Recommended Free Tools
The right Shopify tool depends on whether you need to answer shoppers, manage stock, or automate store tasks. Shopify Inbox is a free starting point for customer conversations; Gorgias is the more helpdesk-oriented option in this guide. For inventory, Shopify’s built-in admin and POS tools cover stock tracking and adjustments, while Shopify Flow can automate workflows such as low-stock notifications. Stocky is no longer available for inventory management.
This is a practical guide to the options supported by current Shopify and vendor documentation—not a hands-on performance ranking. It separates customer-facing support from internal store operations, so you can choose tools for the work you actually need done.
Shopify support and operations options at a glance
| Tool | Primary job | What the available information establishes | Price or availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Inbox | Customer conversations and live chat | Listed in Shopify’s support category; a reasonable native starting point for customer conversations. Its App Store listing showed 4.5 stars from 5,789 reviews when checked October 4, 2026. | Listed as free; rating and review count are dynamic marketplace figures, not an independent quality assessment. |
| Gorgias | Structured customer support and Shopify order actions | Gorgias describes ticketing, chat, macros, automation, and Shopify order actions from its helpdesk. Its App Store listing showed 4.3 stars from 706 reviews when checked October 4, 2026. | Current price and plan limits: not stated in the available information. Confirm directly with Gorgias for your market. |
| Shopify inventory management | Stock tracking and inventory adjustments | Shopify documents tracking stock, making adjustments, and viewing inventory history in its admin and POS workflows. | Separate app price: not stated; these are Shopify inventory-management capabilities. |
| Shopify Flow | Automating store workflows, including low-stock notifications | Shopify describes a trigger-condition-action automation platform that can be used for low-stock notification workflows. | Shopify says Flow is free on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Plus; some features are limited to higher plans, and usage is governed by plan API limits. |
App Store ratings and review counts above were observed on October 4, 2026, and may change. They are marketplace signals, not comparable tests of product quality. The available information does not establish a comprehensive current price comparison, plan limits, or channel coverage for every support product.
Choose by the job you need to do
Answer shoppers and handle pre-sale questions
Start with Shopify Inbox if you want a free customer-conversation option within Shopify’s ecosystem. It is a sensible starting point, not proof that it will meet every store’s helpdesk needs. If your support work requires structured tickets and order actions, Gorgias describes a more helpdesk-oriented workflow.
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Manage stock in the store
Use Shopify’s documented admin and POS inventory capabilities for tracking stock, adjusting quantities, and reviewing inventory history. If the recurring problem is alerting someone when a product runs low, Flow can connect a stock-related trigger to a notification workflow.
Separate customer service from back-office automation
Support software and inventory automation solve different problems. Inbox and Gorgias are customer-support choices; inventory management and Flow address internal stock and workflow tasks. A store may need one category, both, or neither. Avoid buying a helpdesk to solve stock-control gaps, or expecting an inventory workflow to centralize conversations.
1. Shopify Inbox: a free starting point for customer conversations
Shopify Inbox is the straightforward first option for a Shopify merchant who wants a native customer-conversation tool without an app charge. Shopify’s App Store support category listed it as free. The listing displayed 5,789 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on October 4, 2026; those figures can change and should not be treated as independent evidence of service quality.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
What it is suited to
- Stores beginning to organize customer conversations through a Shopify-related tool.
- Merchants who want to start with a free option before adopting a more structured helpdesk.
- Shopper-facing chat needs where live customer contact is the priority.
What to know before choosing it
The information available here supports Inbox as a support and chat candidate, not as a universally sufficient helpdesk. It does not establish a complete channel matrix, current plan limits, or feature-by-feature comparison with other support systems. If your team needs ticket assignment, reusable responses, or order actions from a helpdesk, compare those requirements with Gorgias’s documented capabilities.
2. Gorgias: a helpdesk-oriented option with Shopify order actions
Gorgias is the more structured customer-support candidate in this guide. Gorgias says its Shopify integration lets agents create, edit, duplicate, and refund Shopify orders from its helpdesk. It also describes ticketing, chat, macros, and automation. These are vendor-described capabilities, not independently tested findings.
Where it can fit
- Support teams that want ticketing rather than relying only on a basic conversation entry point.
- Stores where agents need Shopify order context and the ability to perform order actions from their support workflow.
- Teams that can make use of reusable macros and automation alongside chat.
Price and limits
The Shopify App Store listing showed 4.3 stars from 706 reviews on October 4, 2026. Current prices, plan limits, and the availability of particular features by plan are not established here. Because the order actions and workflow descriptions come from Gorgias, confirm the exact integration behavior and plan coverage with Gorgias before selecting a subscription.
Rank #3
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- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
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- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
3. Shopify inventory management: track and adjust stock in Shopify
For core inventory work, Shopify documents native stock tracking, inventory adjustments, and inventory history. This makes Shopify’s admin and POS inventory management the supported place to start when the need is to keep quantities accurate rather than to add a separate customer-support app.
Tasks it covers
- Tracking stock quantities.
- Adjusting inventory when counts or stock levels change.
- Reviewing inventory history.
These documented functions address basic inventory operations. They should not be conflated with a dedicated purchasing, forecasting, or reporting system; those broader functions are not established by the information available here.
4. Shopify Flow: automate notifications and other store workflows
Shopify describes Flow as an ecommerce automation platform built around triggers, conditions, and actions. One relevant use is a low-stock notification workflow: a stock-related event can trigger a condition check and then an action such as notifying someone.
Rank #4
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Availability and constraints
Shopify says Flow is free on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Plus. Some features are limited to higher plans, and usage limits are governed by the API limits of the merchant’s plan. The free availability therefore does not mean every Flow feature is available identically at every tier or without usage constraints.
When it is useful
- You have a repeatable store task that can be expressed as a trigger, condition, and action.
- You want low-stock notifications rather than manually checking every product on a schedule.
- You need to connect an operational event with a follow-up action, while staying within your Shopify plan’s feature and API limits.
Stocky is a migration issue, not a current app choice
Shopify says Stocky was delisted from the App Store on February 2, 2026, and stopped being available for inventory management on August 31, 2026. Shopify directs merchants toward inventory management in Shopify admin and POS. It also warns that some historical Stocky records do not automatically migrate. If you used Stocky, export records you need to retain and check which historical information has transferred before relying on the new workflow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose between support and operations tools
- Name the work. Write down whether the pain is unanswered shopper questions, managing support tickets, order changes during service, stock-count accuracy, or a missed low-stock alert.
- Choose the matching category. Consider Inbox for a free customer-conversation starting point, Gorgias for a helpdesk workflow with vendor-described Shopify order actions, native Shopify inventory management for stock tracking and adjustments, and Flow for trigger-based automation.
- Map the channels your customers actually use. The available information identifies Inbox and Gorgias as support candidates but does not provide a complete, current channel-by-channel coverage matrix. Check current channel support and handoff behavior directly before committing to a support setup.
- Check operational fit and access. For Gorgias, confirm the specific order actions and workflow features included in the plan you would buy. For Flow, confirm the relevant feature availability and API limits for your Shopify plan.
- Compare the real cost for your store. Inbox is listed as free, and Shopify says Flow is free on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Plus, subject to tier feature limits and API usage limits. Current Gorgias pricing and comprehensive paid plan limits are not established here; consult its current plan information for your region and expected usage.
- Plan data handling if replacing Stocky. Identify records you need to keep, export them, and check migration because Shopify warns that some historical Stocky records do not transfer automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Shopify App Store ratings a reliable way to rank these tools?
They are marketplace signals, not independent comparative tests. The figures in this guide are dated observations from October 4, 2026, and can change.
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Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Does this guide establish which support tool handles WhatsApp, Instagram, or Messenger?
No. The available information does not establish a complete current channel matrix for the support options. Confirm the channels and handoff behavior offered for the specific product and plan you are considering.
Can Shopify Flow replace a helpdesk?
Flow is documented as an automation platform for ecommerce workflows, not as a ticketing helpdesk. Its role here is operational automation, such as a low-stock notification workflow.
Will all Stocky history appear automatically in Shopify?
No. Shopify warns that some historical Stocky records do not automatically migrate, so merchants should export records they need to retain.
