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Live Chat · head to head

Botpress vs tawk.to

Botpress logo

Botpress

Live Chat

Open-source chatbot platform and framework

From
Free
Rated
-
tawk.to logo

tawk.to

Live Chat

100% free live chat software

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Botpress dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs; tawk.to removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • They diverge on capability: Botpress covers Visual bot builder, tawk.to covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Botpress and tawk.to actually diverge.

Attributes where Botpress and tawk.to differ
AttributeBotpresstawk.to
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsOpen-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud)Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac
Founded20162013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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 Botpress

  • Visual bot builder
  • NLU integration
  • Multi-channel support
  • Analytics
  • Slack
  • Teams
  • Messenger
  • WhatsApp

Only in tawk.to

  • Live chat
  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • CRM
  • Video chat
  • Screen sharing
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

What people use each for

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

Botpress

  • AI customer support ticketing and refund processingnot tawk.to
  • Multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalationnot tawk.to
  • Self-service account updates and order correctionsnot tawk.to
  • Proactive customer outreach and retentionnot tawk.to

tawk.to

  • Website live chat and visitor engagementnot Botpress
  • Customer support automationnot Botpress

Where each one falls short

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

Botpress

  • Dependent on OpenAI integration; users must provide and manage OpenAI API keys and costs

tawk.to

  • Removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • Enhanced AI Assist chatbot is a paid add-on starting at $29/month rather than included free
  • Human staffed chat agents are billed at $1/hour as a separate add-on

Pricing, plan by plan

Botpress

Free
  • Standard$9000/year
    • Up to 4 seats
    • 1,200 conversations per month
    • No per-seat cost

tawk.to

Free
  • Free Core SoftwareFree
    • Live chat software with no feature limitations
    • Chat pages
    • Knowledge base (hosted help center)
  • Branding Removal$29/month
    • Remove Powered by tawk.to widget branding
  • AI Assist Premium$29/month
    • AI-powered chatbot automation
  • Hired Chat Agents$1/hour
    • Professional trained agents 24/7/365

Which should you pick?

Choose Botpress if

  • You need visual bot builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud).
  • You also want nlu integration.

Choose tawk.to if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want ticketing.

Questions people ask

Is Botpress or tawk.to better?
Neither clearly leads. Botpress starts at Free and tawk.to at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Botpress or tawk.to?
Botpress starts at Free and tawk.to at Free.
Does Botpress or tawk.to run on more platforms?
Botpress runs on Open-source (self-hosted), Cloud-managed (Botpress Cloud). tawk.to runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
Can I use Botpress for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Botpress best used for?
Botpress is most often used for ai customer support ticketing and refund processing, multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalation, self-service account updates and order corrections, proactive customer outreach and retention. Of those, ai customer support ticketing and refund processing and multi-channel helpdesk automation with escalation are not what tawk.to is typically brought in for.
What can Botpress do that tawk.to cannot?
Botpress covers Visual bot builder, NLU integration, Multi-channel support, Analytics. tawk.to covers Live chat, Ticketing, Knowledge base, CRM.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Botpress: How much does Botpress cost?

Botpress charges $9,000 per year for the standard plan supporting 4 seats with 1,200 conversations monthly. No per-seat cost is applied when adding team members or expanding usage, and AI capabilities are included in the subscription.

Source
tawk.to: How much does tawk.to cost?

tawk.to is free for core live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and CRM. Premium add-ons start at $29/month for branding removal or AI Assist, and $1/hour for hired chat agents.

Source
Botpress: Is there a free Botpress plan?

Yes, Botpress offers a free tier with no credit card required. You can try the platform for free and test it on your own support tickets before upgrading.

Source
tawk.to: Is tawk.to free forever?

Yes, tawk.to's core software including live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and contacts is free forever with no feature limitations.

Source
Botpress: What does Botpress include compared to Zendesk or Intercom?

Botpress saves $25,500 per year compared to Zendesk and Intercom for a 4-seat team handling 1,200 monthly conversations, delivering the same AI-powered support without separate AI billing.

Source
tawk.to: How are tawk.to's hired chat agents priced?

Hired chat agents are billed at $1 per hour with professional trained staff providing 24/7/365 support.

Source
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