Crisp vs Chatwoot
Crisp is all-in-one business messaging platform with live chat, chatbot, help desk, and CRM, while Chatwoot is open-source customer engagement platform with live chat, email, social channels, and chatbots. Chatwoot is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. Crisp is built for startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk, whereas Chatwoot targets teams wanting open-source customer engagement.
| Feature | Crisp | Chatwoot |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | ✓ |
| CRM | ✓ | — |
| Chatbot | ✓ | — |
| Chatbots | — | ✓ |
| Help Desk | ✓ | — |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel | — | ✓ |
| Self-Hosted | — | ✓ |
| Shared Inbox | ✓ | — |
Pricing: Both Crisp and Chatwoot are free, so this decision comes down to features and philosophy rather than budget.
Feature gaps: Crisp offers CRM, Chatbot and Help Desk that Chatwoot lacks. Chatwoot brings Chatbots, Omnichannel and Self-Hosted that Crisp does not have. Both share Live Chat.
Team fit: Both tools target small teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Open source: Chatwoot is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Crisp is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.
Where each tool shines: Crisp's biggest strengths are: generous free tier for basic live chat. much cheaper than intercom. Chatwoot's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows.
Watch out for: With Crisp, users commonly note that less powerful ai than intercom's fin. With Chatwoot, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.
choose Crisp if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk
- You specifically need CRM and Chatbot
- You care about much cheaper than intercom
choose Chatwoot if
- Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting open-source customer engagement
- You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
- You specifically need Chatbots and Omnichannel
- You care about includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows
frequently asked
What is the difference between Crisp and Chatwoot?
Crisp is all-in-one business messaging platform with live chat, chatbot, help desk, and CRM, while Chatwoot is open-source customer engagement platform with live chat, email, social channels, and chatbots. Chatwoot is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. Crisp is built for startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk, whereas Chatwoot targets teams wanting open-source customer engagement.
Should I use Crisp or Chatwoot?
Chatwoot gives you open source and self-hosting; Crisp is a managed service. Which trade-off works for you?
When should I choose Crisp over Chatwoot?
Choose Crisp if Your profile matches its sweet spot: startups and small businesses that want affordable live chat + help desk; You specifically need CRM and Chatbot; You care about much cheaper than intercom.
When should I choose Chatwoot over Crisp?
Choose Chatwoot if Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting open-source customer engagement; You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code; You specifically need Chatbots and Omnichannel; You care about includes live chat as a core feature, purpose-built for customer support workflows.
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