Which live chat setup fits my store?

Tell us your store size, budget and team. Get a recommended support/chat setup, the cheapest Tidio plan that covers your volume, and honest free alternatives — with prices from official pricing pages only.

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1Where is your store?
2Orders per month
200

Pre-filled as ~15% of orders — our assumption, not a vendor figure. Tidio bills per “billable conversation” (one a human agent replies to), so overwrite this with your own number if you know it.

3Monthly budget for chat software
4Who answers chats?
5Extras
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FAQ

Is there a free live chat for an online store?

Yes. Tidio has a Free plan that covers up to 50 billable conversations a month. tawk.to offers its core live chat for free and charges only for optional add-ons such as removing its branding or AI Assist. Crisp has a Free plan with 2 seats, a shared inbox and a website chat widget. Shopify stores can also install Shopify Inbox, a free chat app made by Shopify.

How much does Tidio cost?

As listed on tidio.com/pricing on 1 October 2026: Free $0 (50 billable conversations/mo), Starter $29/mo or $24.17/mo billed yearly (100 conversations), Growth from $59/mo or $49.17/mo billed yearly (from 250 conversations, rising with volume). The Lyro AI Agent add-on started at $32.50/mo in the yearly view; its monthly price could not be verified.

What is a billable conversation in Tidio?

Tidio counts a conversation as billable when a human agent replies to it. Chats that are fully handled by automation or that nobody replies to are not counted the same way, so your real number can be lower than your total chat count. Check Tidio's pricing page for the exact definition.

Do I need live chat if I only get a few orders?

Not necessarily. Under roughly 50 human-handled chats a month, a free plan is usually enough. Many small stores start with a free tool, a clear FAQ page and fast email replies, and upgrade only when chat volume grows.

Are the links affiliate links?

The Tidio button is an affiliate link, so StoreVetted may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The alternatives are listed without affiliate links. The recommendation follows fixed rules based only on your answers.