Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

HelpCrunch vs Hiver

HelpCrunch logo

HelpCrunch

Customer Support

Live chat, helpdesk, and AI chatbot platform for customer support

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hiver logo

Hiver

Customer Support

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hiver has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HelpCrunch pricing is not fully transparent since it depends on email volume and AI usage tiers.; Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69
  • They diverge on capability: HelpCrunch covers Live Chat Widget, Hiver covers Shared inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HelpCrunch and Hiver actually diverge.

Attributes where HelpCrunch and Hiver differ
AttributeHelpCrunchHiver
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
Platformsweb, ios, androidWeb, Chrome-extension
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

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 HelpCrunch

  • Live Chat Widget
  • Shared Team Inbox
  • AI Chatbot
  • Email Marketing Automation
  • Knowledge Base
  • Auto-resend by Email

Only in Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Analytics
  • Gmail
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

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

HelpCrunch

  • Real-time website customer supportnot Hiver
  • Consolidating support and marketing email in one toolnot Hiver
  • AI-automated first-line customer responsesnot Hiver
  • Small business helpdesk ticketingnot Hiver

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot HelpCrunch
  • Customer support via Gmailnot HelpCrunch
  • Team email collaborationnot HelpCrunch

Where each one falls short

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

HelpCrunch

  • Pricing is not fully transparent since it depends on email volume and AI usage tiers.
  • AI conversation add-ons become expensive at high volume, up to $8,000/month for 100,000 conversations.
  • Exact plan prices for Basic, Pro, and Unlimited are not published directly on the pricing page.
  • Smaller teams may find the tiered add-on system harder to predict than flat per-seat pricing.

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

Pricing, plan by plan

HelpCrunch

On request
  • Basic$undefined/month
    • Live chat
    • Shared inbox
    • Email volume tiers
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • AI conversations included
    • AI data sources included
  • Unlimited$undefined/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Highest email volume
    • Priority support

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/month
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/month
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose HelpCrunch if

  • You need live chat widget.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want shared team inbox.
HelpCrunch review

Choose Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
  • You also want email assignment.
Hiver review

Questions people ask

Is HelpCrunch or Hiver better?
Neither clearly leads. HelpCrunch starts at On request and Hiver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HelpCrunch or Hiver?
Hiver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for HelpCrunch and Free for Hiver.
Does HelpCrunch or Hiver run on more platforms?
HelpCrunch runs on web, ios, android. Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Yes. Hiver has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HelpCrunch starts at On request.
What is HelpCrunch best used for?
HelpCrunch is most often used for real-time website customer support, consolidating support and marketing email in one tool, ai-automated first-line customer responses, small business helpdesk ticketing. Of those, real-time website customer support and consolidating support and marketing email in one tool are not what Hiver is typically brought in for.
What can HelpCrunch do that Hiver cannot?
HelpCrunch covers Live Chat Widget, Shared Team Inbox, AI Chatbot, Email Marketing Automation. Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HelpCrunch: Is there a free trial for HelpCrunch?

Yes, HelpCrunch offers a free trial with no credit card required, and includes free migration from competing tools.

Source
HelpCrunch: How does HelpCrunch charge for AI features?

Pro and higher plans include a free monthly limit of AI conversations and AI data sources; additional usage is purchased in blocks, for example 100 extra conversations for $29/month.

Source
HelpCrunch: Does annual billing save money?

Yes, HelpCrunch offers a 20% discount on plans and AI add-ons when billed annually instead of monthly.

Source
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