Chatio: WhatsApp Chat Button vs Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 14, 2026 for Chatio, Sep 20, 2026 for Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat.
The short answer
- Only Chatio lists a free plan.
- Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat lists 13 features Chatio’s listing doesn’t mention, including Backgrounds, Chat assignment, Chat flows.
Head to head
Momentum
New reviews each month
Review pace is the clearest public read on how fast an app is winning new merchants.
Free
Pro
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureTurn Conversations Into Sales — With WhatsApp & Messenger WA Chat Button Pro adds a beautiful, fully customizable WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger chat button to your Shopify store. With a single click, shoppers can reach you on their favourite messaging platform — making it easier than ever to answer questions, build trust, and close sales.
Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat lets shoppers contact you in one tap. Add a floating WhatsApp button, enter your business number with country code, and customize default greeting, colors, and button position. Optionally show a pre-chat popup. The widget is responsive, first, and managed fully from the Theme Editor—no coding or embedded admin needed—so you can provide quick, trusted support on every device.
- Sticky WhatsApp chat button — floats on all store pages, fully responsive
- Facebook Messenger chat integration — connect your Facebook Page in seconds
- Buy with WhatsApp button — product-page button pre-filled with product details
- Dual channel support — run WhatsApp and Messenger simultaneously
- One-tap WhatsApp chat with your business number
- Custom greeting, colors, and button text
- Optional pre-chat popup for quick prompts
- 100% responsive; works across all themes
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  Chatio |  Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | Not published | Not published |
| Net store change, 28 days | 0 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Not published | Not published |
| Top store countries | Not published | Not published |
Reviews
| Measure | Chatio | Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | 5.0 ★ |
| App Store reviews | Not published | 1 |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | Chatio | Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Not listed |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $2.99/month | No monthly plan listed |
| Longest free trial | 14 days | Not listed |
| Plans listed | 2 | Not published |
Listing
| Measure | Chatio | Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #657 | #443(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | Jun 16, 2026 | Oct 7, 2025 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | Qualixe | Friends2a Technology |
FAQ
Chatio and Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat: common questions
- Is Chatio or Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat cheaper?
- Only Chatio lists a free plan. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- Chatio lists 5 the others don’t mention, such as Business hours, Custom, File upload, Manual position. Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat lists 13 the others don’t mention, such as Backgrounds, Chat assignment, Chat flows, Chat window. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Oct 14, 2026 for Chatio, Sep 20, 2026 for Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Oct 14, 2026 for Chatio, Sep 20, 2026 for Friends2a WhatsApp Live Chat. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.