Genesys Cloud CXShopify InboxGenesys Cloud CX vs Shopify Inbox

Genesys Cloud CX vs Shopify Inbox: contact center or free chat

A contact center platform against a free chat for Shopify stores: Shopify Inbox is $575 a month cheaper for five people. The six differences, what five people pay on each, and a third option.

By Khalid Nouri, founder of SellioPricing check dates are listed with each vendor below

Try the third optionSellio pricing

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The short answer

Pick Genesys Cloud CX if you run a contact center where voice, routing and workforce management come first. Pick Shopify Inbox if you run a Shopify store and want free chat with the cart in view. For five people, Shopify Inbox is $575 a month cheaper than Genesys Cloud CX ($575 a month on Genesys Cloud CX against $0 on Shopify Inbox), before AI. Sellio Mini is $45, which only Shopify Inbox's figure comes under. Genesys Cloud CX and Shopify Inbox both include website chat in the price; only Genesys Cloud CX has email, WhatsApp and Instagram. Neither Genesys Cloud CX nor Shopify Inbox includes Telegram outright. Below, a third option for a team of two to ten that wants what Genesys Cloud CX and Shopify Inbox sell here at one price.

At a glanceGenesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CXShopify InboxShopify Inbox
Built aroundThe contact center · voice first, digital addedThe storefront chat · free with a Shopify plan
Entry plan$75/user/mo · CX 1: voice only$0 · with any Shopify plan
Chat in the price$115/user/mo · CX 2: adds digital channels$0 · storefront and Shop app
AI agentAI tokens · 250 a month included per orgIncluded · AI chat from the catalog and policies
Copilot for agentsIn tokensIncluded · suggested replies
Free planNone · no printed trialYes · the app is free

The six differences that decide it

Everything else on this page follows from these.

  1. 01

    Where a conversation starts

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    As an interaction routed by skills and queues, whether it is a call, a web message or an email. Shopify Inbox has no ticket queue either.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    As a chat on the storefront or in the Shop app, with the cart and orders beside it. Genesys Cloud CX has no ticket queue either.

  2. 02

    What the seat buys

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    $75 buys voice on CX 1; web messaging, email and social start on CX 2 at $115 per user. $575 for five people, against $0 on Shopify Inbox.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    There is no seat price; staff are limited by the Shopify plan's staff accounts. $0 for five people, against $575 on Genesys Cloud CX.

  3. 03

    How the AI is billed

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    AI Experience tokens: a monthly allowance per org, then bought by usage, covering bots and agent assist. Shopify Inbox folds AI (included) into the plan as well.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    The AI chat learns the catalog and policies and is included; there is nothing to meter. Genesys Cloud CX folds AI (AI tokens) into the plan as well.

  4. 04

    Channels in the price

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    Voice, web messaging, email, SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram on the digital plans; no Telegram. email, WhatsApp and Instagram are here and not on Shopify Inbox.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    Storefront chat and the Shop app; no email, WhatsApp, Instagram or Telegram in the inbox. Genesys Cloud CX adds email, WhatsApp and Instagram, which Shopify Inbox lacks.

  5. 05

    Beyond the inbox

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    Workforce management, quality, speech analytics and outbound dialing for a contact center. Shopify Inbox is a free chat for Shopify stores instead.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    Product recommendations, discount codes and order updates inside the chat. Genesys Cloud CX is a contact center platform instead.

  6. 06

    Time to the first reply

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX

    Weeks: a contact center rollout with routing, IVR and workforce setup. Shopify Inbox is minutes.

    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox

    Minutes: install the app from the Shopify admin. Genesys Cloud CX is weeks.

Sources: Genesys Cloud CX pricing · Shopify Inbox pricing. Each vendor’s own comparison of the other is linked so you can weigh both sides against ours.

What each one looks like

A look at the agent workspace. Interfaces can vary by plan and product version.

The Genesys Cloud agent workspace: the interaction queue with a web message and the customer record
Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX. The Genesys Cloud agent workspace: the interaction queue with a web message and the customer record
The Shopify Inbox conversation: the chat with the customer's cart and orders on the side
Shopify InboxShopify Inbox. The Shopify Inbox conversation: the chat with the customer's cart and orders on the side

Pricing references: Genesys Cloud CX pricing page (recorded 2026-09-13); Shopify Inbox pricing page (recorded 2026-09-13). Prices change; confirm current terms with each vendor.

Genesys Cloud CX, Shopify Inbox and Sellio, side by side

Fifteen things a support team checks. A dash means the product does part of it or charges extra for it.

FeatureGenesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CXShopify InboxShopify InboxSellio

Pricing

Pricing model
Per user; AI by tokens
Free with Shopify
Per workspace; seats and channels are plan limits
Free plan
None
The whole app
2 seats, 1 channel, 1 AI agent, no trial clock

Channels

Website live chat
Web messaging on CX 2 and up
Storefront and Shop app
One script tag; guides for HTML, React, Next.js and more
Email in the inbox
CX 2 and up
Not offered
From Mini: forward your support address; reply from the thread
WhatsApp
CX 2 and up, plus fees
Not offered
From Mini: WhatsApp Business API, several agents on one number
Instagram DMs
CX 2 and up
No longer connected
From Mini: Instagram DMs beside web chat
Telegram
Not offered
Not offered
From Mini: paste a bot token; the webhook is set for you
Slack, Discord, Teams (two-way)
Teams and Slack integrations
Not offered
From Mini: two-way threads; a reply there reaches the customer

AI

AI agent trained on your docs
Bots on tokens
Learns the catalog
Crawl your site, upload PDFs and FAQs; answers only from those
How AI is billed
Tokens, then usage
Included
Metered from an included credit, with caps you set
AI hands off to a person
Routes to a queue
Hands to staff
On low confidence, a keyword, or a teammate taking over

Support operations

Tickets
Cases via work automation
Chats only
On Plus: raise from any chat; customer, back-office and tracker
Visual workflow automation
Architect flows
Instant answers, greetings
From Mini: 11 triggers, 18 actions, no code
Analytics and CSAT
Deep contact center reporting
Assisted orders
From Essentials: response times, resolution, CSAT; topics and email reports on Plus

Apps

Desktop app (Windows, macOS)
Desktop app
Admin and mobile
Native Windows and macOS apps

Which one, for whom

Pick Genesys Cloud CX if

  • You run a contact center where voice, routing and workforce management come first.
  • Named, concurrent or hourly licensing matters for shift work.
  • You need email, WhatsApp and Instagram in the price, which Shopify Inbox does not include outright.
  • You want native desktop apps, which Shopify Inbox does not ship.

Pick Shopify Inbox if

  • You run a Shopify store and want free chat with the cart in view.
  • One channel is enough and you do not need tickets.
  • Five people cost $575 a month less than on Genesys Cloud CX ($0 against $575), before AI.
  • You want a free plan to start on; Genesys Cloud CX offers no trial.

The third option: Sellio

  • You are two to ten people on Genesys Cloud CX or Shopify Inbox who answer chat, messaging and email, and want to compare workspace pricing with $575 a month on Genesys Cloud CX against $0 on Shopify Inbox for five people.
  • You want the AI bill known before the month starts: Genesys Cloud CX folds AI (AI tokens) into the plan, Shopify Inbox folds AI (included) into the plan; Sellio includes a credit and lets you cap it.
  • You need Telegram and tickets raised from a chat, which neither Genesys Cloud CX nor Shopify Inbox includes.

What two, five and ten people pay

Genesys Cloud CX on CX 2: $230, $575 and $1,150 a month for two, five and ten people, before AI. Shopify Inbox: $0 a month for five (free; five staff need the Shopify plan that allows them); it does not print a per-seat rate to extend to two or ten. Sellio: Free for two seats; Mini at $45 for five, $530 less than Genesys Cloud CX and more than Shopify Inbox's $0 for five people; Essentials at $95 for ten, the AI credit included. At ten people, Essentials at $95 is $1,055 under Genesys Cloud CX.

Where the two agree, and where they split

Genesys Cloud CX is a contact center platform built around the contact center; Shopify Inbox is a free chat for Shopify stores built around the storefront chat. Only Shopify Inbox has a free plan (the app is free); Genesys Cloud CX offers no trial. Genesys Cloud CX and Shopify Inbox both include website chat in the price; only Genesys Cloud CX has email, WhatsApp and Instagram. Neither Genesys Cloud CX nor Shopify Inbox includes Telegram outright. Genesys Cloud CX (AI tokens) and Shopify Inbox (included) both fold AI into the plan. Neither Genesys Cloud CX nor Shopify Inbox has a ticket queue, and only Genesys Cloud CX ships desktop apps. Genesys Cloud CX is weeks; Shopify Inbox is minutes.

What each price leaves out

Genesys Cloud CX: AI Experience tokens: 250 named or 350 concurrent a month per org included, then bought by usage. Shopify Inbox: AI chat and suggested replies included. Beside Genesys Cloud CX's AI tokens and Shopify Inbox's included, Sellio includes an AI credit with each paid plan. Usage consumes that credit; additional credits cost extra, and you can set a spending cap.

How to decide in an afternoon

  1. Step 1

    Count agents and channels

    Anyone who replies is a seat. List the channels customers actually use.

    5 people reply5 seats
    Website chat61%
    WhatsApp27%
    Email12%
  2. Step 2

    Price the AI you would use

    Estimate monthly conversations the AI could close, then apply each vendor's per-resolution or per-session rate.

    1,200 conversations × 40% AI closes480
    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CXAssumed $0$0
    Shopify InboxShopify InboxSee vendorNot quoted
    Sellio$0.05$19

    Illustrative AI-only estimate; vendor units differ. Pack billing is rounded up. Sellio assumes Mini’s $5 credit and $0.05 per conversation.

  3. Step 3

    Trial the shortlist

    Check each vendor’s trial, free plan or demo terms. Where access is available, test one real channel before committing.

    Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX · None printed; contact sales
    Shopify InboxShopify Inbox · Not applicable; free
    Sellio · Free plan, no card

    Confirm trial access and limits, then evaluate one real channel on each.

Continue your research

FAQ

Genesys Cloud CX vs Shopify Inbox: the questions people ask

Genesys Cloud CX is a contact center platform built around the contact center; Shopify Inbox is a free chat for Shopify stores built around the storefront chat.

  • Entry plan: Genesys Cloud CX $75/user/mo (CX 1: voice only); Shopify Inbox $0 (with any Shopify plan).
  • Chat in the price: Genesys Cloud CX $115/user/mo (CX 2: adds digital channels); Shopify Inbox $0 (storefront and Shop app).
  • Sellio: one inbox for every channel: Telegram, which neither Genesys Cloud CX nor Shopify Inbox has outright, plus the rest of the five, on every paid plan.

The shared inbox page puts Sellio beside Genesys Cloud CX and Shopify Inbox on the same rows.

Still have a question? Contact us or browse the docs.

Or the third option: one price, every channel.

Sellio puts website chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram and email in one inbox with tickets and an AI agent, for $45 to $295 a month per workspace.

Get startedRead the docs

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