Omnichannel Inbox

Shared inbox with 12+ channels and an AI agent and copilot at a fraction of the cost

Front is a powerful shared inbox for email-centric teams, but native WhatsApp is a paid add-on, its AI copilot costs extra below Enterprise, and its lower plans cap the number of seats. Chatwoot gives you a shared inbox with 12+ channels, an AI agent and copilot, and transparent per-agent pricing.

Try Chatwoot freeSee pricing
  • 12+ channels with WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram on every paid plan
  • Captain AI agent and copilot on paid plans, billed in credits
  • Per-agent pricing from free. Front has no free plan, only a 14-day trial
  • Built-in help center, automations, and SLA management
  • Open source with full code access and self-hosting

At a glance

WhatsApp without an add-on

Chatwoot
Yes
Front
No

AI copilot

Chatwoot
Yes
Front
Add-on / Enterprise

Free plan

Chatwoot
Yes
Front
No

Self-hosted option

Chatwoot
Yes
Front
No

Open source

Chatwoot
Yes
Front
No
Chatwoot vs Front

Feature comparison

See how Chatwoot and Front compare across key features.

Feature ChatwootFront
Messaging Channels
Website live chatYesYes
EmailYesYes
WhatsAppYesAdd-on; Pro+
Instagram DMsYesYes
Facebook MessengerYesYes
TelegramYesBot channel
LINEYesNo
SMSYesYes
TikTok DMsYesNo
API channelYesYes
AI & Automation
AI copilot for agentsYesAdd-on / Enterprise
AI-powered repliesYesYes
Chatbots / bot builderYesFront Chat; varies by plan
Automation rulesYesYes
Canned responsesYesYes
SLA managementYesYes
Team Collaboration
Shared inboxYesYes
Private notesYesYes
Team assignmentsYesYes
Agent collision detectionYesYes
Labels and tagsYesYes
Contact segmentsYesYes
Reporting & Analytics
Conversation reportsYesYes
Agent performance reportsYesYes
CSAT reportsYesYes
Live dashboardYesYes
Team reportsYesYes
Custom report filtersYesYes
Deployment & Security
Cloud hostedYesYes
Self-hosted optionYesNo
Open-source codeYesNo
SSO / SAMLYesYes
Audit logsYesYes
Custom data retentionYesYes
API accessYesYes

Why teams switch from Front

Common pain points that lead teams to explore alternatives.

  • Per-seat pricing with add-ons

    Front charges per seat, caps seats on its Starter and Professional plans, and bills its AI copilot per seat below Enterprise. Chatwoot starts free and publishes one per-agent price per plan.

  • Messaging channels cost extra

    Front offers native WhatsApp only as a paid add-on on Professional and Enterprise, and its Starter plan allows a single channel type. Chatwoot includes every messaging channel on every paid plan.

  • Closed source platform

    Front is proprietary with no code access. Chatwoot is open source so you can audit, extend, and self-host.

  • No self-hosting option

    Front is cloud-only. Teams needing data sovereignty or on-premise deployment have no path. Chatwoot offers full self-hosting.

Why Chatwoot

How Chatwoot is different

What makes Chatwoot the right choice over Front.

  • True omnichannel inbox

    Email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, LINE, SMS, live chat, and more. Not just email with a few add-ons.

  • Captain AI agent and copilot

    Captain drafts replies, picks up on customer intent, and summarizes threads. Available on paid plans and billed in credits, not per seat.

  • Affordable at scale

    Per-agent pricing from free to $99/agent/mo. No minimum seat requirements, no escalating tier costs.

  • Built-in help center

    Self-service knowledge base included. Reduce ticket volume without needing a separate KB tool.

  • Open source transparency

    Over 37k GitHub stars and an active contributor community. You're never locked into a single vendor.

  • Self-host for compliance

    Keep customer data on your own servers for compliance or privacy. Front is cloud-only with no alternative.

Common questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about switching from Front to Chatwoot.

How does Chatwoot compare to Front for shared inbox?

Both offer shared inbox functionality with assignments, comments, and team collaboration. Chatwoot adds 12+ messaging channels, a help center, and self-hosting, all at lower per-agent pricing.

Does Chatwoot support email as well as Front?

Yes. Chatwoot supports email forwarding, IMAP/SMTP integration, and shared email inboxes. The difference is Chatwoot also includes WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and 9 more channels natively.

Can Chatwoot handle Front's CRM-like features?

Chatwoot includes contact profiles, custom attributes, segments, and notes. For deeper CRM needs, it integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, and others via API.

Is Chatwoot suitable for teams currently using Front?

Yes. Teams switching from Front gain self-hosting, open-source code, and messaging channels such as WhatsApp included in the plan. The shared inbox experience is similar, with the addition of omnichannel support.

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Switching from Front?

Try Chatwoot free and see the difference. Our team can help you migrate your data and get set up.

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