12 Best AI Apps for Shopify in 2026 (By Category)

AI is no longer optional for competitive ecommerce stores. From chatbots that handle customer service 24/7 to algorithms that predict exactly what products to recommend, AI apps are helping Shopify merchants work smarter, not harder.

We tested and reviewed 12 of the best AI apps for Shopify across six categories. Whether you need to automate customer support, boost conversions with smart recommendations, or forecast inventory demand, there's an AI app for that.

Quick Comparison Table

Here's a side-by-side comparison of all 12 AI apps:

AI Chatbots & Customer Service

AI chatbots can handle up to 80% of routine customer inquiries, freeing your team to focus on complex issues. These apps use natural language processing to understand questions and provide helpful answers 24/7.

1. Tidio (Lyro AI)

Tidio's Lyro AI is a conversational chatbot that learns from your store's content to answer customer questions naturally. It handles everything from order tracking to product recommendations without sounding robotic.

• Natural language understanding

  Comprehends context and intent

• Multi-channel support

  Live chat, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp

• Real-time customization

  Train on your specific products and policies

• Seamless handoff

  Escalates complex issues to human agents

Pricing: $39/month for Lyro AI | Rating: 4.6/5 (1,868 reviews)

Best for: Stores wanting natural, conversational customer support without hiring additional staff.

2. Gorgias

Gorgias is an AI-powered helpdesk that centralizes all customer conversations. Its AI suggests responses, auto-tags tickets, and can even resolve common issues automatically.

• AI-suggested responses

  Draft replies based on ticket context

• Automated ticket routing

  Prioritize and assign based on urgency

• Deep Shopify integration

  View order history in every ticket

• Macros and rules

  Automate repetitive tasks

Pricing: Starting at $10/month | Rating: 4.3/5

Best for: Growing stores with high support volume needing centralized ticket management.

AI Product Recommendations

AI recommendation engines analyze browsing behavior, purchase history, and product relationships to suggest items customers are most likely to buy. These apps typically increase AOV by 10-30%.

3. Rebuy Engine

Rebuy is the most comprehensive AI recommendation platform for Shopify. Its Smart Cart feature alone can add significant revenue by showing personalized upsells directly in the cart drawer.

• Smart Cart

  AI-powered cart with personalized recommendations

• Post-purchase upsells

  Offers after checkout, before thank you page

• Rules engine

  Create IF/THEN logic alongside AI

• A/B testing

  Test different recommendation strategies

Pricing: Starting at $25/month | Rating: 4.9/5

Best for: Stores wanting enterprise-level personalization with deep customization options.

4. Wiser

Wiser offers AI-powered recommendations with a generous free tier. It's particularly strong at "Frequently Bought Together" bundles and post-purchase upsells.

• Frequently Bought Together

  Amazon-style bundle suggestions

• Post-purchase upsells

  One-click offers after checkout

• Advanced cart drawer

  Progress bars and recommendations

• Analytics dashboard

  Track recommendation performance

Pricing: Free to $49/month | Rating: 4.9/5 (652 reviews)

Best for: Budget-conscious stores wanting solid AI recommendations without high costs.

AI Marketing & Upsells

AI marketing apps go beyond basic recommendations to drive conversions through personalized messaging, quiz funnels, and multi-channel outreach. SMS-based AI upsells, in particular, achieve 98% open rates vs 20% for email.

5. Upsella

Upsella is the leading AI-powered SMS upsell platform for Shopify. Unlike traditional recommendation apps that rely on on-site widgets, Upsella reaches customers directly on their phones with AI-personalized product offers after purchase.

• AI product matching

  ML algorithms analyze purchase history and behavior

• One-tap checkout links

  Customers buy with a single tap

• Two-way AI conversations

  Handles objections and questions automatically

• Smart discount optimization

  Multi-armed bandit finds optimal discount levels

• 7+ campaign triggers

  Post-purchase, abandoned cart, winback, and more

• Dedicated phone number

  Toll-free number for brand consistency

Pricing: $29/month + $0.02/message | Rating: 4.8/5

Best for: Stores wanting to reach customers off-site with AI-personalized SMS offers. See how SMS compares to email for upsells.

6. Octane AI

Octane AI specializes in quiz-based marketing funnels. Its AI creates personalized product quizzes that collect zero-party data while guiding customers to the right products.

• AI quiz builder

  Create product recommendation quizzes

• Zero-party data collection

  Customers voluntarily share preferences

• Personalized results pages

  Custom recommendations based on answers

• Email/SMS integration

  Sync quiz data to marketing platforms

Pricing: Starting at $50/month | Rating: 4.8/5

Best for: Stores with complex product catalogs where customers need guidance choosing.

AI Copywriting

AI copywriting tools generate product descriptions, email content, and marketing copy in seconds. They're especially valuable for stores with large catalogs or frequent product launches.

7. Shopify Magic

Shopify Magic is Shopify's built-in AI assistant. It's free for all merchants and handles basic copywriting tasks like product descriptions and email subject lines.

• Product description generation

  Create SEO-friendly descriptions

• Email subject lines

  AI-suggested email titles

• Background removal

  Basic image editing for products

• Chat assistance

  Get help with store tasks

Pricing: Free (included with Shopify) | Rating: N/A (native feature)

Best for: All Shopify stores wanting basic AI assistance at no extra cost.

8. ZoeAI

ZoeAI is a dedicated AI copywriting assistant that learns from your store's data. Unlike generic AI tools, it trains on your products, brand voice, and sales trends.

• Custom model training

  Learns your brand voice and products

• Bulk content generation

  Generate descriptions for entire catalogs

• SEO optimization

  Keyword-aware content creation

• Insights and suggestions

  AI-driven optimization recommendations

Pricing: $49-$199/month | Rating: 4.7/5

Best for: Stores with large catalogs needing consistent, on-brand product content at scale.

AI Inventory & Forecasting

AI inventory apps analyze sales patterns, seasonality, and trends to predict demand. They help prevent stockouts and overstock situations that kill margins.

9. Prediko

Prediko is purpose-built for Shopify DTC brands. Its AI forecasts demand at the SKU level and generates purchase orders automatically.

• AI demand forecasting

  Predict sales by SKU with ML models

• Auto-generated POs

  Create purchase orders from forecasts

• Stockout alerts

  Get warned before running out

• Supplier management

  Track lead times and costs

Pricing: Starting at $49/month | Rating: 4.9/5

Best for: Growing DTC brands needing data-driven inventory planning.

10. Inventory Planner

Inventory Planner is an established forecasting tool with powerful AI capabilities for multi-location and multi-channel sellers.

• Sales forecasting

  AI predictions with seasonality

• Reorder recommendations

  Automated replenishment suggestions

• Multi-location support

  Manage inventory across warehouses

• Open-to-buy planning

  Budget-based purchasing

Pricing: Starting at $99/month | Rating: 4.6/5

Best for: Established stores with complex inventory across multiple locations.

AI Images, SEO & Reviews

These AI tools handle specialized tasks like image editing, SEO optimization, and review management.

11. Photoroom

Photoroom uses AI to instantly remove backgrounds and create professional product photos. No Photoshop skills required.

• AI background removal

  One-click background removal

• AI-generated backgrounds

  Create lifestyle scenes automatically

• Batch processing

  Edit multiple images at once

• Mobile app

  Edit on the go

Pricing: Free tier available | Rating: 4.8/5

Best for: Stores needing professional product photos without a photo studio.

12. Loox

Loox collects photo reviews with AI-powered moderation. Its AI filters out spam and low-quality reviews while highlighting the best customer photos.

• Photo review requests

  Automated emails requesting photos

• AI moderation

  Filter spam and inappropriate content

• Review widgets

  Display reviews beautifully on-site

• Social proof popups

  Show recent purchases and reviews

Pricing: Starting at $9.99/month | Rating: 4.9/5

Best for: Stores wanting to leverage customer photos as social proof.

How to Choose the Right AI App

With so many options, focus on your biggest pain point first:

• Drowning in support tickets? Start with Tidio or Gorgias
• Low average order value? Try Rebuy or Wiser for on-site recommendations, or Upsella for SMS upsells
• Writing product descriptions is slow? Use Shopify Magic (free) or ZoeAI
• Inventory issues? Prediko for growing brands, Inventory Planner for complex operations
• Need better product photos? Photoroom is free to start

Many stores stack multiple AI apps together. For example, Rebuy for on-site recommendations plus Upsella for post-purchase SMS creates a powerful combination that covers the entire customer journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free AI app for Shopify?

Shopify Magic is free for all merchants and handles basic copywriting and image editing. Wiser and Photoroom also have generous free tiers for recommendations and image editing respectively.

Do I need Shopify Plus for AI apps?

No. Most AI apps work on all Shopify plans. Some features like checkout extensibility are Plus-only, but core AI functionality is available to everyone.

How do AI product recommendations work?

AI recommendation engines analyze customer behavior (browsing history, purchase patterns, cart contents) and product data (categories, tags, frequently bought together) to predict what each customer is most likely to buy next.

Can AI apps work together?

Yes, and they often work better together. For example, you might use Rebuy for on-site recommendations, Upsella for SMS upsells, and Tidio for customer support. Each handles a different part of the customer experience.

What ROI can I expect from AI apps?

ROI varies by category: recommendation apps typically deliver 2-5x ROI, AI chatbots can reduce support costs by 30-50%, and SMS upsell apps like Upsella average 4.8x ROI. Start with one app, measure results, then expand.

Conclusion

AI apps are no longer experimental—they're essential tools for competitive Shopify stores. Whether you're looking to automate customer support, boost average order value, or streamline operations, there's an AI app that can help.

Our top recommendations by use case:

• Customer support: Tidio for conversational AI, Gorgias for helpdesk automation
• Product recommendations: Rebuy for power users, Wiser for budget-conscious stores
• Post-purchase upsells: Upsella for AI-powered SMS with industry-leading open rates
• Content creation: Shopify Magic for free basics, ZoeAI for scale
• Inventory: Prediko for DTC brands, Inventory Planner for complex operations

Start with one app that addresses your biggest challenge, measure the results, then expand your AI toolkit from there.