alternatives / chatwoot
A Chatwoot alternative for teams that want the agent first.
Chatwoot combines open-source deployment, omnichannel inboxes, live chat, voice, help center, automation, and Captain AI. Help Chat AI starts with the customer-facing agent and a focused support workflow.
prices and plan details checked August 2026 · verify live pricing before buying
Open-source omnichannel support
Chatwoot starts with the inbox and deployment choice.
Chatwoot is built for teams that want a shared omnichannel inbox and the option to run the product on their own infrastructure. Help Chat AI is hosted and agent-first, with published plan allowances and human help desk features on Standard and Pro.
Chatwoot includes
Cloud or self-hosted support, live chat, email, social channels, voice, help center, teams, automation, and Captain AI.
Chatwoot charges
Per agent for cloud plans plus Captain AI credits; self-hosted editions separate free software from paid support features.
Help Chat AI includes
Hosted agent-first plans, monthly message credits, customer contacts without a separate quota, and help desk on Standard and Pro.
features
Chatwoot and Help Chat AI feature comparison
Use the rows below to compare the agent, the knowledge it uses, the human workflow, and the limits around it.
feature
Chatwoot
Help Chat AI
AI agent
Captain AI Assistant answers customer questions and supports agents
AI agent included across Starter, Standard, and Pro
AI assistance
Copilot, memories, reply suggestions, summarization, and content-gap detection
Source-backed customer answers; smaller internal copilot surface today
Knowledge
Help center and content-gap analysis
Website, files, pasted knowledge, and curated Q&A
Channels
Live chat, email, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, voice, and other channels by plan
Core agent and support workflow; broader integrations and voice coming soon
Deployment
Cloud or self-hosted Community Edition and paid support editions
Hosted product
AI billing
300, 500, or 800 included Captain AI credits; $20 per 1,000 extra
Monthly message-credit allowance by plan
Human workflow
Shared inbox, teams, automation, help center, voice, and exports
Help desk and human handoff on Standard and Pro
What Chatwoot does well
- • Cloud and self-hosted deployment gives teams control over data and infrastructure.
- • Paid plans include broad channels and unlimited conversations.
- • Captain AI covers customer answers and agent-assistance tasks.
- • Open-source and export options reduce lock-in for technical teams.
What Help Chat AI includes
- • A focused customer-facing agent is available on every public plan.
- • Published monthly plans with message credits and members included.
- • Customer contacts have no separate quota in the current plan catalog.
- • Standard and Pro add the help desk and human handoff.
who each product suits
Choose based on the support work you need to run.
The right choice depends on the channels, integrations, team workflow, and usage unit behind your support queue.
Choose Chatwoot when its strengths are required now
Use the Chatwoot page when the competitor’s current channels, integrations, team controls, or workflow are part of the requirement rather than a nice-to-have.
Choose Help Chat AI when you want a focused agent
Help Chat AI is built for teams that want source-backed answers first, a clear plan allowance, customer contacts without a separate quota, and human handoff on Standard or Pro.
pricing
Compare the unit you pay for.
Chatwoot Cloud is priced per agent. Current annual-billing prices are $19 for Startups, $39 for Business, and $99 for Enterprise, with Captain AI credits included by tier. The free Hacker plan is limited to two agents and 500 conversations per month.
plan / usage
Chatwoot
Help Chat AI
Hacker
$0/agent/month · up to 2 agents · 500 conversations/month · live chat
No free plan; Starter is $39/month
Startups
$19/agent/month annual · unlimited conversations · all channels · 300 AI credits
Starter · $39/month · 500 message credits · 1 active agent · 2 members
Business
$39/agent/month annual · all channels · 500 AI credits · SSO/SAML
Standard · $149/month · 4,000 message credits · 2 active agents · 4 members · help desk
Enterprise
$99/agent/month annual · all channels · 800 AI credits · enterprise controls
Pro · $499/month · 20,000 message credits · 3 active agents · 10 members · help desk
Captain AI extra credits are $20 per 1,000. Chatwoot self-hosted Community Edition is free, while paid self-hosted support editions add Captain AI and other operational features.
before you switch
Run these checks with your own support queue.
Your real conversations should make the final call.
01
Hosting
Decide whether you need self-hosting, data control, or a managed hosted product.
02
Channels
List the channels, teams, voice needs, and help-center requirements for launch.
03
AI credits
Run real conversations and agent-assistance tasks to estimate Captain AI or message-credit usage.
04
Contacts
Export and compare contacts, conversation history, fields, and retention before switching.
05
Handoff
Test the transcript, customer record, summary, and assignment when a human takes over.
human handoff
Compare deployment control with the support workflow.
Chatwoot is a strong choice when open-source deployment, channel breadth, or self-hosting is part of the requirement. Help Chat AI is easier to test when you want a hosted customer-facing agent and a clear path to human handoff.
test this before buying
Run the same content, contact, and escalation tests in both products. Record deployment work, channel setup, AI usage, and what the teammate sees.
official sources
Check the live vendor pages before buying.
Prices, plan limits, and packaging change. These sources were checked while preparing this comparison.
frequently asked questions
Chatwoot alternative questions
Does Chatwoot have an AI agent?
Yes. Chatwoot's Captain AI includes a customer-facing Assistant plus Copilot, memories, reply suggestions, summarization, and content-gap features.
How much does Chatwoot cost?
Chatwoot Cloud has a free Hacker plan, then Startups at $19, Business at $39, and Enterprise at $99 per agent per month billed annually. Captain AI includes credits by plan and charges $20 per 1,000 extra credits.
Who should choose Help Chat AI over Chatwoot?
Help Chat AI is a strong fit when you want a hosted agent-first product, published message-credit plans, customer contacts without a separate quota, and a help desk on Standard or Pro.
Does Help Chat AI support self-hosting?
No. Chatwoot offers self-hosted editions today. Help Chat AI is a hosted product, with the current focus on the agent and support workflow.
try Help Chat AI
Start with the agent. Add the help desk when you need it.
Use your own support questions to compare answers, contacts, limits, and handoff.