Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Grow Sales with an AI Chatbot, Live Chat, Help Desk That Works with Your Customer Support Team 24/7
| AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat | ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed | ||
| Last updated | — | — |
Every customer message in one inbox, already drafted from your real order data.
| Metric | AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat | ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5.0 ★ | 5.0 ★ |
| Total reviews | ★ 19 | 2 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free trial available | Free plan available |
| Built for Shopify | ★ Yes | — |
| Pricing tiers | 4 tiers | 4 tiers |
| Listed features | 5 | 5 |
| Review velocity (30d) | 0 new | — |
| Languages | 1 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Oct 2023 | May 2026 |
AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat and ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox 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: AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat at Free trial available, ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox 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.
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: AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat audit • ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox audit
| Keyword | AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat | ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox |
|---|---|---|
| helpdesk | #45 | #12162 |
| Signal | AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat | ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating | 5.0 ★ (19) | 5.0 ★ (2) |
| Rating distribution | 595% 45% 30% 20% 10% | 5— 4— 3— 2— 1— |
| Reviews · last 7 days | +0 | — |
| Reviews · last 30 days | +0 | — |
| Reviews · last 90 days | +0 | — |
Both AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat and ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox offer paid plans only. AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat starts at Free trial available; ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox starts at Free plan available. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat (5.0★, 19 reviews) and ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox (5.0★, 2 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★. AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat does carry the larger published review base (19 vs 2). Read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat has the deeper published review base (19 vs 2), 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.
AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (19 reviews). ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (2 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.
We’ve been using AnswerAI at IDA Sports, and it’s been a total game-changer for our customer experience! The setup was super easy; we were up and running in no time. The app is really intuitive and easy to train the AI to answer any repetitive questions that come in. Our customers receive fast, helpful answers to the m
A slick app that was very easily integrated onto our store, but also backed by a great support team and regular check-in communication from a customer success manager.
Great customer service! Works very well.
We chose AnswerAi after comparing competitors, and it’s proven to be the best value for the features offered. Setup was straightforward, the bot learned our 1500+ product range quickly, and handling support, sales, and product enquiries has been seamless. Ben provided outstanding one-on-one support during setup. He met
Excellent App Great at helping customers get the info they need and so reducing customer service time Also learns about your products and services automatically which is a great help not seen on some other AI bots The support is spot on Very happy with this
No reviews yet.
Migration support varies by app and category. AnswerAI Chatbot & Live Chat and ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox 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 ShieldDesk ‑ AI Support Inbox" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
