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Customer Support · head to head

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs tawk.to

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus logo

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Customer Support

IT help desk and ITSM software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
tawk.to logo

tawk.to

Live Chat

100% free live chat software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams; tawk.to removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and tawk.to actually diverge.

Attributes where ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and tawk.to differ
AttributeManageEngine ServiceDesk Plustawk.to
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
FoundedUnknown2013

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 ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Nothing recorded that tawk.to does not also cover.

Only in tawk.to

  • Live chat
  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • CRM
  • Video chat
  • Screen sharing
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

What people use each for

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

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • IT service desk for small to enterprise organizationsnot tawk.to
  • IT asset management and change managementnot tawk.to

tawk.to

  • Website live chat and visitor engagementnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • Customer support automationnot ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Where each one falls short

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

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • Pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams
  • Asset management requires Professional tier or above, increasing costs for enterprises needing full inventory control
  • No explicit limit published for number of technicians, making cost projections difficult for scaling teams

tawk.to

  • Removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • Enhanced AI Assist chatbot is a paid add-on starting at $29/month rather than included free
  • Human staffed chat agents are billed at $1/hour as a separate add-on

Pricing, plan by plan

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Free
  • Standard$13/monthly
    • IT help desk functionality
    • Per technician or administrator pricing
    • Unlimited IT end users
  • Professional$27/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Per technician pricing
  • Enterprise$67/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Change management

tawk.to

Free
  • Free Core SoftwareFree
    • Live chat software with no feature limitations
    • Chat pages
    • Knowledge base (hosted help center)
  • Branding Removal$29/month
    • Remove Powered by tawk.to widget branding
  • AI Assist Premium$29/month
    • AI-powered chatbot automation
  • Hired Chat Agents$1/hour
    • Professional trained agents 24/7/365

Which should you pick?

Choose ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus if

  • You want to start without paying.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus review

Choose tawk.to if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want ticketing.
tawk.to review

Questions people ask

Is ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or tawk.to better?
Neither clearly leads. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus starts at Free and tawk.to at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or tawk.to?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus starts at Free and tawk.to at Free.
Does ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus or tawk.to run on more platforms?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus runs on Web. tawk.to runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
Can I use ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus best used for?
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is most often used for it service desk for small to enterprise organizations, it asset management and change management. Of those, it service desk for small to enterprise organizations and it asset management and change management are not what tawk.to is typically brought in for.
What can ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus do that tawk.to cannot?
tawk.to covers Live chat, Ticketing, Knowledge base, CRM.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: How is pricing calculated for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus?

Pricing is based on the number of administrators and technicians using the platform. There is no restriction on the number of IT end users. If you use IT asset management, you pay for the number of IT assets managed.

Source
tawk.to: How much does tawk.to cost?

tawk.to is free for core live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and CRM. Premium add-ons start at $29/month for branding removal or AI Assist, and $1/hour for hired chat agents.

Source
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: Is there a free tier available?

Yes, the Standard edition is available free for up to 5 technicians. Free tier includes 250 IT assets managed and basic IT help desk features.

Source
tawk.to: Is tawk.to free forever?

Yes, tawk.to's core software including live chat, knowledge base, ticketing, and contacts is free forever with no feature limitations.

Source
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: What are the billing options?

ManageEngine offers both monthly and yearly billing options. Annual billing provides discounted rates compared to monthly. You can deploy on-premises or use cloud-based SaaS deployment.

Source
tawk.to: How are tawk.to's hired chat agents priced?

Hired chat agents are billed at $1 per hour with professional trained staff providing 24/7/365 support.

Source
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