Wakato vs Shopify: everything it does, and the rest of your business

What you get on Wakato that Shopify doesn't have

Services and bookings, natively

Sell a service, take the booking and payment at once, and track it as a job.

Support on every channel

Calls, texts, WhatsApp, chat, email and DMs answered by an agent.

Books from your sales

Every sale, fee and payout posted to your books automatically.

Agents that run the shop

They answer buyers, send updates, follow up and run your ads.

Wakato vs Shopify, side by side

Shopify prices and features as publicly listed in October 2026.

What it costs to match Wakato on Shopify

• Shopify (Basic): $39/month
• AI receptionist for calls and texts: an AI receptionist service, $79/month (included in Wakato)
• Booking pages: Calendly Standard, $10/month (included in Wakato)
• Bookkeeping: QuickBooks Simple Start, $35/month (included in Wakato)

Total: from about $163 a month on Shopify, against $49 a month for Wakato Pro. Calls, texts and AI usage are paid as you go on both.

Switching from Shopify

1. Export your products. Export products as CSV; an agent creates the listings and you review them.
2. Bring your customers. Import customers as contacts; matching emails merge.
3. Go live on your domain. Shop pages, checkout and inbox move to your domain when you say so.

Questions

What is the best Shopify alternative?

Wakato is a good Shopify alternative for businesses that want the store and the rest of the business together: support on every channel, ads, bookings and books, with AI agents doing the work. It sells products, services, digital goods and subscriptions through one checkout. It's free to start, and Pro is $49 a month.

Is Wakato cheaper than Shopify?

Usually, yes: Wakato Pro is $49 a month with selling at 3.9% + 30¢ per sale, while Shopify Basic is about $39 a month as publicly listed before extra tools. Adding an AI receptionist (about $79), Calendly (about $10) and QuickBooks (about $35) to match Wakato brings Shopify to about $163 a month.

What does Shopify do better than Wakato?

Shopify's app and theme store is far larger, built over many years for ecommerce. If you run a big store that depends on specialised apps and themes, Shopify is the stronger choice. Wakato covers the common needs built in, and builds a custom app on your own data when you describe one.

Can I move my Shopify store to Wakato?

Yes. Export your products from Shopify as CSV and an agent creates the listings for you to review, then import your customers as contacts, where matching emails merge. Your shop pages, checkout and inbox move to your own domain when you say so.

Can I sell services and bookings on Wakato?

Yes. A service can be booked and paid at checkout and becomes a job you can track, with its steps, updates and appointment in one place. Booking pages check your Google or Outlook calendar, and every buyer becomes a contact.

Who handles payments and sales tax on Wakato?

Wakato is the merchant of record for sales in your shop: it charges the buyer, holds the money until they get what they paid for, handles sales tax and disputes, and pays you out. Selling costs 3.9% + 30¢ per sale on Pro and 3.4% + 30¢ on Business.

Can AI agents run my online store?

Yes, within the limits you set. Agents on Wakato answer buyers on every channel, send order updates, follow up, create listings for you to review and run your ads on Meta, Google, TikTok and ChatGPT inside your budget. They ask you before anything you've marked to approve.