Freshchat

Freshchat is the customer messaging product from Freshworks, the publicly traded SaaS company (NASDAQ: FRSH) behind Freshdesk, Freshsales, and Freshservice. According to G2, Freshchat holds a 4.4/5 rating from approximately 491 reviews (2026). The platform covers web chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, LINE, and SMS. Freshchat integrates tightly with Freshdesk for ticketing and uses Freshworks' Freddy AI for chatbot automation, agent assist (Copilot), and conversation auto-triage. A free plan supports up to 10 agents with basic chat and email only.

Converge is a messaging-first inbox at $49/month flat for up to 15 agents, supporting WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, Messenger, Gmail, email, and an embeddable chat widget. The core difference: Freshchat is one component of a larger Freshworks suite with upsell paths to ticketing, CRM, and IT service management; Converge is a standalone messaging inbox that includes all channels and AI reply suggestions at a single price with no per-agent fees.

Freshchat's Freddy AI is its main differentiator. Freddy AI Agent is a customer-facing chatbot that handles automated conversations — each paid plan includes 500 bot sessions per month, with additional sessions costing $100 per 1,000 (according to Freshworks pricing and confirmed by eesel.ai's 2025 pricing guide). Freddy AI Copilot assists human agents with suggested replies and conversation summaries, but it costs an extra $29 per agent per month and is only available on Pro ($49/agent) and Enterprise ($79/agent) plans, as reported by AWS Marketplace. IntelliAssign provides automatic conversation routing based on agent skills and load. The no-code chatbot builder supports conditional flows and API integrations for structured conversations.

Channel support covers WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, LINE, SMS, email, and web chat. Telegram, Discord, and Zalo are absent. The free plan restricts channels to web chat and email — WhatsApp and social channels require the Growth plan ($19/agent/month) or higher. WhatsApp carries per-conversation Meta fees on top of Freshchat's own pricing. Freshchat integrates with Freshdesk for ticket escalation, which is useful when chat conversations need tracking as formal support tickets.

Converge includes all messaging channels — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Instagram, Zalo, Messenger, Gmail, email, and the embeddable widget — at $49/month flat. AI reply suggestions with configurable tone (professional, friendly, casual) are included at no extra cost, with BYOK API key support. The chat widget provides visitor tracking with UTM attribution, lead capture with email/phone collection, and FAQ self-service. Converge does not offer a chatbot builder, auto-triage, or Freshworks suite integration — it is a messaging inbox, not a platform suite component.

Freshchat pricing per agent (annual billing, per Freshworks' pricing page):

• Free: $0 — up to 10 agents, web chat and email only, 100 campaign contacts
• Growth: $19/agent/month ($23 billed monthly) — adds WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, LINE, SMS, basic dashboards, 500 Freddy AI bot sessions, 500 campaign contacts
• Pro: $49/agent/month ($59 billed monthly) — adds auto-resolve, advanced routing, CSAT surveys, custom dashboards, multiple SLA policies, 3,000 campaign contacts
• Enterprise: $79/agent/month ($95 billed monthly) — adds skill-based assignment, audit logs, allowed domains, 5,000 campaign contacts

Add-on costs that affect the total bill: Freddy AI Copilot (agent assist) is $29/agent/month on Pro and Enterprise plans only. Freddy AI Agent sessions beyond the included 500 cost $100 per 1,000 sessions. Campaign contacts beyond the plan limit cost $100/month per 10,000 contacts. Adding Freshcaller for phone support starts at $15/agent/month. Day passes for occasional agents cost $2 each.

Worked example: a 5-agent team on the Pro plan pays $245/month for base seats. Adding Freddy AI Copilot adds $145/month, bringing the total to $390/month — before any extra bot sessions or WhatsApp fees. A 10-agent team on Pro with Copilot: $490 + $290 = $780/month. A 15-agent team on Pro: $735/month base, $1,170/month with Copilot. Converge: $49/month flat for up to 15 agents with all channels and AI reply suggestions included. A 15-agent team on Freshchat Pro costs 15x what Converge charges.

Choose Freshchat if:

• You already use Freshdesk or Freshsales and want messaging that shares data across the Freshworks suite
• You need a no-code chatbot builder with conditional flows and API integrations
• Your team is under 10 people and the free plan (web chat + email) covers your needs
• You need IntelliAssign routing with skill-based assignment for high-volume operations
• LINE and SMS are required channels for your customer base

Choose Converge if:

• You need Telegram, Discord, or Zalo — channels Freshchat does not support
• You want flat $49/month pricing for up to 15 agents without per-agent scaling
• You want AI reply suggestions included at no extra cost, without $29/agent Copilot add-ons or $100/1,000-session bot charges
• You prefer a standalone messaging inbox that does not require adopting the broader Freshworks suite
• You want built-in visitor tracking, UTM attribution, and lead capture in your chat widget