Live chat for Wix, Squarespace and BigCommerce stores

If you sell on Wix, Squarespace or BigCommerce, you chose convenience: hosting, security and checkout are handled for you. The trade-off shows up when you want something the platform doesn't do itself, such as a proper support inbox with an AI agent. Each builder has its own rules for what you can install, which plan allows it, and how much store data a third-party tool can see.

Most chat guides are written for Shopify and WordPress. This one covers the three hosted builders, so you can set up chat once and get it right before Black Friday and the holiday sales.

Why chat is trickier on hosted builders

Owners of builder-based stores tend to hit the same walls:

• The built-in chat is basic. It covers website chat, but not Instagram DMs, WhatsApp and the support email.
• Custom code is behind a paywall. The snippet the chat tool gives you won't install on a free or entry plan.
• Store data doesn't flow. The chat sees a name and email, not the order the customer is asking about.
• App markets differ. A tool with a polished BigCommerce app may only offer a snippet on Squarespace.
• Old snippets linger. After switching tools, the old widget still loads, or two appear at once.

Knowing how each platform works avoids most of this.

How each platform handles chat

	Wix	Squarespace	BigCommerce
Built-in option	Wix Smart Chat (AI and manual chat in Wix Inbox)	None native; LiveChat as an official extension	None native
Adding other tools	App Market, or Custom Code	Code Injection	App Marketplace, or script
Plan needed for custom code	Premium plan with a connected domain	Core plan or higher	Any plan
Store data in chat	Depends on the tool's Wix app	Generally none via snippet	Good; marketplace apps can read products and orders

Step 1: Decide whether the built-in chat is enough

Built-in chat is a reasonable start if all of these are true:

• customers mainly contact you through website chat;
• one or two people answer;
• you don't need Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp or email in the same inbox.

Wix Smart Chat combines AI and manual replies in the Wix Inbox, answers from your site content and has a small free AI allowance. On Squarespace, the official LiveChat extension is the closest thing to built-in. BigCommerce has no native chat, so you'll install an app either way.

If you already answer Instagram DMs on your phone and support email in Gmail, skip the built-in tools and go straight to a multichannel inbox.

Step 2: Check your plan before you choose a tool

This catches many store owners out:

• Wix: custom code only works on a Premium plan with a connected domain. If a tool has a Wix App Market app, that is the alternative.
• Squarespace: Code Injection is available on Core and higher plans. On Basic you're limited to extensions.
• BigCommerce: marketplace apps install on any plan.

If you need to upgrade anyway, factor that into the cost comparison.

Step 3: Install it cleanly

The steps are similar everywhere:

1. Remove any old chat widget first, including snippets left in header or footer code.
2. Install the app or paste the snippet. On Wix it goes in Custom Code (body, end); on Squarespace in the footer field of Code Injection; on BigCommerce through the App Marketplace.
3. Publish and test on a phone, logged out, on a product page and the cart.
4. Check for a second widget if you also use the platform's built-in chat, and turn one of them off.
5. Check page speed before and after.

Step 4: Get store data where you can

Order context saves the most time, and it varies by platform:

• BigCommerce: choose a marketplace app that can read orders and products, so agents and the AI can answer "where is my order?" without switching tabs.
• Wix and Squarespace: with a snippet install, the chat tool usually can't see orders. Compensate with a clear order-status page, proactive shipping emails from your store, and a pre-chat question that asks for the order number.

Step 5: Train an AI agent for evenings and weekends

Builder-based stores are often run by one or two people, which is exactly where an AI agent helps most:

• Point it at your shipping, returns, FAQ and product pages.
• Add Q&A pairs for questions your site doesn't answer clearly, such as delivery times by country.
• Test with 30 real questions from last season before going live.
• Keep a human handoff for payment problems and complaints.

Step 6: Prepare for the holiday calendar

September to December brings back-to-school, Halloween, Black Friday (November 27 this year), Cyber Monday and Christmas. Before each one:

• Update delivery cut-off dates in your help content and the AI agent.
• Add a proactive message on gift product pages about delivery dates.
• Write saved replies for "will it arrive in time?" and "can I add a gift note?".

Common mistakes

• Pasting code on the wrong plan. It saves, but never loads on the live site.
• Running two chat tools. Built-in chat plus a third-party widget confuses customers and splits conversations.
• Ignoring social messages. If you sell on Instagram, those DMs need the same inbox and response targets as chat.
• Assuming the AI knows your stock and orders. Without a store integration it only knows your pages, so write those pages well.

Which one should you choose?

• BigCommerce stores: install Tidio from the App Marketplace for chat, Lyro and a multichannel inbox; tawk.to if the budget is zero.
• Wix and Squarespace stores on the right plan: add Tidio with its snippet for one inbox across chat, email and social channels, plus an AI agent for out-of-hours questions.
• Wix stores on a lower plan: start with Wix Smart Chat, and move to a dedicated tool when you upgrade.

Thinking about moving platform? Compare our guides to Shopify customer service apps and live chat for WooCommerce, or browse the live chat category.