Crisp chat vs Tawk.to: Which is the number 1 option for Shopify?

See how Crisp chat and Tawk.to compare to each other (and to Ringly.io) to help you decide what is the best platform for your Shopify store.
Last updated on
November 29, 2025
Maurizio Isendoorn, Co-Founder at Ringly.io
Ruben Boonzaaijer
Co-Founder

Wish you could finally stop second-guessing which live chat tool to pick for your website?

We’ll walk you through:

  • Key features, strengths, and drawbacks of both Crisp Chat and Tawk.to
  • Easy-to-follow pricing comparisons
  • Real user reviews and experiences
  • Which tool is best for Shopify

Why Ringly.io is the better choice ; )

Built for e-commerce

With experience in both AI and e-commerce, we set out become the best AI phone agent platform for online stores.

Stupid-simple user interface

Super easy to work with, and you can set it up without being tech savvy. If you create a free account you can see it for yourself though!

Quick and easy setup

Our pre-trained AI phone support agent and will have your online store automated in minutes.
AS SEEN ON
Trust ReefTrust Reef
AND OVER 500 NEWS SITES
Verified by BrandPush.co

Crisp chat vs Tawk.to – TL;DR

Product Area Crisp Chat Tawk.to Ringly.io
Live Chat Advanced, multi-channel chat Basic, unlimited free chat No live chat; phone/SMS AI
Automation/Bots Chatbots with some AI Basic auto messages, no AI AI handles calls, tasks, SMS
Knowledge Base Manual help center setup Simple built-in FAQ system Auto-updates from your site
Integrations Many (email, CRM, socials) Limited; basics only Deep, no-code, e-commerce
Pricing Affordable; cost grows with team Free; extras add cost Usage-based; monthly, flexible
Mobile Experience iOS/Android apps, some lag Apps, but unreliable alerts Phone/SMS coverage 24/7
Best for Growing teams, omnichannel support Basic needs, tight budgets Hands-off AI, e-commerce, scaling

Crisp chat - a quick overview

Founded in Nantes, France in 2015 by Baptiste Jamin and Valerian Saliou, Crisp is a fast-growing customer support platform built for startups and small businesses.

Also read: Best Crisp Alternatives

Crisp’s target audience includes ecommerce brands, tech startups, agencies, any business that wants to deliver top-notch support without complexity or high costs.

Features

  • Multi-channel inbox
  • Live chat with automation
  • Knowledge base integration
  • Team collaboration tools
  • Integrations & API access
  • Mobile & desktop apps
  • Pricing & scalability

Pros

  • User-friendly interface
  • Excellent customer support
  • Multi-channel communication
  • Powerful chatbot & automation tools
  • Smooth integrations & advanced features
  • A good value for money (for some)

Cons

  • Lack of advanced analytics/customization options
  • Cumbersome interface at scale / learning curve for advanced use
  • Bugs & reliability issues with widgets/mobile apps
  • Email marketing limitations / campaign management gaps
  • Poor CRM capabilities/integration challenges
  • No free plan/high cost at higher tiers

Tawk.to - a quick overview

Tawk.to is a free live chat application that enables businesses to communicate with website visitors in real-time. Founded in 2002 and based in Nevada, USA, it is widely used by over 245,000 companies across various industries for customer support, sales, and marketing.

Its user-friendly interface makes it a favorite among businesses looking for basic yet effective live chat solutions. In the following section, we’ll explore Tawk.to’s features, pros and cons, pricing, and user reviews, comparing them with Crisp chat and other similar platforms to help you decide which tool best fits your business needs.

Features

  • Free Live Chat Widget
  • Customizable Widget
  • Triggers & Automated Greetings
  • Chat History & Transcripts
  • Easy Setup & Integration
  • Unlimited Agents at No Cost
  • Basic Knowledge Base Integration
  • Mobile Apps & Real-Time Monitoring

Pros

  • Free Forever Plan
  • Easy to Set Up & Use
  • Real-Time Customer Engagement
  • Mobile Apps Available
  • Add-On Features Like FAQs & Notes
  • No Limits on Agent Seats or Chat Volume (on Free Tier)
  • User-Friendly Visitor Interface

Cons

  • User Interface Can Be Confusing or Cluttered
  • Poor Notification Reliability.
  • Lack of Customization Options
  • Bugs & Technical Glitches
  • Limited Integrations & Advanced Features
  • Customer Support Quality Varies
  • Free Plan Limitations / Upsell Pressure
  • Not Ideal For Large Enterprises

Pricing - Crisp chat vs Tawk.to

Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.

Crisp chat pricing

Plan Name Price (USD/mo) Key Features Contract Length / Billing Options
Basic Free Live chat widget, team inbox, mobile app notifications No contract; free forever
Pro $28–$45 All Basic features plus: 4 live chat agents, 5,000 contacts, multi-channel (FB Messenger, Email), triggers & widget customization. No chatbot. Monthly or yearly; annual discount applies
Unlimited/Plus $106–$295+ All Pro features plus: unlimited agents, up to 50k contacts, chatbot builder & automation tools, advanced integrations (CRM/eCommerce), AI-powered omnichannel support Monthly or yearly; annual discount applies

Tawk.to pricing

Plan / Add-on Price Key Features Contract Length Cancellation Fees Refund Policy
Free $0 Unlimited agents & properties, live chat, ticketing, knowledge base, 27 languages, integrations Month-to-month No No
Remove Branding $19/month per property White-label widget & emails; custom support email; remove Tawk.to branding from all interfaces Month-to-month No No
Video + Voice + Screensharing $29/month per property Video chat (WebRTC), voice calls, two-way screen sharing (web/mobile) Month-to-month No No
Hired Agents From $1/hour ($728/mo for full coverage)
Evenings/weekends: $1.10/hr, double-shift: $1.50/hr, part-time: $3/hr
24/7 live chat agents trained to your business; flexible scheduling options
Group chat with agent team in dashboard
Full transparency: access to transcripts
Month-to-month (7-day notice for cancellation) No No
Virtual Assistants Start at $7/hour Same contract/cancellation terms as Hired Agents Month-to-month (7-day notice for cancellation) No No

Ringly.io pricing

Ringly.io has simple, usage-based pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments. Test drive it risk-free for 14 days, then scale up or down on month-to-month terms—or book a demo for fully tailored enterprise support.

Plans Price Included Contract Cancellation
Start 99,- /mo ✓ 250 call minutes, then $0.36/min
Monthly Anytime Start 14-day free trial →
Grow (Most popular) 349,- /mo ✓ 1,000 mins, then $0.19/min
✓ Self-learning
✓ AI knows your customers
✓ 30-day onboarding
Monthly Anytime Start 14-day free trial →
Scale 1099,- /mo + setup fee ✓ Custom price/min
✓ Custom agent & integrations
✓ Slack channel
Custom Custom Book your demo →

Compare plans →

Online customer reviews: Crisp chat vs Tawk.to

What users are saying about Crisp chat:

Total reviews and average rating:
- Capterra: 256 reviews, average rating not explicitly stated but described as very positive.
- G2: Number of reviews not specified, but feedback is generally favorable.
- Trustpilot/Product Hunt: No specific review counts found in search results.

"Reliable and Scalable" – Tuan B., SaaS Business Owner
Crisp is modern and easy to use... support via the chat-function is also top notch... all-in-one inbox with multi-channel support, chatbot tools, affordable pricing... has scaled smoothly with our business...

"Advanced features could be more customizable" – Tuan B., SaaS Business Owner
Some advanced features (like analytics) could be more customizable... would love deeper reporting options compared to competitors like Intercom or Zendesk...

What users are saying about Tawk.to:

Total reviews and average rating:
- Capterra: Over 100 reviews (exact number not specified), average rating 4.6/5.
- G2: Number of reviews not specified; user sentiment is positive overall.
- Trustpilot/Product Hunt: No specific review counts found in search results.

"Forever free & easy setup" – Anonymous Reviewer, Capterra
The best feature of Tawk.to is that the basic chat system ...is forever free. I have been using Tawk.to for 3 years now and never paid a penny for using it which is fantastic. It is easy to setup, easy to implement and easy to manage...

"Delayed notifications & missed chats" – Anonymous Reviewer, Capterra
The only issue I have with Tawk.to is that notification emails from missed chats can take 30–60 minutes ...means you miss the user being live on your site. Responding hours later isn’t possible—often leads just disappear...

If you need further breakdowns by platform or want additional details on feature comparisons between these two products, let me know!

What users are saying about Ringly.io:

Ringly.io is known for its simplicity, and a focus on e-commerce, with features like order status lookups. It has a 4.8 star rating from 12 reviews on Product Hunt and other platforms.

"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.

"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."

"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.

"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.

Crisp chat vs Tawk.to: Which is best for you?

Who Crisp chat is best for…

  • Growing teams and SMBs who want an all-in-one platform for live chat, email, and social messaging. Crisp shines with its unified inbox, automation tools, and affordable pricing for smaller teams and startups.
  • Businesses needing advanced automation and integrations, like connecting to CRMs, building chatbots, or handling multiple channels (Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.) in one place.

Who Tawk.to is best for…

  • Small businesses and startups on a budget that need basic live chat, knowledge base, and unlimited agent seats but don’t require complex features or deep integrations, and want a solid free plan.
  • Teams looking for easy setup and immediate value. If you want to install a chat widget and start chatting with website visitors in minutes (with little or no training), Tawk.to makes it painless for everyone.

Who Ringly.io is best for…

  • Shopify brands tha tneed phone support

Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice

Best for Shopify stores looking for the best way to offer 24/7 AI phone support at a fraction of the cost.

How it went when I tried setting up Ringly:

After I installed the Shopify app, the only thing I had to do was to upload my data to the knowledge base. (website was uploaded automatically)

After I did that, I could already speak to my agent via a web call.

Setting it live was as simple as picking a phone number with my area code from the dashboard. I was able to connect the number with 1 click. (The number is also free and included)

There was not really anything else to the setup.

They claim that out of the box, their agents resolve an average of 73% of support calls. They back that up with data from over 2,100 active Shopify stores.

Signup -> onboarded took only 4 minutes and 12 seconds. Most of that time was spent waiting for the knowledge to be uploaded.

Over the first 2 weeks I used it (14-day free trial), it resolved 76% of my calls on its own.

The rest of the calls were escalated to a support ticket by my agent.

(update: the more calls you get, the smarter it gets. As of today, my resolution rate is 79%.)

Standout Features (pros):

  • Very easy setup (almost none)
  • Pay on results pricing

Pricing is on a results basis; you don't pay until your agent has at least a 60% resolution rate

Shopify integration is native. It will allow your agent to solve order status and refund requests on the phone.

Reviews are overall very positive, mainly because of the results-based pricing. If you don't pay unless you get results, every customer gets results.

Cons:

  • Phone support only

What’s unique about Ringly is that it is the first AI phone support tool built for Shopify.

Editors note: Ringly.io opened 5 spots for Shopify stores to pay $0 until AI resolves 60% of your support calls. You can book a call to claim it.

Final Thoughts: Crisp, Tawk.to, or Ringly.io?

Choosing the right customer support platform comes down to where your business is headed—and how much you want to automate. Both Crisp chat and Tawk.to do a great job if you want a text-focused, web-based chat solution, but the landscape of customer communication is quickly evolving. Here are the big-picture takeaways to help you decide:

  • Crisp Chat: Best for SMBs and scaling startups who want a feature-rich all-in-one inbox for live chat, emails, and social channels, plus good automation and integrations, all at an accessible price point.
  • Tawk.to: Perfect for small businesses or startups on a tight budget seeking unlimited free chat, easy setup, and no per-agent costs.
  • Ringly.io: The right move for Shopify stores.

Ready to experience truly automated, human-sounding support? Compare Ringly.io plans and get started today.

Like this? Share this post
Book a call to claim it ->

Pay $0 until your AI phone rep resolves 60%+ of support calls

Meet Seth, your AI phone support rep

Seth tracks an order

Seth gives size advice

Seth handles an exchange