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25 Best Freshchat Alternatives in 2026: Free + Paid

25 Best Freshchat Alternatives in 2026: Free + Paid

The Freshchat decision in 2026 hinges on two recent changes inside the Freshworks customer support stack: the 2024-2026 pricing reshuffle that moved seat costs around, and the Freddy AI metering model that bills AI sessions separately from the agent seat. As of May 2026, Freshchat offers a Free plan for up to 10 agents (web chat plus email plus unified inbox plus 100 campaign contacts), Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually (adds WhatsApp, Messenger, real-time dashboards, plus 500 free Freddy AI sessions per month), Pro at $49 per agent annual (custom dashboards, advanced routing, multiple SLA policies), and Enterprise at $79 per agent annual (skills-based assignment, advanced security, governance). Freshchat Freddy AI Copilot is a $29 per agent monthly add-on for AI draft replies and live translation, with additional Freddy sessions metered at $49 per 100 beyond the free allocation. The product is part of the broader Freshworks customer support platform alongside Freshdesk and Freshsales.

If the per-agent pricing, the Freddy AI session metering, the Freshworks-stack lock-in, or the limited free-plan feature set do not fit your team, this guide covers the 25 best alternatives in 2026. The list is organized by use case (support helpdesk plus ticketing, live chat plus chatbot, AI chatbot, ecommerce, CRM-integrated, WhatsApp Business, and free) with verified pricing, key features, and the type of customer support team each Freshchat alternative fits best. You will also find a quick comparison table for each Freshchat alternative, recap of what the Freshworks chat support product itself does well, a five-step framework for picking the right Freshchat alternative, and a 15-item FAQ. All pricing reflects published vendor tiers as of May 2026, verify on the vendor's own pricing page before purchase.

Why look for a Freshchat alternative?

As part of the Freshworks customer experience stack, Freshchat slots in beside Freshdesk and Freshsales for teams that already pay for Freshworks. Standalone buyers usually face a different question: whether the Freshchat seat plus Freddy Copilot add-on adds up to a competitive bundle compared to peers.

  • Pro tier moved to $49 per agent annual. The 2024-2026 pricing reshuffle moved Pro from earlier $29 to $49 per agent annual, narrowing the gap between mid-tier and enterprise plans. Lower-priced live chat picks include LiveAgent at $15 per agent annual with AI bundled, HelpCrunch (Basic from $15 per team member monthly), LiveChat livechat (Starter $19 per agent annual), Smartsupp Standard ($20 per agent annual), Chaport Pro ($29 per operator annual), and Olark ($29 per agent monthly).
  • Freddy AI sessions are metered. Growth includes 500 free Freddy sessions monthly; beyond that, additional sessions are $49 per 100, plus Freddy Copilot adds $29 per agent monthly. Flatter AI pricing comes from Smartsupp Mira AI ($16 per month flat), Lyro AI on the Tidio platform (from $32.50 per month for 50 Lyro conversations), Crisp AI (unlocked at Essentials $95 per workspace), and LiveAgent (AI Chatbot bundled at $15 per agent annual).
  • Freshworks-stack lock-in. The chat product is most powerful when paired with Freshdesk, Freshsales, and Freshcaller in the broader Freshworks platform. Teams not already on the Freshworks stack often pick standalone tools: Zendesk (Suite Team $55 per agent annual), HelpScout (Standard $25 per user), Intercom (Essential $39 per seat), HubSpot (free unlimited agents plus a free CRM, paid Starter $20).
  • Free plan capped at 10 agents with limited features. The Free tier covers web chat plus email plus unified inbox for up to 10 agents, but ships without WhatsApp, Messenger integration, or AI Copilot. More-generous free picks include Tawk.to (fully free, unlimited agents, branded widget), Service Hub Free (unlimited agents plus a free CRM), free 50-conversations-per-month plan (50 conversations per month with 10 seats), Crisp Free (2 seats with multichannel inbox), Help Scout Free (5 users with 1 Inbox), Chaport Free (2 operators with 60-day history), and Zoho SalesIQ Free (3 operators).
  • Limited social channel coverage at lower tiers. Growth adds WhatsApp and Messenger, but social channel depth and chatbot building for Instagram, Telegram, or SMS sits behind Pro or Enterprise. WhatsApp-anchored picks include Respond.io (Starter $79 per month basic, Growth $159 with AI Agents), Wati (Growth $59 per month annual official WhatsApp BSP), and Userlike now Lime Connect (Team €90 per month annual). For Messenger, Instagram, and SMS chatbot focus: ManyChat (Free 25 contacts, Pro $29 per month).
  • Pure messaging rather than helpdesk ticketing. Freshchat is anchored on messaging rather than structured ticketing. Teams that need a true help desk pick Zendesk, HelpScout, Front (Starter $19 per seat annual up to 10 users), or Kustomer (from $89 per user). For ecommerce support ticketing: Gorgias (Starter $10 per month for 50 tickets, Basic $60 for 300, Pro $360 for 2,000) or Re:amaze (Basic $29 per user).
25 Freshchat alternatives grouped into six categories: helpdesk plus ticketing (Zendesk, HelpScout, Freshdesk, Front, LiveAgent, ProProfs), live chat plus chatbot (Tidio, Crisp Chat, LiveChat, HelpCrunch, Chaport, Smartsupp, JivoChat, Olark), AI chatbot (Chatbase, Botpress, Tidio Lyro, Drift, Intercom Fin), ecommerce (Gorgias, Re:amaze), WhatsApp (Respond.io, Wati, Userlike now Lime Connect, ManyChat), and free plus CRM (Tawk.to, HubSpot). Verified pricing as of May 2026
25 alternatives at a glance, grouped by use case.

25-vendor comparison table

The 25 alternatives below are the most-cited alternatives Freshchat competitors across helpdesk ticketing, live chat plus chatbot, AI chatbot building, ecommerce, WhatsApp, and free tiers. Verify pricing on each vendor's own page before purchase.

Platform Best for Free plan Paid from (verified, May 2026)
Zendesk Enterprise customer support helpdesk and ticketing 14-day trial Suite Team $55, Growth $89, Enterprise $169 per agent annual
HelpScout Email-led shared inbox for SMB support teams Yes, 5 users with 1 Inbox Standard $25, Plus $45, Pro $75 per user annual
Freshdesk Freshworks email-first helpdesk with Freddy AI 14-day trial Growth $19, Pro $55, Enterprise $89 per agent annual
Front Shared inbox for collaborative support 7-day trial Starter $19 per seat annual (up to 10 users), Growth $59, Scale $99
LiveAgent Multichannel helpdesk plus chat plus voice plus AI bundled 30-day trial Small Business $15 per agent annual
ProProfs Chat Simple chat plus ticketing for SMB support teams 15-day trial From $19.99 per user per month
Tidio (with Lyro AI) Live chat plus modern Lyro AI chatbot for SMBs Yes, 50 conversations/month, 10 seats Starter $24.17 per workspace annual + Lyro AI $32.50/mo
Crisp Chat Multichannel inbox plus AI chatbot in one workspace Yes, 2 seats Mini $45 per workspace, Essentials $95, Plus $295
LiveChat Polished pure live chat with mature workflow tools 14-day trial Starter $19, Team $49, Business $79 per agent annual
HelpCrunch Live chat plus email plus knowledge base with AI Reply 14-day trial Basic from $15 per team member monthly
Chaport Affordable SMB chat with chatbot building Yes, 2 operators, 60-day history Pro $29 per operator annual, Unlimited $99/mo flat
Smartsupp Chat with visitor session recording plus Mira AI Yes, 25 conversations/month Standard $20 per agent annual + Mira AI $16/mo
JivoChat Multichannel chat plus phone support in one tool Yes, basic chat From $19 per agent annual at Professional
Olark Simple, focused chat for SMBs 14-day trial From $29 per agent monthly
Intercom SaaS in-app messaging plus support plus Fin AI 14-day trial Essential $39, Advanced $99, Expert $139 + Fin $0.99/resolution
Chatbase Custom AI chatbot trained on your website or docs Yes, 50 message credits/month Hobby $40/mo, Standard $150, Pro $500
Botpress Flexible AI chatbot platform for developers and teams Yes, Pay-as-you-go 500 msgs/month Plus $89/mo, Team $495/mo, Managed $1,495/mo
Drift (by Salesloft) B2B conversational marketing (acquired Feb 2024) 14-day trial Custom enterprise pricing, contact sales
Gorgias Ecommerce helpdesk for Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento 7-day trial Starter $10/mo, Basic $60 (300 tickets), Pro $360 (2,000 tickets)
Re:amaze (GoDaddy) Ecommerce helpdesk with multi-store support 14-day trial Basic $29 per user, Plus $49, Pro $69 per user monthly
HubSpot Service Hub CRM-first chat with free unlimited-user CRM included Yes, unlimited agents with CRM Starter $20/mo Core Seat, Service Hub Pro $90 per seat annual
Zoho Desk Helpdesk in the Zoho stack for teams already using Zoho CRM Yes, 3 operators From $20 per agent annual (Standard), Pro $35, Enterprise $50
Respond.io WhatsApp Business plus Messenger plus Instagram 7-day trial only Starter $79/mo, Growth $159/mo with AI Agents
Wati Official WhatsApp BSP with broadcasts plus chatbot flows 7-day trial Growth $59/mo annual, Pro $119, Business $279
Userlike (now Lime Connect) European GDPR-aligned chat plus WhatsApp (rebranded Sept 2025) Yes, 1 seat From €90 per month annual at Team (4 seats)
Tawk.to Fully free live chat with unlimited agents Yes, unlimited agents (branded) $29 per month annual to remove branding
Freshchat (reference) Freshworks-stack live chat with Freddy AI Copilot Yes, up to 10 agents Growth $19, Pro $49, Enterprise $79 per agent annual + Freddy Copilot $29

Pricing accurate as of May 2026. Plan names, tiers, and features change frequently, verify on each vendor's official pricing page before purchase. Some prices shown above reflect annual billing. Currency shown is USD unless otherwise noted (Userlike / Lime Connect is quoted in EUR).

Chatim: chat plus bot without the Freshworks-stack lock-in

Disclosure: Chatim is built by the team behind this blog. For SMB teams that want live chat plus a chatbot without committing to the broader Freshworks customer-experience stack and the separately priced Freddy Copilot add-on, Chatim offers a standalone widget with chatbot bundled in the seat.

Try Chatim free at chatim.app →

Best Freshchat alternatives for helpdesk and ticketing

Customer customer support teams that need structured ticketing and SLA workflows instead of pure messaging usually shop the helpdesk category. These platforms are stronger for managing high ticket volumes with support assignment, queues, and routing. Each customer support helpdesk below is a credible Freshchat alternative for teams that want ticketing-first workflows.

Zendesk, enterprise helpdesk

Zendesk Suite combines email, chat, voice support, and social into a single support ticketing helpdesk with deep automation. Standout capabilities include omnichannel routing, AI Agents, and the broadest integration marketplace among customer customer support helpdesks. Plans: Suite Team $55 per agent annual, Suite Growth $89, Suite Professional $115, Suite Enterprise $169. AI Agents are billed at $1.50 per automated resolution. Pick Zendesk over Freshchat for the broadest integrations marketplace in the helpdesk category rather than Freshchat's Freshworks-stack ecosystem. Zendesk review and comparisons.

HelpScout, customer-first email-led inbox

Help Scout is built around email-style support workflows for SMB support with live chat (Beacon) and a knowledge base. Pricing: Free 5 users with 1 Inbox, Standard $25 per user, Plus $45, Pro $75. Strong for SMB customer support teams. HelpScout review and comparisons.

Freshdesk, the sibling helpdesk

It is the sibling product to Freshchat inside the broader Freshworks customer support stack. Pricing: Growth from $19 per agent annual, Pro $55, Enterprise $89. Freddy AI for canned responses and ticket routing. Teams already paying for the Freshworks chat support product can layer Freshdesk for ticketing-first workflows in the same Freshworks login. Freshdesk review and comparisons.

Front, collaborative shared inbox

Front combines email, SMS, social, and chat in a shared inbox built for customer support team collaboration with assignment, internal comments, and shared draft replies. Starter $19 per seat annual (up to 10 users), Growth $59, Scale $99.

LiveAgent, multichannel helpdesk with AI bundled

The platform combines live chat, email-based support ticketing, a call center with IVR, knowledge base, and social channels in one customer support tool. Pricing: Small Business $15 per agent annual. Standout capabilities include AI Chatbot and AI Answer Assistant support bundled on every plan, making this the cheapest AI floor in the customer customer support helpdesk category. 30-day free trial. LiveAgent review and comparisons.

ProProfs Chat, simple SMB chat plus ticketing

The ProProfs Chat support tool is a simple live chat plus knowledge base bundle for SMB customer support teams. Pricing: from $19.99 per user per month. The most-cited Freshchat alternative in ProProfs' own listicle.

Live chat alternatives ranked

For customer customer support teams that want live chat plus chatbot at lower per-agent pricing than Pro ($49) or Enterprise ($79), several alternatives platforms ship both in one workspace. Each option below is a credible alternative pick for SMB and mid-market customer service teams.

Tidio with Lyro AI

Tidio combines live chat, chatbots, and a modern LLM-driven Lyro AI add-on in one workspace-priced tool. Pricing: Free 50 conversations per month with 10 seats, Starter $24.17 per workspace annual, Growth from $49.17, Lyro AI add-on from $32.50 per month for 50 Lyro conversations. Standout capabilities include native Shopify integration, livechat plus chatbot in one workspace, and a more capable AI agent than Freddy AI Agent at similar entry pricing. Tidio review and comparisons.

Crisp Chat, multichannel inbox plus AI

Crisp bundles live chat, multichannel inbox (email, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram), an AI chatbot, co-browsing, and a help center into one workspace. Pricing: Free 2 seats, Mini $45 per workspace, Essentials $95 with AI unlocked, Plus $295. Flat per-workspace pricing is attractive for SMB customer customer support teams comparing to per-agent metered AI. Pick Crisp Chat over Freshchat for a single flat workspace fee rather than Freshchat Growth at $19 per agent annual plus Freddy Copilot at $29 per agent monthly. Crisp review and comparisons.

LiveChat, pure live chat veteran

LiveChat is the longest-running pure livechat platform with mature workflow tools across livechat platforms (livechat veteran) plus integrations, the App Marketplace with 200-plus integrations, and ChatBot.com as a sibling AI chatbot product. Pricing: Starter $19 per agent annual, Team $49, Business $79, Enterprise custom. Key features include canned-response automation, chat tagging, and routing rules. LiveChat review and comparisons.

HelpCrunch, chat plus email plus AI Reply

HelpCrunch combines live chat, email support, knowledge base, and AI Editor plus AI Reply Assistant on Pro and Unlimited. Pricing: Basic from $15 per team member monthly. Key features include unified inbox, support widget customization, and AI Reply. HelpCrunch review and comparisons.

Chaport, affordable SMB chat

Chaport ships chatbot building, broadcast automation, and visitor tracking. Pricing: Free 2 operators with 60-day history, Pro $29 per operator annual, Unlimited $99 per month flat. Chaport review and comparisons.

Smartsupp, chat with visitor recording

Smartsupp ships live chat plus chatbots plus visitor session recording for behavioral analytics. Pricing: Free 25 conversations per month, Standard $20 per agent annual + Mira AI $16 per month flat. Key features include session replay and conversion funnel analytics for ecommerce support. Smartsupp review and comparisons.

JivoChat, chat plus phone

JivoChat bundles live chat, phone calling, and social media messaging at lower support pricing than Freshchat plus Freshcaller separately. Pricing: from $19 per agent annual at Professional. JivoChat review and comparisons.

Olark, focused SMB chat

Olark is a focused livechat support tool for SMBs with shortcut replies, support quality ratings, and clean reporting. Pricing: from $29 per agent monthly.

Best Freshchat alternatives for AI chatbot

Freddy AI ships 500 free sessions per month on Growth then meters at $49 per 100, plus Freddy Copilot adds $29 per agent monthly. For predictable AI pricing, the platforms below offer flatter pricing models for support automation.

Chatbase, custom AI on your data

Chatbase trains an AI chatbot on your website content, PDFs, documents, and knowledge base, then deploys on websites, Slack, WhatsApp, or via API. Pricing: Free 50 message credits per month, Hobby $40 per month (or $32 annual), Standard $150, Pro $500. Key features include retraining workflows and analytics on chatbot performance.

Botpress, developer-friendly AI platform

Botpress is a flexible AI chatbot building platform with Pay-as-you-go pricing. Pricing: Free 500 messages per month, Plus $89 per month, Team $495, Managed $1,495. May 2026 update bundled AI Spend into every paid plan.

Intercom Fin AI, per-resolution enterprise AI

Intercom Fin AI is priced separately at $0.99 per resolved conversation with a 50-resolution monthly minimum, on top of Intercom seat costs (Essential $39, Advanced $99, Expert $139). Strong for SaaS products that want in-app messenger plus AI agent. Pick Intercom over Freshchat for SaaS in-app messaging plus per-resolution Fin AI rather than Freshchat's per-seat plus separate Freddy Copilot model. Intercom review and comparisons.

Drift (by Salesloft), B2B conversational marketing

Drift was acquired by Salesloft in February 2024 and is now part of the Salesloft Revenue Workflow Platform. Conversational marketing with AI agents, account-based playbooks, and CRM-synced lead routing. Custom enterprise pricing only.

Freshchat alternatives for online stores

Ecommerce customer customer support teams usually need order-context-aware customer service, which means a Shopify-native (or BigCommerce-native) help desk rather than a chat-first tool. Each Freshchat alternative below specializes in support workflows for online retailers.

Gorgias, Shopify-anchored ecommerce helpdesk

Gorgias is the most-installed support tool customer customer support helpdesk on the Shopify support App Store, with deep order integration, automated tagging, and revenue-tracked workflows. Pricing: Starter $10 per month for solo stores (50 tickets), Basic $60 (300 tickets), Pro $360 (2,000 tickets), Advanced $900 (5,000 tickets). Key features include Shopify order context inside the support inbox.

Re:amaze (now GoDaddy)

Re:amaze supports Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento with multi-store routing. Pricing: Basic $29 per user per month, Plus $49, Pro $69. Acquired by GoDaddy in 2021. Re:amaze review and comparisons.

WhatsApp and multichannel alternatives

The Freshworks chat product ships WhatsApp on Growth and above, but the platforms below are anchored on WhatsApp Business with broadcast plus chatbot depth.

Respond.io, WhatsApp plus multichannel inbox

Respond.io is built around WhatsApp Business Cloud API, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, and SMS in one inbox. 7-day trial only. Starter $79 per month basic, Growth $159 per month with AI Agents and 1,000 Monthly Active Contacts. Respond.io review and comparisons.

Wati, official WhatsApp BSP

Wati is an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider that bundles broadcasts, no-code chatbot flows, shared team inbox, and CRM-style contact management. Growth from $59 per month annual, Pro $119, Business $279.

Userlike (now Lime Connect)

Userlike officially rebranded to Lime Connect in September 2025 after being acquired by Lime Technologies in 2021. Team €90 per month annual with 4 seats and 2 WhatsApp channels. Connect AI Agent (€99 per month) and AI Copilot (€19 per user per month) as add-ons. European GDPR-aligned. Pick Userlike (Lime Connect) over Freshchat for European GDPR-aligned chat plus WhatsApp Business rather than Freshchat's Freshworks-stack messaging. Userlike (Lime Connect) review and comparisons.

Picks that tie chat to a CRM contact

Teams that want chat plus a real CRM with deals, contacts, and marketing automation in one tool pick the platforms below. Both ship at much lower entry pricing than Freshchat Pro plus Freshsales together.

HubSpot Service Hub, CRM-first support

The Service Hub product combines live chat, ticketing, basic chatbot, and a free CRM with unlimited users. Free tier is unlimited free agents. Paid Starter at $20 per month at Core Seat, Service Hub Pro $90 per seat annual, Service Hub Enterprise $150 per seat annual. Key features include the free CRM, deal pipelines, marketing automation, and customer profile timelines bundled in one customer support platform. HubSpot review and comparisons.

Zoho Desk plus Zoho SalesIQ

Zoho Desk is the helpdesk component of the Zoho stack, and Zoho SalesIQ is the live chat component. Zoho Desk from $20 per agent annual (Standard), Professional $35, Enterprise $50. Zoho SalesIQ Basic from around $9 per operator annual, Professional $19, Enterprise $36. Key features include native integration with Zoho CRM and the broader Zoho One stack, making this a strong Freshchat alternative for teams already standardized on Zoho rather than Freshworks. Pick Zoho SalesIQ over Freshchat when the team is already on Zoho One rather than the Freshworks stack. Zoho review and comparisons.

Best free Freshchat alternatives

The Freshchat Free plan caps at 10 agents and skips WhatsApp, Messenger, and Copilot. The Freshchat alternatives below offer more-generous free tiers for low-volume support.

Tawk.to, fully free unlimited agents

Tawk.to is the most-installed free live chat platform. Fully free with unlimited agents and unlimited chat history; $29 per month annual to remove branding. Tawk.to review and comparisons.

Tidio Free

The free tier covers 50 conversations per month with 10 seats including a basic chatbot, plus optional Lyro AI add-on.

Crisp Free, multichannel inbox

Free plan covers 2 seats with multichannel inbox including email, Messenger, Instagram, and Telegram.

HelpScout Free, 5 users with 1 Inbox

Help Scout Free covers 5 users sharing 1 mailbox plus knowledge base and Beacon live chat.

Chaport Free, 2 operators

Chaport Free covers 2 operators with unlimited chats and 60-day history.

Buyer framework for Freshchat alternatives

Five steps to narrow 25 alternatives to one in under 30 minutes.

Step 1: Define the job

Customer customer support helpdesk plus ticketing: Zendesk, HelpScout, Freshdesk, Front, LiveAgent, ProProfs. Live chat plus chatbot in one workspace: the live chat picks above. AI chatbot trained on your data: Chatbase, Botpress, Lyro AI, Drift, Intercom Fin. Ecommerce ticketing: Gorgias, Re:amaze. CRM-integrated chat: HubSpot, Zoho Desk. WhatsApp Business: Respond.io, Wati, Lime Connect. Free unlimited: Tawk.to.

Step 2: Pick a pricing model

Rank the key features that matter for your support workflow, then pick the pricing model that aligns. Free (Tawk.to, Service Hub Free, Free, Crisp Free, HelpScout Free, Chaport Free): no spend. Other alternatives include per-workspace flat fee (Crisp, Chaport, Lime Connect, workspace-priced tools). Per-agent (helpdesks $15, LiveChat $19, HelpCrunch $15, Smartsupp $20, JivoChat $19, Olark $29). Per-seat with AI add-on (Freshworks Growth $19 + Freddy Copilot $29, Intercom Essential $39 + Fin $0.99/resolution). Per-ticket volume (Gorgias). Per-message credit (Chatbase, Botpress). Per-MAC (Respond.io).

Step 3: List the channels

Website chat: the live chat picks below. Email plus ticketing: HelpScout, Front, Freshdesk, Zendesk, LiveAgent. Voice plus chat: JivoChat plus the multichannel helpdesk. WhatsApp Business: Respond.io, Wati, Lime Connect, ManyChat. Shopify support: Gorgias, Re:amaze, Tidio. SaaS in-app messenger: Intercom. Multichannel inbox in one workspace: Crisp, Respond.io, the multichannel helpdesk pick.

Step 4: Match team size to plan

Solo or freelancer (1-2 users): Tawk.to, Service Hub Free, free chat, Crisp Free, Help Scout Free, Chaport Free. SMB (3-15): Starter ($24.17 per workspace annual), Crisp Mini ($45 per workspace), Chaport Pro ($29 per operator annual), Smartsupp Standard ($20 per agent), Small Business ($15 per agent), LiveChat Starter ($19), Front Starter ($19), Help Scout Standard ($25), HelpCrunch Basic ($15 per team member monthly), Freshdesk Growth ($19), Zoho Standard ($20). Mid-market (15-50): Crisp Essentials ($95), Help Scout Plus ($45), Pro ($55), Zendesk Suite Team ($55), Front Growth ($59), Service Hub Pro ($90), Gorgias Pro ($360), Wati Pro ($119), Respond.io Growth ($159). Enterprise (50+): Zendesk Suite Enterprise ($169), Help Scout Pro ($75), Service Hub Enterprise ($150), Botpress Managed ($1,495), Lime Connect Flex, Intercom Expert ($139) plus Fin AI.

Step 5: Pilot two finalists for 14 days

Almost every platform here offers a free tier or trial. Pilot two finalists side by side and pick the winner on workflow depth, integration coverage, and total cost (including any metered AI sessions, per-ticket overages, or seat-count growth) as a function of features.

The Freshchat reference card

To compare fairly, here is the recap on the Freshworks chat support product itself. It is part of the Freshworks customer support stack alongside Freshdesk and Freshsales, with Freddy AI Copilot for draft replies and live translation. Freshworks went public in 2021 and remains independent. The product is most-cited for teams already running other Freshworks tools.

Strengths

  • Native Freshworks-stack integration with Freshdesk ticketing and Freshsales CRM.
  • Free plan up to 10 agents covering web chat plus email plus unified inbox.
  • 500 free Freddy AI support sessions monthly on Growth and above, with metered overage at $49 per 100.
  • WhatsApp and Messenger ship on Growth ($19 per agent annual).
  • Skills-based assignment and governance on Enterprise for regulated industries.
  • iOS and Android mobile apps for agent reply on the go.

Pricing recap (verified May 2026)

  • Free: up to 10 agents, web chat plus email plus unified inbox plus 100 campaign contacts.
  • Growth: $19 per agent annual, adds WhatsApp, Messenger, real-time dashboards, 500 free Freddy AI support sessions monthly.
  • Pro: $49 per agent annual, custom dashboards, advanced routing, multiple SLA policies.
  • Enterprise: $79 per agent annual, skills-based assignment, advanced security, governance.
  • Freddy Copilot add-on: $29 per agent monthly for AI draft replies and live translation.
  • Additional Freddy sessions: $49 per 100 beyond the free monthly allocation.
  • 14-day free trial on all paid plans. Annual billing saves around 17 percent.

Pros and cons

Pros: tight integration with the Freshworks customer support stack, free plan up to 10 agents, Freddy AI sessions included on Growth, WhatsApp and Messenger ship on Growth, governance and skills-based assignment on Enterprise, mature mobile apps.

Cons: Pro moved to $49 per agent annual in the 2024-2026 pricing reshuffle (up from earlier $29), Freddy session metering adds variable AI cost on top of seats, Freshworks-stack lock-in for the deepest workflows, social channel depth concentrated on Pro and Enterprise, less ticketing depth than dedicated helpdesks like Zendesk or Freshdesk itself.

Buyer FAQ

For the broader chat landscape, see our guides on the best live chat platforms, Zendesk alternatives, Intercom alternatives, Freshdesk alternatives, HelpScout alternatives, and Tidio alternatives. For platform-specific setups, see WordPress live chat plugins and live chat for Shopify.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Freshchat alternative in 2026?

The best alternative depends on the use case. For enterprise customer support helpdesk: Zendesk (Suite Team $55, Suite Growth $89, Suite Enterprise $169 per agent annual). For SMB customer-first email-led support: HelpScout (Free 5 users with 1 Inbox, Standard $25 per user, Plus $45, Pro $75). For live chat plus modern AI chatbot at SMB pricing: Tidio (Free 50 conversations/month, Starter $24.17 per workspace annual + Lyro AI $32.50/month). For multichannel live chat plus AI in one workspace: Crisp Chat (Free 2 seats, Mini $45, Essentials $95). For helpdesk plus chat plus voice plus AI bundled: LiveAgent (Small Business $15 per agent annual). For CRM-first chat with free CRM included: HubSpot Service Hub (Free unlimited agents, Starter $20/month at Core Seat). For Shopify customer support: Gorgias (Starter $10/month, Basic $60, Pro $360). Pricing verified May 2026.

What is the difference between Freshchat and ManyChat?

The two products target different segments. Freshchat is a live chat and customer support platform inside the Freshworks stack, with Free up to 10 agents, Growth $19 per agent annual, Pro $49, Enterprise $79 plus Freddy AI Copilot $29 per agent monthly. Its strength is website chat plus omnichannel inbox plus Freshdesk integration for customer support teams. ManyChat is a no-code chatbot builder for social channels: Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, SMS, and email. Free 25 contacts, Pro from $29 per month for 2,500 contacts, Business $69 per month for 7,500 contacts. ManyChat is marketing-led with broadcast automation, Click-to-Messenger ads, and drip sequences. Pick the Freshworks chat product for customer support inside Freshdesk; pick ManyChat for social-channel chatbots and marketing automation. Pricing verified May 2026.

What is the difference between Freshdesk and Freshchat?

Both are Freshworks products but cover different jobs. Freshdesk is the email-first customer support helpdesk with ticketing, SLAs, knowledge base, and Freddy AI for routing automation. Growth $19 per agent annual, Pro $55, Enterprise $89. Best for managing high ticket volumes with structured queues and assignment. Freshchat is the live chat product with omnichannel messaging (web chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram), team inbox, in-app messaging, and Freddy AI Copilot. Free up to 10 agents, Growth $19 per agent annual, Pro $49, Enterprise $79. Best for real-time conversational customer support. Many teams buy both products together inside Freshworks to get email ticketing plus live chat plus voice in one customer support stack. Pricing verified May 2026.

Who competes with Freshworks?

The biggest competitors to Freshworks in customer support and CRM are Zendesk (enterprise helpdesk, Suite Team $55 per agent annual to Suite Enterprise $169), HubSpot (CRM-first with Service Hub Free unlimited agents, paid from $20/month at Core Seat to Enterprise $150 per seat annual), Intercom (SaaS in-app messaging plus Fin AI, Essential $39 per seat to Expert $139 + Fin $0.99/resolution with 50/month minimum), Salesforce Service Cloud (enterprise CRM-anchored helpdesk, custom pricing), Zoho (Zoho Desk plus Zoho SalesIQ plus Zoho CRM stack, from $9 per operator annual on SalesIQ), HelpScout (email-led shared inbox, Free 5 users, Standard $25 per user), Kustomer (Meta-owned enterprise customer service, $89 per user), Front (collaborative shared inbox, Starter $19 per seat annual), and LiveAgent (multichannel helpdesk with AI bundled, Small Business $15 per agent annual). Pricing verified May 2026.

Is Freshchat legit?

Yes. Freshchat is a legitimate live chat and customer support product from Freshworks Inc., a publicly traded software company (NASDAQ: FRSH) headquartered in San Mateo, California, that IPO'd in September 2021. Freshworks reports having over 73,000 customers worldwide across products including Freshdesk, Freshchat, Freshsales, and Freshservice. The chat product is widely reviewed on G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius with thousands of customer ratings. It is part of a mature Freshworks customer support platform, with native integrations, SOC 2 Type II compliance, GDPR alignment, ISO 27001 certification, and dedicated security and data residency options on Enterprise. Free tier covers up to 10 agents. Verified May 2026.

How much does Freshchat cost?

Pricing as of May 2026: Free plan for up to 10 agents (web chat plus email plus unified inbox plus 100 campaign contacts). Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually (adds WhatsApp, Messenger, real-time dashboards, plus 500 free Freddy AI sessions monthly). Pro at $49 per agent annual (custom dashboards, advanced routing, multiple SLA policies). Enterprise at $79 per agent annual (skills-based assignment, advanced security, governance for regulated industries). Freddy AI Copilot add-on: $29 per agent monthly for AI draft replies and live translation. Additional Freddy sessions: $49 per 100 beyond the free monthly allocation. 14-day free trial on all paid plans. Annual billing saves around 17 percent. Pricing verified May 2026.

Does Freshchat have a free plan?

Yes, with a 10-agent cap. The Free plan covers up to 10 agents with web chat, email, unified inbox, and 100 campaign contacts, but lacks WhatsApp, Messenger integration, real-time dashboards, and Freddy AI Copilot. For free alternatives with different tradeoffs, the strongest picks in 2026 are Tawk.to (fully free with unlimited agents and unlimited chat history; $29 per month annual to remove branding), HubSpot Service Hub Free (unlimited free agents with chat plus a free CRM with unlimited users), Tidio Free (50 conversations per month with 10 seats including a basic chatbot plus optional Lyro AI add-on), Crisp Chat Free (2 seats with multichannel inbox including email, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram), HelpScout Free (5 users with 1 Inbox plus knowledge base and Beacon live chat), Chaport Free (2 operators with unlimited chats and 60-day history), and Zoho SalesIQ Free (3 operators with basic chat). Pricing verified May 2026.

Is Zendesk better than Freshchat?

The two target overlapping but distinct customer support segments. Zendesk Suite Team is $55 per agent annual, Suite Growth $89, Suite Professional $115, Suite Enterprise $169, with AI Agents at $1.50 per automated resolution. Anchored on enterprise customer support helpdesk with deep ticketing, omnichannel routing, and the broadest integration marketplace in the helpdesk category. The Freshworks chat product is $19-$79 per agent annual plus Freddy Copilot $29 per agent monthly, anchored on live chat plus team inbox with native Freshdesk integration. Pick Zendesk for enterprise ticketing-first customer support with deeper SLA workflows and broader integrations. Pick the Freshworks chat product for teams already running Freshdesk or Freshsales that want native chat in the same workspace at lower entry pricing. Pricing verified May 2026.

Is Intercom better than Freshchat?

They target different anchors. Intercom is anchored on SaaS in-app messaging plus customer support, with Essential at $39 per seat, Advanced at $99 annual, Expert at $139 annual, plus Fin AI at $0.99 per resolved conversation with a 50-resolution monthly minimum ($49.50 floor). Deep Outbound Messages, product tours, Series workflows, and the 400-plus integration marketplace. The Freshworks chat product is anchored on live chat plus team inbox inside the Freshworks customer support stack, with Free up to 10 agents and Growth from $19 per agent annual plus Freddy Copilot $29 per agent monthly. Pick Intercom for SaaS products that need in-app messenger plus product tours plus per-resolution AI. Pick the Freshworks chat product for support-team-led customer support inside the Freshworks platform at lower entry pricing. Pricing verified May 2026.

What is the best Freshchat alternative for live chat?

The strongest live chat picks in 2026 are: Tidio (Free 50 conversations/month, Starter $24.17 per workspace annual + Lyro AI $32.50 per month) for SMB live chat plus modern AI chatbot in one workspace-priced tool. Crisp Chat (Free 2 seats, Mini $45/workspace, Essentials $95 with AI unlocked) for multichannel inbox plus AI chatbot in one flat-fee workspace. LiveChat (Starter $19, Team $49, Business $79 per agent annual) for polished pure live chat with mature workflow tools. HelpCrunch (Basic from $15 per team member monthly) for live chat plus email plus AI Reply. Chaport (Free 2 operators, Pro $29 per operator annual) for affordable SMB chat. Smartsupp (Free 25 conversations/month, Standard $20 per agent annual + Mira AI $16) for chat plus visitor session recording. JivoChat (from $19 per agent annual at Professional) for chat plus phone. Pricing verified May 2026.

What is the best Freshchat alternative for AI chatbot?

For AI chatbot capabilities with flatter pricing than Freddy AI session metering ($49 per 100 sessions plus Freddy Copilot $29 per agent monthly), the strongest picks in 2026 are: Chatbase (Free 50 message credits, Hobby $40/month, Standard $150, Pro $500) for a custom AI chatbot trained on your website, PDFs, or knowledge base with predictable monthly pricing. Botpress (Pay-as-you-go free 500 messages/month, Plus $89, Team $495) for developer-friendly AI chatbot building. Tidio Lyro AI (from $32.50 per month for 50 Lyro conversations) for SMB live chat plus modern LLM-driven chatbot. Smartsupp Mira AI ($16 per month flat GPT-based add-on). Crisp Chat AI (unlocked at Essentials $95 per workspace). LiveAgent (AI Chatbot and AI Answer Assistant bundled on every plan from $15 per agent annual). Intercom Fin AI ($0.99 per resolution + 50/month minimum). Pricing verified May 2026.

What is the best Freshchat alternative for WhatsApp?

For WhatsApp Business with broadcast plus chatbot depth, the strongest picks in 2026 are: Respond.io (Starter $79/month basic, Growth $159/month with AI Agents and 1,000 Monthly Active Contacts) for WhatsApp Business Cloud API plus Messenger plus Instagram plus Telegram plus SMS in one inbox. Wati (Growth $59/month annual, Pro $119, Business $279) as an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider that bundles broadcasts, no-code chatbot flows, shared team inbox, and CRM-style contact management. Userlike now Lime Connect (Team €90/month annual with 4 seats and 2 WhatsApp channels) for European GDPR-aligned chat plus WhatsApp after the September 2025 rebrand. ManyChat (Free 25 contacts, Pro from $29/month) for Messenger plus Instagram plus WhatsApp plus SMS plus email chatbot building. Pricing verified May 2026.

Can I migrate from Freshchat to a competitor easily?

Yes. Most major alternatives offer guided migration paths, contact import, conversation history export, and webhook integration for ongoing sync. The chat widget swap on the website itself usually takes a few minutes (replace the Freshworks chat JavaScript snippet with the new vendor's snippet). The bigger work is rebuilding any conversation routing, Freddy AI training, and automated workflows in the new tool. Zendesk, HelpScout, Tidio, Crisp Chat, Intercom, and HubSpot Service Hub publish migration guides or import scripts. For WhatsApp Business migration, plan to re-register the WhatsApp Business phone number with the new BSP (Wati, Respond.io, Userlike or Lime Connect). Total migration effort is typically half a day to a few weeks depending on the size of conversation history, the number of automation workflows, and any custom integrations. Pricing and migration paths verified May 2026.

What's the best free Freshchat alternative?

For perpetual free alternatives in 2026, the strongest picks are: Tawk.to (fully free with unlimited agents and unlimited chat history; $29 per month annual to remove branding) for SMB live chat with no spend. HubSpot Service Hub Free (unlimited free agents with chat plus a free CRM with unlimited users) for teams that want chat plus a real CRM together. Tidio Free (50 conversations per month with 10 seats including a basic chatbot plus optional Lyro AI add-on from $32.50 per month) for live chat plus AI chatbot prototyping. Crisp Chat Free (2 seats with multichannel inbox covering email, Messenger, Instagram, and Telegram) for multichannel customer service. HelpScout Free (5 users with 1 Inbox plus knowledge base and Beacon live chat) as the strongest free customer support help desk for SMB teams. Chaport Free (2 operators with unlimited chats and 60-day history) for simple SMB live chat. Zoho SalesIQ Free (3 operators) for teams already in the Zoho stack. Pricing verified May 2026.

What's the best Freshchat alternative for small business?

For small businesses, the strongest picks in 2026 are Tawk.to (fully free with unlimited agents, branded widget) and HubSpot Service Hub Free (unlimited free agents with CRM) as free options. For paid SMB tools: LiveAgent Small Business ($15 per agent annual with AI Chatbot and AI Answer Assistant bundled on every plan), HelpCrunch Basic ($15 per team member monthly), LiveChat Starter ($19 per agent annual), Smartsupp Standard ($20 per agent annual + Mira AI $16/month), JivoChat Professional ($19 per agent annual with phone bundled), Tidio Starter ($24.17 per workspace annual + Lyro AI $32.50/month), Chaport Pro ($29 per operator annual), Crisp Chat Mini ($45 per workspace flat), Front Starter ($19 per seat annual up to 10 users), HelpScout Standard ($25 per user), and Zoho Desk Standard ($20 per agent annual). For ecommerce SMBs: Gorgias Starter ($10 per month for 50 Shopify tickets). Pricing verified May 2026.

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Chatim live chat with chatbot automation

Generate more leads and enhance customer interaction using live chat software with chatbot automation.