizing and store policies from your product catalog, store policies, Knowledge Base facts and files and published storefront content. It is free and listed for 21 languages.
What Chatonbo is
Chatonbo is an AI assistant for your storefront that answers on its own, 24/7. It reads your website, documents and Shopify catalog in about 2 minutes, answers in 50+ languages, shows product cards with pictures, adds items to the cart inside the chat and looks up order status through the official Shopify app. It captures leads, hands off to a human when asked, and comes with a free plan through the Shopify App Store (100 conversations a month, 1 AI agent, 3 knowledge sources), Pro at $19/mo for 5,000 conversations and Business at $59/mo for 10,000.
Shopify Inbox vs Chatonbo at a glance
Every Shopify Inbox claim below comes from Shopify's own help and listing pages, checked on October 29, 2026 and linked at the bottom. Where those pages do not state something, we say so instead of guessing.
| Shopify Inbox | Chatonbo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free on the Shopify App Store; no paid tiers listed | Free plan through the Shopify App Store (100 conversations a month); Pro $19/mo for 5,000; Business $59/mo for 10,000 |
| Who answers | Your staff, from the Inbox desktop, iOS or Android app. The Inbox agent is opt-in and can take all conversations or only the hours your staff are unavailable | The AI answers every conversation on its own, around the clock, and hands off to a human when the visitor asks or when you set it to |
| What the AI answers from | Product catalog, store policies, Knowledge Base facts and files, and published storefront content; cited web search for reviews of a specific product | Any website URL (your store and other sites), uploaded documents and PDFs, typed FAQs, plus the synced Shopify catalog |
| Order status | Default "Track my order" instant answer asks for an order number and email; the Inbox agent shares order information only after the customer signs in | Order status, items and tracking link inside the chat through the official Shopify app, matched on the email used at checkout or the order number |
| Selling in the chat | Staff send product links and discount codes; the Inbox agent recommends products from the catalog and personalizes for shoppers signed in with Shop | Product cards with pictures, add to cart inside the chat, cross-sell and discount codes you set, through the official Shopify app |
| Languages | 21 languages listed on the App Store; AI-generated instant answer suggestions are English only | AI answers in 50+ languages, auto-detected; chat window translated into 20 |
| Requirements | Shopify Basic, Grow, Advanced or Plus; the Inbox agent also needs an active online store and new customer accounts (not legacy accounts) | Any Shopify store via the App Store, or any site with one line of code; also an official Wix app and a WordPress plugin |
| Canned answers | Instant answers (up to 100 shown) and quick replies for staff | Typed FAQs are one knowledge source among many; the AI phrases the answer to the question actually asked |
| Lead capture | Not listed on the pages we checked | Captures name, email and phone in conversation, emails you, and forwards to HubSpot, Zoho, Slack, Zapier (5,000+ apps) and more |
| AI model | Not stated on the pages we checked | GPT-5.4 by default; each bot can switch to Anthropic Claude or Google Gemini |
| Setup | Install from the App Store, turn on the chat widget in the admin, then opt in to the Inbox agent if you want it | Install from the App Store; the assistant reads your store and drafts itself in about 2 minutes |
Prefer the feature-by-feature version? Read Chatonbo vs Shopify Inbox.
What each one costs
Chatonbo prices are from chatonbo.com/pricing. Shopify Inbox prices are read from Shopify's own pages and are never typed in by hand on this page.
Shopify Inbox
Has a free plan. Pricing model: free.
- Free $0The App Store listing shows "Free"; the Shopify Help Center says the opt-in Inbox agent chats with customers automatically and lists no cost, but you need a paid Shopify store plan to use it.
Shopify Inbox is free for Shopify stores and includes an opt-in AI Inbox agent at no listed extra cost, but it only works inside the Shopify online store chat.
Read from apps.shopify.com/inbox on 2026-10-29.
Chatonbo
Flat monthly price. No per-seat, per-resolution or credit fees. AI included on every plan.
- Free $0100 conversations a month, 1 AI agent, 3 knowledge sources. Through the Shopify App Store or the Wix App Market, no card.
- Pro $19/mo5,000 conversations a month, 2 AI agents, unlimited knowledge sources, 1 extra team member. 30-day free trial.
- Business $59/mo10,000 conversations a month, 2 AI agents, unlimited team members. 30-day free trial.
Full details on chatonbo.com/pricing.
Where Shopify Inbox is better
It is free, full stop
Shopify lists Inbox as free with no paid tier and no conversation count. If chat must cost nothing at any volume, nothing beats $0.
Made by Shopify, lives in the admin
No second vendor, no extra login. Your staff answer from the Inbox desktop, iOS or Android apps, and your catalog, inventory and policies are connected automatically.
Built for a person answering
Quick replies, availability hours, an automated first reply and the ability to send product links, discount codes and images make Inbox a good live-chat desk for one or two people.
Shop sign-in personalization
Shopify says the Inbox agent personalizes replies for shoppers signed in with Shop using their preferences and purchase history, and can add cited web search for reviews of a specific product. Chatonbo does not use Shop sign-in data.
Where Chatonbo is better
It answers when nobody is there
Chatonbo handles every conversation unattended, at 3 am and on Sundays. In our State of Ecommerce Chat 2026 study, 44.7% of 5,565 store chats happened after hours. Inbox needs you to opt in to the agent and keeps a human-staffed model at its core.
Answers from your whole business, not only Shopify data
Shopify lists the catalog, policies, Knowledge Base and published storefront content as the agent's sources. Chatonbo also reads sizing guides, PDFs, manuals, a separate blog or help site, and anything you type in.
50+ languages, detected automatically
Inbox lists 21 languages and its AI-generated instant answer suggestions are English only. Chatonbo answers in whatever language the shopper writes, from 50+.
Product cards and add to cart in the chat
Through the official Shopify app the assistant shows product cards with pictures and adds items to the cart without leaving the conversation. Inbox describes product recommendations and product links, not add to cart.
No customer-accounts requirement
Shopify says the Inbox agent does not work with legacy customer accounts and needs Basic, Grow, Advanced or Plus. Chatonbo installs on any Shopify store and does not depend on customer accounts for its answers.
Leads, integrations and other sites
Chatonbo captures leads and sends them to your CRM, Slack or Zapier, and the same assistant can run on a Wix or WordPress site you also own. Inbox is Shopify only and lists no lead capture.
Which should you pick?
Find your situation. We would rather you pick the right tool than sign up and leave.
You or a staff member answers chat during the day and the budget is zero
Shopify Inbox. It is free, built in, and the staff apps are good. Turn on the Inbox agent for the hours you are away if your store meets Shopify's requirements.
Nobody is watching chat at night or on weekends
Chatonbo. Install it from the Shopify App Store on the free plan (100 conversations a month) and let it answer from your pages and catalog. Move to Pro at $19/mo when you pass 100.
Your answers live in PDFs, manuals or a separate help site
Chatonbo. Add the URLs or upload the files and the assistant answers from them. Shopify lists catalog, policies, Knowledge Base and storefront content as the Inbox agent's sources.
Shoppers write in many languages
Chatonbo, with 50+ languages detected automatically. Inbox lists 21 and its AI-generated instant answer suggestions are English only.
You already use Inbox and like it
Keep it. Opt in to the Inbox agent first; it is free. Try Chatonbo only if the agent misses questions that are answered on your pages, or if you want product cards and add to cart in the chat.
You sell on Shopify and also run a Wix or WordPress site
Chatonbo. One assistant, one dashboard, one price across both sites. Inbox works only inside Shopify.
Chatonbo for Shopify stores · Chatonbo vs Shopify Inbox, feature by feature · Shopify Inbox alternative · Free install-for-me
Shopify Inbox vs Chatonbo FAQ
Is Shopify Inbox really free?
Yes. Shopify lists Shopify Inbox as free on the Shopify App Store with no paid tiers, and it is available on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans. The opt-in Inbox agent is part of the same free app. Chatonbo also has a free plan when installed through the Shopify App Store (100 conversations a month, 1 AI agent, 3 knowledge sources), with Pro at $19/mo for 5,000 conversations.
Does Shopify Inbox answer customers automatically?
Only if you opt in. Shopify Inbox is staff-answered by default. Its Inbox agent can be set to handle all conversations or only the hours your staff are unavailable, and it answers from your product catalog, store policies, Knowledge Base facts and files and published storefront content. Shopify says it requires an active online store and new customer accounts, not legacy accounts. Chatonbo answers every conversation automatically from the moment it is installed.
What is the cheapest AI chat for a small Shopify store?
Shopify Inbox is free, so it is the cheapest if its Inbox agent covers what your shoppers ask. Chatonbo is free too when installed from the Shopify App Store, with a limit of 100 conversations a month, and its first paid plan is Pro at $19/mo for 5,000 conversations with a 30-day free trial. Most other Shopify chat apps charge per seat, per AI reply or per ticket.
Can Shopify Inbox answer from pages outside Shopify, like a PDF size guide?
Shopify's help pages list the Inbox agent's sources as the product catalog, store policies, Knowledge Base facts and files, and published storefront content such as pages, blog posts and product care guides. Chatonbo reads any URL you give it, including other domains, and uploaded documents and PDFs, alongside the synced Shopify catalog.
Can I run Shopify Inbox and Chatonbo together?
You can, but most stores keep one chat widget so shoppers are not confused. A common setup is Chatonbo as the storefront assistant, answering on its own and handing off to a human by email when a shopper asks, with Inbox kept for anything your staff want to answer by hand. Chatonbo paid plans have a 30-day free trial to test this.
Does Chatonbo track orders like Shopify Inbox?
Both do, differently. Shopify Inbox has a default "Track my order" instant answer that asks for an order number and email, and the Inbox agent shares order information only after the customer signs in. Chatonbo looks up order status, items and the tracking link inside the chat through the official Shopify app, matched on the email used at checkout or the order number, with no sign-in step.
Sources, verified October 29, 2026
- Shopify Inbox listing on the Shopify App Store (price, features, languages): https://apps.shopify.com/inbox
- Shopify Help Center, Shopify Inbox overview (staff replies, Inbox agent sources): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox
- Shopify Help Center, assigning your Inbox agent (requirements, modes, handoff, limits): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/assigning-your-ai-staff-member
- Shopify Help Center, instant answers (100 shown, English-only suggestions, Track my order): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/chat-settings-and-appearance/instant-answers
- Shopify Help Center, availability hours and automated first reply: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/chat-settings-and-appearance/availability-and-first-reply
- Shopify Help Center, training your Inbox agent: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/training-your-agent
- Shopify Help Center, installing Shopify Inbox (desktop, iOS, Android apps): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/setup
Shopify may change features and pricing; check its pages for current terms. Chatonbo facts are from chatonbo.com/pricing and the product as shipped.
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