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Customer Support · head to head

Podium vs tawk.to

Podium logo

Podium

Customer Support

Messaging platform for local businesses

From
$249/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
tawk.to logo

tawk.to

Live Chat

100% free live chat software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only tawk.to has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Podium no transparent pricing published online; tawk.to removing the Powered by tawk.to branding costs an extra $29/month even on the free plan
  • They diverge on capability: Podium covers Text messaging, tawk.to covers Live chat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Podium and tawk.to actually diverge.

Attributes where Podium and tawk.to differ
AttributePodiumtawk.to
Starting price$249/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat
Founded20142013

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 Podium

  • Text messaging
  • Review management
  • Webchat
  • Payments
  • Team inbox
  • Automation
  • Google
  • Facebook

Only in tawk.to

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

Both cover

  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Podium

  • Managing customer messages and reviews for local businessesnot tawk.to
  • Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot tawk.to

tawk.to

  • Website live chat and visitor engagementnot Podium
  • Customer support automationnot Podium

Where each one falls short

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

Podium

  • No transparent pricing published online
  • 10DLC base fee amount not specified
  • Bulk Messages credits and limits not quantified

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

Podium

$249/month
  • Essentials$249/month
    • Inbox
    • Reviews
    • Website chat
  • Standard$449/month
    • Essentials + Campaigns
    • Payments
    • Automation
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Standard + Advanced analytics
    • Multi-location

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 Podium if

  • You need text messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want review management.
Podium 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 Podium or tawk.to better?
Neither clearly leads. Podium starts at $249/month and tawk.to at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Podium or tawk.to?
tawk.to has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $249/month for Podium and Free for tawk.to.
Does Podium or tawk.to run on more platforms?
Podium runs on Web, Ios, Android. tawk.to runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
Can I use tawk.to for free?
Yes. tawk.to has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podium starts at $249/month.
What is Podium best used for?
Podium is most often used for managing customer messages and reviews for local businesses, converting inbound leads through text and web chat. Of those, managing customer messages and reviews for local businesses and converting inbound leads through text and web chat are not what tawk.to is typically brought in for.
What can Podium do that tawk.to cannot?
Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. tawk.to covers Live chat, Ticketing, Knowledge base, CRM. Both handle GDPR, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Podium: How do I find out Podium pricing for my business?

Podium requires contacting their sales team directly at 1-801-438-4425 or visiting http://podium.com/getpricing for a custom quote based on your business needs.

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
Podium: What messaging features might incur additional costs?

10DLC messaging has a base fee (amount unspecified) and Bulk Messages credits are available with limits that are not detailed on their public pricing page.

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
Podium: Does Podium publish pricing tiers online?

No. Podium states plans are designed to fit specific business needs and requires sales team consultation instead of displaying standard public pricing.

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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