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Customer Support · head to head

Chatwoot vs Smartsupp

Chatwoot logo

Chatwoot

Customer Support

Open-source customer engagement platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Smartsupp logo

Smartsupp

Live Chat

Live chat with advanced visitor tracking and co-browsing

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Chatwoot free plan limited to 2 agents and 500 conversations per month; Smartsupp free tier limited to 25 conversations per month and 14-day history
  • They diverge on capability: Chatwoot covers Live chat, Smartsupp covers Live chat messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatwoot and Smartsupp actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatwoot and Smartsupp differ
AttributeChatwootSmartsupp
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb, Mobile app, IOS, Android
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20172012

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 Chatwoot

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

Only in Smartsupp

  • Live chat messaging
  • Co-browsing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Heatmaps
  • Shopify
  • Zapier
  • API
  • Mobile app support

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Chatwoot

  • Self-hosted supportnot Smartsupp
  • Privacy-first chatnot Smartsupp
  • Multi-channel supportnot Smartsupp

Smartsupp

  • Small teams wanting a bundled live chat and low-volume AI agent starting under $20/monthnot Chatwoot

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

Smartsupp

  • Free tier limited to 25 conversations per month and 14-day history
  • Annual billing required for best pricing (up to 30% savings)
  • Operator limits scale with plan tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatwoot

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

Smartsupp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 operator
    • 25 conversations per month
    • 14-day conversation history
  • Solo$17/month
    • 1 operator
    • Unlimited conversations
    • All channels including email
  • Plus$25/month
    • 3 operators
    • Unlimited conversations
    • Automation workflows
  • Expert$83/month
    • 5+ operators
    • Unlimited conversations
    • Premium support

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 Smartsupp if

  • You need live chat messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
  • You also want co-browsing.
Smartsupp review

Questions people ask

Is Chatwoot or Smartsupp better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwoot starts at Free and Smartsupp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatwoot or Smartsupp?
Chatwoot starts at Free and Smartsupp at Free.
Does Chatwoot or Smartsupp run on more platforms?
Chatwoot runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted. Smartsupp runs on Web, Mobile app, IOS, Android.
Can I use Chatwoot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Smartsupp is typically brought in for.
What can Chatwoot do that Smartsupp cannot?
Chatwoot covers Live chat, Email inbox, Social channels, Knowledge base. Smartsupp covers Live chat messaging, Co-browsing, Visitor tracking, Heatmaps. Both handle Slack, Web support, Android support.

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
Smartsupp: How much does Smartsupp cost?

Smartsupp offers a free plan for up to 25 conversations monthly. Paid plans start at $17/month for Solo (annual: $204/year), $25/month for Plus, and $83/month for Expert. Enterprise plans start at $280/month with custom features and annual billing offers up to 30% savings.

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
Smartsupp: What is included in Smartsupp's free tier?

Smartsupp's free tier includes 1 operator, up to 25 conversations per month, 14-day conversation history, and basic channel support. All paid plans offer unlimited conversations and advanced features including AI-powered reply assists.

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
Smartsupp: What payment options and currencies does Smartsupp support?

Smartsupp accepts monthly or annual billing with annual subscriptions providing up to 30% savings. The platform supports multiple currencies including CZK, EUR, USD, and PLN. A 14-day free trial is available for paid plans with no credit card required initially.

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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