Textline vs Tidio
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | Textline | Tidio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $100/mo | From $98/mo |
| Best For | Small businesses needing simple SMS messaging | Small ecommerce businesses on Shopify needing live chat and basic automation |
| Standout Feature | Streamlined SMS-only experience | Lyro AI chatbot with strong ecommerce query resolution |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.2 | 4.7/5 |
Textline and Tidio represent two different philosophies in customer communication. Textline specializes in business SMS messaging with pricing from $39-$149/month, while Tidio offers a comprehensive live chat and chatbot platform ranging from free to $749/month.
Both platforms excel in their respective domains, but serve different business needs and communication strategies.
Feature Comparison
Textline focuses exclusively on SMS messaging, offering features like bulk messaging, two-way conversations, and SMS automation. It's designed for businesses that rely heavily on text communication.
Tidio provides live chat widgets, chatbots, email integration, and visitor tracking. Its strength lies in website engagement and automated customer interactions.
The platforms serve different communication channels - Textline for SMS-first businesses, Tidio for web-based customer engagement.
Pricing Comparison
Textline's pricing ($39-$149/month) is straightforward with plans based on message volume and features. Higher tiers include advanced automation and analytics.
Tidio offers more pricing flexibility, starting free for basic chat and scaling to $749/month for enterprise features. The free tier supports up to 100 conversations monthly.
For SMS-focused businesses, Textline provides better value. For comprehensive chat needs, Tidio's tiered approach offers more options.
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
Tidio
Pros
- ✓ Excellent Shopify and ecommerce integrations
- ✓ Lyro AI chatbot is effective
- ✓ Easy setup with no coding required
Cons
- ✗ Conversation-based pricing can get expensive
- ✗ No native Telegram or Zalo support
- ✗ AI features (Lyro) cost extra
Verdict
Choose Textline if SMS is your primary customer communication channel and you need robust text messaging features. Choose Tidio if you want an all-in-one chat solution with strong automation capabilities.
Choose Textline if: SMS is your primary customer channel, you need bulk messaging capabilities, or your business model relies on text communication.
Choose Tidio if: You want website chat integration, need chatbot automation, or prefer starting with a free plan before scaling up.
Alternative: Consider Converge at $49/month flat rate for unified customer communication across all channels without per-agent fees.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all Textline comparisons and all Tidio comparisons.