HelpYeti runs AI chat and email support for your store. Routine tickets get answered within minutes; tricky ones come to you with a short summary.AI chat and email support. Tricky tickets come to you.
Get a free support auditWe test your store's chat and email like a real customer, time the reply, and send you a short write-up of what we found.We test your support like a customer.
We connect an AI agent to your helpdesk (we recommend Gorgias for Shopify), write your help docs and replies, and test it before go-live.AI agent, docs and replies, done for you.
The AI answers customers around the clock. A human reviews its answers and escalations, and you get a regular report.AI answers 24/7. A human checks its work.
"Where's my order?" answered with real tracking info pulled from your store.Live tracking answers.
Customers are walked through your return policy. Anything outside your rules goes to you.Guided by your policy.
Questions about codes, promos and checkout issues, answered the way you'd want.Codes and checkout help.
Refund exceptions, upset customers and anything unusual get flagged to you with a summary.Tricky ones sent to you.
How the usual options for a small Shopify store compare.
HelpYetiHelpdesk and AI fees billed separately.
Other options swipe →
Rounded from published prices and BLS wage data, Oct 2026.
| Option | Monthly cost | Coverage | Who sets it up and keeps it accurate | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HelpYeti | $390–$1,490+/mo + $500 setup. Your helpdesk and AI fees are billed separately. | 24/7 AI chat and email, with human review of escalations | We do: setup, help docs, daily QA | Month to month, 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Hiring a part-time rep | About $430–$1,900/mo for 20 hrs a week, depending on location, before hiring and training costs | Only the hours they work | You train and manage them | Employment or contractor arrangement |
| DIY AI tool | From free to a few hundred dollars a month, often billed per AI conversation or resolution | 24/7 chat (some tools also email) | You do: setup, writing answers, reviewing the AI | Usually monthly software plans |
| Traditional support agency | Typically about $9–$25/hr per agent, or $1,400–$2,000 per full-time agent/mo; 24/7 often needs ~5 agents | Depends on how many agents you pay for | Their team, after onboarding | Varies; some month to month, some multi-month terms |
Ranges are rounded from published prices and wage data checked in October 2026 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, offshore staffing rates, vendor pricing pages). Your actual costs will vary.
One-time setup fee: $500. Month to month. Helpdesk and AI software fees are billed separately by your helpdesk provider.+$500 one-time setup. Month to month.
Helpdesk and AI fees billed separately.
If we don't cut your support workload in the first 30 days, you get your money back. No long contracts.Less work in 30 days, or your money back.
Still unsure? Get a free support audit of your Shopify store. No obligation.
Request my free auditWe set it up to be honest about being an assistant, and customers can always reach a human.
We usually recommend Gorgias for Shopify stores. If you already use another helpdesk, we'll look at whether it works.
They're escalated to you (or to our reviewer on higher plans) with a short summary, so you can answer quickly.
You do. The helpdesk account stays in your name and we work inside it as agents.
Yes. Plans are month to month, and the first 30 days are covered by our money-back guarantee.
We contact your store like a customer would, measure the response, and send you a short report with suggestions. No obligation.
Get a free support audit of your Shopify store.