Customer service is one of the biggest challenges for online businesses. Customers expect immediate answers to their questions, regardless of the time. At the same time, it’s practically impossible to be available 24/7 without a team of agents. This is precisely where AI-powered chat support comes in.
In this comprehensive guide, we compare various solutions for automated customer service via AI chat. We’ll explore what’s possible in 2026, which questions can be answered automatically, and which platform is best suited to your online store or platform.
The State of AI Chat Support in 2026
Artificial intelligence has seen tremendous changes in recent years. While chatbots in 2020 felt cumbersome and predictable, by 2026 modern AI systems will be able to conduct natural conversations that are virtually indistinguishable from human interactions.
For online stores, this is a revolution. The numbers speak for themselves: online stores with good chat support see their conversion rates increase by 40-50%. Customers who receive support via chat spend an average of 60% more per purchase. And perhaps most importantly: 82% of online shoppers want their questions answered before making a purchase.
The problem with traditional customer service is simple: it’s expensive and doesn’t scale. A customer service representative can easily cost €2,500-€3,500 per month, can only help one customer at a time, and isn’t available 24/7. For startup webshops, this is often unaffordable, and even for larger shops, it eats into margins.
AI chat support offers the solution. Modern systems automatically answer routine questions, guide customers through the ordering process, and only transfer them to a human in complex situations. This not only saves costs, but customers also receive a faster response.
What Questions Can AI Chat Automatically Answer?
Before we dive into the comparison, it’s important to understand what types of queries modern AI systems can handle. This will give you a realistic picture of what’s possible.
Product Related Questions
This is one of the most common categories of questions that online stores receive:
- “Is this product water resistant?”
- “What materials are used for this item?”
- “What size should I get if I am 1.75m tall?”
- “What is the difference between model A and model B?”
- “Which version do you recommend for beginners?”
- “Is it in stock?”
- “When will this be available again?”
Shipping and Delivery
One of the most frequently asked question categories at every webshop:
- “How long does shipping take?”
- “When will I receive my package?”
- “What are the shipping costs?”
- “Is shipping free over a certain amount?”
- “Where is my package?”
- “Why don’t I see any tracking updates?”
- “Can I have it delivered to a PostNL point?”
- “Do you also deliver on Saturdays?”
Orders, Returns and Payment
Questions about the ordering process and payment methods:
- “What payment methods do you accept?”
- “Can I pay later?”
- “I didn’t receive a confirmation email, what now?”
- “What is your return policy?”
- Can I return this without giving a reason?
- “Do I have to pay return costs?”
- “How do I return an item?”
Warranty and Service
Questions about warranty and after-sales service:
- “How much warranty do I get?”
- “What does the warranty cover?”
- “How do I claim warranty?”
- “Where can I get this repaired?”
- “Do you offer an extended warranty?”
Account en Privacy
Technical questions about accounts and privacy:
- “How do I reset my password?”
- “Can I change my details?”
- “How do I delete my account?”
- “Where can I see my order history?”
- “How do you secure my data?”
- “Do you use my data for marketing?”
The Five Best AI Chat Solutions Compared
Now that we know what questions need to be answered, it’s time to compare the available solutions. We tested five popular platforms based on functionality, ease of use, price, and performance.
1. Zendesk Chat – Enterprise Solution
Overview:Zendesk is one of the most recognized names in customer service software. Their chat solution is used by large companies worldwide and offers a robust platform with extensive capabilities.
Strengths:Zendesk’s strength lies in its scalability and integrations. If you’re a large company with multiple teams, various channels (email, chat, phone, social media), and complex workflows, Zendesk offers the tools to manage them. The reporting capabilities are excellent, with detailed analytics on performance metrics. The system integrates with virtually every business tool imaginable, from Salesforce to Slack.
Weaknesses:The AI functionality feels like an add-on to a traditional customer service platform. The system wasn’t originally built for automated conversations, but for human agents. This is reflected in the setup: you have to build flows yourself, define intents, and write scenarios. For e-commerce-specific questions like “When will product X be in stock?”, you have to manually build integrations with your inventory system.
Dutch language support is available but imperfect. The system frequently creates strange sentences or uses anglicisms. This is noticeable to customers and harms the professional image.
Prices:The costs are significant. The basic chat plan costs €49 per agent per month. For AI functionality, you pay an additional €99 per month. For truly advanced AI, you’ll need the “Advanced AI” package for €799 per month. For a small team, this can easily reach €2,000+ per month.
Setup time:Plan on at least 3-5 hours for basic setup and configuration. For full integration with your e-commerce platform and inventory system, expect 1-2 weeks of work, possibly with the help of a consultant.
Best use:Large companies (50+ employees) with international operations and budget for enterprise software.
2. Intercom – All-in-One Platform
Overview:Intercom positions itself as a complete customer communication platform. They offer chat, email marketing, product tours, and customer engagement tools in a single interface.
Strengths:The modern interface is user-friendly, and the platform offers a wealth of features. Besides chat, you can set up entire marketing campaigns, segment users based on behavior, and send automated email sequences. For companies looking for an all-in-one solution, Intercom offers significant value. The mobile apps are well-developed, allowing you to help customers on the go.
Weaknesses:The problem with “all-in-one” is that it becomes overwhelming. If you just want good chat support for your online store, you’re paying for features you never use. The learning curve is steep because there are so many options. The AI is generic and not specialized for e-commerce questions. Dutch support is available, but feels translated rather than natural.
Setup requires many decisions: which messaging rules do you want, which segments do you create, which workflows do you activate? This flexibility is powerful but time-consuming.
Prices:The basic plan starts at €74 per month, but for serious functionality, you’ll need the “Pro” plan (€139/month). AI capabilities add an additional €99 per month, bringing the total to €238+ per month, with prices increasing as you add more contacts.
Setup time:Allow 2-4 hours for basic setup, and several more days to configure all features to your liking.
Best use:SaaS companies and digital platforms that require support as well as marketing automation and lifecycle messaging.
3. Tidio – Budget Friendly Option
Overview:Tidio focuses on small businesses and start-up webshops with a free plan and low entry costs.
Strengths:The price is the biggest advantage. There’s a truly free plan available with basic chat functionality, and paid plans start at €19 per month. Installation is easy with plugins for WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, and other platforms. The basic chatbot works right out of the box, providing simple answers to frequently asked questions.
For starting webshops with a limited budget, this is an accessible way to get started with chat support without a large investment.
Weaknesses:The AI capabilities are limited in the cheaper plans. The free and basic plans work with simple “if-then” rules that you have to program yourself. This is time-consuming and results in conversations that feel like following a script.
For truly AI-driven conversations, you need “Lyro AI,” which costs €394 per month. Then you suddenly lose the price advantage. Dutch language support is available, but of variable quality. The system regularly makes grammatical errors or uses strange expressions.
The AI struggles with nuanced questions. “Do you still have this in blue?” is often misunderstood when the product is available in multiple shades of blue. Understanding context is a weakness.
Prices:Free plan available (very limited), €19-29/month for basic chat, €394/month for Lyro AI functionality.
Setup time:30 minutes for installation, 4-6 hours for configuring chatbot rules if you are not using AI.
Best use:Start-up webshops with a minimal budget who want basic chat support without an upfront investment.
4. Drift – Sales Focused Platform
Overview:Drift is popular in B2B companies and focuses primarily on lead qualification and sales conversations.
Strengths:For B2B companies looking to qualify leads, Drift is excellent. The platform can automatically ask questions to determine if a visitor is a good fit and routes hot leads directly to sales teams. Advanced integrations with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot are available. The conversational marketing features are powerful for companies looking to generate webinar registrations, demo requests, and sales meetings.
Weaknesses:Drift is fundamentally built for sales, not customer support. For an online store that wants to answer questions about shipping, returns, and product specifications, the system feels unnatural. The terminology and workflows are sales-oriented (“qualify lead,” “book meeting”) rather than service-oriented (“help customer,” “answer question”).
Dutch support is minimal. The system primarily speaks “sales English” and requires extensive customization for Dutch e-commerce. E-commerce-specific features such as inventory integration or shipping status tracking are not included as standard.
Prices:Drift isn’t transparent about pricing. The “Professional” plan starts at around €2,500 per month, and advanced AI functionality costs considerably more. Small businesses are often not eligible.
Setup time:For full configuration you should count on 6-8 hours of work, with knowledge of sales processes and lead routing.
Best use:B2B companies that sell high-ticket products or services and have a sales team that needs to follow up on leads.
5. Yappr – E-commerce Specialized
Overview:Yappr is a Dutch solution specifically designed for online stores and e-commerce platforms. Rather than adapting a generic chatbot for e-commerce, the system was originally designed for online retail.
Strengths:The difference is noticeable from the first interaction. The AI understands e-commerce context without training. Suppose a customer asks, “Do you still have this in size 42?”—the system understands they’re asking about shoe size, automatically checks your inventory, and provides an accurate answer. For “When will this be delivered?”, it analyzes the current time and your shipping policy, and provides the exact delivery date.
The Dutch language isn’t an added feature, but the core of the system. The system understands informal chat like those used by young Dutch people: “ff,” “gwn,” “k wil dit bestellen.” Dialects and regional variations are also understood. This creates natural conversations that feel like you’re chatting with a Dutch representative.
Installation is surprisingly simple. You paste a single line of code into your website, and the chat is up and running. Integration with popular e-commerce platforms (WooCommerce, Shopify, Lightspeed, Magento) is automatic. The AI learns by analyzing your product catalog, FAQ page, terms and conditions, and other content. You don’t need to build chatflows or write scripts.
E-commerce-specific features are standard: inventory checks, shipping status requests, return labels, and order history viewing. This works without building custom integrations. The system knows that “Where is my package?” means it needs to retrieve and share the track & trace data.
Practical examples:A customer asks at 2:30 PM: “If I order now, will I have it tomorrow?” – Yappr checks your shipping policy (cutoff time 4:00 PM), sees that the product is in stock, and confirms with the exact delivery time. Another customer asks: “What’s the difference between these two models?” – The system analyzes both product descriptions and provides a clear comparison in bullet points.
For questions it can’t answer, the system is honest: “I need to refer this question to a colleague. Can I have your email address so I can respond later?” Customers appreciate this transparency.
Weaknesses:For very large enterprise organizations with complex international structures, some features that Zendesk offers are missing. Think of advanced agent routing for 50+ employees or white-label options. If you want marketing automation in addition to chat (as Intercom offers), you’ll need a separate tool.
The system is optimized for the Dutch and Belgian markets. Expanding to other European countries is possible, but you’ll miss the cultural nuances that make the system so effective for the Benelux region. For worldwide expansion with 10+ languages, Zendesk might be a better choice.
Prices:€49 per month, all-inclusive. Unlimited chats, all AI features, no extra fees per agent or per contact. 14-day free trial without a credit card.
Setup time:10-15 minutes for full functionality including product integration.
Best use:Dutch and Belgian webshops of all sizes that want serious AI support without complexity.
Comparison table: Overview at a glance
| Feature | Zendesk | Intercom | Tidio | Drift | Yappr |
| Price per month | €148-799 | €238+ | €19-394 | €2.500+ | €49 |
| Setup time | 3-5 hours | 2-4 hours | 30 min – 6 hours | 6-8 hours | 10-15 min |
| Dutch AI | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| E-commerce focus | 6/10 | 5/10 | 7/10 | 3/10 | 10/10 |
| Ease of use | 5/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 10/10 | 9/10 | 6/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| AVG-compliant | 7/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 10/10 |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days | Free plan | Nee | 14 days |
Technical Integration and CMS Compatibility
An important question is of course how these systems integrate with your webshop platform or CMS.
WordPress / WooCommerce
All five solutions offer WordPress plugins, but the quality varies:
- Zendesk:Plugin available but requires API configuration
- Intercom:Good plugin with extensive options
- Tidio:Simple plugin, works out of the box
- Drift:Plugin requires technical knowledge
- Yappr:Automatic sync with WooCommerce product data
Shopify
Shopify has a large app store with integrations:
- Zendesk:Official app, solid integration
- Intercom:Good app with customer data sync
- Tidio:Popular app with many reviews
- Drift:App available but aimed at B2B
- Yappr:Native integration with product and order sync
Magento
For Magento stores, the options are more limited:
- Zendesk:Extension available
- Intercom:Custom integration needed
- Tidio: Basis extension
- Drift:Manual implementation
- Yappr: Full featured Magento 2 extensie
Custom Platforms
If you have a custom built platform:
- Zendesk:Extensive API, lots of documentation
- Intercom:Good API and webhooks
- Tidio:Basic API available
- Drift:API for developers
- Yappr:RESTful API with good docs
Lightspeed, PrestaShop, OpenCart
Integration options vary for these platforms. Always check whether the specific integration is available for your platform version. Yappr and Tidio offer the broadest support for Dutch CMS systems.
Privacy, GDPR and Data Storage
GDPR compliance isn’t optional for Dutch online stores. Here’s what you need to know:
Data Location
Zendesk:American parent company; data can be stored on EU servers, but at an additional cost. Standard contractual clauses are required.
Intercom:Data is stored in the US, EU data residency available for enterprise customers.
Tidio:European company (Poland) with servers in the EU. Fully GDPR-compliant.
Drift:US servers, no EU data residency option for smaller customers.
Yappr:Dutch servers, data remains in the Netherlands. Automatically complies with all GDPR requirements.
Cookie Legislation
All chat systems place cookies to recognize users. You must indicate this in your cookie banner. Yappr offers a “privacy-first” mode that works without tracking cookies until the user explicitly consents.
Data Retention
Always ask about the data retention policy. Yappr stores chat history for 12 months unless you specify otherwise and permanently deletes data upon request in accordance with the GDPR’s right to be forgotten.
Costs: What Are You Really Paying?
Let’s be realistic about the total costs for an average webshop with about 500 chats per month:
Year 1 Total Cost
Zendesk:
- Basic plan: €1,776/year
- With AI: €9,588/year
- Setup consultancy: €1.500-3.000
Intercom:
- Pro + AI: €2,856/year
- Setup time: €500 (own time)
Tidio:
- Without AI: €228/year
- With AI: €4,728/year
Drift:
- From: €30,000/year
- Onboarding: €3.000+
Yappr:
- €588/year
- No setup costs
Hidden Costs
Beware of hidden costs with some providers:
- Extra per agent/seat
- Overage charges for more chats
- API call limits
- Premium integrations
- Support costs
Yappr offers all-inclusive pricing with no surprises.
When do you choose which solution?
Let’s make this practical with concrete scenarios:
Scenario 1: Starting Webshop (0-€50k turnover/year)
Situation:You’re just starting out, have a limited budget, and want basic chat support without a big investment.
Best choice: Yappr of Tidio
- Yappr for better AI and Dutch language (€49/month)
- Tidio if budget is really minimal (free/€19, no AI)
Scenario 2: Growing Webshop (€50k-€250k turnover/year)
Situation:Your shop is doing well, you have a budget for tools, and you want professional customer service.
Best choice: Yappr
- Best price/quality ratio
- Mature AI that handles most queries
- Let’s focus on growth instead of support
Scenario 3: Established Webshop (€250k-€1M+ turnover/year)
Situation:You have a team, good cash flow, and want the best possible customer experience.
Best choice: Yappr of Zendesk
- Yappr if you want to stay e-commerce focused
- Zendesk if you have a large support team (10+ people) and want omnichannel
Scenario 4: B2B E-commerce Platform
Situation:You sell to companies, have longer sales cycles, and want to qualify leads.
Best choice: Drift of Intercom
- Drive for dedicated sales focus
- Intercom for sales + support combination
Scenario 5: International E-commerce
Situation:You sell in 5+ countries with different languages and teams.
Best choice: Zendesk of Intercom
- Zendesk for large teams and complex routing
- Intercom for modern platform with marketing features
Best Practices for AI Chat Implementation
Regardless of which system you choose, here are tips for success:
1. Start with a Good Knowledge Base
The AI is only as good as the information it has. Make sure you have:
- Extensive FAQ page
- Clear product descriptions
- Current general terms and conditions
- Shipping and Returns Policy
2. Monitor and Optimize
Watch at least weekly:
- What questions are frequently asked?
- What questions can the AI not answer?
- Where do customers drop out in conversations?
Use this data to improve your knowledge base.
3. Be Transparent
Customers value honesty. Let them know they’re talking to an AI, but that human assistance is available for complex questions. Good AI systems are open about this without compromising trust.
4. Test Regularly
Have friends, family, or colleagues ask different questions to test how the AI responds. This will provide insight into weaknesses.
5. Use Chat Data for Improvement
Chat conversations are worth their weight in gold. They show:
- Which products have unclear descriptions
- Which parts of your ordering process are confusing
- What information is missing from your site?
Use these insights to improve your entire webshop.
Frequently Asked Questions about AI Chat Support
Is AI replacing my customer service team?No. AI handles routine questions (70-85% of all questions) so your team can focus on complex cases that require human empathy and creativity.
Do customers notice it’s AI?Good AI is difficult to distinguish from humans. Complex questions are transparently referred to a human. Most customers simply appreciate quick answers, regardless of whether the answer is AI or human.
What if the AI gives the wrong information?Modern systems are cautious. If they’re unsure, they’ll be honest and refer you to a different source. Monitoring is crucial for quickly detecting and correcting errors.
How long does it take to work properly?With systems like Yappr, it works reasonably well right away. The system learns over the first 1-2 weeks, and after a month, it’s running at 90%+ accuracy.
Can I change the tone of voice?Yes, you can customize the AI’s personality in all systems. Formal or informal, brief or detailed, friendly or businesslike.
Does it work in multiple languages?That depends on the system. Yappr is optimized for Dutch, while Zendesk and Intercom support 40+ languages, but with varying quality.
How much does it cost to switch?Switching is simple because chat systems don’t require your existing data. Install new chat, test it, and switch over. No migration costs.