Software: Crisp

Category: Customer Messaging & Live Chat Platform

Primary Use: Live chat, chatbots, customer support, and multichannel messaging

Developer: Crisp IM SAS

Starting Price: Free plan available; paid plans from approximately $25/month (pricing may vary)

Free Trial/Plan: Free plan available

Platform: Web-based (cloud), desktop and mobile apps

Official Website: crisp.chat

Crisp is a cloud-based customer messaging platform designed to help businesses communicate with website visitors and customers through live chat, chatbots, email, and social messaging channels. The software combines real-time chat, helpdesk tools, and automation features in a unified inbox.

What Is Crisp?

Crisp is a SaaS customer communication platform launched in 2015. The system enables businesses to manage conversations from multiple channels within a centralized dashboard.

The platform includes live chat widgets, automated chatbots, knowledge base tools, CRM-style contact management, and integrations with third-party applications. Crisp is used by startups, SaaS companies, ecommerce brands, and service providers seeking structured customer engagement workflows.

Crisp operates entirely in the cloud and provides browser-based access along with desktop and mobile applications.

Who Uses Crisp?

Common User Groups

Crisp is used by:

  • SaaS companies
  • Ecommerce businesses
  • Startups
  • Customer support teams
  • Digital agencies
  • Online service providers

The platform supports both small businesses and growing teams.

Typical Use Cases

Live website chat support

Businesses assist visitors in real time through chat widgets.

Customer service ticketing

Teams manage support conversations within a shared inbox.

Chatbot automation

Companies automate responses to common questions.

Multichannel messaging

Organizations handle conversations from social and messaging apps.

Lead capture and qualification

Businesses collect visitor information and route leads to sales teams.

Core Features

Live Chat Widget

What it does:

Crisp provides an embeddable live chat widget for websites.

How users typically use it:

Visitors initiate conversations directly from the site.

Key capabilities:

  • Customizable chat widget design
  • Real-time messaging
  • Visitor tracking
  • File sharing support
  • Mobile-optimized interface

The chat widget integrates into websites via script installation.

Shared Inbox & Team Collaboration

What it does:

Crisp centralizes conversations into a unified inbox.

How users typically use it:

Support teams manage and assign conversations to agents.

Key capabilities:

  • Multi-agent inbox
  • Conversation assignment
  • Internal notes
  • Canned responses
  • Tagging and filtering

These tools support structured support workflows.

Chatbot & Automation

What it does:

Crisp includes chatbot automation features.

How users typically use it:

Businesses create automated flows to respond to FAQs or qualify leads.

Key capabilities:

  • Visual chatbot builder
  • Trigger-based automation
  • Conditional logic flows
  • Automated greetings
  • FAQ automation

Chatbots help reduce manual workload.

Multichannel Messaging

What it does:

Crisp consolidates messages from multiple communication channels.

How users typically use it:

Businesses manage conversations from social platforms and email within one dashboard.

Key capabilities:

  • Facebook Messenger integration
  • Instagram messaging integration
  • WhatsApp integration
  • Email inbox integration
  • Unified message history

Multichannel support centralizes customer interactions.

CRM & Contact Management

What it does:

Crisp stores customer profiles and interaction history.

How users typically use it:

Teams track conversation history and customer data.

Key capabilities:

  • Contact profiles
  • Conversation timeline
  • Custom attributes
  • Lead qualification tools
  • Segmentation features

CRM tools support relationship management.

Knowledge Base & Helpdesk Tools

What it does:

The platform supports self-service support resources.

How users typically use it:

Businesses create help articles accessible through chat or website links.

Key capabilities:

  • Help center builder
  • Article management
  • Searchable knowledge base
  • Helpdesk integration
  • Customer support documentation

These tools reduce repetitive inquiries.

Analytics & Reporting

What it does:

Crisp provides performance reporting dashboards.

How users typically use it:

Managers monitor response times and agent performance.

Key capabilities:

  • Response time tracking
  • Conversation volume metrics
  • Customer satisfaction (CSAT) tracking
  • Agent activity reports
  • Data export options

Analytics support service optimization.

Integrations and Compatibility

Messaging Channel Integrations

Crisp integrates with:

  • Facebook Messenger
  • Instagram
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

CRM & Marketing Integrations

The platform connects with:

  • HubSpot
  • Zapier
  • Slack
  • Shopify
  • WordPress

API access is available for custom integrations.

Platform Availability

  • Web-based SaaS platform
  • Desktop apps (Windows & Mac)
  • Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
  • Browser-based chat widget

No on-premise installation is required.

Pricing Structure

(Pricing may change — verify on the official site.)

Crisp offers tiered subscription plans.

Free Plan — $0

Includes:

  • Basic live chat
  • Two agents
  • Chat history (limited)
  • Basic integrations

Pro Plan — from approximately $25/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited chat history
  • Advanced integrations
  • Chatbot automation
  • Knowledge base tools
  • Multichannel messaging

Unlimited Plan — from approximately $95/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited agents
  • Advanced automation
  • Priority support
  • Custom branding
  • Expanded analytics

Enterprise Plan — custom pricing

Includes:

  • Custom onboarding
  • Dedicated support
  • Advanced security features
  • SLA agreements

Billing Options

  • Monthly subscriptions
  • Annual discounts available
  • Pricing based on feature access and agent limits

Advantages and Limitations

Notable Advantages

  • Free plan available
  • Multichannel messaging support
  • Chatbot automation tools
  • Desktop and mobile apps
  • CRM-style contact management

Potential Limitations

  • Advanced automation tied to paid plans
  • Feature limits on free plan
  • May require setup for complex workflows
  • Enterprise features available only in higher tiers

Alternatives to Crisp

Several platforms provide similar customer messaging functionality.

Intercom

Customer messaging and automation platform.

Zendesk Messaging

Customer support and chat solution.

LivePerson

Enterprise conversational AI platform.

Tidio

Live chat and chatbot solution for ecommerce.

These platforms support comparable customer engagement workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Crisp do?

Crisp is a customer messaging platform that provides live chat, chatbots, and multichannel communication tools.

Is Crisp cloud-based?

Yes. It operates as a web-based SaaS platform with desktop and mobile apps.

Does Crisp offer a free plan?

Yes. A limited free plan is available.

Can Crisp integrate with Shopify?

Yes. Shopify integration is supported.

Who typically uses Crisp?

SaaS companies, ecommerce brands, and customer support teams commonly use the platform.

Key Takeaways

Crisp is a cloud-based customer messaging platform that combines live chat, chatbot automation, multichannel messaging, CRM features, and analytics. The software offers a free plan for small teams, with paid plans expanding automation, integrations, and reporting capabilities. Pricing begins at approximately $25 per month and scales based on feature access and team size.