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Chatra vs Dolibarr

Chatra logo

Chatra

Live Chat

Live chat and CRM software for customer engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Dolibarr logo

Dolibarr

ERP

Modular open source ERP and CRM for very small businesses, installable on shared hosting

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Chatra free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat; Dolibarr the core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.
  • They diverge on capability: Chatra covers Live chat messaging, Dolibarr covers Module toggles.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatra and Dolibarr actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatra and Dolibarr differ
AttributeChatraDolibarr
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, IOS, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
CategoryLive ChatERP
Founded2010Unknown

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

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 Chatra

  • Live chat messaging
  • CRM functionality
  • Visitor tracking
  • Chat history
  • Shopify
  • Zapier
  • Slack
  • API

Only in Dolibarr

  • Module toggles
  • Third-party management
  • Quotes to invoices
  • Stock and warehouses
  • Double-entry accounting
  • Projects and time
  • Point of sale
  • DoliStore

What people use each for

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

Chatra

  • Small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgradenot Dolibarr

Dolibarr

  • A two-person consultancy wants quotes, invoices and basic accounting self-hosted on an existing five euro a month shared hosting account with no server administration.not Chatra
  • A French or Spanish small business needs VAT handling and accounting exports that match local practice out of the box rather than after configuration.not Chatra
  • An association or nonprofit needs membership, subscription and donation tracking alongside ordinary invoicing without paying per member.not Chatra
  • A small distributor wants stock, purchase orders and sales orders in one system and is willing to buy a DoliStore module rather than commission bespoke development.not Chatra

Where each one falls short

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

Chatra

  • Free plan is capped at 5 chats per month and one agent seat
  • Essential and Pro tiers are billed per agent seat at $31/month and $41/month (or $25/month and $33/month if billed yearly), so cost rises directly with headcount

Dolibarr

  • The core is deliberately shallow, so a serious requirement such as advanced manufacturing, EDI or a specific payment gateway usually means buying a DoliStore module from a third-party author, and the quality and maintenance of those modules varies widely.
  • Accounting was designed around French practice, and the chart of accounts, VAT model and fiscal exports need real work to satisfy accountants in the United States, the UK or Australia.
  • The interface is functional rather than designed and shows its age against Odoo, which makes internal adoption harder when staff are comparing it to consumer-grade software.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break paid third-party modules, because module authors update on their own schedules and there is no guarantee your combination will work on version 24 the day it ships.
  • Support is community forums unless you buy a partner contract, and the documentation is a wiki of uneven quality with substantial parts written in French, so English-only teams hit dead ends.

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatra

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live chat
    • Basic CRM
    • 1 agent
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited agents
    • Advanced CRM
  • Business$49/month
    • Priority support
    • Custom branding

Dolibarr

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full GPL source, all core modules
    • Unlimited users
    • You provide PHP and MySQL hosting
  • Partner cloud hosting$14/month
    • Managed hosting from DoliCloud or a certified partner
    • Backups, updates and support included
    • Typically 10 to 30 euros per user per month

Which should you pick?

Choose Chatra if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want crm functionality.

Choose Dolibarr if

  • You need module toggles.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
  • You also want third-party management.

Questions people ask

Is Chatra or Dolibarr better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatra starts at Free and Dolibarr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatra or Dolibarr?
Chatra starts at Free and Dolibarr at Free.
Does Chatra or Dolibarr run on more platforms?
Chatra runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android. Dolibarr runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
Can I use Chatra for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Chatra best used for?
Chatra is most often used for small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade. Of those, small teams starting on live chat with a hard free-tier chat limit before needing to upgrade is not what Dolibarr is typically brought in for.
What can Chatra do that Dolibarr cannot?
Chatra covers Live chat messaging, CRM functionality, Visitor tracking, Chat history. Dolibarr covers Module toggles, Third-party management, Quotes to invoices, Stock and warehouses.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chatra: Is Chatra's free plan available indefinitely?

Yes. Chatra's free plan is available free for as long as you want with no time limitation. No credit card is required to start.

Source
Dolibarr: Is Dolibarr genuinely free?

Yes. The full application is GPL with no user limit and no paid edition of the core. You pay only for hosting, optional DoliStore modules and optional partner support.

Chatra: How quickly can I start using Chatra's free plan?

The free plan can be started in 3 minutes according to the website.

Source
Dolibarr: Can it run on shared hosting?

Yes, that is its main practical advantage. It needs only PHP and MySQL or MariaDB, so an ordinary cPanel account is enough.

Dolibarr: How does it compare to Odoo?

Odoo is deeper and better presented but its useful modules are in the paid Enterprise edition and it needs a proper deployment. Dolibarr is thinner but free end to end and far easier to host.

Dolibarr: Does it handle UK or US accounting?

Not comfortably out of the box. The accounting module reflects French conventions and needs configuration and often a local module to satisfy an accountant elsewhere.

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