Free live chat, with an AI agent, copilot, and 12+ channels on paid plans
Tawk.to offers free chat, but it is closed source and cloud-only, and it earns revenue from paid extras such as AI Assist, branding removal, and hired agents. Chatwoot is also free to start with live chat, and its paid plans add an AI agent and copilot, 12+ messaging channels, and enterprise features, with the option to self-host.
- WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, and 8 more channels on paid plans
- Captain AI agent and copilot on paid plans
- No hired-agent upsells or branding removal fees
- Self-host the entire platform on your infrastructure
- Open-source code - not just "free" but truly transparent
At a glance
AI copilot
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- Limited free / paid tiers
No ads or upsells
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- No
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- Yes
Self-hosted option
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- No
Open source
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- No
Feature comparison
See how Chatwoot and Tawk.to compare across key features.
| Feature | Chatwoot | Tawk.to |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging Channels | ||
| Website live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Instagram DMs | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | Yes |
| Telegram | Yes | Yes |
| LINE | Yes | No |
| SMS | Yes | Via Twilio |
| TikTok DMs | Yes | No |
| API channel | Yes | No |
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI copilot for agents | Yes | Limited free / paid tiers |
| AI-powered replies | Yes | Limited free / paid tiers |
| Chatbots / bot builder | Yes | Limited free / paid tiers |
| Automation rules | Yes | Partial |
| Canned responses | Yes | Yes |
| SLA management | Yes | No |
| Team Collaboration | ||
| Shared inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Private notes | Yes | Yes |
| Team assignments | Yes | Yes |
| Agent collision detection | Yes | No |
| Labels and tags | Yes | Yes |
| Contact segments | Yes | No |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Conversation reports | Yes | Yes |
| Agent performance reports | Yes | Yes |
| CSAT reports | Yes | No |
| Live dashboard | Yes | No |
| Team reports | Yes | No |
| Custom report filters | Yes | No |
| Deployment & Security | ||
| Cloud hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted option | Yes | No |
| Open-source code | Yes | No |
| SSO / SAML | Yes | No |
| Audit logs | Yes | No |
| Custom data retention | Yes | No |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
Why teams switch from Tawk.to
Common pain points that lead teams to explore alternatives.
Fewer messaging channels
Tawk.to covers website chat, email ticketing, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS. Its channel setup docs do not confirm Instagram. Chatwoot provides Instagram, TikTok, and LINE inboxes on paid plans.
Fewer controls for growing teams
Tawk.to offers AI Assist and suggested replies, but its site does not list SLA policies, SAML SSO, or audit logs. Chatwoot covers all three, with SSO and audit logs on the Enterprise plan.
A different business model
Tawk.to keeps its software free and earns revenue from paid extras such as hired agents, AI Assist, and branding removal. Chatwoot funds development through per-agent subscriptions, and the core platform is open source under the MIT licence.
Free to use, but closed source
Tawk.to is free but proprietary. You can't inspect how your data is handled, modify the codebase, or self-host. Chatwoot is MIT-licensed open source with full transparency.
How Chatwoot is different
What makes Chatwoot the right choice over Tawk.to.
12+ messaging channels
WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, LINE, SMS, email, and more. Tawk.to documents WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS inbox integrations; its setup docs do not confirm Instagram.
Captain AI agent and copilot
Captain is an AI agent and copilot. It answers customers directly and drafts replies and summaries for your agents, billed in credits on paid plans.
Enterprise-grade features
SLA management and automation rules, plus SAML SSO, custom roles, and audit logs on the Enterprise plan. Features you'll need as your support team grows.
No upsells or hidden monetization
Chatwoot's business model is straightforward: free for small teams, paid plans for growing teams. No hired-agent service or branding removal fees.
Truly open source
MIT-licensed code with 37k+ GitHub stars. Fork it, audit it, deploy it yourself. "Free" and "open source" are not the same thing - Chatwoot is both.
Self-host the full platform
Run Chatwoot on your own servers. Tawk.to offers no self-hosting. With Chatwoot, your customer data stays where you control it.
Common questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about switching from Tawk.to to Chatwoot.
Is Chatwoot really free like Tawk.to?
Chatwoot's Hacker plan is free for 2 agents on live chat. But unlike Tawk.to, Chatwoot is open source - so you can also self-host the full platform for unlimited agents at the cost of your own infrastructure.
Why choose Chatwoot over Tawk.to if both have free plans?
Chatwoot offers open-source code and self-hosting, and its paid plans add an AI agent and copilot, WhatsApp and Instagram support, and SLA management, with SAML SSO on the Enterprise plan. Tawk.to keeps its core tools free, but it is closed source and cloud-only.
How does Chatwoot handle data compared to Tawk.to?
With Chatwoot, you can self-host and keep all data on your own servers. Tawk.to is cloud-only and closed source - you have limited visibility into how your data is processed and stored.
Can I grow from Tawk.to to Chatwoot easily?
Yes. Start with Chatwoot's free plan and upgrade as you grow. The transition from a basic chat tool to a full omnichannel platform happens within the same product.
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Switching from Tawk.to?
Try Chatwoot free and see the difference. Our team can help you migrate your data and get set up.