Full omnichannel support with AI, beyond chat and visitor recordings
Smartsupp combines live chat with visitor recordings and chatbots. Chatwoot goes further with 12+ messaging channels, AI copilot, team collaboration tools, and the option to self-host. It's a full support platform, not just a chat tool with analytics.
- 12+ channels: WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, email, and more
- Captain AI copilot for reply drafting and conversation summaries
- Team collaboration with SLAs, automation, and reporting
- Transparent per-agent pricing from free
- Self-host on your infrastructure for data sovereignty
At a glance
12+ channels
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Smartsupp
- No
AI copilot
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Smartsupp
- No
Free plan
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Smartsupp
- Yes
Self-hosted option
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Smartsupp
- No
Open source
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Smartsupp
- No
Feature comparison
See how Chatwoot and Smartsupp compare across key features.
| Feature | Chatwoot | Smartsupp |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging Channels | ||
| Website live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | No | |
| Yes | No | |
| Instagram DMs | Yes | No |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | Yes |
| Telegram | Yes | No |
| LINE | Yes | No |
| SMS | Yes | No |
| TikTok DMs | Yes | No |
| API channel | Yes | Yes |
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI copilot for agents | Yes | No |
| AI-powered replies | Yes | No |
| Chatbots / bot builder | Yes | Yes |
| Automation rules | Yes | No |
| Canned responses | Yes | Yes |
| SLA management | Yes | No |
| Team Collaboration | ||
| Shared inbox | Yes | No |
| Private notes | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 Smartsupp
Common pain points that lead teams to explore alternatives.
Chat-only tool
Smartsupp covers live chat and Facebook Messenger but lacks email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and other channels. Chatwoot includes 12+.
No AI copilot
Smartsupp has chatbots but no AI assistant for agents. Chatwoot's Captain AI drafts replies, detects intent, and summarizes conversations.
Limited team features
Smartsupp focuses on e-commerce chat, not team-scale support. Chatwoot includes SLAs, automation rules, team performance reporting, and more.
No self-hosting
Smartsupp is cloud-only and closed source. Chatwoot offers full self-hosting and open-source code.
How Chatwoot is different
What makes Chatwoot the right choice over Smartsupp.
Full support platform
Shared inbox, automation, SLAs, CSAT, and help center. Everything a growing support team needs.
12+ messaging channels
Go beyond chat with WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, email, SMS, and more. All on every paid plan.
Captain AI copilot
Captain drafts replies for agents, detects what customers need, and condenses long threads. Smartsupp has no agent AI.
Per-agent pricing
Simple pricing from free. No conversation limits, no per-chatbot fees.
Built-in help center
Knowledge base with articles, categories, and multilingual support. Reduce ticket volume with self-service.
Self-hostable
Deploy on your own infrastructure with Docker and Helm charts. Full code access.
Common questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about switching from Smartsupp to Chatwoot.
Is Chatwoot better than Smartsupp for e-commerce?
Chatwoot supports Shopify integration and works for e-commerce, but it's not e-commerce-only. If you need visitor recordings, Smartsupp has that edge. If you need omnichannel support with AI, Chatwoot is the better choice.
Does Chatwoot have visitor recordings like Smartsupp?
No. Chatwoot focuses on support conversations rather than visitor behavior analytics. For session recordings, pair Chatwoot with a dedicated analytics tool.
Can I use Chatwoot for free like Smartsupp?
Yes. Chatwoot has a free plan for 2 agents, and paid plans from $19/agent/mo include all 12+ channels.
Is Smartsupp cheaper than Chatwoot?
Smartsupp requires a paid plan for full features. Chatwoot starts free, and paid plans from $19/agent/mo include AI copilot and all channels.
Also compare Chatwoot with
Switching from Smartsupp?
Try Chatwoot free and see the difference. Our team can help you migrate your data and get set up.