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Crisp vs Striven

Crisp logo

Crisp

Live Chat

Customer messaging platform for startups and SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Striven logo

Striven

ERP

All-in-one business management for growing companies

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Crisp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crisp free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles; Striven occasional performance issues with slow load times in some modules
  • They diverge on capability: Crisp covers Live chat, Striven covers Project management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crisp and Striven actually diverge.

Attributes where Crisp and Striven differ
AttributeCrispStriven
Starting priceFree$35/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Mobile, API
CategoryLive ChatERP
Founded20152008

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 Crisp

  • Live chat
  • Shared inbox
  • Chatbots
  • Knowledge base
  • Video calls
  • Slack
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

Only in Striven

  • Project management
  • Accounting
  • HR management
  • Inventory
  • QuickBooks
  • Outlook
  • Google Workspace
  • SSL encryption

Both cover

  • CRM
  • Zapier
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Crisp

  • Customer service and support automationnot Striven
  • Chat and omnichannel messagingnot Striven
  • Chatbot and AI conversation managementnot Striven
  • Customer profile and ticket managementnot Striven
  • Team collaboration on customer communicationnot Striven

Striven

  • Software consolidationnot Crisp
  • Business operationsnot Crisp
  • Project-based businessesnot Crisp

Where each one falls short

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

Crisp

  • Free tier limited to 2 seats and 100 customer profiles
  • Additional agents cost $10/month per seat beyond included seats
  • Customer profile limits increase with each tier; 5,000 (Mini) to 200,000 (Plus)
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

Striven

  • Occasional performance issues with slow load times in some modules
  • Dated UI in places with clunky mobile app experience
  • Very limited customization options compared to enterprise ERP solutions
  • No Zapier or third-party app marketplace integration

Pricing, plan by plan

Crisp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 seats
    • Website chat widget
    • Shared inbox
  • Mini$45/month
    • 4 seats
    • ~$5 AI credits (around 90 automated conversations)
    • Shared email inbox
  • Essentials$95/month
    • 10 seats
    • ~$25 AI credits (around 450 automated conversations)
    • Omnichannel inbox
  • Plus$295/month
    • 20+ seats
    • ~$75 AI credits (around 1,350 automated conversations)
    • Unlimited task automations

Striven

$35/month
  • Standard$35/month
    • Accounting
    • CRM and sales
    • Project management
  • Enterprise$70/month
    • All Standard features
    • Advanced customization
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Crisp if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want shared inbox.
Crisp review

Choose Striven if

  • You need project management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, API.
  • You also want accounting.
Striven review

Questions people ask

Is Crisp or Striven better?
Neither clearly leads. Crisp starts at Free and Striven at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crisp or Striven?
Crisp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Crisp and $35/month for Striven.
Does Crisp or Striven run on more platforms?
Crisp runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Striven runs on Web, Mobile, API.
Can I use Crisp for free?
Yes. Crisp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Striven starts at $35/month.
What is Crisp best used for?
Crisp is most often used for customer service and support automation, chat and omnichannel messaging, chatbot and ai conversation management, customer profile and ticket management. Of those, customer service and support automation and chat and omnichannel messaging are not what Striven is typically brought in for.
What can Crisp do that Striven cannot?
Crisp covers Live chat, Shared inbox, Chatbots, Knowledge base. Striven covers Project management, Accounting, HR management, Inventory. Both handle CRM, Zapier, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crisp: How much does Crisp cost?

Crisp offers a free plan ($0/month for 2 seats), Mini ($45/month for 4 seats), Essentials ($95/month for 10 seats), Plus ($295/month for 20+ seats), and Enterprise (custom pricing).

Source
Striven: What is Striven's pricing model?

Striven uses user-based pricing: Standard plan at $35/user/month and Enterprise plan at $70/user/month. For accounts with fewer than 5 users, an additional $25 per user applies.

Source
Crisp: Is there a free version of Crisp?

Yes, Crisp Free includes 2 seats, website chat widget, shared inbox, and mobile/desktop apps with a 100 customer profile limit and no AI credits.

Source
Striven: Does Striven offer a free trial or free tier?

Yes, Striven offers a 7-day free test drive with no credit card required. However, there is no permanent free version or free tier for production use.

Source
Crisp: What are AI credits in Crisp?

AI credits power automated conversations. Mini plan includes ~$5 credits (90 conversations), Essentials includes ~$25 credits (450 conversations), Plus includes ~$75 credits (1,350 conversations).

Source
Striven: What modules does Striven include?

Striven includes accounting, CRM and sales management, project management, task management, inventory, HR, OKRs, and workflow automation across all plans.

Source
Crisp: Does Crisp charge per additional agent?

Yes, additional agents beyond included seats cost $10/month per person. Free plan includes 2 seats; additional seats available on paid plans.

Source
Striven: Does Striven offer optional add-ons like customer portals?

Yes, Striven offers optional monthly portal plans: free tier for up to 100 customers/vendors/applications per month, $99/month for 500, and $499/month for unlimited access.

Source
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