Chatwoot

by Chatwoot · Bengaluru, Karnataka · Since 2019

Open-source customer engagement with WhatsApp built in Bengaluru.

WhatsApp automationMade in IndiaFree planOpen source

Starting price: $19 per agent/month; Startups plan, Chatwoot Cloud
Free trial / plan: Free plan; Hacker: 2 agents, 500 conversations/month, live chat only
Deployment: Cloud; Web
App Advisor rating: 4.6; transparency & India fit

What is Chatwoot?

Chatwoot is an open-source customer support inbox that puts website live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, SMS and voice calls into one shared queue for a team of agents. The project began in 2016 as a social media support tool and was open-sourced in 2019. The company behind it, Chatwoot Inc, backed by Y Combinator, has team members in both the United States and India. For an Indian D2C brand, SaaS company or service business that answers customers mostly on WhatsApp and website chat, it is one of the few tools that can run on Chatwoot's cloud or on your own server.

Its strongest point is choice. The Community Edition is free to self-host on a Linux server with PostgreSQL and Redis; Chatwoot suggests at least 4GB RAM and 2 CPU cores for production. That means a company with an in-house developer can keep every conversation on a server in an Indian data centre and pay nothing per agent. On the cloud, the free Hacker plan covers 2 agents and 500 conversations a month, but only for live chat. WhatsApp, email and social channels start on the Startups plan.

The weak spots are the usual open-source trade-offs. Prices are published only in US dollars per agent per month, so expect a card payment in USD rather than an INR GST invoice from an Indian entity. Automation rules, teams and voice calls are locked to the $39 Business plan, and SSO/SAML plus audit logs need the $99 Enterprise plan. Self-hosting is free, but you take on upgrades, backups and uptime yourself. Meta also charges its own WhatsApp conversation fees on top of the Chatwoot subscription.

In practice, a 5-agent team that needs WhatsApp and automation pays about $195 a month on the cloud Business plan. That is competitive with Freshdesk or Zoho Desk once you add their WhatsApp add-ons. Start with the 15-day cloud trial, connect WhatsApp through the Quick setup with Meta, and decide afterwards whether moving to self-hosting is worth the effort.

What works well

+The Community Edition can be self-hosted free with no per-agent charge
+Connects to the official WhatsApp Cloud API through a guided Meta setup, without writing code
+One inbox covers live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, LINE, TikTok, SMS and voice
+The free cloud Hacker plan gives 2 agents and 500 conversations a month for live chat
+SOC 2 Type II, encryption at rest and in transit, and role-based access control are listed on the features page
+Android and iOS apps work with both Chatwoot Cloud and self-hosted installations
+Captain AI suggests replies, summarises conversations and auto-triages priority and labels

What to watch out for

−Pricing is in US dollars only, with no INR plans shown on the pricing page
−WhatsApp and other social channels are not available on the free Hacker plan
−Automation rules, teams and in-inbox voice calls need the $39-per-agent Business plan
−SSO/SAML and audit logs are only in the $99-per-agent Enterprise tier
−Self-hosting needs PostgreSQL, Redis, S3 storage and someone to maintain upgrades and backups
−Meta's WhatsApp messaging charges are billed separately from the Chatwoot subscription

Best suited for: Indian startups and D2C brands that handle support on WhatsApp, Instagram and website chat together · Companies with a developer who want to self-host support data on their own Indian server · Small teams of up to 2 agents that only need free website live chat · SaaS companies that want an open-source helpdesk they can extend through the API and webhooks

Chatwoot at a glance

Analysing Chatwoot — pricing, features, reviews and alternatives…

Generated by App Advisor's native engine from this listing's verified data — not a paid placement.

Chatwoot features

Researched from Chatwoot's official product pages · updated October 2026.

Channels

Website live chat widget
Email via IMAP/SMTP
WhatsApp Cloud API and Twilio
Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs
Telegram, LINE and TikTok
SMS and voice calls

Conversation management

Shared inbox with team queues
Labels and assignment
Canned responses
Private notes and mentions
Macros
SLA policies

AI and automation

Captain AI reply suggestions
Conversation summaries
Captain Triage for priority and labels
Captain Monitors for conversation themes
Automation rules
Auto-assignment

Reports and self-service

Realtime overview report
CSAT surveys and reports
Agent, label, inbox and team reports
Help center with custom domain
Contact segments
Bot reports

Security and deployment

SOC 2 Type II
Role-based access control
SSO/SAML
Audit logs
Self-hosting on your own server

AI capabilities

Captain AI copilot uses OpenAI GPT models for reply suggestions and summaries
Captain Triage sets priority, labels and team automatically
Captain Monitors tracks conversation themes described in plain English

Chatwoot pricing (USD)

Source

Every edition as published by the vendor · free trial: 15-day free trial on Chatwoot Cloud. Prices exclude GST unless stated. Full Chatwoot pricing breakdown

Hacker

up to 2 agents

500 conversations per month
Live chat channel only
30-day data retention
No Captain AI

Startups

$19

per agent per month

All channels including WhatsApp
Help center
300 Captain AI credits
1-year data retention

Business

$39

per agent per month

Voice calls
Teams and automation rules
500 Captain AI credits
2-year data retention

Enterprise

$99

per agent per month

SSO/SAML
Audit logs
800 Captain AI credits
3-year data retention

Other pricing options & add-ons

Self-hosted Community Edition
Open source, no Captain AI, voice or custom branding
$0
Self-hosted Premium Support
Adds Captain AI, voice, branding, roles and priority email support
$19 per agent/month
Self-hosted Enterprise Edition
Adds SSO/SAML and SLA policies
$99 per agent/month
Extra Captain AI credits
$20 per 1,000 credits

• Prices are in USD; no INR pricing or GST treatment is published.
• Unlimited conversations on paid plans are subject to a fair use policy.
• The Startups plan is free for open-source projects on request.
• Captain AI credits are non-refundable.

Buying for a team? App Advisor can get you a volume quote and any partner discount available.

Implementing Chatwoot

Source

Ways to implement

Chatwoot Cloud
Self-hosted Community Edition
Self-hosted paid editions

Same day for cloud live chat; a few days for a production self-hosted install

1Sign up for the 15-day cloud trial
2Add the live chat widget to your website
3Connect WhatsApp via Quick setup with Meta
4Create teams, labels and canned responses
5Set automation rules and CSAT surveys
6Install the mobile app for agents

Need a certified partner in India to set up Chatwoot?Implementation help

Integrations, security & India

Integrations

Slack
Stripe
Dialogflow
Rasa
Google Translate
OpenAI
Linear
Cloudflare RealtimeKit
Webhooks
REST API
Dashboard Apps
Twilio (SMS and WhatsApp)

Security & compliance

SOC 2 Type II
Encryption at rest and in transit
Role-based access control
SSO/SAML and audit logs on Enterprise
GDPR compliance controls
Self-hosting option for full data control

For Indian businesses

Chatwoot's team page says its team is split between the United States and India, and the billing entity named on the site is Chatwoot Inc.
WhatsApp connects through Meta's official Cloud API, including coexistence with the WhatsApp Business app on your phone when you use Quick setup.
All cloud prices are in USD per agent per month, so Indian buyers pay in dollars and should plan for forex charges on card payments.
Self-hosting lets an Indian company keep customer conversations on a server in an Indian data centre.

Mobile apps

Android app iOS app

The app handles push notifications, assignment, private notes, canned responses, file sharing and macros, and can switch between cloud and self-hosted accounts.

Support, resources & partner network

Support & learning

Community Edition users get help on Discord and GitHub
Self-hosted Premium Support adds priority email support
Self-hosted Enterprise Edition adds SSO/SAML and SLA policies on top of Premium Support

Pricing Self-hosted plans User guide WhatsApp Cloud setup

Trust, compliance & who uses Chatwoot

Certifications & compliance

SOC 2 Type II — Listed under Security & Compliance on the features page Source

Each claim links to the vendor's own published statement. Always confirm current certificate validity directly with the vendor.

Chatwoot timeline — releases & milestones

2016Started as a social media support toolSource
2019Open-sourced after a Hacker News launchSource

Is Chatwoot the best choice for you?

Best choice if you are…

Indian startups and D2C brands that handle support on WhatsApp, Instagram and website chat together
Companies with a developer who want to self-host support data on their own Indian server
Small teams of up to 2 agents that only need free website live chat
SaaS companies that want an open-source helpdesk they can extend through the API and webhooks

Look elsewhere if you are…

Businesses that need an INR GST invoice from an Indian billing entity
Teams without technical staff that want full automation without paying for the Business plan
Companies that need a ticketing-heavy ITSM tool with asset management

Still comparing? Get an unbiased shortlist and demos arranged for free.

Sources (7) · updated October 2026

Chatwoot screenshots

Specifications

Category: WhatsApp automation
Vendor: Chatwoot
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Founded: 2019
Pricing model: Freemium
Starting price: Free plan
Deployment: Cloud
Platforms: Web
Best for: Startup, Small business, SMB
Made in India: Yes

Free plan

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Chatwoot — frequently asked questions

How much does Chatwoot cost in India?+

Chatwoot prices its cloud plans in US dollars per agent per month: Hacker is free for up to 2 agents, Startups costs $19, Business $39 and Enterprise $99. The pricing page shows no INR prices, so Indian teams are billed in dollars. Extra Captain AI credits cost $20 per 1,000. The self-hosted Community Edition is free.

Does Chatwoot charge GST or give an Indian GST invoice?+

Chatwoot's pricing page lists prices only in USD and names Chatwoot Inc as the company, and it does not mention an Indian GST invoice. If input tax credit matters to your business, ask Chatwoot's sales team before buying. Otherwise, treat it as an overseas software subscription paid by card in dollars.

Is there a free plan or free trial for Chatwoot?+

Yes. Chatwoot offers both. The cloud Hacker plan is free for up to 2 agents and 500 conversations a month, but it supports live chat only. A 15-day free trial of the paid cloud plans includes WhatsApp. The open-source Community Edition is free to self-host with no agent limit set by pricing.

Can I use WhatsApp with Chatwoot?+

Yes. Chatwoot connects to the official WhatsApp Cloud API, either through Quick setup with Meta or a manual setup using a Meta app and system user token. WhatsApp inboxes need the Startups plan or above, and voice calling needs Business. Meta bills its WhatsApp messaging charges separately from Chatwoot.

Chatwoot vs Freshdesk: which is better for an Indian business?+

Choose Chatwoot if you want an open-source inbox that can be self-hosted and that is built around chat and WhatsApp. Pick Freshdesk if you need deep ticketing, an INR-billing vendor and a large support organisation. Chatwoot's $39 Business plan includes automation rules and teams, so compare the total cost once you add Freshdesk's channel add-ons.

Does Chatwoot have a mobile app?+

Yes. Chatwoot has apps for Android on Google Play and for iPhone on the App Store. Agents get push notifications, can reply, assign, add private notes, use canned responses and run macros. The same app also connects to self-hosted Chatwoot servers and supports switching between multiple accounts.

Is customer data safe in Chatwoot?+

Chatwoot lists SOC 2 Type II, encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access control and GDPR controls. SSO/SAML and audit logs are only on Enterprise. For the strictest control, self-host Chatwoot on your own server in India so conversations never leave your infrastructure. Captain AI sends data to OpenAI models.

How long does it take to set up Chatwoot?+

A Chatwoot Cloud account with website live chat can go live the same day by pasting a widget script on your site. WhatsApp Quick setup through Meta also takes only a few steps. Self-hosting takes longer, because you need a Linux server with PostgreSQL, Redis and S3 storage, ideally with at least 4GB RAM.

What do Chatwoot's self-hosted paid plans include?+

Chatwoot's self-hosted Community Edition is free but leaves out Captain AI, voice calls, custom branding and roles. Premium Support at $19 per agent per month adds those plus priority email support. Enterprise Edition at $99 per agent adds SSO/SAML and SLA policies, which are the two features missing from Premium Support.

Does Chatwoot have AI features?+

Yes. Chatwoot's Captain AI acts as a copilot that suggests replies and summarises conversations. Captain Triage sets priority, labels and teams automatically. Paid cloud plans include 300 to 800 Captain credits a month depending on tier, and extra credits cost $20 per 1,000. The free Hacker plan does not include Captain.

Where is the Chatwoot login page?+

Chatwoot's login is at https://app.chatwoot.com/app/login?utm_source=navbar-link, linked from its official website.

How do I sign up for Chatwoot?+

New accounts are created at https://app.chatwoot.com/app/auth/signup?utm_source=navbar-link on Chatwoot's official site.

How much does Chatwoot cost?+

Chatwoot publishes its plans at https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing. It offers a free plan. Check that page for current prices, as plans change.

Does Chatwoot have a free trial?+

Yes. Chatwoot's official site offers a free trial of 15 days.

Is Chatwoot secure and compliant?+

Chatwoot's official site states SOC 2, GDPR compliance.

What is Chatwoot?+

Chatwoot is whatsapp automation by Chatwoot, an Indian company from Bengaluru. Open-source customer engagement with WhatsApp built in Bengaluru.

How much does Chatwoot cost?+

Chatwoot has a free plan. Check the vendor's pricing page for current plans.

Does Chatwoot offer a free trial or free plan?+

Yes — Chatwoot offers a free plan you can start with.

Is Chatwoot made in India?+

Yes. Chatwoot is built by Chatwoot, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Who is Chatwoot best suited for?+

Chatwoot suits startup, small business, smb buyers looking for whatsapp automation.

What are the best alternatives to Chatwoot?+

Popular alternatives in whatsapp automation include AiSensy, Gupshup, Zoho SalesIQ WhatsApp. Use App Advisor's compare tool to see them side by side.

How is Chatwoot deployed?+

Chatwoot is available as a cloud (SaaS) product, with web access.

About Chatwoot

Chatwoot · Bengaluru, Karnataka · Founded 2019 · 1 product in our catalogue · Indian company

Company profile Official website

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