Every time your phone rings, you are losing money on a problem that has already been solved.
You built a team to give your customers a great experience, but now your best people are acting like human tracking links.
It feels like you are paying a premium just to have someone read Shopify data back to a caller over and over again.
Most phone systems are built to help your team work faster, but they still require a human to do the actual work.
This guide reveals why a general phone tool is a bottleneck for your brand and how to fully automate 70% of your support calls.
First, we will look at why tools like Aircall fall short for Shopify.
Then, we will show you the exact AI setup that resolves tickets instead of just routing them.
Editor’s note: Want to hear some sample calls made for your Shopify store?
- Just paste your store URL
- Get sample calls in under 20 seconds (no email required)
- Listen to demo calls for my store
What is Aircall?
Aircall is a cloud-based business phone system that acts as a central spot for all your customer conversations.
It helps teams manage calls and texts in one place, which makes it a flexible option for many kinds of businesses.
Its main strength is connecting with tools you already use, like CRMs and helpdesks.
By linking up with platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk, it gives your team context for every call so they can provide better service.
Key features
Aircall is loaded with features for managing business calls. You get the standard stuff like IVR (the "press 1 for sales" menus), call routing to send customers to the right person, and call recording for training.
It also connects with over 100 business tools. The Shopify integration, for instance, can show agents customer details during a call.
They also offer AI-powered tools. Their AI Voice Agent can handle and qualify calls 24/7, and AI Assist gives human agents real-time suggestions and summaries.
They also have a native WhatsApp messaging integration if you want to reach customers on other channels.
Aircall pricing
Aircall’s pricing is based on a per-user model, so your cost depends on your team size.
- Essentials: This plan is $30 per user, per month (paid annually), with a minimum of three users. It comes with unlimited calling in the US and Canada and a basic IVR.
- Professional: At $50 per user, per month (paid annually) with a three-user minimum, this plan adds features like Salesforce integration and call monitoring.
- Custom: This is a quote-based plan for teams of 25 or more, offering perks like unlimited worldwide calls and better analytics.
It's good to know that the AI features are add-ons.
The AI Voice Agent starts at $0.49 per minute, and the WhatsApp integration is an extra $10 per license.
Limitations of general VoIPs for e-commerce
Modern VoIP systems like Aircall are useful, but they're built for general business needs.
Their features are mostly there to make human agents more efficient, not to fully automate resolutions. For an e-commerce store trying to handle a high volume of repetitive questions instantly, this approach has some limitations.
Integrations that provide context, not automation
Aircall's Shopify integration is a perfect example. When a customer calls, the integration shows their order history and tracking numbers to your agent.
This is definitely helpful context.
The system itself, however, does not act on this information to answer the customer's question.
A human agent still has to read the details, figure out the status, and then tell the customer. They still have to manually process a return. The integration gives information, but it doesn't automate the task.
AI designed to assist, not resolve
Similarly, Aircall's AI Voice Agent is meant to qualify calls and answer basic FAQs before handing the conversation off to a human.
It can greet the customer and understand why they're calling, but that's about it.
For an e-commerce store, where most calls are about the same few topics (order status, returns), this may not address the core need for automation.
It helps manage the queue, but it still relies on your team to provide the final answer, keeping them busy with repetitive work.
Understanding the per-user cost model
The per-user pricing model common to most VoIP systems ties your support costs directly to your headcount.
As your Shopify store grows, you have to hire more agents to handle more calls, especially during busy seasons or after hours.
This means your operational costs are tied to the number of people answering the phone, not the number of problems being solved.
An automation-first approach, however, keeps costs predictable and lets you scale support without constantly hiring.
Popular business tools as an Aircall e-commerce alternative
Many businesses looking for an alternative to Aircall check out other major VoIP providers.
Let's look at a few to see if they solve the e-commerce automation problem or if they follow a similar generalist path.
1. Dialpad
Dialpad is a communications platform that calls itself an "Agentic AI platform." It's designed to create and run automated workflows for different business tasks.
Its key AI features include "Always-on AI Agents" that can schedule appointments, process orders, and handle refunds. It also provides real-time transcription and sentiment analysis to help human agents.
Pricing (billed annually):
- Standard: $15 per user, per month.
- Pro: $25 per user, per month.
- Enterprise: Custom quote.
Limitations for e-commerce:
While Dialpad's AI sounds impressive, it's focused on general business automation.
A quick look at its app marketplace shows deep integrations with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, but no native, plug-and-play integration for Shopify. This means setting up automated e-commerce workflows would likely require custom work, not an easy out-of-the-box solution.
2. Nextiva
Nextiva is a platform focused on "Unified Customer Experience Management (CXM)," which aims to bring all customer interactions into one place.
Its main AI feature is an AI Receptionist named XBert, which acts as a 24/7 answering service.
It can book appointments and answer questions from a knowledge base. Nextiva also offers AI-powered call summaries and sentiment analysis for agent coaching.
Pricing (billed annually):
- Core: $15 per user, per month.
- Engage: $25 per user, per month.
- Power Suite CX: $75 per user, per month.
Limitations for e-commerce:
Nextiva’s AI is clearly made for general service businesses like law firms and dental offices.
While XBert can integrate with CRMs, Shopify isn't listed as a native integration. This means an agent would still have to handle any Shopify-specific questions, because the AI isn't connected to the store data needed to solve things on its own.
3. RingCentral
RingCentral is a major player in the communications space, offering an all-in-one AI platform for messaging, video, and phone called RingEX.
It has an AI Receptionist that can answer FAQs, route calls, and book appointments.
RingCentral also has a personal AI assistant named AVA that provides transcriptions and summaries of conversations.
Pricing (billed annually):
- Core: $20 per user, per month.
- Advanced: $25 per user, per month.
- Ultra: $35 per user, per month.
Limitations for e-commerce:
Just like the others, RingCentral is an enterprise tool built for general use. It has a huge ecosystem of over 330+ integrations, but Shopify isn't a main focus.
Automating Shopify tasks would require custom development using their APIs, which is a lot more work than a simple solution built for store owners.
An alternative approach: An AI agent built for Shopify
For a growing Shopify store, the best alternative isn't just another general VoIP system. It's a different approach: an AI phone agent designed specifically to handle the unique demands of e-commerce.
This is where Ringly.io fits in. Its AI phone rep, Seth, was created to solve these exact challenges. It is designed for phone support to be fully autonomous.
How Ringly.io works as an Aircall e-commerce alternative
Seth is designed to be more than just a smart IVR. It’s an end-to-end resolution machine for your Shopify store.
- Deep Shopify integration for autonomous actions: Seth connects directly to your Shopify store data. It doesn't just show order information for an agent; it acts on it. Seth can instantly look up live order details, check tracking numbers, and start returns or exchanges based on your store's policies, all without human help.
- 24/7 autonomous resolution: Your customers shop at all hours, and your support should be available then, too. Seth works around the clock and, based on data from over 2,100 stores, resolves an average of ~73% of calls on its own. This frees up your team for more complex conversations and ensures customers get an immediate answer.
- Simple 3-minute, no-code setup: Unlike complex VoIP systems that can take days to set up, you can get started with Ringly.io in minutes. Just connect your Shopify store, choose a phone number, and Seth is ready to go.
- Scalable, cost-effective, and risk-free: Ringly.io's pricing is tied to resolutions and call volume, not headcount. This makes your support costs predictable and affordable as your business grows.
- Multilingual support: With support for over 40 languages, you can offer consistent support to customers no matter where they are.
Comparing Ringly.io to general VoIPs
The difference is all about design and purpose. General VoIPs are built to help humans, while Ringly.io is built to automate resolutions.
Seeing these tools in action can provide a clearer picture. While many videos compare general VoIP systems, it's also helpful to see how dedicated Shopify apps approach customer communication.
This video explains how EasyCall works as an Aircall ecommerce alternative, showing its click-to-call widget and call center features for Shopify stores.
Ringly.io pricing
Ringly.io's pricing is simple and designed to grow with your business.
- Grow Plan: After a trial, this plan is $349 per month and includes 1,000 call minutes.
- Scale Plan: For high-volume stores, this plan starts at $1,099 per month for 3,000+ minutes and includes custom setup and a private Slack channel.
Plus, there's a unique guarantee. You pay $0 until Seth can resolve at least 60% of your calls, so you only pay for a solution that actually works for your store.
Final thoughts
While Aircall, Dialpad, and other VoIP systems are great tools for general business communication, their agent-focused models and general AI aren't made for the specific, high-volume nature of Shopify support.
They can help your team manage calls, but they may not address the core problem of answering the same questions over and over.
The right Aircall e-commerce alternative for a Shopify store might not be another phone system. It could be a solution that automates resolutions from start to finish.
By handling most common questions on its own, Ringly.io lets you scale your support efficiently, improve the customer experience with 24/7 availability, and lower your operational costs.
Put your Shopify phone support on autopilot
Ready to see how an AI phone agent built for e-commerce can change your customer support? See how Seth can resolve over 70% of your support calls, starting today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an AI phone agent a different Aircall e-commerce alternative than another VoIP system?
It comes down to automation versus assistance. General VoIPs help human agents work faster by showing them customer info. An AI agent like Ringly.io's Seth is built to resolve common e-commerce issues like "Where is my order?" on its own, without needing a human at all.
How much does a specialized Aircall e-commerce alternative for Shopify cost?
The pricing is usually based on usage, not the number of employees. For example, Ringly.io has plans starting at $349/month for 1,000 call minutes. This is more predictable than paying per agent, especially as your store grows.
Is it difficult to set up an Aircall e-commerce alternative like Ringly.io?
Not at all. Solutions designed specifically for Shopify, like Ringly.io, can be set up in just a few minutes. You just connect your store, pick a phone number, and the AI is ready to start answering calls. It's a completely no-code process.
Can an Aircall e-commerce alternative handle returns and exchanges automatically?
Yes, that's one of the biggest benefits. A truly integrated AI agent can connect to your Shopify store's data, check your return policies, and start the return or exchange process for the customer right on the call.
What if a customer has a complex issue that the Aircall e-commerce alternative can't solve?
A good AI phone agent is designed to know its limits. In those cases, it will smoothly transfer the call to a human agent or take a message, making sure the customer still gets the help they need for more complex problems.
