Looking for a Crisp alternative?
Last updated October 19, 2026
Crisp is a polished, fairly priced platform. People leave when they’re paying for more than they use: seat limits push the price from $45 to $95 a month, and the AI chatbot only starts on Essentials.
Here’s what to use instead, depending on what you need.
Quick picks
| If you want | Try | From |
|---|---|---|
| Chat, email, and AI with no seat limits | Bubblegram | $9/mo |
| Free live chat with unlimited agents | Tawk.to | $0 |
| Open source and self-hosted | Chatwoot | $0 |
| A deeper helpdesk and stronger AI | Intercom | $29/seat + $0.99/resolution |
| Live chat for an online store | Tidio | $29/mo |
The alternatives
Bubblegram (that’s us)
- Best for: small teams that mainly use live chat and email and want AI for common questions.
- Price: free for 1 site, then $9/mo with 500 AI credits. Everyone in your Telegram group can reply.
- Trade-off: no WhatsApp, Instagram, CRM, or internal notes.
Assistant answers from your website. You reply from Telegram, the dashboard inbox, or email. Try it free, no card needed.
Tawk.to
- Best for: free live chat with ticketing and unlimited agents.
- Price: free. Removing branding is $29/mo.
- Trade-off: AI and branding removal cost extra.
Chatwoot
- Best for: teams that want Crisp-style omnichannel and can run their own server.
- Price: free self-hosted, or $19 per agent a month in the cloud.
- Trade-off: setup and maintenance are on you.
Intercom
- Best for: growing support teams that need SLAs, routing, and a top AI agent.
- Price: $29 to $132 per seat a month, plus $0.99 per Fin resolution.
- Trade-off: usually costs more than Crisp, not less.
Tidio
- Best for: Shopify stores that want flows and AI tied to orders.
- Price: $29/mo for 100 conversations. Lyro AI extra.
- Trade-off: every plan caps conversations.
How to choose
- Do you use WhatsApp, SMS, and a CRM? Crisp is probably still right for you.
- Do you mostly use chat and email? Bubblegram or Tawk.to.
- Is it about data ownership? Chatwoot.
- Have you outgrown Crisp? Intercom.
Comparing on price only? See the Crisp pricing breakdown, Intercom vs Crisp, or Tidio vs Crisp.
Pricing at a glance
See the full breakdown on our pricing page.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Bubblegram | Crisp |
|---|---|---|
| Reply from Telegram | ||
| AI replies | ||
| Email channel | ||
| No seat limits | ||
| Paid plan under $10/mo | ||
| Setup in under 5 minutes | ||
| WhatsApp, Instagram, and SMS | ||
| Internal notes | ||
| CRM and contact management | ||
| Workflow automation builder |
What users say about Crisp
- Unlimited conversations on every plan
- Email, WhatsApp, Instagram, and SMS in one inbox
- AI chatbot and workflows on higher plans
- Internal notes and a built-in CRM
- Free plan stops at 2 seats and has no AI
- Seat limits push you to the next plan as the team grows
- Omnichannel and AI chatbot start at $95/mo
- You reply from Crisp's dashboard, not from Telegram
The bottom line
Switch to Bubblegram if
You mainly need live chat and email, with AI handling the common questions. You don't want your bill to jump from $45 to $95 because you added a few people, and you'd rather reply from Telegram.
Start for free →Stay with Crisp if
You run support across WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, and email, and need a CRM, internal notes, and workflows. Crisp is built for that.
Common questions
What's the best Crisp alternative for small teams?
If you mostly use live chat and email, Bubblegram does that for $9/mo with AI replies included and no seat limits. If you need WhatsApp or SMS in one inbox, Crisp is still the better fit.
Does Bubblegram have AI like Crisp?
Yes. Assistant answers customers from your website and business details, in live chat and email. Approve each reply from Telegram first, or let it answer on its own. AI credits are included on every plan, including Free.
Does Crisp support Telegram?
Crisp can pull Telegram messages into its inbox, but you still reply from Crisp. With Bubblegram, each customer gets a topic in your Telegram group and you reply right there.
How does pricing compare as my team grows?
Crisp's plans come with seat limits: Mini is $45/mo for 4 seats, Essentials $95/mo for 10, Plus $295/mo for 20. Bubblegram has no seat limits. Starter is $9/mo and Pro is $29/mo, whatever your team size.
What does Crisp do that Bubblegram doesn't?
WhatsApp, Instagram, and SMS in one inbox, a CRM, internal notes, and a workflow builder. Bubblegram covers live chat and email, with Telegram as the place you reply.
Human-first, AI-assisted.
Talk to customers from Telegram.
Every customer channel in one place.
Resolve tickets yourself, or let AI handle them.