heyly.io is the anti-chatbot. Instead of an AI that says “Hi! How can I help?” forever, you record a 30-second hello in your own voice and put it in the corner of your site, with up to 5 action buttons (book a call, WhatsApp, see pricing). It plays once, stays out of the way, and tracks who watched. If your audience flinches at bots, this is the opposite move.
Strengths
- Real face on your website in 30 seconds
- Under 30KB — doesn't slow your page
- Free forever plan, no card
- GDPR-friendly, EU-built
Best for
Service businesses, solopreneurs, and brands where “real human” is the differentiator.
Pricing
Free for 1 site / 1 video / 1k views per 30 days. Pro €19/mo unlimited.
Crisp covers the same surface as Tidio (chat + chatbot + shared inbox) but with flat pricing rather than per-seat. The chatbot builder is more flexible and less locked to an AI model. If you liked Tidio's bundle but want more control over flows, Crisp is the direct swap.
Strengths
- Flat pricing, not per-seat
- More flexible chatbot builder
- Knowledge base included
Best for
Small teams who want a chatbot they can build themselves (rule-based).
Pricing
From $25/mo flat (Basic). Pro plans up to $295/mo.
Intercom's Fin AI agent is arguably the most accurate AI chatbot on the market — but at $0.99 per resolution plus $39/seat/mo, it's only worth it if you have real volume. For solopreneurs and small teams, Intercom is overkill. For funded SaaS with a real support team, it's the gold standard.
Strengths
- Fin AI is the best chatbot in the category
- Deep CRM integrations
- Strong reporting
Best for
Funded SaaS with dedicated support staff.
Pricing
From $39/seat/mo + add-ons.
If the chatbot is the source of frustration, LiveChat removes it entirely. Just live chat, with a fast agent panel, 200+ integrations, and per-seat pricing. The product has barely changed in 20 years — and that's the point. You hire humans, they reply. No AI surprises.
Strengths
- Mature, stable product
- Clean agent panel
- 200+ integrations
Best for
Teams that want chat without an AI layer.
Pricing
From $20/agent/mo (annual). 14-day trial.
Olark is the friendly, accessible chat tool. WCAG-compliant by default, clean admin, fair pricing. No chatbot, just live chat with humans. Smaller-team feel and a focus on respectful UX make this a good pick for mission-driven businesses.
Strengths
- Accessibility-first design
- Clean, focused product
- Reasonable pricing
Best for
Mission-driven small businesses and nonprofits.
Pricing
From $29/seat/mo (annual). 14-day trial.
HubSpot's free chat tool is included with the free CRM. If you're already in HubSpot (or planning to be), this is the no-brainer pick — your chats land directly in the same contact records as your email and meetings. The free tier is genuinely useful, paid HubSpot Hub tiers unlock more.
Strengths
- Free with HubSpot CRM
- Native CRM record sync
- Easy to set up
Best for
Teams already running HubSpot for sales or marketing.
Pricing
Free with HubSpot CRM. Paid Hubs from $20/seat/mo.
Tawk.to is the budget option — chat, ticketing, knowledge base, all free, unlimited agents. They make money on add-ons: $29/mo to remove branding, $1/hr for hired chat agents. UX is rougher than paid tools, but the math is hard to argue with.
Strengths
- Truly free, unlimited agents
- Ticketing + KB bundled
- Mobile + desktop apps
Best for
Bootstrappers and freelancers at zero budget.
Pricing
Free. $29/mo to remove “Powered by Tawk.”