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Customer Support · head to head

Richpanel vs Hiver

Richpanel logo

Richpanel

Customer Support

AI-native helpdesk for e-commerce customer support

From
$99/month
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: Richpanel primarily focused on e-commerce, not ideal for other industries; 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: Richpanel covers AI-native agent, Hiver covers Shared inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Richpanel and Hiver actually diverge.

Attributes where Richpanel and Hiver differ
AttributeRichpanelHiver
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelPer-seat plus per-conversation for AI agentssubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, APIWeb, Chrome-extension
Founded20202011

Identical on both: 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 Richpanel

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

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.

Richpanel

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

Hiver

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 Richpanel if

  • You need ai-native agent.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, API.
  • You also want multi-channel inbox.
Richpanel 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 Richpanel or Hiver better?
Neither clearly leads. Richpanel starts at $99/month and Hiver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Richpanel or Hiver?
Hiver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Richpanel and Free for Hiver.
Does Richpanel or Hiver run on more platforms?
Richpanel runs on Web, Mobile, API. 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. Richpanel starts at $99/month.
What is Richpanel best used for?
Richpanel is most often used for automating e-commerce customer support with ai, resolving returns and exchanges automatically, responding to social media inquiries at scale, providing full customer context across all support channels. Of those, automating e-commerce customer support with ai and resolving returns and exchanges automatically are not what Hiver is typically brought in for.
What can Richpanel do that Hiver cannot?
Richpanel covers AI-native agent, Multi-channel inbox, E-commerce integrations, QA Agent. Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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