TLDR: the best choice for Shopify in 2026
If you want to save time and money, Ringly.io is the top choice for Shopify merchants in 2026.
It uses smart AI to answer phone calls and solve customer issues without a human.
Most tools like Aircall or Zendesk still need a person to talk.
Ringly is an app that lets your store handle calls on autopilot. It connects to your Shopify store and handles 70% of calls by itself.
What to look for in a Shopify call center alternative
When your phone rings, your support team should be ready. But hiring more support agents is expensive. In 2026, the best tools focus on automation to keep your response time low.
You need a tool that can integrate with your existing helpdesk software.
It should show your team the Shopify data and customer profiles right away. This gives your support tools the customer context they need to help fast.
A good app for Shopify will also help with customer retention. If a Shopify customer gets a fast answer about an order status, they will come back. Make sure the software you pick can handle customer needs 24/7.
1. Ringly.io – best for AI phone support
Ringly is the leading AI customer support tool for ecommerce. It does more than just record calls. The AI agent can actually handle customer requests like a real person.
It can check a Shopify order or process a refund directly. This makes it the best call center software for Shopify and Shopify Plus stores. You can integrate it with your current help desk, like Gorgias or Zendesk, easily.
The best part is their pricing. They offer a free trial where you only pay once the AI resolves 60% of your calls. It is a great way to improve customer satisfaction without the high cost of a big customer service team.
2. Gorgias – best for native Shopify integration
Gorgias is a popular helpdesk software built for ecommerce customer service. It shows all your customer messages and customer service tickets in one dashboard.
While they have a call center feature, it is very manual. You still need support agents to answer the phone. However, their Shopify integration is very deep. You can see Shopify data next to every customer interaction.
Gorgias is a strong choice if you want to manage customer needs across live chat and email. But if you want to automate your phone lines, you might need an extra tool like Ringly to help.
3. Aircall – best for traditional phone teams
Aircall is a reliable choice if you have a large customer service management team. It is a cloud-based phone system that is easy to set up. You can find it on the Shopify app store.
It helps your support team respond to customer calls with high quality. It includes features like call recording and shared inboxes. Aircall works well with your CRM and other helpdesk apps.
The downside is that it has no built-in AI to answer calls for you. Every call costs money for the person's time. It is a good desk software, but it doesn't automate the work.
4. Zendesk – best for enterprise scale
Zendesk is a customer service software that is used by huge brands. It is very powerful and has many support tools. It can handle customer interactions across many different channels.
Zendesk is a customer relationship management tool that helps you track every detail. It has a great help center and FAQ builder. You can integrate it with many other apps to manage customer data.
However, Zendesk can be hard to set up. It is not always the best choice for smaller Shopify merchants. Their free plans are limited, and the full version is quite pricey.
5. Richpanel – best for self-service
Richpanel is another helpdesk for Shopify that focuses on letting customers help themselves. It has a nice mobile app and a clear dashboard for your team.
It can show a customer feedback survey after a call. This helps you track customer loyalty and service experience. They also have a free trial to let you try the features.
Richpanel helps you handle customer issues by showing them a portal. This reduces the number of customer inquiries that reach your support team. It is a solid app that lets you scale your support.
How to automate support calls for your Shopify store
Setting up automation for your Shopify store is easier than it sounds. You don't need to be a coder to get started. Most apps like Ringly.io are found right in the Shopify app store and take just a few minutes to connect.
Step 1: Choose the right AI agent
The first step is picking a tool that actually talks to Shopify. You want an AI-powered assistant that can do more than just take a message. Ringly.io is a great choice because it can execute actions like processing a refund or updating an address.
Step 2: Connect your Shopify data
Once you install the app, the app needs access to your orders and products. This connection allows the AI chatbot to give real-time updates on orders. It can even share discount codes with customers who are likely to purchase again.
Step 3: Create your support workflow
You need to decide what the AI should handle and when to bring in a human. A good workflow starts with the AI answering the call. If the inquiry is about a simple order tracking request, the AI handles it.
If the customer has a very complex problem, the AI can transfer them to a live support agent. You could also have the agent create a ticket in your helpdesk.
Why AI is the future of ecommerce customer service
In 2026, common customer questions don't need a human. AI can answer "where is my order?" in seconds. This improves the positive customer interaction and lowers costs.
Using AI means your customer success team can focus on big problems. The automation handles the repetitive service requests. This is how you create excellent service without a massive budget.
Ringly uses AI to understand what a Shopify customer wants. It can then respond to customer calls with the right answer from your crm data. This is the smartest way to increase customer satisfaction today.
Conclusion: the best choice for your store
Choosing the right customer support software is a big decision. If you want a simple phone line, Aircall is great. If you want a full help desk, look at Gorgias or Zendesk.
But if you want the best call center software for Shopify in 2026, Ringly.io is the winner. It is the only tool that truly uses AI to handle customer interactions for you.
Stop letting the phone rings go to waste. You can start a free trial with Ringly today and see how it helps your support team respond better. It is a great customer service tool that helps merchants grow.
FAQs about our AI phone support
Does Ringly offer a guarantee? Yes. You don’t pay until we resolve at least 60% of your calls autonomously. We are committed to providing a cost-effective solution that actually solves your customer support volume, rather than just routing it.
Does Ringly work with my current helpdesk? Yes. Ringly can escalate tickets to your existing helpdesk, and you have full control over what gets escalated. We work seamlessly with platforms like Gorgias, Richpanel, and others. For complex queries that the AI doesn't resolve, it creates a ticket with a full transcript so your team has all the context.
How does the AI handle order tracking? Our AI pulls data directly from Shopify to answer "where is my order" questions on every live phone call. This ensures a responsive customer experience without needing a full-time receptionist to manually look up tracking numbers.
Can I forward my existing number? Absolutely. You can use call forwarding to send your business calls to Ringly whenever you need us to handle the call, whether that is during peak hours or after business hours.
How do I get started? We offer a free trial so you can see how our AI-powered virtual receptionist service handles your phone lines and takes messages firsthand. Simply tell us about your business and connect your store to begin.
