Chatwoot
Open-source omnichannel customer support platform with AI-powered automation
Founded
N/A
Starting Price
Free
Category
Communication
Last updated April 27, 2026
About Chatwoot
Chatwoot is an open-source customer communication platform that provides a shared omnichannel inbox for handling messages from live chat, email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and more. It serves as a lightweight yet powerful alternative to Intercom and Zendesk, enabling support teams to respond to customers, automate workflows, and track conversations in one unified interface. Chatwoot features Captain AI for automated responses, a built-in knowledge base, multi-agent collaboration tools, and flexible deployment options including self-hosted and cloud-hosted plans.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully open-source with active community (19k+ GitHub stars)
- True omnichannel support across all major messaging platforms
- Built-in AI assistant (Captain) included in paid plans
- Self-hosting option gives full data control
- Affordable compared to Intercom and Zendesk
Cons
Key Features
Omnichannel shared inbox (email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, live chat)
Captain AI for automated responses and reply suggestions
Automated workflows with rule-based triggers
Multi-agent collaboration with internal notes and mentions
Built-in knowledge base for self-service support
Self-hosted and cloud deployment options
Customizable live chat widget
CSAT surveys and reporting
SSO/SAML and role-based permissions (Enterprise)
SLA policies and agent capacity management
Pricing
Self-Hosted (Free)
Free
- Full platform
- Community support
- Self-managed infrastructure
Starter (Cloud)
$19/agent/month
Featured In
#1
7 Best Open-Source Customer Support Platforms You Can Self-Host (2026)
Best overall open-source customer support platform — the most feature-complete Intercom/Zendesk alternative with omnichannel messaging, AI assistance, and both self-hosted and cloud options
#6
7 Best Intercom Alternatives for Customer Support Without the Enterprise Price Tag (2026)
Best for teams that need full data ownership and self-hosting — the leading open-source Intercom alternative with genuine omnichannel support and zero vendor lock-in.