TL;DR: of IVR Shopify apps in 2026
In this guide, I tested the top Shopify phone solutions to give you a clear alternative to expensive, failing IVR systems.
The key finding is: IVR is dead; autonomous AI is the future. We found the best tools not only slash your support costs but also automate key tasks like refunds and order tracking.
Also read: Best VoIP apps for Shopify in 2026
IVR is Dead. AI is Resolution.
Before we look at standard VoIP alternatives, it is important to ask: Do you actually need an expensive phone system, or do you need solved tickets?
The classic IVR model (press 1 for X, 2 for Y) is a costly failure for scalable customer support because it can't solve the two biggest call drivers in e-commerce: WISMO (Where Is My Order) and Returns/Refunds. In 2026, smart Shopify stores are unbundling their stack to save costs:
- For Internal/Sales calls: Use a cheap VoIP tool like [OpenPhone/Dialpad].
- For Shopify customer support: Use Ringly.io (The AI handles 100% of WISMO/Tracking requests, 70%+ of returns, etc.).
Why? Because Ringly handles the volume. Instead of paying for 5 Aircall "seats" for human support agents, you use Ringly to answer 100% of calls.
Ringly's AI resolves the issue, turning the rest into email tickets for your small team. This creates a "Lean Stack" that costs $0 in fixed monthly fees for human agents.
1. Ringly.io: The Guaranteed Autonomous Resolution Agent
Primary Outcome: Cost Reduction (Achieves high, consistent call containment without the labor cost of human agents.)
Ideal Profile: Shopify stores prioritizing risk-free automation and need an AI agent capable of executing refunds and order edits autonomously.
How I Tested Ringly: The 4-Minute Flow
- Setup Focus: Installing the app and connecting the phone number, the knowledge base uploaded automatically in the background.
- Key Metric: Resolved 76% of calls on its own during the trial period.
- Surprise/Friction: The initial Pay-on-Results claim has a caveat: plans start at $99/mo, and the 60% guarantee is a quality threshold, not a zero-cost tier.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Guaranteed Resolution: You only start paying for solved tickets after the agent hits a 60% resolution rate benchmark.
- Native Write Access: AI agent is specifically designed to execute refunds and edit orders directly via the phone.
- Pre-Trained E-commerce Flows: Ready-to-use conversational templates for WISMO, returns, and product lookup.
- Pricing: Tiered, usage-based plans starting at $99/month (250 mins).
Shopify Integration: Installation is Easy via the app store. Critical scopes include read and write access for orders/products, allowing autonomous transaction resolution.
Reviews Insight:
Users praise the high resolution rate and ease of setup.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Phone Support Only: Lacks built-in integration for email or chat channel support.
The Unique Angle: The first solution to tie its value proposition directly to performance metrics, offering a high degree of autonomous transaction execution (refunds/edits) right out of the box.
Ringly.io is offering free white-glove onboarding and setup for Shopify stores. Claim your spot here.
2. Consio – Phone Call & AI Voice: The Outbound Sales & Revenue Dialer
Primary Outcome: Sales Conversion (Maximizing revenue lift from outbound calling campaigns and inbound lead qualification.)
Also read: Consio vs Ringly
Ideal Profile: E-commerce sales and retention teams needing a combined Power Dialer for human agents and a 24/7 AI agent for inbound lead qualification.
How I Tested Consio: The Segment-to-Dial Flow
- Setup Focus: Connecting the Shopify and Klaviyo apps to instantly build segmented calling lists (e.g., Abandoned Carts).
- Key Metric: Tracking the ROI generated from an outbound campaign call back to a Shopify order ID (revenue attribution).
- Surprise/Friction: The unlimited agent seats are excellent for scaling, but the usage cost of $0.10/min applies to all inbound and outbound activity.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- E-commerce Power Dialer: Optimizes human agent efficiency for targeted outbound campaigns (abandoned checkouts, VIPs).
- Revenue Attribution: Tracks ROI, AOV, and LTV generated by calls directly against Shopify data.
- Unlimited Agent Seats: No per-user license fees, allowing sales teams to scale staff without scaling base cost.
- Pricing: Usage-based tiers starting at $30/month (100 mins), with extra minutes at $0.10 each.
Shopify Integration:
Contextual & Campaign-Focused: Installation is Easy. Critical scopes include customer/order data and Klaviyo sync for creating high-intent calling segments.
Reviews Insight:
Highly praised for fantastic ROI on abandoned cart recovery and smooth integration with Shopify/Klaviyo; the main complaint is the unpredictable variable cost due to per-minute billing for all calls.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Usage-Based Cost Trap: High call volume, especially inbound, can quickly increase the cost due to the $0.10/min usage fee.
- Inbound Focus is Qualification: The inbound AI is primarily a lead qualifier and router, not an autonomous transactional agent (like Ringly).
The Unique Angle: The only solution on this list built specifically to combine proactive, revenue-focused outbound dialing for human agents with 24/7 AI inbound support.
3. CallFlows – AI Phone Agent: The Highly Customizable Autonomy Engine
Primary Outcome: Agent Efficiency (Automating high-volume routine calls with the most granular control over the AI's behavior and actions.)
Ideal Profile: Medium-to-large Shopify stores needing reliable 24/7 call deflection with the ability to define highly specific agent instructions and autonomous actions (Agent Skills).
How I Tested CallFlows: The 1-Minute Deployment Flow
- Setup Focus: Installing the app and enabling the AI agent's initial knowledge base, which was near-instant.
- Key Metric: The platform's ability to configure "Agent Skills" for refunds and order placement was the key test of autonomy.
- Surprise/Friction: The level of customization for the AI's personality and instructions was superior, but granting the necessary write access for refunds requires careful merchant sign-off.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Agent Skills Customization: Allows merchants to define specific autonomous actions (like processing refunds or placing orders) for the AI.
- Scalable Concurrency: Top tiers support up to 25 simultaneous calls, ensuring no call goes missed during peak events.
- Detailed Call Intelligence: Provides transcripts, audio, and AI Sentiment Analysis for human agents when calls are routed.
- Pricing: Tiered, minute-based plans starting at $39/month (100 mins), scaling up to $349/month with extra minutes charged at $0.19 to $0.14/min.
Shopify Integration:
Actionable & Deep: Installation is Easy. Critical scopes include Edit orders and Edit products for autonomous resolution and real-time inventory checks.
Reviews Insight:
Highly praised for the AI's natural sound and the superior level of agent customization; recurring concern is the variable cost due to the usage-based per-minute billing.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Per-Minute Cost Trap: Costs are variable and directly tied to call volume, making budget planning difficult during peak seasons.
- Action Authentication: Full transactional autonomy (refunds/orders) relies on the merchant granting high-level write permissions in Shopify.
The Unique Angle: Offers the highest degree of custom conversational design and scalable concurrency among the plug-and-play AI agents, perfect for brands that need their AI to perform specific, high-volume transactional actions.
4. Unicall.ai – AI Phone Support: Ultra-Realistic Voice & Low-Cost Entry
Primary Outcome: Customer Experience (Providing 24/7 support with extremely human-like AI voice quality to minimize frustration.)
Ideal Profile: Small-to-medium Shopify stores seeking a budget-friendly starting point for AI support that prioritizes voice quality and immediate, simple resolution (WISMO/Returns).
How I Tested Unicall.ai: The 5-Minute Voice Test Flow
- Setup Focus: The one-click Shopify app installation and instant provision of a dedicated US phone number.
- Key Metric: Testing the "Ultra-realistic Voices" feature—the quality was perceptibly higher and less robotic than some competitors.
- Surprise/Friction: The entry-level price is low, but the top-up rate of $0.20 per minute on the base plan is the highest in this competitive set.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Ultra-realistic Voices: Utilizes advanced voice synthesis for a smoother, more human-like customer experience.
- Dedicated Phone Number: Instantly provides a US number (toll-free available on higher tiers) for immediate 24/7 coverage.
- Low Entry Cost: The base plan starts at $19/month, making it highly accessible for smaller teams.
- Pricing: Tiered, minute-based plans starting at $19/month (with usage top-ups at $0.20/min), with lower top-up rates on higher tiers.
Shopify Integration:
Direct & Real-time: Installation is Easy. The app syncs crucial data on customers, orders, and products for real-time tracking and inventory updates.
Reviews Insight:
Users highlight that the AI voice agents "sound really natural" and effectively handle routine inquiries; the main issue is the high cost of extra minutes on the starting plan.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- High Top-Up Cost: The $0.20/minute usage rate on the starting plan is expensive for stores that misjudge their call volume.
- Limited Reviews: As a newer solution, long-term reliability and support consistency are less established.
The Unique Angle: Provides the most cost-effective entry point for an AI agent solution that uses ultra-realistic voice synthesis to deliver a premium-sounding customer experience.
5. Aircall: Reliable Telephony with In-Call E-commerce Context
Primary Outcome: Agent Efficiency (Accelerating human agent resolution time by placing customer/order context directly in the calling interface.)
Ideal Profile: Growing support teams (3+ licenses) handling moderate to high call volume that need a stable, global phone system with native, non-AI Shopify data pop-ups.
How I Tested Aircall: The Context Pop-Up Flow
- Setup Focus: Installing the core Aircall platform and connecting the native Shopify app from the marketplace.
- Key Metric: Shopify customer and order data successfully "screen-popped" in the Aircall app during a live inbound call.
- Surprise/Friction: The three-license minimum ($90/month minimum) significantly raises the entry cost for smaller teams, and AI features are paid add-ons.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Native Shopify Sidebar: Displays customer details, order info, and live tracking links inside the agent's view during the call.
- Global Telephony Stability: Recognized as a mature and reliable system for high call volume across multiple countries.
- AI Assist Add-on: Provides AI-generated call summaries, action items, and sentiment analysis for coaching ($9/license/month).
- Pricing: Per-license, starting at $30/license/month (3-seat minimum) for Essentials, with AI features and advanced analytics as separate add-ons.
Shopify Integration:
Contextual: Installation is Easy. Critical scopes concern customer and order data to enable the live screen-pop that appears on inbound calls.
Reviews Insight:
Users consistently praise the quick setup for basic calling and the broad ecosystem of integrations; recurring complaints are the rigid annual terms, difficult cancellations/downgrades, and AI features being expensive add-ons.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- High Entry Cost: The 3-license minimum ($90/month minimum) makes it inaccessible for owner-operators or very small teams.
- Feature Gating/Add-ons: AI Assist, advanced analytics, and the AI Voice Agent are all paid add-ons, increasing the final cost per license significantly.
The Unique Angle: Provides a mature, globally stable cloud phone system whose native Shopify integration focuses purely on delivering live, human-agent-centric order context to the screen, rather than autonomous AI resolution.
6. Shopdigits: Mobile-Native Human Call Center
Primary Outcome: Agent Efficiency (Enabling human agents to deliver professional support with customer context while on the go.)
Ideal Profile: Small stores (1-3 employees) where the owner or agent frequently handles customer support calls on a mobile phone and needs a dedicated business line.
How I Tested Shopdigits: The In-Call Context Flow
- Setup Focus: Installing the mobile app (iOS/Android) and setting up the local business phone number.
- Key Metric: Testing the ability to pull up the customer's order history and abandoned carts directly on the mobile screen during a live inbound call.
- Surprise/Friction: While the mobile context was excellent, the system is fundamentally human-centric; there is no AI, IVR, or automation feature available.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Mobile-Native Apps: Dedicated iOS and Android apps are the core interface for managing calls and SMS professionally on the go.
- In-Call Context: Displays customer details, order history, and abandoned carts directly on the mobile screen during the call.
- Affordable Entry: Starts at $20/month with unlimited US/Canada calls/texts for one user.
- Pricing: Starts at $20/month (1 employee) with unlimited US/Canada calling, scaling up per employee.
Shopify Integration:
Contextual: Installation is Easy. The integration is designed for read-only display of customer and order data within the agent's calling view.
Reviews Insight:
Users praise the low cost and the convenience of seeing order history on mobile; complaints cite inconsistent call/text quality and slow support responses for technical issues.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- No AI or Automation: Lacks any autonomous resolution, IVR, or AI agent functionality. This is a purely human call center tool.
- Mobile Dependency: The primary user experience relies on the dedicated mobile app, which may not suit desktop-first teams.
The Unique Angle: The only solution explicitly focused on making the human-staffed mobile phone a professional, context-rich support channel for the single-operator Shopify store.
7. HeyGena – Mobile AI Assistant: Voice-Activated Owner Data
Primary Outcome: Management Efficiency (Giving store owners instant, voice-activated access to key business metrics and data analytics.)
Ideal Profile: Shopify store owners/founders who need a personal, on-demand AI assistant to query sales reports and customer data verbally while away from their computer.
How I Tested HeyGena: The Query-by-Voice Flow
- Setup Focus: Connecting the Shopify app to ingest store data and setting up the dedicated phone number/text line for the owner's use.
- Key Metric: Testing the speed and accuracy of Gena's voice response to complex business queries (e.g., "What was the LTV of the last month's cohort?").
- Surprise/Friction: It is not a customer service tool at all; all voice interaction is reserved for the owner to query business analytics.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Voice/Text Data Query: Allows owners to query complex analytics (LTV, sales trends, inventory) by simply calling or texting Gena.
- Proactive Consulting: Provides automated AI insights and alerts to the owner about sales dips or low stock.
- Mobile Accessibility: Works via voice or text message using only a cell signal, eliminating the need to log into dashboards.
- Pricing: Simple, flat fee of $50/month (AI Plus plan) for the owner assistant, with a 7-day free trial.
Shopify Integration:
Data-Focused: Installation is Easy. Grants the app deep read-access to orders, customers, products, and store analytics to power Gena's responses.
Reviews Insight:
Highly praised for making checking sales and order data "effortless" and providing a "personal business helper" on the go; the only drawback is the high fixed cost for small-scale use.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Owner-Centric Only: Cannot be used as an inbound customer support line or IVR.
- High Fixed Cost: The $50/month flat fee may be expensive for the very smallest stores that don't need frequent, mobile data access.
The Unique Angle: The only product in this category that uses a voice interface to solve the problem of business analytics and owner management, rather than the problem of customer support.
8. Voicify – AI Voice Assistant: Free On-Site Voice Widget
Primary Outcome: Conversion Rate (Adding an interactive, voice-guided product assistant to the website to answer pre-purchase questions instantly.)
Ideal Profile: Shopify stores looking for a zero-risk, front-end voice solution to boost conversions by answering product and FAQ questions during the customer's browsing session.
How I Tested Vocify: The Widget Installation Flow
- Setup Focus: Installing the app and connecting the external ElevenLabs API key for voice generation.
- Key Metric: Testing the speed and accuracy of the AI's response to product-specific questions asked verbally via the on-site widget.
- Surprise/Friction: The core functionality is available on a Free plan, but you are required to manage and pay for the separate ElevenLabs API usage.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- On-Site Voice Widget: Embeds a customizable AI voice agent directly on product/store pages to guide purchases.
- Free Entry: Provides a functional voice widget on a Free plan for basic testing and deployment.
- ElevenLabs Quality: Leverages high-quality voice synthesis via a separate API integration.
- Pricing: Tiered subscription starts with a Free Plan for limited features, with paid tiers up to $29.99/month. (Note: Does not include external ElevenLabs usage costs).
Shopify Integration:
Display-Only: Installation is Easy. The app functions as a front-end script, pulling product/store data to answer questions within the widget.
Reviews Insight:
Praised for its simplicity and the fact that a functional version is available for free; the recurring complaint is the need to manage and pay for the separate external ElevenLabs account.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Not a Phone IVR: This is a website widget only; it does not handle traditional inbound phone calls via a dedicated number.
- External Usage Cost: The core functionality relies on a separate API, meaning you must manage external usage fees outside of the subscription.
The Unique Angle: It offers the easiest, most risk-free way to integrate a high-quality voice-enabled customer assistant directly onto the storefront for pre-sale guidance.
9. Omakase.ai – Voice AI Agent: Proactive Conversational Sales Concierge
Primary Outcome: Sales Conversion (Maximizing the conversion of browsing customers by using a voice AI to proactively engage and recommend products.)
Ideal Profile: E-commerce brands focused on maximizing on-site conversion by giving every customer a virtual, voice-powered sales associate to compare products and answer doubts.
How I Tested Omakase.ai: The Conversational Scraping Flow
- Setup Focus: Installation of the app and inputting the website URL for the agent to scrape and learn product knowledge.
- Key Metric: Testing the agent's ability to compare two distinct products and offer a personalized recommendation during the voice conversation.
- Surprise/Friction: The setup was effortless, but the pricing scales based on the number of conversations, not minutes, which can be costly on high-traffic sites.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Proactive Sales Intent: Agent is trained to act as a sales associate, actively guiding customers to products and facilitating the journey.
- Effortless Setup: Requires only the store URL for training (scraping), bypassing manual knowledge base creation.
- Multi-Modal: Agent supports both voice and text/chat interaction within the website widget.
- Pricing: Tiered, conversation-based plans starting at ~$49/month (Intern Plan), with costs increasing based on the volume of customer engagement.
Shopify Integration:
Product & Front-End: Installation is Easy. The agent has deep read-access to the product catalog and store content to guide purchasing decisions via the widget.
Reviews Insight:
Praised for its effectiveness in helping customers find products and the quality of the personalized sales experience; some users noted feeling misled about the final cost of conversation-based pricing.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- Not a Phone IVR: This is a website widget only; it does not handle traditional inbound phone calls via a dedicated number.
- Conversation-Based Pricing: Pricing scales on total customer interactions, making costs volatile with high site traffic.
The Unique Angle: Focuses entirely on proactive sales engagement via voice, turning the AI into a front-end "personal shopper" rather than a customer support deflection tool.
10. Vinsi.ai: Developer Platform for Custom Voice Automation
Primary Outcome: Custom Business Automation (Enabling complex, non-standard voice workflows that require integration with various enterprise systems.)
Ideal Profile: Large brands or developers needing a flexible, white-label platform to build a highly specialized voice solution (IVR, AI, or Outbound) that goes beyond basic e-commerce support.
How I Tested Vinsi.ai: The Developer API Flow
- Setup Focus: Assessing the platform's API and webhook capability, as there is no simple, one-click Shopify integration for complex flows.
- Key Metric: Evaluating the platform's documentation for connecting external systems (CRMs, ERPs) via API for custom actions.
- Surprise/Friction: The system offers maximum flexibility but requires significant developer resources and time (days/weeks) to build a functional, integrated IVR.
Features That Matter (Pros):
- Custom Flow Design: Allows the creation of specialized, complex voice agents for unique business processes.
- Channel Agnostic: Can be deployed across web widgets, dedicated phone numbers (via SIP/Twilio), or custom apps.
- Advanced API/Webhook Integration: Excellent capability for connecting with any external CRM, ERP, or internal database.
- Pricing: Generally custom/subscription-based depending on the complexity of the deployment and call volume, tailored for enterprise projects.
Shopify Integration:
API/Webhook Based: Installation is Developer-Required. Integration is custom-built via APIs to query and execute actions on Shopify data.
Reviews Insight:
As a platform, it lacks a public Shopify review profile. General enterprise feedback praises the depth of control and flexibility but notes the high technical barrier to entry.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- High Barrier to Entry: Requires technical expertise and developer resources for setup and maintenance; not non-technical friendly.
- Not Plug-and-Play: Upfront time and development cost are significantly higher than for dedicated Shopify apps.
The Unique Angle: The only platform offering a full-stack, white-label solution for building a bespoke voice AI from the ground up, designed for brands with highly specific and complex operational requirements.
What to Look For in a Phone Support Alternative (5 Critical Factors)
The goal is not to replace your old system; the goal is to change your operational model.
- Guaranteed Resolution: Does the tool offer a guaranteed resolution rate, or does it just manage human staff? (A must for reducing labor cost).
- Scalability: Can the tool scale to 5x your current volume without requiring you to hire more human agents?
- Actionable Integration: Does the tool have write access to your Shopify data (refunds/returns), or is it "read-only" context?
- Pricing Model Fit: Does the pricing model fit your cost structure at 2-5x the volume? (Avoid volatile Per-Minute pricing).
- Multi-Channel Strategy: How does the tool handle support overflow (e.g., converting calls into email tickets) to maintain a seamless support experience?
Conclusion: Choose the Right Alternative for Your Business
Switching from your legacy phone system is not just about finding a cheaper alternative. The goal should be to give your customers the best experience possible while simultaneously eliminating labor as a cost center.
- If you want AI phone support for Shopify, Ringly.io is the best option.
- If you’re on a budget and need basic routing, use Shopdigits (Starts at $20/mo).
- If you’re a larger or growing business focusing on outbound sales, I would recommend Consio (Starts at $30/mo).
While deciding, keep your specific e-commerce use cases in mind and make sure the support platform you pick will:
- Make your customers happier (increase CSAT).
- Reduce handle time.
- Fit your cost module at 2-5x the volume.
FAQs
Is there a free alternative to AI Phone Support?
Yes, Vocify offers a Free Plan for its on-site voice widget, which can answer product and FAQ questions. For chat, native Shopify tools like Shopify Inbox and many basic chatbot apps (e.g., Tidio) offer free tiers, but these are for chat/text, not inbound phone calls.
Which AI phone alternative integrates best with Shopify?
Ringly.io and CallFlows both offer the deepest level of "Actionable Integration," granting the AI agent the required write scopes (e.g., Edit orders) to autonomously execute complex transactions like refunds and order placement directly over the phone.
How do I migrate from my old VoIP system to a new one?
The migration process involves three main steps: 1) Porting your existing phone number (which takes 2-4 weeks, depending on your carrier); 2) Importing your customer data via the Shopify API (for context); and 3) Setting up the new system's call flow before the porting is complete, often by forwarding your old number to a temporary number from the new provider (e.g., Aircall or Ringly).
