DeskCrew. The Shopify helpdesk app
DeskCrew brings AI live chat, ticketing, and a help center to Shopify. Install the app from the Shopify App Store in one click, no theme edits.
A real plugin. Settings page, no code
Install the plugin on Shopify, paste your widget key on its settings page, and it registers your site's domain with DeskCrew automatically.
AI drafts, humans approve
The AI drafts replies grounded in the knowledge base you publish, and every draft waits in an approval queue until a human sends it.
Every conversation is a ticket
Widget chats, emails, and board posts land in one dashboard with full history; visitors who leave get their answer by email.
Free plan, no card
The free plan includes the chat widget, a public knowledge base, and ticketing. Start free and upgrade only when you outgrow it.
How to install DeskCrew on Shopify
The native DeskCrew Shopify app is in development, until it ships, the widget installs with a one-line theme paste that works today.
In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes, click Edit code on your current theme (duplicate the theme first. Shopify’s own advice before code edits).
Open layout/theme.liquid and paste the DeskCrew widget snippet just before the closing </head> tag, then Save.
The chat bubble appears storefront-wide; your real key and board slug are on the DeskCrew dashboard’s Install page.
<script src="https://deskcrew.io/desk.js" data-key="pub_YOUR_KEY" data-board="your-board" defer></script>
pub_YOUR_KEY and your-board are placeholders. Your real widget key and board slug are in your DeskCrew dashboard under Install (free signup, no card).
DeskCrew vs the usual suspects
| DeskCrew | Tidio | Crisp | Zendesk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes. Free plan, no card | Yes (limited) | Yes (basic) | Free trial only |
| AI included | Yes. AI drafts on every plan, human-approved | Paid add-on | Higher plans | Paid add-on |
| Setup | About 2 minutes. One script tag or plugin | Minutes. Script tag | Minutes. Script tag | Longer. Full workspace setup |
| Price floor | $0 free plan · paid from $29/mo | Free plan; paid tiers above | Free plan; paid tiers above | Per-agent pricing, no free plan |
Competitor cells generalize their public pricing pages. Always check current plans.
DeskCrew has a free plan with no card. Chat widget, public knowledge base, and ticketing included. Every new workspace starts with full Team features free for 14 days, and paid plans start at $29/mo. Full details on the pricing page.
FAQ. Shopify helpdesk app
Is there a DeskCrew Shopify app?
Yes. DeskCrew is on the Shopify App Store: install it in one click and the widget appears on your storefront through an app embed, with no theme code to edit. The theme.liquid paste below still works if you prefer a manual install.
How do I add live chat to Shopify without an app?
In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes, click Edit code on your current theme, open layout/theme.liquid, and paste the DeskCrew script tag before </head>. Save and it shows on every storefront page, about two minutes.
What happens when I switch or replace my theme?
With the app installed from the App Store, nothing: the app embed follows your store, not your theme. Only a manual theme.liquid paste needs re-adding after a theme change.
Is editing theme.liquid safe?
It is one line before </head>, and Shopify recommends duplicating your theme before any code edit so you can restore instantly. The snippet touches no Liquid logic and no checkout code.
How do customers ask about their orders?
Through the chat widget on any page of your store. Each conversation becomes a ticket in your DeskCrew dashboard, and customers who leave the site get replies by email.
Can the AI answer shipping and returns questions?
Yes. Publish your shipping, returns, and sizing policies to your DeskCrew knowledge base and the AI drafts replies grounded in them. A human approves every draft before it reaches the customer.
Will the widget slow down my store?
No. It is one deferred script tag that loads after your page renders, in a Shadow DOM that cannot conflict with your theme. There is no server-side load on Shopify.