FormalChat vs ShopAI Assistant
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 14, 2026.
The short answer
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $23/month for FormalChat and $9/month for ShopAI Assistant.
- FormalChat lists 11 features ShopAI Assistant’s listing doesn’t mention, including Business hours, 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.
Try LiveChat Free
- · 1 operator
- · 3 knowledge entries
- · 5 canned replies
- · 50 AI messages/mo
Growth
- · 1,000 AI messages/mo
- · 20 knowledge entries
- · 25 canned replies
- · 3 operators
- · 5 GB storage
Pro
- · 10 operators
- · 100 knowledge entries
- · 20 GB storage
- · 5,000 AI messages/mo
- · Unlimited canned replies
Business
- · 100 GB storage
- · 25,000 AI messages/mo
- · Email + push notifications
- · Priority support
- · Unlimited canned replies
- · Unlimited operators
Free
- · 100 AI messages/month
- · Add to cart & checkout in chat
- · Basic analytics
- · Multi-language support
- · Product search & variant selection
- · Real-time inventory tracking
Starter
- · 500 AI messages/month
- · All free features included
- · Live chat support
- · Order tracking in chat
- · Up to 20 FAQs
- · Up to 500 products
Growth
- · 2,000 AI messages/month
- · All starter features included
- · Lead generation support
- · Smart reorder suggestions
- · Up to 1,000 products
- · Up to 50 FAQs
Pro
- · 5,000 AI messages/month
- · AI-driven rules and workflows
- · Advanced AI conversations
- · All growth features included
- · Priority support
- · Trigger-based automations
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureFormalChat adds an AI-powered chat widget to your Shopify store in minutes. The AI is automatically trained on your product catalog so it can answer customer questions accurately from day one. When a shopper wants to speak with a person, the AI hands them off to your team in real time.
ShopAI Assistant transforms e-commerce with intelligent automation. Shoppers get 24/7 AI support to search products, select variants, and checkout instantly. Live agent chat stands by for complex queries. Beyond sales, it captures leads and automates workflows with AI-driven rules.
- AI trained on your products answers customer questions automatically, 24/7
- Handoff connects shoppers to your team when they want to speak with a person
- Manage all chats from a web dashboard or iOS and Android mobile app
- Push notifications alert you on your phone when a customer is waiting
- Natural product search using customer-friendly chat
- Easily select size, color, and variants in chat
- Send pre-filled Shopify checkout links instantly
- Add or remove products from cart through chat
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 |  FormalChat |  ShopAI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | FormalChat | ShopAI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | 5.0 ★ |
| App Store reviews | Not published | 2 |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | FormalChat | ShopAI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $23/month | $9/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | Not listed | Not listed |
| Plans listed | 4 | 4 |
Listing
| Measure | FormalChat | ShopAI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #1018 | #477(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | May 21, 2026 | Jul 24, 2025 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | FirasCodes | Webewox |
FAQ
FormalChat and ShopAI Assistant: common questions
- Is FormalChat or ShopAI Assistant cheaper?
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $23/month for FormalChat and $9/month for ShopAI Assistant. 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?
- FormalChat lists 11 the others don’t mention, such as Business hours, Chat assignment, Chat flows, Email chat. ShopAI Assistant lists 3 the others don’t mention, such as Chat buttons, Product recommendations, Upsell. 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; 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. 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.