Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Automate the live chat customer support in one place with Focal Helpdesk and Chat Widget
| Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk | Appstle℠ Subscriptions App | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed | ||
| Last updated | — | — |
Conveniently setup and manage subscriptions & boxes with robust merchant tools, and an intuitive UI
| Metric | Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk | Appstle℠ Subscriptions App |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5.0 ★ | 5.0 ★ |
| Total reviews | 1 | ★ 8.7k |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free plan available | Free plan available |
| Built for Shopify | — | ★ Yes |
| Pricing tiers | — | 4 tiers |
| Listed features | 5 | 5 |
| Featured placements | — | 4 |
| Review velocity (30d) | — | 348 new |
| Languages | 1 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Mar 2021 | Apr 2021 |
Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk and Appstle℠ Subscriptions App are evenly matched on rating (5.0★ vs 5.0★) — the differentiator comes down to pricing fit, feature breadth, and which app's interaction pattern suits your team's workflow.
Pricing entry tiers: Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk at Free plan available, Appstle℠ Subscriptions App at Free plan available. Check each app's tier structure for the capacity limits you actually need before deciding — the headline number is the same shape, but the gating shape per tier (seats, usage volume, integrations) varies.
Appstle℠ Subscriptions App has the larger user base (8,653 reviews vs 1), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat.
Recommended evaluation path: install both apps' free tiers (where available) and run them in parallel on a small cohort for 7-14 days before committing. The data tables below show the per-feature breakdown — for most merchants the deciding factor will be a single integration or workflow detail that's hard to compare from listing pages alone.
This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical Shopify App Store listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk audit • Appstle℠ Subscriptions App audit
| Keyword | Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk | Appstle℠ Subscriptions App |
|---|---|---|
| live chat app | #198 | #15 |
Not featured in any section recently.
No tracked changes.
| Signal | Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk | Appstle℠ Subscriptions App |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating | 5.0 ★ (1) | 5.0 ★ (8.7k) |
| Rating distribution | 5— 4— 3— 2— 1— | 599% 41% 30% 20% 10% |
| Reviews · last 7 days | — | +71 |
| Reviews · last 30 days | — | +348 |
| Reviews · last 90 days | — | +1.2k |
No reviews yet.
Both Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk and Appstle℠ Subscriptions App offer paid plans only. Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk starts at Free plan available; Appstle℠ Subscriptions App starts at Free plan available. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk (5.0★, 1 reviews) and Appstle℠ Subscriptions App (5.0★, 8,653 reviews) are essentially tied on rating. Look at review velocity and individual reviewer quotes — both visible on each app's detail page — to differentiate.
AppRanks cannot separate these two on rating — both sit at 5.0★. Appstle℠ Subscriptions App does carry the larger published review base (8,653 vs 1). Read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. Appstle℠ Subscriptions App has the deeper published review base (8,653 vs 1), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (1 reviews). Appstle℠ Subscriptions App typically suits established teams with steady usage based on its published review base (8,653 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Very quick and helpful
Great, transparent and quick help and support - also very friendy.
Excellent app and outstanding customer support! We are very happy with Appstle Subscriptions. The app offers a lot of customization options and works very well for our store, but what impressed us the most was the exceptional customer support. A special thank you to Peter, who was absolutely fantastic! He was incredibl
The app itself had some issues in the beginning, but after contacting the customer service it was all resolved very quickly. High quality customer service!
Migration support varies by app and category. Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk and Appstle℠ Subscriptions App both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Focal Live Chat & Helpdesk" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
