ReplyKit vs Tidio: the website live chat leader with Lyro AI, against an AI agent built for WhatsApp with a website assistant included
Tidio is a website live chat and helpdesk product, strong with Shopify and WordPress stores, with an AI agent called Lyro sold as a separate meter. ReplyKit is a WhatsApp AI agent with a website assistant included. Both put an AI on your site and both can answer WhatsApp; they start from opposite ends, and that shapes who they suit.
Quick answer
Choose Tidio if your business is a website-first online store with a support team that wants live chat, ticketing, flows and integrations with Shopify, and you are happy to pay for Lyro AI conversations separately (Tidio Starter about $29, Growth about $59; Lyro from about $39 a month for 50 AI conversations, more at volume; Plus from about $749). Choose ReplyKit if WhatsApp is the main channel, you want AI replies included in the plan with booking and a CRM, and a website assistant that hands to WhatsApp, from $29 for 1,000 replies. ReplyKit is $29, $49 or $99 a month with AI replies included (1,000, 5,000 or 20,000 a month), connected through Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform with no pairing risk, a website assistant, booking, a CRM and inbox, and a 7-day free trial with no card. Meta's per-message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates sent outside the 24-hour window.
Side by side
Rival prices and features are as listed on the vendor's public pricing page when we checked in September 2026 and are summarised in US dollars; they change, so confirm on the vendor's page. ReplyKit's figures are current. We sell ReplyKit, and we have tried to say plainly where the other tool is the better choice.
| ReplyKit | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | WhatsApp AI agent with website assistant | Website live chat and helpdesk with AI |
| Primary channel | Website widget; also email, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp | |
| Plans | $29, $49, $99 a month | Free; Starter about $29; Growth about $59; Plus from about $749 |
| AI pricing | Included in plan (1,000 to 20,000 replies) | Lyro billed separately, from about $39 for 50 conversations a month, rising by volume |
| Live chat for human agents | Inbox with takeover | Yes, core strength, multi-agent |
| Ticketing and email | No | Yes |
| Shopify integration | Knowledge from your site; no order sync | Yes, deep |
| Official WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta Cloud API) | Via official API integration, Meta fees | |
| Booking | Into your slots with reminders | Via integrations |
| Number risk | Low; official platform | Low |
Where Tidio wins
- Online stores. Shopify order lookups, cart recovery, product recommendations.
- Support teams. Multi-agent live chat, ticketing, email in one inbox.
- Website-first businesses where most contact starts in the widget.
- Free plan for very small volumes.
Tidio's plans and Lyro pricing are on its pricing page; note that Lyro is a separate meter and that plans jump from Growth to Plus.
Where ReplyKit wins
- WhatsApp is native. The agent, booking, reminders and CRM are built for WhatsApp conversations.
- AI included. No separate conversation meter; 1,000 replies on Starter.
- Service businesses. Appointments, handover, follow-up nudges; the pattern in booking on WhatsApp.
- Website assistant that hands to WhatsApp with a pre-filled message, per website assistant vs WhatsApp agent.
Where the connection matters: ReplyKit runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform, so there is no linked-device pairing and no restriction risk from automation. Meta's per-message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates sent outside the 24-hour window; replies to customers who message you carry no Meta fee inside it. The trade-offs are explained in why ReplyKit runs on the official platform.
ReplyKit plans: Starter $29 (1 number, 1 agent, 1 website assistant, 1,000 replies), Growth $49 (3 numbers, 5 agents, 5 website assistants, 5,000 replies, follow-up nudges), Pro $99 (15 numbers, unlimited agents, 20,000 replies). Extra replies are $10 per 1,000. AI is included, and Meta's message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates. Details in what it costs.
Who should choose which
- Shopify or WooCommerce store with a support team: Tidio.
- Clinic, salon, agent, tutor, trades: ReplyKit.
- Website is the main door: Tidio, or ReplyKit's website assistant if you want a simpler tool.
- WhatsApp is the main door: ReplyKit.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tidio or ReplyKit better for WhatsApp?
ReplyKit, which is built for WhatsApp with booking and CRM. Tidio reaches WhatsApp as one of several channels around its website chat.
Does Tidio include AI?
Lyro AI is billed separately from the plan, by AI conversations per month.
Does ReplyKit have live chat for human agents?
Yes, an inbox with takeover and hand-back, though not ticketing or email.
Which is better for an online store?
Tidio for Shopify integration and support ticketing; ReplyKit for WhatsApp-led selling and stock questions from your knowledge.
Which is cheaper with AI?
ReplyKit at $29 with 1,000 AI replies included. Tidio's plan plus Lyro is more at similar volumes.
WhatsApp-first, website included
AI replies in the plan, booking and CRM built in. 7-day free trial.
Sources and further reading
- Tidio, Pricing (checked September 2026)
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with Tidio or Meta. Rival prices and features are as published in September 2026 and may change.