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Software · head to head

Chatwoot vs ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Chatwoot logo

Chatwoot

Software

Open-source customer engagement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
M

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Software

IT help desk and ITSM software

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; ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus cMDB and asset management require the Professional edition at $27/technician/month; change and project management are reserved for the Enterprise edition at $67/technician/month, per manageengine.com, August 2026

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatwoot and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatwoot and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus differ
AttributeChatwootManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb
Founded2017Unknown

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 Chatwoot

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

Only in ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

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 ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Privacy-first chatnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Multi-channel supportnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

No use cases recorded yet. See the ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus 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

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • CMDB and asset management require the Professional edition at $27/technician/month; change and project management are reserved for the Enterprise edition at $67/technician/month, per manageengine.com, August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatwoot

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

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus 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 ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus if

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

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus review

Questions people ask

Is Chatwoot or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwoot starts at Free and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatwoot or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus?
Chatwoot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chatwoot and On request for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus.
Does Chatwoot or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus run on more platforms?
Chatwoot runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus runs on Web.
Can I use Chatwoot for free?
Yes. Chatwoot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus 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 ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Chatwoot do that ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus 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
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