Why people look for Crisp alternatives

Crisp is a solid customer messaging platform, but it's not right for everyone. Here's why teams look elsewhere.

The pricing reality

Crisp looks affordable at €45/mo Mini, but that plan is very limited. Most teams end up on the €295/mo Plus plan for full features - automation, unlimited AI, advanced integrations. The jump from €95 Essentials to €295 Plus feels steep. Read our Crisp comparison page for a detailed breakdown.

You only need email

Crisp shines with live chat, shared inbox, and multi-channel support. If you only need email marketing, you're paying for capabilities you won't use. Email-focused platforms like Sequenzy are more affordable and purpose-built.

Per-workspace billing hurts multi-brand teams

Crisp charges per workspace. If you run multiple products or sites, each needs its own subscription. Agencies managing client sites find this adds up fast compared to per-seat pricing models.

The alternatives, honestly

For SaaS email marketing: Sequenzy

If you don't need live chat, why pay for it? Sequenzy is purpose-built for SaaS email marketing with AI-generated sequences and native Stripe integration. At $19/mo vs Crisp's €295/mo Plus, it's significantly cheaper for email-focused use cases.

The catch: email only. No live chat, no shared inbox. If you need those, Sequenzy isn't the answer.

For premium messaging: Intercom

Intercom is the industry leader in customer messaging. More expensive than Crisp but more polished, with excellent product tours, AI-powered Fin chatbot, and extensive integrations. Read our Intercom comparison for details.

The trade-off: expensive and complex pricing. Per-seat fees plus AI resolution charges add up. But for funded startups wanting best-in-class, Intercom delivers.

For open-source control: Chatwoot

Chatwoot is the leading open-source Crisp alternative. Self-host for free, or use their cloud from $19/agent/mo. Multi-channel inbox with WhatsApp and Messenger integration.

The catch: less polished than Crisp. Self-hosting requires DevOps resources. But for teams wanting control and avoiding vendor lock-in, it's the best option.

For budget live chat: Tidio

Tidio offers affordable live chat with a generous free plan and paid tiers from $29/mo. Their Lyro AI chatbot is solid for the price. E-commerce focused with good Shopify integration.

Trade-off: less sophisticated than Crisp. Fewer enterprise features. But for small businesses wanting affordable chat, Tidio delivers value.

The pricing comparison

At comparable usage:

• Crisp Plus: €295/mo (~$320) for full features
• Sequenzy: $19/mo for 10k emails (email only)
• Intercom: From $29/seat + usage fees
• Chatwoot Cloud: $19/agent/mo
• Tidio: $29/mo paid plans
• Tawk.to: Free (ad-supported)

Note: Different platforms charge differently (per workspace, per seat, per agent). Compare based on your team size and needs. Check our pricing page for Sequenzy's simple per-subscriber model.

When Crisp is still the right choice

Crisp wins if:

• You need live chat + email + knowledge base in one platform
• The €295/mo Plus plan fits your budget
• Multi-channel shared inbox is important
• You want a single vendor for messaging needs

Don't switch just to save money if Crisp's unified platform is valuable to you. Managing multiple tools (separate chat, email, help desk) has its own costs. But if you're primarily using one channel, specialized tools are often better and cheaper. Use our email validator tool to ensure list quality when evaluating any platform.