Text and Tidio both combine live chat, a help desk and an AI agent. Tidio is the budget-friendly favourite of small stores; Text (formerly LiveChat) focuses on AI that sells and scales to bigger teams.
Last updated: October 17, 2026. Prices and features change often, so always confirm on the official website before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Choose Tidio for a free plan and the lowest entry cost.
- Choose Text for AI included in every plan, deeper Shopify selling features and custom skills.
Side-by-side comparison
| Text | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No (14-day trial) | Yes (50 conversations, 50 lifetime Lyro chats) |
| Paid plans from | $19/user/month (yearly) | $24.17/month (Starter) |
| AI agent | Text AI Agent, included | Lyro, add-on from $32.50/month for 50 conversations |
| Included AI volume | 10 (Essential) or 200 (Growth) resolutions/month | Depends on Lyro add-on |
| Pricing model | Per user | Per billable conversation |
| AI actions | Custom skills (tags, tickets, transfers, details) | Flows (no-code automation) |
| Shopify selling | Product cards, add to cart, order status, cart recovery | Order and product integrations |
| Languages | 46 (AI agent) | Multiple |
Prices as published in October 2026.
AI agent: Text AI Agent vs Lyro
Both learn from your website and FAQ content. Text’s agent adds selling features such as detecting buying intent and recommending products with add-to-cart cards, plus up to 10 custom skills per agent. Lyro is simple to set up and Tidio reports an average 75% resolution rate among its customers (a vendor figure).
Pricing
Tidio wins on entry price, especially with its free plan. Text’s per-user pricing becomes expensive for large teams, but its AI is included rather than sold separately. For a one-person store with low AI volume, both cost a similar amount once you add Lyro. Details: Text pricing and our Tidio review.
Ease of use
Tidio is famous for fast setup. Text’s setup is also no-code and guided; our Text setup guide takes about 30 minutes.
Who should choose which?
Best for: Stores and teams that want AI to sell as well as support
Starting price: Essential $19/user/month (billed yearly)
- Tidio: brand-new stores, very small budgets, owners who want to start free.
- Text: stores where chat should drive revenue, growing support teams, multi-brand or multilingual businesses.
Related guides
- How to Set Up the Text AI Agent (Step-by-Step)
- How to Train an AI Agent on Your Website, Files and FAQs
- How to Write AI Agent Instructions (With Prompt Templates)
- How to Add the Text Chat Widget to Your Website or WordPress
- How to Connect the Text AI Agent to Shopify
- How to Create a Custom Skill for the Text AI Agent
- Best AI Customer Service Agents for Small Businesses (2026)
- Text AI Agent Pricing 2026: Plans, AI Resolutions and Real Costs
- Text vs Intercom Fin (2026): AI Customer Service Compared
- Text vs Gorgias for Shopify Stores (2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is Text more expensive than Tidio?
At entry level, usually yes, because Tidio has a free plan. With several AI conversations per day, the totals get closer because Tidio’s Lyro is an add-on.
Can I switch from Tidio to Text?
Yes. Install the Text widget, add your knowledge sources and remove the Tidio script. Test both for a few days if you can.
Final verdict
Tidio is the easiest low-cost start. Text is the better choice when you want your AI chat to recommend products, recover carts and grow with your team. Try Text free for 14 days and compare the results on your own store.
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