Softwr

Software · head to head

3scale vs Chatwoot

3scale logo

3scale

Software

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Chatwoot logo

Chatwoot

Software

Open-source customer engagement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chatwoot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 3scale red Hat's managed 3scale services end on 30 June 2027, so anyone adopting the hosted option now is choosing a product with a published end date; Chatwoot free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Chatwoot covers Live chat.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3scale and Chatwoot actually diverge.

Attributes where 3scale and Chatwoot differ
Attribute3scaleChatwoot
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted
Founded19932017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3scale

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • API Monetization
  • Red Hat OpenShift
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Kubernetes
  • Cloud support

Only in Chatwoot

  • Live chat
  • Email inbox
  • Social channels
  • Knowledge base
  • Chatbots
  • Reports
  • Slack
  • WhatsApp

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3scale

  • API gateway and lifecycle managementnot Chatwoot
  • Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot Chatwoot
  • Developer portal and access key managementnot Chatwoot
  • Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot Chatwoot
  • Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot Chatwoot

Chatwoot

  • Self-hosted supportnot 3scale
  • Privacy-first chatnot 3scale
  • Multi-channel supportnot 3scale

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3scale

  • Red Hat's managed 3scale services end on 30 June 2027, so anyone adopting the hosted option now is choosing a product with a published end date
  • Sold as part of Red Hat middleware rather than standalone, and 3scale.net redirects into redhat.com
  • Pricing is not published and a subscription is required for some services

Chatwoot

  • Free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month
  • Self-hosted option requires managing infrastructure, updates, and external messaging costs
  • Smaller ecosystem and community compared to Zendesk or Intercom
  • AI features require credit consumption and additional configuration

Pricing, plan by plan

3scale

$300/monthly
  • Starter$300/monthly
    • API gateway
    • Developer portal
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$750/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • API monetization
    • Enhanced support
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

Chatwoot

Free
  • HackerFree
    • 2 agents
    • 500 conversations per month
    • 1 live chat channel
  • Startups$19/month
    • Unlimited agents
    • Unlimited conversations

Which should you pick?

Choose 3scale if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want developer portal.
3scale review

Choose Chatwoot if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want email inbox.
Chatwoot review

Questions people ask

Is 3scale or Chatwoot better?
Neither clearly leads. 3scale starts at $300/monthly and Chatwoot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3scale or Chatwoot?
Chatwoot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/monthly for 3scale and Free for Chatwoot.
Does 3scale or Chatwoot run on more platforms?
3scale runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. Chatwoot runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Chatwoot for free?
Yes. Chatwoot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3scale starts at $300/monthly.
What is 3scale best used for?
3scale is most often used for api gateway and lifecycle management, rate limiting and traffic control across api consumers, developer portal and access key management, monetising apis with usage-based plans. Of those, api gateway and lifecycle management and rate limiting and traffic control across api consumers are not what Chatwoot is typically brought in for.
What can 3scale do that Chatwoot cannot?
3scale covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Monetization, Red Hat OpenShift. Chatwoot covers Live chat, Email inbox, Social channels, Knowledge base.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chatwoot: Does Chatwoot offer a self-hosted option?

Yes. Chatwoot provides both cloud-hosted and self-hosted versions. Self-hosting is free with the open-source version, though you handle infrastructure, maintenance, and external messaging costs.

Source
Chatwoot: What communication channels does Chatwoot support?

Chatwoot supports email, live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media channels consolidated into a single inbox.

Source
Chatwoot: Is there a free plan for Chatwoot?

Yes. Chatwoot offers a free Hacker plan supporting up to 2 agents, 500 conversations per month, and one live chat channel.

Source
Chatwoot: What AI features does Chatwoot include?

Chatwoot includes Captain AI agent for automated responses, Copilot for smart reply suggestions, and live translation features.

Source
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Related pages

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