Express Agent vs Merchant AI: Chatbots & Agents
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 13, 2026.
The short answer
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $99/month for Express Agent and $25/month for Merchant AI.
- Merchant AI lists 13 features Express Agent’s listing doesn’t mention, including Agent analytics, Agent avatar, Behavior tracking.
Head to head
Launch
- · AI shopping assistant for 7 days.
- · Auto-syncs your Shopify products.
- · Chat widget on every store page.
- · Instant answers with product links.
- · Start free with no credit card.
- · Up to 1,000 messages included.
Essential
- · 1 AI agent for your full catalog.
- · 200 shopper messages per month.
- · Basic analytics for chats and FAQs.
- · Custom chat widget for your store.
- · Email support within 48 hours.
- · Product answers with clickable cards.
Professional
- · 500 shopper messages per month.
- · 60 min Onboarding Call.
- · AI summaries for every session.
- · Follow-ups for inactive shoppers.
- · Human handoff for staff requests.
- · Lead emails for captured contacts.
Business
- · 1,500 shopper messages monthly.
- · 4 hour onboarding call included.
- · Advanced shopper session insights.
- · Chat support within 24 hours.
- · Custom rules for store policies.
- · Full analytics dashboard included.
Free Plan
- · 1 AI agent
- · 1 MB knowledge base
- · 1 team seat
- · 20 messages / month
- · Website & file sources
Starter Plan
- · 1 AI agent
- · 15 MB knowledge base
- · 2 team seats
- · 400 messages / month
- · Advanced analytics
- · All source types
Pro Plan
- · 2,500 messages / month
- · 3 AI agents
- · 30 MB knowledge base
- · 5 team seats
- · Advanced analytics
- · All source types
Business Plan
- · 10 team seats
- · 5 AI agents
- · 60 MB knowledge base
- · 9,000 messages / month
- · Advanced analytics
- · All source types
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureEquip Shopify store with an AI sales assistant. Once set up, it automatically learns your product catalog and brand knowledge, then handles customer questions, recommends products, and resolves support requests without any manual effort. Merchants can customize the assistant's name, persona, and response style to match their brand. Store data stays in sync automatically on a schedule you control.
Merchant AI installs on your Shopify store and indexes your products, collections, policies, and content, refreshing whenever your catalog changes. Shoppers ask questions and get answers grounded in your store data. They can see product recommendations, add to cart, look up an order, or start a return inside the chat. You set the agent's tone, refund posture, and escalation rules in plain English.
- Answers customer questions instantly using your product and brand knowledge.
- Customizable assistant name, persona, and response style to match your brand.
- Keeps your assistant up to date with scheduled automatic data syncs.
- Auto-syncs your products, collections, policies, and blog posts on install
- Recommends products and adds to cart inside the conversation
- Looks up orders, tracking, and starts returns without leaving chat
- Set your tone, refund posture, and escalation rules in plain English
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 |  Express Agent |  Merchant AI |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Express Agent | Merchant AI |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Express Agent | Merchant AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $99/month | $25/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | Not listed | 14 days |
| Plans listed | 4 | 4 |
Listing
| Measure | Express Agent | Merchant AI |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #775 | #674(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | May 26, 2026 | May 21, 2026 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | AICG | Cross Digital Ltd |
FAQ
Express Agent and Merchant AI: common questions
- Is Express Agent or Merchant AI cheaper?
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $99/month for Express Agent and $25/month for Merchant AI. 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?
- Express Agent lists 1 the others don’t mention, such as Color and font. Merchant AI lists 13 the others don’t mention, such as Agent analytics, Agent avatar, Behavior tracking, Cart recovery. 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 13, 2026; 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 13, 2026. 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.