Stack
Chatwoot
An open-source support inbox you can run on their cloud or self-host on your own server.
What it actually does
Chatwoot is a multi-channel inbox positioned as an open-source Intercom alternative. It handles live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and more from one screen, and its source is public on GitHub.
You can pay for managed hosting on Chatwoot Cloud, where the cheapest paid tier is the lowest in this category, or self-host the community edition for only your server cost. Self-hosting trades a monthly bill for the work of running and updating it yourself.
A free Hacker cloud plan exists but is live-chat-only with 500 conversations a month and 30-day data retention, so history is deleted quickly. The built-in Captain AI runs on a thin monthly credit allowance, with extra credits sold in blocks.
Chatwoot vs its main rivals
The tools people actually weigh against Chatwoot: Intercom, Tidio, Zoho SalesIQ. Same criteria for every column, including where Chatwoot loses.
| Chatwoot |  Intercom | TTidio |  Zoho SalesIQ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pricing & access | ||||
| Free tier | Yes500 convos/mo | NoTrial only | Yes50 chats/mo | YesFree plan |
| Starting price | $19/agent/mo | $29/seat/mo | $24.17/mo | $7/operator/mo |
| Open source / self-hostable | Yes20k+ stars | NoClosed | NoClosed | NoClosed |
Channels | ||||
| Multi-channel inbox | YesAll but voice | YesBroad | YesYes | YesYes |
Scaling & limits | ||||
| Unlimited conversations (paid) | YesUnlimited | YesUnlimited | NoPer plan | NoPer plan |
| Free-plan data retention | 30 days | n/a | Unlimited | Retained |
| Cheapest paid cloud seat | $19/mo | $29/mo | $24/mo | $7/mo |
Automation & AI | ||||
| Built-in AI agent | YesCaptain | YesFin | YesLyro | YesZia |
| Generous AI allowance | 300 credits/mo | Per resolution | Metered | Metered |
Developer & API | ||||
| REST API | Free | Paid | Paid | Paid |
| Free self-host option | Free | No | No | No |
- Open source with 20k+ GitHub stars, so you can self-host for server cost only and own your data
- Cheapest paid cloud plan here at $19/agent/mo with unlimited conversations
- Startups plan covers all channels except voice, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram
- Free plan is live-chat-only with 500 conversations/mo and 30-day retention, so history vanishes
- Captain AI credits are thin at 300/mo, and extras cost $20 per 1,000
- Self-hosted community edition is unmanaged, so upkeep is on you
Pay less for it
4 ways foundOpen-source build is free to run; you pay only for a server (a few dollars a month on a small VPS)
Listed $19/agent is the annual rate; monthly costs more, so paying yearly is the cheaper cloud path
500 conversations/mo at $0 works until you hit the volume or retention cap
Chatwoot self-hosted — The same product for server cost only, if you are comfortable running and updating it yourself
StackTracker tracks what you actually pay for Chatwoot and every other tool, flags overpayment, and shows the dollars you would save by switching.
Is it the right tool for you
- You want an Intercom-style inbox at the lowest paid price
- Owning and self-hosting your data matters to you
- You need WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram in one inbox cheaply
- You want a managed, zero-maintenance email inbox with a free start → use Help Scout
- You want strong automated deflection and will pay per resolution → use Intercom
Track what Chatwoot and the rest of your stack cost
StackTracker adds up every subscription, plus your hours, so you see the real number.
Prices and limits last verified 2026-07-20.