Softwr

Live Chat · head to head

Crisp vs ManyChat

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ManyChat logo

ManyChat

Live Chat

Chatbot and automation platform for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; ManyChat pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Live chat, ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and ManyChat actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and ManyChat differ
AttributeCrispManyChat
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSweb, ios, android
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Live Chat).

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

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • CRM
  • Slack
  • WordPress

Only in ManyChat

  • Visual Flow Builder
  • Instagram Automation
  • WhatsApp Automation
  • SMS Marketing
  • Broadcast Campaigns
  • E-commerce Integrations

What people use each for

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

Crisp

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

ManyChat

  • Automating Instagram DM and comment repliesnot Crisp
  • Lead generation via chat funnelsnot Crisp
  • WhatsApp order updates and broadcastsnot Crisp
  • E-commerce cart recovery via chatnot 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

ManyChat

  • Pro plan pricing scales quickly with contact count, becoming expensive for large audiences.
  • WhatsApp automation requires a connected WhatsApp Business API number with separate messaging costs.
  • The free plan has restrictive contact and feature limits compared to paid competitors.
  • Advanced flow logic can become difficult to manage for very complex automation sequences.

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

ManyChat

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Limited contacts
    • Core automation features
    • Basic channels
  • Pro$15/month
    • Higher contact limits
    • All channels
    • Broadcast messaging

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want shared inbox.
Crisp review

Choose ManyChat if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want instagram automation.
ManyChat review

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or ManyChat better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and ManyChat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or ManyChat?
Crisp starts at Free and ManyChat at Free.
Does Crisp or ManyChat run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. ManyChat runs on web, ios, android.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ManyChat is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that ManyChat cannot?
Crisp covers Live chat, Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base. ManyChat covers Visual Flow Builder, Instagram Automation, WhatsApp Automation, SMS Marketing.

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
ManyChat: How much does Manychat cost?

Manychat offers a free plan at $0/month and Pro plan starting at $15/month. Pro plan pricing scales with number of contacts. Elite tier offers custom pricing. Free plan allows automation for up to 1,000 contacts.

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
ManyChat: What channels does Manychat support?

Free plan supports Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger. Pro and Elite plans add WhatsApp, SMS text messaging, and email. All channels allow unlimited custom automation flows once contacts are engaged.

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
ManyChat: How does Manychat AI pricing work?

Manychat AI features including Intention Recognition, AI Steps, Text Improver, and Flow Builder Assistant are available in Pro and Elite plans at no extra cost. Pro plan includes monthly Chaos AI credits for AI-powered features.

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
ManyChat: Can I cancel my Manychat subscription anytime?

Yes, Manychat allows cancellation of payment plans at any time. No long-term contract is required. Standard payment methods including credit cards are accepted.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Crisp

More on ManyChat

Keep looking

Other head to heads