Chatwoot
Chatwoot is open-source customer engagement platform. Best suited for technical teams wanting open-source flexibility. Known for its open-source with self-hosting option.
Chatwoot offers 3 pricing plans, ranging from $0/agent/mo to $99/agent/mo. Chatwoot uses per-agent pricing starting at $19/agent/month for Startups (Additional fees for WhatsApp and SMS channels. Open-source self-hosted version available for free but requires infrastructure.). Additional costs for add-ons and premium features may apply beyond the base plan price.
Chatwoot Key Features
Chatwoot Plans & Pricing
What each tier includes and costs
Cost by Team Size
Estimated costs on Chatwoot's Startups
Chatwoot charges per agent. Below are total costs for different team sizes on the Startups plan. Note: Additional fees for WhatsApp and SMS channels. Open-source self-hosted version available for free but requires infrastructure..
Hidden Costs & Additional Fees
What you may pay beyond the listed price
The base plan price is the starting point. These are documented additional costs and considerations reported by users and found in Chatwoot's pricing details.
Chatwoot Pricing Model
How the pricing works
Chatwoot uses per-agent pricing, meaning costs increase for every team member who needs access to the platform.
What this means in practice
- Total cost scales linearly with team size
- Adding seasonal or part-time agents increases the bill
- Different tiers gate features behind higher per-agent prices
- Annual billing is typically required for advertised rates
Additional fees for WhatsApp and SMS channels. Open-source self-hosted version available for free but requires infrastructure.
Chatwoot vs Alternatives
How pricing compares in the same category
Prices shown are starting prices. Actual costs vary based on team size, selected tier, and add-ons.
Is Chatwoot Worth the Price?
An honest evaluation
Chatwoot's core strength is open-source with self-hosting option. It is best suited for Technical teams wanting open-source flexibility.
Strengths
- Open-source option available
- Good channel coverage
- Active development community
- Self-hosting possible
Drawbacks
- Per-agent pricing model
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- Limited advanced features in lower tiers
- No Discord or Zalo support
Bottom line: Chatwoot delivers strong value for teams that need tech-savvy teams. For smaller teams (under 15 people) that primarily need messaging across WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and other channels, a flat-rate alternative like Converge ($49/month) may be more cost-effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chatwoot pricing starts at From $19/seat/mo. Plans range from Hacker ($0/agent/mo) to Enterprise ($99/agent/mo). Pricing is per-agent, so total costs scale with team size.
Yes, Chatwoot offers a free plan with limited features. Most teams need paid plans starting at From $19/seat/mo for full functionality.
Chatwoot's Hacker plan includes: Up to 2 agents, Website live chat, Slack integration. Note: 500 conversations/month limit, 30-day data retention only. Higher tiers add more advanced features.
Chatwoot offers both monthly and annual billing options. Annual billing usually provides a discount.
Chatwoot is best for Technical teams wanting open-source flexibility. Strengths include: Open-source option available; Good channel coverage. Downsides: Per-agent pricing model; Self-hosting requires technical expertise. The value depends on your team size, required features, and budget.
Common additional costs include: 500 conversations/month limit, 30-day data retention only. Additional fees for WhatsApp and SMS channels. Self-hosted only, requires infrastructure.
Chatwoot starts at From $19/seat/mo with per-agent pricing. Alternatives in the same category range from free tiers to $150+/agent/month. Flat-rate options like Converge ($49/month for up to 15 agents) can be more cost-effective for smaller teams.
Most Chatwoot plans can be upgraded at any time. Downgrades and cancellations typically take effect at the end of the current billing cycle. Check Chatwoot's terms of service for specific cancellation policies and whether mid-term changes are allowed.
In the Chatwoot dashboard, go to the Contacts screen and click the Export button. Chatwoot generates a CSV file that is emailed to your administrator account. Since PR #9347 (May 2024), the export respects any active filters, segments, and labels you've applied — so you can export a targeted subset or all contacts at once. The CSV includes name, email, phone number, and custom attributes. This feature is available on all plans including the free Hacker tier. You need admin privileges to trigger the export.
Chatwoot does not offer a one-click conversation export in the UI. To retrieve conversation history, use the REST API: GET /api/v1/accounts/{account_id}/conversations to list conversations (filterable by status, assignee, inbox, team, and labels), then GET /api/v1/accounts/{account_id}/conversations/{id}/messages for each conversation's full message history. There is no single bulk export endpoint — you must iterate conversation by conversation. For self-hosted instances, you can bypass the API entirely and export everything directly using pg_dump on the PostgreSQL database.
Yes. Chatwoot's REST API covers contacts, conversations, messages, canned responses, and labels. To authenticate, generate a Personal Access Token from your avatar > Profile Settings > Access Token, then include it as a header: api_access_token: your_token_here. Admin tokens can access all account data; agent tokens are limited to assigned conversations. Additional exportable data includes canned responses at /api/v1/accounts/{account_id}/canned_responses and labels at /api/v1/accounts/{account_id}/labels. Reports are downloadable as CSV from the Reports section on Startups plans and above. Full API documentation is available at developers.chatwoot.com.
The switch itself is free — most platforms offer free trials (Converge offers a 14-day trial with no credit card required). The main cost is time: 1-3 days for a typical migration depending on how many channels and automations you need to recreate. If you're on Chatwoot's Business plan at $39/agent/month, a 5-agent team pays $195/month. Switching to a flat-rate platform like Converge at $49/month saves $1,752/year. Export your contacts via the dashboard CSV export and canned responses via the API before canceling. Note Chatwoot's data retention limits: Hacker plan data is deleted after 30 days, Startups after 1 year — export before your retention window closes.
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