How it compares
A cloud chatbot is quick to set up. A helpdesk is familiar, and an agency gives you real people. None of them looks up the order and acts on it within your limits.
Side by side
| Chatbot widget | Helpdesk with canned replies | Outsourced agents | Crewline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knows the actual order | Rarely | A person looks it up | A person looks it up | Looks it up itself |
| Takes action | No | By hand | By hand, with access to your systems | Refunds, cancels and replaces inside your limits |
| When it doesn't know | Often improvises | Only as good as the macro | Depends on training | Says so, hands over and logs the question |
| Reads photos of damage | No | A person opens the attachment | A person opens the attachment | Yes, and the flow acts on it |
| Your languages | Varies | Whatever the macro was written in | Whoever you staff | The customer's, from your list |
| What you can see | A transcript | The ticket | A summary | Every step, source and timing |
| Where customer data goes | The vendor's cloud | The helpdesk's cloud | Shared with the contractor | Stays on your PC |
| What you pay for | Seats or resolutions | Seats | Hours | Your own computer and its power |
At $0.99 a resolution$2,970a month
Per conversation on Crewline$0on hardware you own
$0.99 is the rate widely reported for Intercom Fin. Gorgias is reported at $0.90 to $1.00 per AI interaction. These figures come from third-party pricing pages in November 2026, so check current prices before you rely on them.
When to pick something else
You need it live today
Customers can't reach Crewline from your site yet. A hosted widget can be running by tonight.
You're on a Mac
There's only a Windows installer.
You need Shopify in real time
Crewline imports CSV files. A connected app sees orders the moment they change.
You want a person on every ticket
An agency or a helpdesk is the honest choice.
You have no spare computer
Something has to stay on to answer. Cloud tools don't need that.
You want refunds to run themselves
Today it records them and you press the button in your store.
Put someone on the board
Download for Windows228 MB. Windows 10 or later, 64-bit.