Cbox is the original embeddable shoutbox — simple and cheap. HelpBird is the modern support take: the same drop-in live chat, but backed by a shared team inbox, saved replies, routing, CSAT and AI. Here's the honest side-by-side.
A small, real-time message box you embed in a sidebar. Around since the early 2000s — lightweight, inexpensive, familiar to old-school community sites. The feature set has stayed minimal.
Best for: a tiny sidebar shoutbox on a hobby site where you just want a stream of one-line messages.
The same one-script-tag install, but a full customer-support stack: a live chat widget your visitors actually talk to, backed by a shared team inbox with assignment, internal notes, saved replies, CSAT, AI auto-reply and a brand-matched theme.
Best for: stores, SaaS and teams that want an engaging, on-brand support chat where every message becomes a tracked, resolvable conversation.
| Feature | Cbox | HelpBird |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time embeddable chat (one script tag) | ||
| Shared team inbox (assign, claim, resolve) | ||
| Conversation history per visitor | ||
| Saved replies & macros | ||
| Internal notes + @mentions | ||
| Auto-routing & assignment rules | ✓ Pro | |
| CSAT ratings (post-conversation) | ||
| SLA targets & breach view | ||
| Help Center / knowledge base in the widget | ||
| AI auto-reply on first touch | ✓ Pro | |
| AI moderation (auto-redacts abuse) | ✓ Pro | |
| Banned words + slow mode + IP/CIDR bans | Partial | ✓ All three |
| Webhooks (signed JSON to Slack/Zapier/CRM) | ✓ Pro | |
| Image & file uploads (EXIF-stripped) | ||
| Custom CSS / brand themes + wallpapers | Limited colors | ✓ Full |
| One-click Shopify install |
Pick Cbox if: you want the cheapest possible one-line shoutbox and don't need an inbox, assignment, saved replies, CSAT or AI.
Pick HelpBird if: you want a modern, on-brand support chat — shared inbox, routing, internal notes, saved replies, CSAT, SLA targets and AI auto-reply — installed the same way (one script tag), with a one-click option on Shopify.
It installs the same way — one script tag you paste once, no plugins to maintain. The difference is what your visitors and your team get: instead of a one-line shoutbox, HelpBird is a real support chat backed by a shared inbox, saved replies, routing and CSAT.
If all you need is a hobby-site shoutbox, Cbox is fine and inexpensive. HelpBird is for teams that actually answer customers: it adds the inbox, assignment, internal notes, AI auto-reply and analytics — the things that turn a message stream into resolved conversations.
Yes. Keep Cbox live, paste the HelpBird tag alongside it, and switch the embed when you're happy. There's a 15-day free trial and no credit card, so you can run both side by side before committing.
Yes. There's a one-click install for Shopify, and on WordPress or Wix you paste the same single script tag into a header-scripts field or an embed block. Works with any theme.