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Freshchat vs Richpanel

Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Live Chat

Modern messaging for customer engagement

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Richpanel logo

Richpanel

Customer Support

AI-native helpdesk for e-commerce customer support

From
$99/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Freshchat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Freshchat the free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting; Richpanel primarily focused on e-commerce, not ideal for other industries
  • They diverge on capability: Freshchat covers Live chat, Richpanel covers AI-native agent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Freshchat and Richpanel actually diverge.

Attributes where Freshchat and Richpanel differ
AttributeFreshchatRichpanel
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer-seat plus per-conversation for AI agents
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile, API
CategoryLive ChatCustomer Support
Founded20102020

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 Freshchat

  • Live chat
  • Chatbots
  • Campaigns
  • WhatsApp
  • Instagram
  • Apple Business Chat
  • Freshdesk
  • Freshsales

Only in Richpanel

  • AI-native agent
  • Multi-channel inbox
  • E-commerce integrations
  • QA Agent
  • Social Media Agent
  • Self-Service Portal
  • AI Safety features
  • Copilot mode

What people use each for

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

Freshchat

  • Live chat on a website or in an appnot Richpanel
  • Shared inbox across chat, email and social messengersnot Richpanel
  • Chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agentnot Richpanel
  • Routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiersnot Richpanel

Richpanel

  • Automating e-commerce customer support with AInot Freshchat
  • Resolving returns and exchanges automaticallynot Freshchat
  • Responding to social media inquiries at scalenot Freshchat
  • Providing full customer context across all support channelsnot Freshchat
  • Reducing support costs while improving response timesnot Freshchat

Where each one falls short

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

Freshchat

  • The free plan covers up to 10 agents and omits social messengers, SMS and reporting
  • Reporting and social channels need Growth at $19 per agent per month billed annually
  • Intelligent routing, multilingual support and custom dashboards require Pro at $49 per agent per month
  • Skill-based routing, audit logs and IP whitelisting are Enterprise only at $79 per agent per month
  • Freddy AI is charged on top of the seat price, at $49 per 100 agent sessions and $29 per agent per month for Copilot

Richpanel

  • Primarily focused on e-commerce, not ideal for other industries
  • AI conversation pricing ($0.20 per conversation) requires monitoring to control costs
  • Minimum $200 monthly charge for AI agents may not suit small businesses
  • Heavy emphasis on e-commerce integrations (Shopify, Recharge) limits flexibility
  • No published pricing for enterprise or custom plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Freshchat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 agents
    • Chat widget for web and mobile
    • Shared inbox
  • Growth$19/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Social media messengers, SMS/text messaging
    • Reporting and analytics
  • Pro$49/month
    • Per agent, billed annually (marked Most Popular)
    • Multilingual conversations
    • Custom dashboards, intelligent routing
  • Enterprise$79/month
    • Per agent, billed annually
    • Skill-based routing, audit logs
    • JWT authentication, IP whitelisting

Richpanel

$99/month
  • Helpdesk Seat$99/month
    • Unified inbox across all channels
    • Round-robin assignment
    • CSAT reporting
  • AI Agent$0.2/conversation
    • End-to-end conversation resolution
    • Multi-channel automation
    • Customer context from Shopify, Recharge, Loop, Yotpo
  • Returns & Exchanges$99/month
    • Automated returns and exchange policies
    • Exchange incentives
    • Fraud prevention

Which should you pick?

Choose Freshchat if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want chatbots.
Freshchat review

Choose Richpanel if

  • You need ai-native agent.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, API.
  • You also want multi-channel inbox.
Richpanel review

Questions people ask

Is Freshchat or Richpanel better?
Neither clearly leads. Freshchat starts at Free and Richpanel at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Freshchat or Richpanel?
Freshchat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Freshchat and $99/month for Richpanel.
Does Freshchat or Richpanel run on more platforms?
Freshchat runs on Web, Ios, Android. Richpanel runs on Web, Mobile, API.
Can I use Freshchat for free?
Yes. Freshchat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Richpanel starts at $99/month.
What is Freshchat best used for?
Freshchat is most often used for live chat on a website or in an app, shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers, chatbot deflection before a conversation reaches an agent, routing conversations by skill or language on the higher tiers. Of those, live chat on a website or in an app and shared inbox across chat, email and social messengers are not what Richpanel is typically brought in for.
What can Freshchat do that Richpanel cannot?
Freshchat covers Live chat, Chatbots, Campaigns, WhatsApp. Richpanel covers AI-native agent, Multi-channel inbox, E-commerce integrations, QA Agent.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshchat: What is the cost of Freshchat's Growth plan?

Growth plan costs $19 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes social media messengers, SMS/text messaging, and reporting. AI agent features are available as an add-on at $49 per 100 sessions.

Source
Richpanel: What is the guarantee on AI automation?

Richpanel guarantees 50% automation within 30 days, or refunds every dollar back. The company also guarantees 30% lower bills compared to competitive AI and helpdesk stacks.

Source
Freshchat: Does Freshchat offer a free trial?

Yes. Freshchat provides a 14-day free trial with full Enterprise plan access. After trial expiration, the Free plan supports up to 10 agents at $0/month, with no cancellation fees.

Source
Richpanel: How much does AI cost per conversation?

AI-handled conversations cost $0.20 each with a $200 minimum monthly charge. This covers all AI features including QA Agent, Social Media Agent, and Copilot functionality.

Source
Freshchat: How much does Freshchat's Pro plan cost?

The Pro plan (marked Most Popular) costs $49 per agent per month when billed annually. It includes multilingual conversations, custom dashboards, intelligent routing, and multiple SLA policies. AI Copilot is available as an add-on at $29/agent/month.

Source
Richpanel: Which e-commerce platforms does Richpanel integrate with?

Richpanel integrates with Shopify, Recharge, Loop, and Yotpo to provide full customer context during support interactions.

Source
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