Chatwoot vs Textline
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Chatwoot | Textline |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $19/seat/mo | From $100/mo |
| Best For | Technical teams wanting open-source flexibility | Small businesses needing simple SMS messaging |
| Standout Feature | Open-source with self-hosting option | Streamlined SMS-only experience |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.4 | 4.2 |
Chatwoot and Textline both enable customer communication but with different specializations. Chatwoot provides comprehensive omnichannel support, while Textline focuses specifically on business text messaging and SMS customer service.
With Chatwoot's G2 rating of 4.4 compared to Textline's 4.2, both platforms deliver solid user experiences, though they excel in different communication channels.
Feature Comparison
Chatwoot offers comprehensive customer support across email, live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and more. It includes ticketing, knowledge base, automation, and team collaboration features in a unified interface.
Textline specializes in business SMS with features like shared team inboxes for text messages, automated responses, contact management, and integration with existing business tools. It's built specifically for teams that handle customer service primarily through text messaging.
The choice depends on channel preference: Chatwoot for multi-channel support teams, Textline for SMS-focused customer service operations.
Pricing Comparison
Chatwoot starts at $20 per agent per month with custom enterprise pricing. Its open-source version offers free self-hosting, making it cost-effective for technical teams or budget-conscious businesses.
Textline ranges from $39 to $149 per month based on message volume and features. This pricing model works well for businesses with predictable SMS volumes but can become expensive with high message counts.
For small teams doing multi-channel support, Chatwoot offers better value. For SMS-heavy operations, Textline's specialized features may justify the cost despite potentially higher monthly fees.
Chatwoot
Pros
- ✓ Open-source option available
- ✓ Good channel coverage
- ✓ Active development community
Cons
- ✗ Per-agent pricing model
- ✗ Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- ✗ Limited advanced features in lower tiers
Textline
Pros
- ✓ Simple SMS-focused interface
- ✓ Good team collaboration features
- ✓ Reasonable pricing for SMS
Cons
- ✗ SMS only - no other channels
- ✗ Message limits with overage fees
- ✗ Limited automation capabilities
Verdict
Choose Chatwoot if you need full omnichannel support with email, chat, and social media integration. Choose Textline if SMS is your primary customer communication channel and you need advanced texting features.
Choose Chatwoot if: You need support across multiple channels, want customization options, or prefer per-agent pricing that scales with team size.
Choose Textline if: SMS is your primary customer service channel, you need advanced text messaging features, or your team specializes in mobile-first customer communication.
Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate if you need reliable multi-channel support including SMS without the complexity of specialized messaging platforms or per-agent fees.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Chatwoot comparisons and all Textline comparisons.