Ansa vs Shopify Inbox: which should your Shopify store use?
Ansa vs Shopify Inbox for Shopify stores: price, AI answers, order questions, WhatsApp, bookings and who each suits, checked November 2026.
Short answer: Shopify Inbox is Shopify's own free chat app. It connects to your catalog, inventory and policies on its own, and your team can chat with shoppers from Shopify admin. If you only sell on Shopify and want a free, native chat with an AI sales assistant, start with Inbox. Ansa is an AI assistant that answers from your whole website and your documents (size guides, care instructions, wholesale terms), works on WhatsApp and outside Shopify, and can take bookings. Choose Ansa if your customers' questions go beyond the catalog, or if you sell in more places than your Shopify store.
Yes, we make Ansa. We've tried to be fair and to say where Shopify Inbox is stronger. Shopify Inbox details were checked on its official Shopify App Store listing on 3 November 2026. They change, so check the sources before you decide.
Quick comparison
| Ansa | Shopify Inbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, then $25 a month (pricing) | Free |
| How it's added to your store | Paste one line into your theme (guide) | Install from the Shopify App Store |
| Where answers come from | Your website pages, documents, text snippets and Q&A pairs | Your catalog, inventory and policies, connected automatically |
| Works outside Shopify | Yes: any website, a shareable chat link, your own WhatsApp number (Starter, Pro and Business) | Listed as working with Shopify admin and the online store |
| Live chat for your team | No. Hand-off by email (Starter, Pro and Business) | Yes, from Shopify admin |
| "Where is my order?" | Read-only Shopify or Stripe order status after the customer proves their email (Pro and Business) | The listing includes order updates |
| Bookings | Booking link on every plan; Google Calendar or Calendly (Pro and Business) | Not listed |
| At the usage limit | Hard monthly limit, never charged extra | No limit stated |
| Rating on the App Store | Not listed on the App Store | 4.5 from 5,818 reviews |
What Shopify Inbox does well
Shopify Inbox costs nothing and is built by Shopify. The listing says it "puts an AI-powered sales associate on your storefront" that "connects to your catalog, inventory, and policies automatically". You can set the agent's tone and rules, rate chats so it improves, and see built-in analytics such as orders assisted. Shoppers who sign in with Shop can get replies based on their preferences and purchase history across Shopify.
It's also a live chat tool. You can run Inbox with or without the AI agent and answer shoppers yourself from Shopify admin, with quick replies, greetings, business hours and chat assignment.
For a store that sells only on Shopify and mostly gets product questions, that's hard to beat for free.
Where Ansa is different
It answers from more than your catalog. Ansa reads your whole website, including your FAQ, shipping and returns pages, and blog. You can also upload PDFs and Word documents, like a size guide, a wholesale price list or care instructions, and add Q&A pairs for answers that must be word for word. See Upload documents.
It says when it doesn't know. Ansa only answers from what you've given it. If the answer isn't there, it says so, shows customers how to reach you, and saves the question under Unanswered questions so you can add the answer.
It works beyond your Shopify store. The same assistant can answer on another website, at a chat link in your Instagram bio, and on your own WhatsApp number on Starter, Pro and Business. Ansa doesn't charge extra for WhatsApp; Meta bills its own message fees. See WhatsApp costs.
It can take bookings. Useful if you also run workshops, fittings or consultations. Ansa shares your booking link on every plan, and on Pro and Business it offers real free times from Google Calendar or Calendly. See Take bookings in the chat.
It answers "where is my order?" safely. On Pro and Business, Ansa emails the customer a 6-digit code, then shows the status of their last five orders: payment, fulfilment, items and tracking links. It can only read orders, never change or refund them. Connecting your store takes a few minutes in Shopify's developer settings. See Answer order questions.
Where Shopify Inbox is stronger
- Price. Inbox is free. Ansa's free plan has 20 answers a month; paid plans start at $25.
- Live chat. Your team can talk to shoppers in real time in Inbox. Ansa has no live chat inbox: on Starter, Pro and Business it emails you the customer's details and a chat summary, and you reply from your own email.
- Catalog and stock. Inbox connects to your products and inventory directly. Ansa reads your product pages, so it knows what those pages say, not live stock levels.
- Install. Inbox installs from the App Store. Ansa is added by pasting one line into your theme, which takes a couple of minutes.
Can you use both?
Yes, but two chat bubbles on one page will confuse shoppers. If you want Inbox's live chat on your store, you can still use Ansa on WhatsApp, at a chat link or on another website.
Who should choose Shopify Inbox?
- Stores that sell only on Shopify and want a free chat.
- Teams who want to chat with shoppers live from Shopify admin.
- Stores where most questions are about products and stock.
Who should choose Ansa?
- Stores whose questions go beyond the catalog: sizing, care, wholesale, custom orders, events.
- Businesses that want the same answers on WhatsApp, a chat link or another website.
- Owners who want the assistant to say "I don't know" rather than guess.
- Stores that also take bookings for fittings, classes or consultations.
FAQ
Is Shopify Inbox really free?
Yes. At the time of writing, the Shopify App Store lists Shopify Inbox as free, with no paid tiers.
Does Ansa work with Shopify?
Yes. You paste one line into your theme's theme.liquid file and the chat bubble shows on every page of your store. See Add Ansa to Shopify. On Pro and Business, it can also answer order questions from your Shopify store.
Can Ansa answer questions about my products?
Yes, from your product pages and anything else you add, like documents and Q&A pairs. It reads up to 20 pages per read on Free and 1,000 on Business. It doesn't see live stock levels.
Can Ansa answer on WhatsApp for my Shopify store?
Yes, on Starter, Pro and Business, using your own WhatsApp Business number. See Connect your WhatsApp number.
Related reading
Want to try it on your store? Start free, no card needed.
Sources
Shopify Inbox details were checked on 3 November 2026 and may have changed since.
- Shopify Inbox listing (price, features, rating): apps.shopify.com/inbox (checked on 2026-11-03)
- Ansa plans and limits: Plans and limits and Pricing