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Crisp vs Groove

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Groove logo

Groove

Customer Support

Simple, powerful support for growing businesses

From
$12/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Groove billed per ticket at $1 rather than per agent, so support cost scales with how many customers get in touch
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Chatbots, Groove covers Automation rules.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Groove actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Groove differ
AttributeCrispGroove
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20152011

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 Crisp

  • Chatbots
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • WordPress
  • Shopify
  • Segment
  • Desktop support

Only in Groove

  • Automation rules
  • Reporting
  • Collision detection
  • Salesforce
  • Trello
  • Jira

Both cover

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Knowledge base
  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • GDPR
  • SSL
  • 2FA
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Customer service and support automationnot Groove
  • Chat and omnichannel messagingnot Groove
  • Chatbot and AI conversation managementnot Groove
  • Customer profile and ticket managementnot Groove
  • Team collaboration on customer communicationnot Groove

Groove

  • Shared inbox and help desk ticketing for small support teamsnot Crisp
  • Handling email, chat and messaging support in one queuenot Crisp

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles
  • Additional agents cost $10/month per seat beyond included seats
  • Customer profile limits increase with each tier; 5,000 (Mini) to 200,000 (Plus)
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

Groove

  • Billed per ticket at $1 rather than per agent, so support cost scales with how many customers get in touch
  • A minimum of 250 tickets a month applies, which is a $3,000 annual commitment before any usage
  • A quiet month still pays the 250 ticket floor
  • No mailbox limit is published

Pricing, plan by plan

Crisp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 seats
    • Website chat widget
    • Shared inbox
  • Mini$45/month
    • 4 seats
    • ~$5 AI credits (around 90 automated conversations)
    • Shared email inbox
  • Essentials$95/month
    • 10 seats
    • ~$25 AI credits (around 450 automated conversations)
    • Omnichannel inbox
  • Plus$295/month
    • 20+ seats
    • ~$75 AI credits (around 1,350 automated conversations)
    • Unlimited task automations

Groove

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • 1 mailbox
    • Knowledge base
    • Live chat
  • Plus$20/month
    • 5 mailboxes
    • Full reporting
    • Rules
  • Pro$35/month
    • 25 mailboxes
    • Salesforce
    • Enterprise SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need chatbots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want video calls.

Choose Groove if

  • You need automation rules.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want reporting.

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Groove better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Groove at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Groove?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $12/month for Groove.
Does Crisp or Groove run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Groove runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Groove starts at $12/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for customer service and support automation, chat and omnichannel messaging, chatbot and ai conversation management, customer profile and ticket management. Of those, customer service and support automation and chat and omnichannel messaging are not what Groove is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Groove cannot?
Crisp covers Chatbots, Video calls, CRM, WordPress. Groove covers Automation rules, Reporting, Collision detection, Salesforce. Both handle Live chat, Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crisp: How much does Crisp cost?

Crisp offers a free plan ($0/month for 2 seats), Mini ($45/month for 4 seats), Essentials ($95/month for 10 seats), Plus ($295/month for 20+ seats), and Enterprise (custom pricing).

Source
Groove: How is Helply priced?

Helply uses per-ticket pricing at 1 dollar per ticket. This single price covers all features including resolutions, drafts, churn alerts, upsell flags, feature requests, and documentation.

Source
Crisp: Is there a free version of Crisp?

Yes, Crisp Free includes 2 seats, website chat widget, shared inbox, and mobile/desktop apps with a 100 customer profile limit and no AI credits.

Source
Groove: Do I need to pay per team member for Helply?

No, Helply charges per ticket, not per seat. You can bring your entire team, AEs, PMs, and integrations without additional per-person charges.

Source
Crisp: What are AI credits in Crisp?

AI credits power automated conversations. Mini plan includes ~$5 credits (90 conversations), Essentials includes ~$25 credits (450 conversations), Plus includes ~$75 credits (1,350 conversations).

Source
Groove: What's included in Helply's per-ticket price?

The per-ticket price of 1 dollar includes resolutions, drafts, churn alerts, upsell flags, feature requests, documentation, and all AI capabilities with no separate add-on charges.

Source
Crisp: Does Crisp charge per additional agent?

Yes, additional agents beyond included seats cost $10/month per person. Free plan includes 2 seats; additional seats available on paid plans.

Source
Groove: Is there a free trial for Helply?

Helply offers a free 12-minute demo walkthrough. Enterprise plans are also available for larger organizations.

Source
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