Free live chat with AI copilot, 12+ channels, and real omnichannel support
Tawk.to offers free chat, but it's limited to basic website chat, monetizes by selling hired agents, and has no AI features. Chatwoot is also free to start, but gives you AI copilot, 12+ messaging channels, enterprise features, and the option to self-host.
- WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, and 8 more channels
- Captain AI copilot for agent productivity
- 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
- No
No ads or upsells
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- No
WhatsApp & Instagram
- Chatwoot
- Yes
- Tawk.to
- No
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 | 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 | No |
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI copilot for agents | Yes | No |
| AI-powered replies | Yes | No |
| Chatbots / bot builder | Yes | No |
| 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.
Only basic web chat
Tawk.to focuses on website live chat with limited Facebook support. No WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, or SMS. Modern support needs more channels.
No AI or advanced features
Tawk.to lacks AI copilot, SLA management, advanced automation, SAML SSO, and audit logs. As your team grows, you'll outgrow the tool.
A different business model
Tawk.to monetizes by selling hired agents as a paid service. 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 is limited to web chat and basic integrations.
Captain AI copilot
Captain helps agents respond faster with draft replies and thread summaries. Tawk.to does not offer a comparable assistant.
Enterprise-grade features
SLA management, SAML SSO, audit logs, role-based access, and automation rules. 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, self-hosting, AI copilot, WhatsApp and Instagram support, SLA management, SAML SSO, and enterprise features. Tawk.to is limited to basic web chat with no AI or advanced capabilities.
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.