Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Chatwoot vs Google Chat

Chatwoot logo

Chatwoot

Customer Support

Open-source customer engagement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Chat logo

Google Chat

Customer Support

AI-powered team messaging and collaboration

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chatwoot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chatwoot free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month; Google Chat not sold as a standalone product; it is included only with paid Google Workspace subscriptions (Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus)

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatwoot and Google Chat actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatwoot and Google Chat differ
AttributeChatwootGoogle Chat
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb
CategoryCustomer SupportUnknown
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Chatwoot

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

Only in Google Chat

Nothing recorded that Chatwoot does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Chatwoot

  • Self-hosted supportnot Google Chat
  • Privacy-first chatnot Google Chat
  • Multi-channel supportnot Google Chat

Google Chat

No use cases recorded yet. See the Google Chat review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Google Chat

  • Not sold as a standalone product; it is included only with paid Google Workspace subscriptions (Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus)
  • Gemini AI features inside Chat, including message summarization and conversation insights, are limited to Business and Enterprise tier Workspace plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatwoot

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

Google Chat

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Chat review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Google Chat if

Nothing in the data separates Google Chat from Chatwoot on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Google Chat review

Questions people ask

Is Chatwoot or Google Chat better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwoot starts at Free and Google Chat at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatwoot or Google Chat?
Chatwoot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chatwoot and On request for Google Chat.
Does Chatwoot or Google Chat run on more platforms?
Chatwoot runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted. Google Chat runs on Web.
Can I use Chatwoot for free?
Yes. Chatwoot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Google Chat starts at On request.
What is Chatwoot best used for?
Chatwoot is most often used for self-hosted support, privacy-first chat, multi-channel support. Of those, self-hosted support and privacy-first chat are not what Google Chat is typically brought in for.
What can Chatwoot do that Google Chat cannot?
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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Chatwoot

More on Google Chat

Keep looking

Other head to heads