Tawk.to vs Crisp: Which Live Chat Tool Should You Use?
A factual comparison of Tawk.to and Crisp for small teams choosing a live chat and customer messaging tool, covering pricing, features, and migration.
Updated 2026-09 · 2026
Tawk.to
Free live chat for websites, forever
Strengths
- +Core live chat is 100% free with unlimited agents and chat history
- +Built-in ticketing system and knowledge base included free
- +Mobile apps for iOS and Android to answer chats on the go
Weaknesses
- -Branding removal costs extra ($19/month per property)
- -Video, voice, and screen sharing are paid add-ons
- -UI feels dated compared to newer chat tools
Best for
Bootstrapped teams and small businesses that want a fully functional live chat widget without paying anything.
Crisp
Modern customer messaging platform with chat, email, and bots
Strengths
- +Modern, polished interface with shared inbox for chat, email, and social
- +Chatbot builder and automation included on paid plans
- +CRM-lite features: contact profiles, campaigns, and knowledge base
Weaknesses
- -Free plan caps out at 2 seats, which is tight for growing teams
- -Advanced automation and multi-channel features require the Pro or Unlimited plan
- -Costs scale per workspace, not per agent, which can get pricey at higher tiers
Best for
Small teams that want live chat plus a lightweight helpdesk/CRM and are willing to pay for automation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan agent limit | Unlimited | 2 seats |
| Starting paid price | $0 (add-ons only) | $25/month (Pro, per workspace) |
| Chat history retention | Unlimited, free | Limited on free plan |
| Chatbot / automation | Basic, limited | Built-in bot builder (paid plans) |
| Ticketing system | Included free | Included on paid plans |
| Knowledge base | Included free | Included on paid plans |
| Video/voice/screen share | Paid add-on ($29/mo) | Included on higher tiers |
| Remove branding | $19/month per property | Included on Pro+ |
| Native e-commerce integrations | Limited | Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Shared team inbox (chat+email) | No | Yes |
The Verdict
Tawk.to wins on pure cost: unlimited agents, unlimited history, and a working ticketing system for $0. Crisp is worth the money if you need a real shared inbox, bots, and CRM-style contact management and can live with (or pay past) the 2-seat free cap. Pick tawk.to to save money, pick Crisp if chat is central to your support/sales workflow and you'll actually use the automation.
How to switch from Tawk.to to Crisp
- 1Export what you can from tawk.to: open your dashboard, go to each chat's transcript, and use 'Email Transcript' to save conversations, since there's no bulk CSV/JSON export — for full historical data, contact tawk.to support directly.
- 2Sign up for a Crisp account at crisp.chat and create your workspace, choosing Free or Pro based on your team size (Free caps at 2 seats).
- 3Install the Crisp widget on your website by replacing the tawk.to JavaScript snippet with Crisp's embed code in your site's header or via their WordPress/Shopify plugin.
- 4Recreate your saved replies, chatbot flows, and auto-messages manually in Crisp's settings, since these don't transfer automatically from tawk.to.
- 5Reconnect integrations (Slack, Zapier, email forwarding) inside Crisp's app marketplace, testing each one before removing it from tawk.to.
- 6Run both widgets in parallel for a few days, notify your team of the cutover date, then remove the tawk.to script from your site and archive the tawk.to account.
Tawk.to vs Crisp: common questions
How do I export my chat history from tawk.to before switching to Crisp?+
Tawk.to doesn't offer a one-click bulk export for chat transcripts in the dashboard; you'll need to open each chat's transcript and use the 'Email Transcript' or copy/save option, or request a data export from their support team. There's no native CSV/JSON export for full history, so plan on manually archiving important conversations before you cancel the widget.
What features will I lose moving from tawk.to to Crisp on the free plan?+
You'll go from unlimited agents on tawk.to's free plan to just 2 seats on Crisp's free tier, and you'll lose tawk.to's free ticketing and knowledge base unless you upgrade Crisp to a paid plan. If your team is bigger than 2 people, budget for Crisp Pro ($25/month) to keep everyone in the loop.
Is Crisp's free plan enough for a small support team?+
Crisp's free plan works for a 1-2 person team handling light chat volume, but it lacks the automation, multi-agent routing, and higher usage limits most small businesses eventually need. If you have 3+ people answering chats or want chatbots, you'll likely need the $25/month Pro plan.
Does Crisp integrate with the same tools tawk.to does?+
Crisp has a broader native integration marketplace, including Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Slack, and Zapier, which covers most of what tawk.to connects to plus e-commerce-specific tools. Check Crisp's marketplace against your current tawk.to webhooks or API integrations before cutting over so nothing breaks.
Will switching from tawk.to to Crisp cost more over time?+
Yes, almost certainly. Tawk.to's core chat stays free indefinitely, while Crisp's free plan caps at 2 seats and most real feature sets (bots, unlimited history, multi-channel inbox) sit behind the $25/month Pro or $95/month Unlimited plans. Expect to pay $300-$1,140/year with Crisp versus $0 (or a small add-on fee) with tawk.to.
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