Side by side
| Aide | Zipchat | |
|---|---|---|
| Look up an order | Built in | Built in, read-only |
| Cancel an order | Built in | A custom skill you write against Shopify's API |
| Change a placed order's address | Built in | A custom skill you write |
| Refunds | Built in; a teammate approves by default | Routed to your team unless you connect a refund tool |
| Discount codes in chat | Not offered | Single-use codes, off by default |
| Helpdesks | Drafts and replies in Zendesk, Gorgias and Front | Lists Gorgias, Zendesk and Re:amaze; its Zendesk template escalates to a person |
| WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger | Not available for new accounts today | On every plan |
Checked November 3, 2026 against Zipchat's own site and listing. Sources below.
The bill at 1,000 and 3,000 replies
Both tools count AI replies, so last month's volume converts straight into a bill.
- 1,000 replies: Aide's Starter plan covers them for $39. Zipchat Starter at $80 includes 750, and one $49 pack adds 250, so $129. Billed yearly, Zipchat Starter is $64, or $113 with the pack.
- 3,000 replies: Aide's Pro plan, $149 a month, includes 4,000. Zipchat Pro is $300 monthly, or $240 a month billed yearly.
The units differ slightly. Zipchat counts each AI message it sends. Aide counts every customer message it answered or wrote a draft for, handoffs too, and replies your team writes cost nothing.
Sources
Zipchat facts come from its pricing page, Agentic Skills page, refund assistant page, Shopify integration page and its listing on the Shopify App Store, all read on November 3, 2026. For Aide, we used the live product, aide.app/pricing and our own listing. Aide wrote this comparison. If a Zipchat detail is out of date, email support@aide.app.