Imagine an AI phone agent that picks up your store's calls 24/7, checks orders on the spot, and handles routine requests in minutes. Today, two tools do exactly that for Shopify stores: Ringly and That Was AI. Both connect to your store and answer customer calls, so why do two exist? Because they differ in pricing, features, and the way they work.
This guide compares them side by side so you can pick the right one. A note on transparency: this article is published by That Was AI. We used only public information from both websites, and we pointed out where Ringly does better.
Key Takeaways
- Ringly costs $99/month for 50 phone conversations, then $1.99 for each extra one.
- That Was AI uses monthly plans from $62/month (launch offer for the first 3 months), based on call minutes, and offers 10 free minutes with no credit card.
- Both connect to Shopify, handle order questions, and can make outbound calls such as cart recovery.
- Both back their service with a resolution guarantee: 80% for That Was AI and 65% for Ringly. Ringly also works with helpdesks like Gorgias and Zendesk, while That Was AI can take orders over the phone and verifies callers by email and phone.
- Which one costs less depends on your call volume and how long your calls last.
What Is an AI Phone Agent (and Why Shopify Stores Use One)
An AI phone agent is simply software that answers and handles your phone calls using AI. We all know how frustrating customer care numbers can be. Before filing a complaint, we think twice, because first you press 1 for sales, then 2 for support, and by the time you finally reach a human, you've lost your patience. But now we have the AI phone agent. It understands your request, replies in a natural voice, and takes immediate action.
AI phone agents and chatbots are not the same thing. A chatbot is like texting your problem to a store: it lives on your website, so it only helps people who are already browsing. An AI phone agent is like calling your store at any moment. The customer dials a number and simply talks, and an AI voice agent talks back. With our busy schedules, this is far more convenient, because you just speak instead of typing.
If you own a Shopify store, your customers probably feel the same way. After placing an order, they tend to ask a few common questions: Where is my order? Can I change my address? Can I switch my size? Each of these calls takes time to answer, and the ones that come at night or on weekends often go unanswered. An AI answering service solves this. It picks up right away, looks up the order in your store, and gives the customer an answer within minutes.
Ringly vs That Was AI at a Glance
Ringly is an AI phone agent built for Shopify brands. Its AI agent, called Seth, answers customer calls and handles requests like order status, returns and exchanges. You pay per conversation, and only when Seth actually talks to a customer.
That Was AI is an AI phone agent that connects to your Shopify store in about two minutes and imports your products, policies and orders. It answers order questions and can also take orders over the phone. You pay a monthly plan based on call minutes.
| Ringly | That Was AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per conversation | Monthly plan based on call minutes |
| Starting price | $99/month (includes 50 conversations) | $62/month (200 minutes), launch offer for the first 3 months. |
| Free trial / guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee; 65% resolution guarantee | 10 free minutes, no credit card |
| Setup time | "Under an hour" (Ringly's claim) | About 2 minutes to connect Shopify |
| Phone orders | Product advice and pre-purchase questions (we did not find phone ordering on their website) | Yes, creates a draft order and sends a payment link to the customer. |
| Outbound calls | Yes (per Ringly's own blog) | Yes (abandoned cart calls) |
| If the AI can't solve it | Transfer, ticket, text, email or message | Ticket with transcript and recording or transfer the live call to your human support team. |
Information taken from each company's public website in October 2026. Always confirm current details before you buy.
Pricing: Per Conversation vs Monthly Plans
The biggest difference is the way you pay. Prices change often, so check each company's pricing page before you decide.
Ringly charges $99 per month, which includes 50 phone conversations. After that, each extra conversation costs $1.99. You only pay when Seth talks to a customer. Spam, hang-ups, wrong numbers and callers who only want a human are free. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can cancel anytime.
That Was AI uses four monthly plans based on call minutes. With the current launch offer (30% off for the first three months), they cost $62 for Basic (200 minutes), $139 for Growth (500 minutes), $209 for Pro (1,000 minutes) and $454 for Scale (2,500 minutes). After the launch period, the regular prices are $89, $199, $299 and $649 per month. Extra minutes cost between $0.26 and $0.46 depending on the plan.
What it could cost you
To make the two models easier to understand, here is an estimate. It assumes the average call lasts 2 minutes and that about 80% of calls become billable conversations at Ringly (our assumption, since Ringly does not charge for spam, hang-ups or wrong numbers). It does not include ThatWasAI's launch discount.
| Calls per month | Ringly (estimate) | That Was AI plan | That Was AI price (launch / regular) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | About $159 | Basic (200 min) | $62 / $89 |
| 250 | About $398 | Growth (500 min) | $139 / $199 |
| 500 | About $796 | Pro (1,000 min) | $209 / $299 |
| 1,250 | About $1,990 | Scale (2,500 min) | $454 / $649 |
These are estimates, not quotes. Real costs depend on your call length and how many calls Ringly counts as conversations.
Call length matters a lot. If your calls average 4 minutes instead of 2, 100 calls would use 400 minutes, which is the Growth plan at $139 during the launch offer, or $199 at the regular price. At the regular price, Ringly's per-conversation model (about $159) would be cheaper. Ringly's model also suits stores that get many spam or hang-up calls, because those are free.
Setup and Shopify Integration
Both tools connect to Shopify, but the setup experience is described differently. ThatWasAI says you can connect your store in about two minutes,not just that it also imports your products, policies and orders. For the phone number, you can use Twilio, buy a new number, or connect your own through SIP trunk.
Moreover,Ringly says stores can go live in under an hour, and you can forward your existing number to it. It also lists integrations with tools like Gorgias, Zendesk, Recharge and Twilio, which is useful if your support team already works in one of those.
What Calls Can Each One Handle?
Between them, the two tools work like a small AI call center for your store. Here is what each one says it handles.
- Ringly: order status, returns, exchanges, subscriptions, product advice and store policy questions.
- ThatWasAI: order status, cancellations (if the order has not shipped), address changes, product questions, and placing orders over the phone, which creates a Shopify draft order.
Phone ordering is where we found the clearest difference. We did not find phone ordering on Ringly's website, though it does handle product advice and pre-purchase questions.
Outbound Calls and Cart Recovery
An AI outbound call is when the AI phones your customer instead of waiting for them to call. No doubt,both tools offer this. According to Ringly's own blog, it makes opt-in, order-triggered calls. ThatWasAI makes abandoned cart calls to bring customers back to their checkout. Before you start, check how each tool charges for outbound calls and what consent rules apply in your market
When the AI Can't Solve It (Escalation and Security)
No AI solves every call, so what happens next matters. Ringly says it can transfer the caller to your team, create a ticket, send a text or email, or take a message.While for that same situation, That Was AI also transfers the call to your team, or creates a ticket depending on the caller's query. Each ticket is created automatically with the call transcript and recording
On security, ThatWasAI verifies the caller by email and phone before sharing order details. We did not find caller verification details on Ringly's website, so ask them about it before you decide.
Free Trial, Guarantee and Reporting
Both tools back their service with a resolution guarantee. Ringly offers a 65% resolution guarantee, and says that if fewer than 65% of conversations are resolved, you get that month refunded. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. That Was AI offers an 80% resolution guarantee. Each company defines "resolved" in its own way, so read the terms before you compare the two numbers.
ThatWasAI offers 10 free minutes with no credit card, so you can test it with real calls before paying. It also has a dashboard for call analytics. Ringly's dashboard shows recordings, transcripts, resolution rate and cost per call.
Don’t just read,Try your own test of the ThatWasAI live demo call .
Which One Should You Choose?
Both tools are customer support automation for phone calls, but there is no single winner. The right choice depends on your store.
- Choose Ringly if your team already uses a helpdesk like Gorgias or Zendesk, you like paying only for real conversations, and you want a resolution guarantee.
- Choose That Was AI if you want a predictable monthly plan with a lower starting price, an 80% resolution guarantee, want customers to place orders by phone, want callers verified before order details are shared, or want to test with free minutes first.
For ecommerce customer service, the best test is simple: try both with real calls from your own store and compare how many get resolved, what you pay, and how customers react.
FAQs
What is the best AI phone agent for Shopify stores?
The best AI phone agent for a Shopify store depends on its call volume, budget, and customer support needs. That Was AI offers Shopify integration, automated order support, phone ordering, abandoned cart calls, and flexible monthly plans based on call minutes.
How does That Was AI integrate with Shopify?
That Was AI connects to a Shopify store in approximately two minutes and imports products, store policies, and order information. This allows its AI phone agent to answer customer questions and assist with common order-related requests.
Can That Was AI handle customer support calls 24/7?
That Was AI is designed to automate incoming customer calls, helping Shopify businesses respond to routine enquiries without relying entirely on human agents. Its availability and call-handling configuration should be confirmed for your specific setup.
Do I need a new phone number to use That Was AI?
Not necessarily. That Was AI supports Twilio, purchasing a new phone number, or connecting an existing number through a SIP trunk. The appropriate option depends on your current telephony setup.
What happens when That Was AI cannot resolve a customer enquiry?
When the AI cannot resolve an enquiry, That Was AI can create a support ticket with the call transcript or transfer the call to a live team member. This allows businesses to escalate more complex customer issues.
Does That Was AI offer a free trial?
That Was AI offers 10 free minutes without requiring a credit card, allowing businesses to test the AI phone agent before committing to a paid plan. You can use the trial to evaluate call handling and suitability for your Shopify store.
Conclusion
Ringly and That Was AI do the same core job for Shopify stores, but they differ in pricing, features and setup. Ringly stands out for pay-per-conversation pricing and helpdesk integrations. That Was AI stands out for its lower starting price ($62/month during the launch offer), an 80% resolution guarantee, phone ordering, caller verification and a free trial with no credit card.
Want to hear it for yourself? Try ThatWasAI with 10 free minutes, no credit card needed, or listen to a live demo call at thatwasai.com.