4-Way Comparison
Four contenders, one table.
No hiding.
Crisp, HelpScout, LiveChat, Tawk.to and SupportWire compared across every feature that matters. Pricing, AI, channels, integrations, and more.
Feature Comparison
22 features. 7 categories.
No hiding.
Every feature that matters for customer support, compared honestly across 5 platforms.
| Feature | Crisp | HelpScout | LiveChat | Tawk.to | SupportWire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||
| Starting Price | Free / $45 / $95 / $295 | Free / $25 / $75 / Custom | $19/agent/mo (1 agent max) | Free core | Simple per-seat pricing |
| Pricing Model | Per workspace (most pay $295) | Contact-based, unpredictable | 4 separate products | Free + paid add-ons | Transparent per-seat |
| Per-Resolution AI Fees | $25 AI credits/mo on Essentials | $0.75 per AI resolution | Separate ChatBot product ($52+) | $29-$399/mo add-on | Included in every plan |
| Channels | |||||
| Live Chat | Real-time chat | Beacon widget, reactive | Core product | Free live chat | Real-time with proactive triggers |
| Phone Support | Not available | Not available (14+ years) | Not available | Not available | All plans |
| Ticketing | Basic, no SLA management | Shared inbox | Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo) | Basic ticketing | Full ticketing with SLAs |
| Knowledge Base | Help center included | Public only, broken editor | Separate product ($49+/mo) | Hosted on their subdomain | Public and internal |
| AI | |||||
| AI Chatbot | $25/mo AI credit budget | $0.75/resolution add-on | Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo) | Basic add-on | AI-native, included |
| AI Learning | Manual training only | Public articles only | Template-based | Not autonomous | Learns from conversations |
| 24/7 Automation | Bot + triggers | Keyword-matching only | Requires ChatBot subscription | Stops when agents offline | Works 24/7 autonomously |
| Platform | |||||
| Setup Time | Quick setup | Hours to days | Quick for chat only | Minutes (basic chat) | Hours, not weeks |
| Design Quality | Clean, modern | Clean, simple | Clean but aging | Recently refreshed, still dated | Modern, minimal |
| Widget Performance | Lightweight | Light Beacon widget | Lightweight | ~700KB payload | Performance-optimized |
| White-Label Branding | Plus plan only ($295/mo) | Limited customization | Enterprise only | $19/mo to remove branding | Your brand only |
| Cancellation | Account suspension risk | Straightforward | Requires support to cancel | Post-cancellation charges reported | One-click, any time |
| Data & Security | |||||
| Data Export | Cannot export full transcripts | CSV export available | Limited export | Limited export | Full data portability |
| SOC 2 Compliance | Not certified | SOC 2 certified | Security measures in place | No SOC 2, no HIPAA | |
| Analytics | |||||
| Reporting | Shallow analytics | Basic dashboards | Strong analytics | Basic reports | Full analytics |
| SLA Management | Not available | No SLA tracking | Basic SLA features | Not available | Built-in SLA tracking |
| CSAT Surveys | Basic surveys | Satisfaction ratings | Post-chat surveys | Not available | Built-in |
| Integrations | |||||
| Native Integrations | Limited ecosystem | 100+ apps | 200+ apps | Limited native + Zapier | Growing ecosystem |
| Open API | REST API | REST API | REST API | Limited API | Full REST API |
Pricing
Starting Price
Crisp
Free / $45 / $95 / $295
HelpScout
Free / $25 / $75 / Custom
LiveChat
$19/agent/mo (1 agent max)
Tawk.to
Free core
SupportWire
Simple per-seat pricing
Pricing Model
Crisp
Per workspace (most pay $295)
HelpScout
Contact-based, unpredictable
LiveChat
4 separate products
Tawk.to
Free + paid add-ons
SupportWire
Transparent per-seat
Per-Resolution AI Fees
Crisp
$25 AI credits/mo on Essentials
HelpScout
$0.75 per AI resolution
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot product ($52+)
Tawk.to
$29-$399/mo add-on
SupportWire
Included in every plan
Channels
Live Chat
Crisp
Real-time chat
HelpScout
Beacon widget, reactive
LiveChat
Core product
Tawk.to
Free live chat
SupportWire
Real-time with proactive triggers
Phone Support
Crisp
Not available
HelpScout
Not available (14+ years)
LiveChat
Not available
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
All plans
Ticketing
Crisp
Basic, no SLA management
HelpScout
Shared inbox
LiveChat
Separate HelpDesk ($29+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic ticketing
SupportWire
Full ticketing with SLAs
Knowledge Base
Crisp
Help center included
HelpScout
Public only, broken editor
LiveChat
Separate product ($49+/mo)
Tawk.to
Hosted on their subdomain
SupportWire
Public and internal
AI
AI Chatbot
Crisp
$25/mo AI credit budget
HelpScout
$0.75/resolution add-on
LiveChat
Separate ChatBot ($52+/mo)
Tawk.to
Basic add-on
SupportWire
AI-native, included
AI Learning
Crisp
Manual training only
HelpScout
Public articles only
LiveChat
Template-based
Tawk.to
Not autonomous
SupportWire
Learns from conversations
24/7 Automation
Crisp
Bot + triggers
HelpScout
Keyword-matching only
LiveChat
Requires ChatBot subscription
Tawk.to
Stops when agents offline
SupportWire
Works 24/7 autonomously
Platform
Setup Time
Crisp
Quick setup
HelpScout
Hours to days
LiveChat
Quick for chat only
Tawk.to
Minutes (basic chat)
SupportWire
Hours, not weeks
Design Quality
Crisp
Clean, modern
HelpScout
Clean, simple
LiveChat
Clean but aging
Tawk.to
Recently refreshed, still dated
SupportWire
Modern, minimal
Widget Performance
Crisp
Lightweight
HelpScout
Light Beacon widget
LiveChat
Lightweight
Tawk.to
~700KB payload
SupportWire
Performance-optimized
White-Label Branding
Crisp
Plus plan only ($295/mo)
HelpScout
Limited customization
LiveChat
Enterprise only
Tawk.to
$19/mo to remove branding
SupportWire
Your brand only
Cancellation
Crisp
Account suspension risk
HelpScout
Straightforward
LiveChat
Requires support to cancel
Tawk.to
Post-cancellation charges reported
SupportWire
One-click, any time
Data & Security
Data Export
Crisp
Cannot export full transcripts
HelpScout
CSV export available
LiveChat
Limited export
Tawk.to
Limited export
SupportWire
Full data portability
SOC 2 Compliance
Crisp
Not certified
HelpScout
SOC 2 certified
LiveChat
Security measures in place
Tawk.to
No SOC 2, no HIPAA
SupportWire
Analytics
Reporting
Crisp
Shallow analytics
HelpScout
Basic dashboards
LiveChat
Strong analytics
Tawk.to
Basic reports
SupportWire
Full analytics
SLA Management
Crisp
Not available
HelpScout
No SLA tracking
LiveChat
Basic SLA features
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in SLA tracking
CSAT Surveys
Crisp
Basic surveys
HelpScout
Satisfaction ratings
LiveChat
Post-chat surveys
Tawk.to
Not available
SupportWire
Built-in
Integrations
Native Integrations
Crisp
Limited ecosystem
HelpScout
100+ apps
LiveChat
200+ apps
Tawk.to
Limited native + Zapier
SupportWire
Growing ecosystem
Open API
Crisp
REST API
HelpScout
REST API
LiveChat
REST API
Tawk.to
Limited API
SupportWire
Full REST API
Go Deeper
Read the full story
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