You want to measure sales from conversations
If customers ask questions before buying, include order attribution in your evaluation. Test a real purchase after a human or AI conversation and check what the reporting tells you.
Buyer’s guide 2026
8 Crisp alternatives to consider for your team
Looking for an alternative to Crisp chat? Compare eight options for live chat, AI, shared inboxes, and ecommerce. See how workspace pricing compares with per-user plans, what replaces Hugo AI, and which features you need to keep when you switch.
Written by Sylwia Kocur Updated 8 tools reviewed
Why look for a Crisp alternative?
Crisp combines website chat, a shared inbox, and Hugo AI, with more channels and automation on higher plans. Its workspace pricing can be good value for a team. Consider a change when another product better fits the conversations, reporting, or hosting model you need.
Your features and AI usage change the cost
Price the tier your team needs: Essentials for a public knowledge base and broader channels, Plus for a ticketing portal and white labelling. Compare Hugo credits with resolution-based AI billing using the same workload.
You need free chat or self-hosting
If you only need human website chat, compare free plans before buying an AI suite. If your team needs to operate the software itself, evaluate Chatwoot Community Edition and the work of maintaining it.
8 alternatives at a glance
Entry prices don’t line up one to one. Vendors bill per seat, per workspace, or per ticket, and AI usage is often charged separately.
| Platform | Entry price | Live chat | Ticketing | AI and automation | Integrations | Trial or free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text by LiveChat Ecommerce teams that sell through chat Start free trial | $19 /user/mo, billed annually | Included; advanced routing on Growth. | Included; rules and workflows have plan limits. | 10 or 200 monthly resolutions included; extra packages cost $49.50 for 50. | Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom sales tracking. | 14 days, no card. |
| Tidio Small stores using website chat and automation | $24.17 /mo, Starter, billed annually | Live chat and ticketing in Starter. | Email ticketing with plan-specific automation. | Lyro packages by conversation; initial 50 are one-off. | Shopify and WooCommerce product recommendations. | Free plan and 7-day trial. |
| Intercom Conversational and in-app support | $29 /seat/mo, billed annually | Messenger included. | Shared inbox and tickets. | Fin from $0.99/outcome; 10 Copilot conversations per full-seat agent/month included. | Apps and connections; validate your specific stack. | 14 days, no card. |
| Zendesk Teams with established support processes | $55 /agent/mo, Suite Team, billed annually | Messaging and live chat in Suite Team. | Ticketing and omnichannel routing in Suite. | AI agents included in Suite; check automated-resolution allowances and add-ons. | Check the apps and store connections you need. | Free trial available. |
| Help Scout Inbox-centered service teams | Free plan available | Live chat and social messaging from Standard; not in Free. | Shared inbox conversation management. | AI Answers: $0.75/resolution after its trial; requires a paid plan. | Check required apps and included allowances. | Free plan available. |
| Freshdesk Structured ticketing and self-service | $19 /agent/mo, billed annually | Check Freshdesk Omni packaging. | Core shared inbox and ticket workflows. | Freddy AI usage charges; Copilot is a paid add-on on Pro and Enterprise. | Confirm app and channel requirements. | 14-day trial. |
| Chatwoot Teams that need an open-source option | $0 Hacker cloud plan, up to 2 agents | Included in Hacker. | Email and other channels require a paid cloud plan. | Captain AI allowances depend on the paid plan. | API channel on paid cloud plans. | Free cloud and self-hosted options. |
| tawk.to Free live chat with your own agents | $0 for core live chat | Free core live chat. | Ticketing included. | AI Assist has its own plans and usage limits. | Website widget and integrations. | Free core service. |
Crisp alternatives reviewed
For each tool: what it does well, what to watch out for, and when Crisp is still the better pick.
Text by LiveChat
Best for ecommerce teams that sell through chat
Text by LiveChat is a Crisp alternative for ecommerce teams that want to connect buying questions with measurable sales. AI answers from your knowledge, teammates take over when needed, and sales reports show orders attributed to chats.
- Entry price
- $19 /user/mo, billed annually
- Essential costs $25/user/month with monthly billing; Growth costs $79/user/month billed annually, or $99/user/month billed monthly. Enterprise is quoted. Essential includes 10 monthly AI resolutions and Growth includes 200. Additional 50-resolution packages cost $49.50 and can be purchased as needed. Unused additional resolutions expire at the end of the billing cycle.
- Trial
- 14 days, no card.
- AI costs
- 10 or 200 monthly resolutions included; extra packages cost $49.50 for 50.
- AI Agent and Copilot included; usage and tool allowances vary.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Key features
- AI answers grounded in your approved knowledge
- Human replies and email follow-up in the Inbox
- Sales tracking for connected stores and custom integrations
Strengths
- Sales reports show orders attributed to chats.
- A teammate can turn a chat into a ticket when follow-up takes longer.
- Live chat, ticketing, and AI are part of the core product.
Keep in mind
- Essential includes 60 days of conversation and file history; Growth offers unlimited history.
- Extra AI resolutions add to the user subscription.
Consider Crisp instead if
Workspace pricing, your published knowledge base, or a specific Crisp workflow is more important than a change in sales reporting.
How to test Text in a trial
Test a buying question, a human handoff, and an order after the conversation. Verify the tracking setup and check the sales report the next day. Text documents a 30-day attribution window. Compare the required user plan with your full Crisp workspace cost.
Tidio
Best for small stores using website chat and automation
Tidio is worth comparing with Crisp when your main customer touchpoint is an online store. It combines live chat and ticketing with Lyro AI and Flows. Check human-conversation, AI, and visitor allowances separately.
- Entry price
- $24.17 /mo, Starter, billed annually
- Starter includes 100 billable conversations; Growth starts at $49.17/month annually with 250. The first 50 Lyro conversations are one-off; recurring AI and additional Flows capacity are priced separately.
- Trial
- Free plan and 7-day trial.
- AI costs
- Lyro packages by conversation; initial 50 are one-off.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Lyro can recommend products through Shopify and WooCommerce integrations.
- Shopify Lyro Products Analytics reports assisted sales and the conversion funnel.
Keep in mind
- Human conversations, Lyro conversations, and Flows visitors are different allowances.
- Product recommendations require the Shopify or WooCommerce app, active Lyro, and a Lyro AI Agent package or its 7-day trial.
Consider Crisp instead if
You prefer a workspace subscription and already use Crisp channels or workflows that you have not validated in Tidio.
Read the full Text vs. Tidio comparisonHow to test Tidio in a trial
Test a product question, an email follow-up, and a Flows journey. Check which allowance each interaction consumes and whether the resulting sale appears in reporting.
Intercom
Best for conversational and in-app support
Intercom is a Crisp alternative for teams evaluating in-app support, Fin, and proactive product journeys. Compare its seat and outcome charges with your full Crisp workspace bill.
- Entry price
- $29 /seat/mo, billed annually
- Essential costs $29/seat/month billed annually. Advanced is $85 and Expert is $132 per seat/month on annual billing. Product Tours, Surveys, and Series are part of an optional add-on.
- Trial
- 14 days, no card.
- AI costs
- Fin from $0.99/outcome; 10 Copilot conversations per full-seat agent/month included.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Messenger and helpdesk in one platform
- Fin also works with supported external helpdesks; role and feature limits apply.
Keep in mind
- The Workflows builder and multiple team inboxes require Advanced or Expert. Essential includes simple automations.
- SSO and SLAs are listed on Expert; some channels are usage-priced.
Consider Crisp instead if
Your current workspace already covers the channels and workflows you use, and a per-seat subscription would add cost without a clear benefit.
Read the full Text vs. Intercom comparisonHow to test Intercom in a trial
Send a common question and an unusual one through Messenger. Watch where Fin stops and a teammate takes over, what the teammate sees, and which of those conversations Intercom counts as a paid outcome.
Zendesk
Best for teams with established support processes
Zendesk is an option when you need to move from a chat-led workspace to more structured support operations. Compare Suite plans for live chat and messaging; the lower-priced Support Team plan is a different package.
- Entry price
- $55 /agent/mo, Suite Team, billed annually
- Support Team starts at $19/agent/month annually. Suite Team starts at $55 and adds messaging, live chat, telephony, and a knowledge base. Suite Professional costs $115/agent/month billed annually.
- Trial
- Free trial available.
- AI costs
- AI agents included in Suite; check automated-resolution allowances and add-ons.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Suite covers messaging, live chat, and telephony.
- Suite Professional adds skills-based routing and an IVR phone tree.
Keep in mind
- The $19 Support Team price is not the Suite live-chat package.
- Include AI usage, add-ons, and the required routing tier in the quote.
Consider Crisp instead if
Your team mainly needs a shared chat and email workspace, without the operational requirements that justify a larger support suite.
Read the full Text vs. Zendesk comparisonHow to test Zendesk in a trial
Recreate one request that crosses chat, email, and another team. Check ownership, routing, history, and the exact plan needed for each step.
Help Scout
Best for inbox-centered service teams
Help Scout is worth considering when shared email, ownership, and saved replies are central to your work. Compare its inbox workflow with Crisp, and evaluate a paid plan if live chat is required.
- Entry price
- Free plan available
- Free supports up to 5 users and 100 contacts per month. Paid plans use per-user pricing; check the current billing selector for your quote.
- Trial
- Free plan available.
- AI costs
- AI Answers: $0.75/resolution after its trial; requires a paid plan.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Free plan for small teams
- Inbox-focused collaboration with saved replies and tags
Keep in mind
- Standard supports up to 25 users; Plus up to 50.
- Additional inboxes and Docs sites cost extra beyond included allowances.
Consider Crisp instead if
You already rely on Crisp omnichannel workflows or Hugo actions that you have not reproduced in Help Scout.
Read the full LiveChat vs. Help Scout comparisonHow to test Help Scout in a trial
Move one representative request through two teammates and a follow-up email. If live chat is essential, evaluate Standard or above rather than the Free plan.
Freshdesk
Best for structured ticketing and self-service
Freshdesk is an option for email-led support with ticket ownership, a customer portal, and a knowledge base. Compare Freshdesk Omni separately if you need to replace Crisp live chat as well.
- Entry price
- $19 /agent/mo, billed annually
- Growth costs $19/agent/month, Pro $55/agent/month, and Enterprise $89/agent/month, all billed annually.
- Trial
- 14-day trial.
- AI costs
- Freddy AI usage charges; Copilot is a paid add-on on Pro and Enterprise.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Portal and knowledge base in Growth
- On Pro or Enterprise, paid Copilot licenses can be assigned to selected agents.
Keep in mind
- Custom dashboards and multiple SLA policies require Pro.
- Sandbox, audit logs and skill-based routing require Enterprise.
Consider Crisp instead if
Website conversations and your existing Crisp automations are central to the customer experience.
How to test Freshdesk in a trial
Run an email request through assignment, an internal note, escalation, and reopening. Then test your required live-chat journey in Freshdesk Omni and price that package separately.
Chatwoot
Best for teams that need an open-source option
Chatwoot offers an open-source alternative to Crisp with hosted and self-hosted options. Its free cloud plan and self-hosted Community Edition have different feature scopes, so choose the edition before comparing capabilities.
- Entry price
- $0 Hacker cloud plan, up to 2 agents
- Hacker includes website chat, 500 conversations per month, and 30-day retention. Self-hosted Community Edition has separate scope; hosting and maintenance are your responsibility.
- Trial
- Free cloud and self-hosted options.
- AI costs
- Captain AI allowances depend on the paid plan.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- Choice of hosted or self-hosted deployment.
- A free cloud plan lets a small team try website chat.
Keep in mind
- Free cloud is limited to website chat and 2 agents.
- Self-hosting needs backups, updates, monitoring, and technical ownership.
- Captain AI is not included in the free self-hosted Community Edition.
Consider Crisp instead if
Your managed Crisp workspace meets your needs and operating a self-hosted service would add unnecessary work.
How to test Chatwoot in a trial
Test authenticated customer identity, chat handoff, and email follow-up in the edition you plan to use. For self-hosting, include the work of backups, upgrades, and incident response.
tawk.to
Best for free live chat with your own agents
tawk.to is a free Crisp alternative for teams that mainly need people to answer website chats. Its core service has no published limits on agents, chats, or websites. AI Assist has separate plans and usage limits.
- Entry price
- $0 for core live chat
- Core software is free. AI Assist, branding removal, and staffed services have separate terms.
- Trial
- Free core service.
- AI costs
- AI Assist has its own plans and usage limits.
Full review: features, pros, and trial tips
Strengths
- No per-agent bill for the core chat service.
- Core chat, ticketing, and a knowledge base are free.
Keep in mind
- Free chat does not mean unlimited free AI.
- Price any optional branding removal or staffed service separately.
Consider Crisp instead if
You need the Hugo, knowledge-base, or automation setup you already run, beyond free human chat.
How to test tawk.to in a trial
Test a live conversation, a teammate handoff, and an offline request. Check whether that covers the Crisp workflows you actually use before adding paid AI or staffed services.
Text or Crisp: which fits your team?
Choose Text if
- Your chats help shoppers decide what to buy
- You want live chat, AI, and tickets in one inbox
- You want to see which sales came through chat
Stay with Crisp if
- Your team gets good value from the seats included in a workspace
- Hugo and your channel setup already handle the work you need
- A trial elsewhere shows no clear improvement worth the switching effort
Text by LiveChat vs. Crisp
Crisp prices its plans per workspace; Text prices its plans per user. The figures below use Crisp’s published monthly workspace prices and Text’s annual-billing monthly rates. They are not equivalent feature bundles. Compare the required tier, team size, and AI usage before deciding.
Start free trial| Text by LiveChat From $19/user/mo, billed annually | Crisp Mini: $45/workspace/month, 4 seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Key differences | ||
| What should you evaluate first? | The sale after a conversation Test product advice, human handoff, and chat-attributed orders. | The workspace your team needs Check seats, channels, knowledge base, and automation together before selecting a plan. |
| How is AI usage measured? | Resolved customer questions Monthly AI resolution allowances depend on the plan; additional packages are available to purchase. | Token-based Hugo credits Usage depends on the conversation and model. Advertised conversation counts are estimates, not fixed allowances. |
| How does the team affect the price? | A subscription per user Essential and Growth are priced per user; include everyone who needs access. | Seats bundled into a workspace Mini includes 4 seats, Essentials 10, and Plus 20 or more. A fuller workspace can make Crisp more economical. |
| Pricing | ||
| Entry paid plan | Essential: $19/user/month billed annually, or $25 monthly. | Mini: $45/workspace/month with 4 seats. |
| Broader team setup | Growth: $79/user/month billed annually, or $99 monthly. | Essentials: $95/workspace/month with 10 seats. |
| Higher tier | Enterprise: custom quote. | Plus: $295/workspace/month with 20 included seats. Additional seats cost $10 each per month. |
| Included AI | 10 monthly AI resolutions on Essential; 200 on Growth. | Monthly Hugo credits: $5 on Mini, $25 on Essentials, $75 on Plus. Free has no included Hugo credits. |
| Additional AI usage | Optional packages: $49.50 for 50 resolutions, valid for the current billing cycle. | Optional pay-as-you-go with billing limits. Without it, Hugo stops answering when credits run out and escalates to operators. |
| Free access | 14-day trial, no credit card required. | Permanent Free plan with 2 seats; 14-day trial of paid features, no card required. |
Build a complete cost comparison
Use the same team size and workload for each vendor.
Count the people who need access
Compare your current team and your next planned hires. A workspace bundle and a per-user subscription change differently as the team grows.
Start with required features
List the channels, portal, knowledge base, routing, and branding requirements. Price the plan that includes them, not the cheapest plan on the page.
Test the same AI workload
Run short questions, longer exchanges, and human handoffs through each option. Compare actual usage and answer quality rather than treating credits and resolutions as interchangeable.
Include switching costs
Allow for data mapping, rebuilding automation, channel setup, and overlapping subscriptions. Separate these one-time costs from the ongoing bill.
What about a 10-person team?
For four users, Text Essential costs $76/month with annual billing, or $100 with monthly billing. Crisp Mini is $45/month for four seats. For ten users, Text Essential is $190/month with annual billing, while Crisp Essentials is $95/month. Crisp can therefore be cheaper on base subscription alone. Choose by the required features and measured value, then add AI usage and other applicable charges.
About this comparison
Sylwia Kocur, Content Marketing Specialist at Text. Sylwia writes about Text’s products and updates. Before becoming a Content Marketing Specialist, she worked as a Product Expert.
Who publishes this guide
The company behind Text and LiveChat publishes this guide and has a commercial interest in Text, which appears first. Text is a separate product from legacy LiveChat. The other tools are grouped by use case, not ranked by score.
What we compared
Vendors’ published pricing, product documentation, and help-center articles, covering live chat, ticketing, AI, knowledge, integrations, reporting, and plan requirements. Seat, usage, and add-on charges are listed separately.
What the evidence supports
This is a documentation review, not a hands-on benchmark. Where we couldn’t verify a feature, we say so instead of marking it as missing.
Prices and updates
Product information and prices were checked on the date shown at the top of this guide. Plans change, so confirm the current package before you buy and test your own workflow in a trial.
Spotted an outdated price or product detail? Let us know
Common questions
What is the best Crisp alternative?
Choose by the job you need to improve. Consider Text for ecommerce conversations and sales attribution, Tidio for store chat and automation, Intercom for in-app support, or Help Scout for shared-inbox work. Chatwoot adds a self-hosted option; tawk.to offers free core human chat. There is no single best option for every team.
Match a tool to the jobIs there a free alternative to Crisp?
tawk.to offers free core live chat, ticketing, and a knowledge base. Chatwoot Hacker supports two agents, 500 website-chat conversations per month, and 30-day retention. Help Scout Free supports five users and 100 monthly contacts, but live chat requires a paid plan. Crisp itself has a free two-seat plan, so check whether switching actually gives you something you need.
Compare pricing and capabilitiesWhich Crisp alternatives are open source?
Chatwoot offers a self-hosted Community Edition as well as hosted plans. Free Community Edition does not include Captain AI. Your team still needs to handle infrastructure, backups, updates, and incident response.
Read the Chatwoot reviewIs Text cheaper than Crisp?
Not automatically. Four Text Essential users cost $76/month with annual billing, compared with $45/month for a four-seat Crisp Mini workspace. Features and AI usage differ. Text is worth evaluating when its sales reporting and customer workflows match your needs, not on an unsupported promise of a lower subscription bill.
Compare Text and Crisp plan pricesHow much does Crisp cost as your team grows?
Crisp Mini costs $45/month for a workspace with four seats. Essentials is $95/month with ten seats; Plus is $295/month with twenty included seats and $10/month per additional seat. Moving beyond a plan’s included seats can change the required tier. Check feature requirements at the same time: email starts on Mini, the public knowledge base and broader channels on Essentials, and the ticketing portal on Plus.
Compare workspace and per-user costsHow do Hugo credits compare with Text AI resolutions?
Hugo uses token-based credits, so cost varies with the model and conversation. Text uses AI resolution allowances with optional paid packages. Neither unit should be treated as an interchangeable conversation count. Test the same workload and compare the resulting usage.
Compare Text and CrispWhat happens when Crisp Hugo credits run out?
By default, Hugo stops answering and escalates new conversations to human operators when included credits are exhausted. Enabling pay-as-you-go lets it continue within configured billing limits. Check this setting before assuming AI will remain active throughout a busy period.
Check how Hugo credits are billedWhich alternatives to Crisp Hugo AI should I compare?
Compare Text AI Agent, Tidio Lyro, and Intercom Fin against your knowledge, channels, and required actions. Test an answerable question, a missing answer, and a handoff. This guide does not establish that every option can reproduce every Hugo integration or workflow.
Compare AI agents in each toolHow does Crisp compare with Intercom?
Crisp bundles seats into workspace plans. Intercom charges per seat, with separate Fin outcome charges and optional engagement tools. Intercom may be worth evaluating for in-app support and product journeys; Crisp may offer better base-subscription value for a team using its included seats. Compare the specific workflows and full bill.
Read the Intercom reviewShould I choose Crisp or Tidio for ecommerce?
Both deserve a test with your store. Tidio documents Lyro product recommendations for Shopify and WooCommerce and Shopify sales analytics. Crisp offers ecommerce connections and Hugo integrations. Compare product answers, order actions, human handoff, and the plan required for each.
Read the Tidio reviewCan I migrate Crisp conversations to Text automatically?
Crisp documents API-based conversation export and third-party migration options. Text documents API ticket import. Those facts do not establish a one-click transfer between the products. Test field mapping and a representative sample of messages, notes, and attachments.
Is Text by LiveChat the same product as LiveChat?
Text is a separate product from the company behind LiveChat, HelpDesk, and ChatBot. This guide evaluates Text. Legacy LiveChat prices and feature lists should not be used as evidence for Text.
See what Text by LiveChat includesWhen should I stay with Crisp?
Stay if the workspace price, Hugo configuration, channels, and reporting already meet your needs and a pilot shows no clear improvement elsewhere. Moving tools takes time. Compare the value of a change with the cost of rebuilding a working setup.
Review reasons to switch from CrispAre the features on this page included in my LiveChat plan?
No, your LiveChat plan stays the same. The features and capabilities on this page are part of Text and are available under Text pricing plans. They are not included in LiveChat plans, including legacy LiveChat subscriptions. Availability, limits, and pricing depend on your Text plan. If you’re on a LiveChat plan and want these features, you can move to Text.
