Alternatives · Help Desks
Chatwoot alternatives
Chatwoot compared with 5 alternatives: Intercom, Zendesk, Crisp, Tidio and tawk.to.
Chatwoot has a free plan. Paid plans start at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated. 3 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.
5 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatwootThis tool | Free plan · from $19/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Intercom | Free trial · from $29/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Zendesk | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Crisp | Free plan · from $45/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Tidio | Free plan · from $24.17/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| tawk.to | Free plan · from $29/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Chatwoot starts at $19 a month for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Zendesk, Crisp and Tidio score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Chatwoot
- Free trial · from $29/mo
Intercom
Helpdesk with live chat and the Fin AI agent priced per outcome
- Intercom starts at $29 per seat / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly). Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated.
- Chatwoot has a free plan. Intercom does not, though it has a free trial.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Intercom also covers reports and help desk.
Suits: Software and app companies that support customers through in-app chat
- Free trial · from $19/mo
Zendesk
Ticketing, messaging, help center and AI agents for support teams
- Zendesk starts at $19 per agent / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly). Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated.
- Chatwoot has a free plan. Zendesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Zendesk also covers reports and help desk.
- Chatwoot also covers shared inbox.
Suits: Support teams handling email, chat and phone in one queue
- Free plan · from $45/mo
Crisp
Live chat and shared inbox priced per workspace, not per seat
- Crisp starts at $45 per workspace / month, with 4 seats. Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated.
- Only Crisp lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: Small teams that want chat and email support at a flat monthly price
- Free plan · from $24.17/mo
Tidio
Live chat, ticketing and the Lyro AI agent priced by conversations
- Tidio starts at $24.17 per month for 100 conversations, billed annually ($29 monthly). Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated.
- Only Tidio lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tidio also covers help desk.
- Chatwoot also covers shared inbox and help center.
Suits: Small online stores, especially on Shopify or WordPress
- Free plan · from $29/mo
tawk.to
Free live chat, ticketing and help center, with paid add-ons
- tawk.to starts at $29 per month for the AI Assist or Whitelabel add-on. Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent / month, billing term not stated.
- Only tawk.to lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Chatwoot is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- tawk.to also covers help desk.
- Chatwoot also covers shared inbox.
Suits: Small businesses that want website chat without paying per seat
Limits worth knowing in Chatwoot
- The free Hacker plan is limited to 2 agents, 500 conversations a month, live chat only and 30 days of history.
- Captain AI credits are 300, 500 or 800 a month by plan; more cost $20 per 1,000, and Captain is not in Hacker or the Community Edition.
- Voice, teams and automation rules need Business at $39 per agent; SSO and audit logs need Enterprise at $99.
- The pricing page does not say whether per-agent prices are billed monthly or annually.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Chatwoot?
The alternatives to Chatwoot in this directory are Intercom, Zendesk, Crisp, Tidio and tawk.to. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Chatwoot.
Is there a free alternative to Chatwoot?
Yes. Crisp, Tidio and tawk.to have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Chatwoot alternatives work on Windows?
The Chatwoot listing does not include a Windows app. Crisp, Tidio and tawk.to list one.
Which Chatwoot alternatives work on macOS?
The Chatwoot listing does not include a macOS app. Crisp, Tidio and tawk.to list one.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.