Chatwoot offers a generous Hacker Plan (free tier) for all users. However, this free plan includes specific limitations to ensure fair usage across all accounts.
Free Plan Limitations
The Hacker Plan includes the following restrictions:
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Maximum of 2 agents per account
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1 inbox only - specifically the Live Website Chat inbox
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No access to other inbox types such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, API, or Email inboxes
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No access to PRO features like Captain AI, advanced roles, and other premium functionality
What triggers the usage limit message? If you exceed any of these limitations, your account will display a "free usage limit exceeded" message, restricting access to certain features.
Two Ways to Remove the Message
You have two options to resolve the usage limit exceeded message:
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Upgrade to a paid plan (recommended for growing teams)
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Manually remove PRO features to comply with free plan limits
Option 1: Upgrade Your Account to a Paid Plan
Step 1: Access Billing
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Click the "Open Billing" button within the free usage exceeded message
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This will redirect you to your billing page
Step 2: Open Billing Portal
- On the billing page, click "Go to Billing Portal"
Step 3: Update Subscription
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In the billing portal, click "Update Subscription"
Step 4: Select Your Plan
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Choose a paid plan that meets your needs
Step 5: Complete Payment
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Click "Continue" to proceed
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Fill in your billing information accurately
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Complete the purchase process
Verification
Once your paid plan is active, the free usage limitation message will be removed automatically. You can then return to your Chatwoot dashboard and confirm that all features are now accessible.
Option 2: Manually Remove PRO Features
If you prefer to stay on the free plan, follow these steps to remove features that exceed the Hacker Plan limits.
Remove Extra Inboxes
Step 1: Access Inbox Settings
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Navigate to Settings in your left sidebar
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Click on Inbox Settings
Step 2: Review Your Inboxes
Check your current inbox configuration:
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Ensure you have only 1 inbox
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Verify the inbox type is Live Website Chat
Step 3: Remove Extra Inboxes
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Identify any additional inboxes beyond the first one
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Click the trash icon next to each extra inbox name
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Confirm the deletion when prompted
Remove Extra Agents
Step 4: Access Agent Settings
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Navigate to Settings in your left sidebar
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Click on Agent Settings
Step 5: Review and Remove Extra Agents
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Check if you have more than 2 agents in your account
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Identify which agents to remove (keep the most essential ones)
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Click the trash icon next to each extra agent's name
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Confirm the removal when prompted
Verification
After removing extra inboxes and agents, the free usage limitation message should disappear. Return to your Chatwoot dashboard and verify that you can access all free-tier features.
Success! Your account should now be compliant with the free plan limitations, and you can continue using Chatwoot without restrictions.