Looking for a Chatwoot alternative?
Last updated October 19, 2026
Chatwoot is a great open-source platform. People leave because self-hosting turned into a side project, or because the cloud version charges per agent and they only needed a chat widget.
Here’s what to use instead, depending on what you need.
Quick picks
| If you want | Try | From |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted chat, email, and AI at a flat price | Bubblegram | $9/mo |
| A hosted omnichannel inbox | Crisp | $45/mo |
| Free hosted live chat | Tawk.to | $0 |
| A full helpdesk with strong AI | Intercom | $29/seat + $0.99/resolution |
| An AI agent first, humans second | Chatbase | $40/mo |
The alternatives
Bubblegram (that’s us)
- Best for: small teams that want live chat and email with AI, and nothing to host.
- Price: free for 1 site, then $9/mo with 500 AI credits. No per-agent fees.
- Trade-off: not open source, and no WhatsApp, Instagram, or SMS.
Setup is one script tag and a Telegram group. Assistant answers from your website, and you reply from Telegram. Try it free, no card needed.
Crisp
- Best for: teams that want Chatwoot’s channels without running servers.
- Price: $45/mo for 4 seats. Omnichannel and AI from $95/mo.
- Trade-off: seat limits as the team grows.
Tawk.to
- Best for: free hosted live chat with ticketing.
- Price: free. Removing branding is $29/mo.
- Trade-off: a badge unless you pay, and AI is an add-on.
Intercom
- Best for: support teams that want the most complete hosted helpdesk.
- Price: $29 to $132 per seat a month, plus $0.99 per Fin resolution.
- Trade-off: costs more than Chatwoot Cloud.
Chatbase
- Best for: teams that want an AI agent to handle most chats.
- Price: $40/mo for 700 message credits. Human handoff from $150/mo.
- Trade-off: not a full inbox on the cheaper plans.
How to choose
- Does your data have to stay on your servers? Stay with Chatwoot.
- Do you need WhatsApp and SMS, hosted? Crisp.
- Do you mainly need chat and email? Bubblegram or Tawk.to.
- Do you want a bigger helpdesk? Intercom.
Comparing on price only? See the Chatwoot pricing breakdown.
Pricing at a glance
See the full breakdown on our pricing page.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Bubblegram | Chatwoot |
|---|---|---|
| Reply from Telegram | ||
| AI replies | ||
| Email channel | ||
| No server to maintain | ||
| Flat pricing, not per agent | ||
| Setup in under 5 minutes | ||
| Self-hosting option | ||
| Open source | ||
| WhatsApp, Instagram, and SMS |
What users say about Chatwoot
- Open source and self-hostable
- Full data ownership on your own server
- Many channels: email, WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, and more
- Captain AI credits included on paid Cloud plans
- Self-hosting means running Docker, Postgres, and Redis
- Cloud pricing is per agent, so it grows with your team
- You reply from Chatwoot's dashboard, not from Telegram
- No vendor support for self-hosted installs
The bottom line
Switch to Bubblegram if
You want live chat, email, and AI replies without running a server or paying per agent. Bubblegram is $9/mo flat, and your team replies from Telegram instead of another dashboard.
Start for free →Stay with Chatwoot if
You need WhatsApp, Instagram, or SMS in the same inbox, or your data has to stay on your own servers. Chatwoot is a complete, self-hostable platform for that.
Common questions
What's the best Chatwoot alternative if I don't want to self-host?
Bubblegram is hosted, takes about 5 minutes to set up, and starts at $9/mo flat. You get live chat, AI replies, and an email channel on Pro, with replies from Telegram, the dashboard inbox, or email.
Is Chatwoot really free if I self-host it?
There's no license fee and no agent limit. You still pay for the server and the time to set up and maintain Docker, Postgres, and Redis.
What does Chatwoot Cloud cost?
The free Hacker plan covers 2 agents and 500 conversations a month, with no AI. Paid plans are $19, $39, or $99 per agent a month, billed annually. A 5-person team on Business is $195/mo.
Does Bubblegram have AI like Chatwoot's Captain?
Yes. Assistant answers customers from your website and business details, in live chat and email. You can approve each reply from Telegram first, or let it answer on its own. Every plan includes AI credits.
What does Chatwoot do that Bubblegram doesn't?
Self-hosting, open source code, and channels like WhatsApp, Instagram, and SMS. 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.