#1 Crisp Alternative for bootstrapped startups

The Best Crisp Alternative

Crisp helps you do support. Heyo helps you build better products. Skip the bloat and get simple, human-first chat built for founders and small teams.

Unlimited chat history on free plan - Unlike Crisp's 2-week limit

Free file & image sharing - Crisp requires paid plan for this

No bloat, just what you need - Skip ticketing, campaigns, and features you won't use

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Compare

Heyo vs Crisp

Crisp is powerful but bloated. It's built for automation and large teams. Heyo is simple and focused on helping founders talk with users to build better products. Key differences: unlimited free chat history, flat pricing for unlimited projects, and visitor alerts.

Features

Crisp

Primary Focus

Human conversations

Automation & AI

Target Audience

Solo founders & small teams

Larger teams

Free Plan

Free forever

Free (limited)

Paid Plan Starts At

$9.97/month

$45/month

Chat History (Free Plan)

Send images & screenshots (Free Plan)

Team Members Pricing

Flat price

Extra per member

Complexity

Simple & focused

Feature-heavy

Automated AI Replies

JavaScript SDK

Visitor Alerts

Video Profile

Bookmark Messages

Emoji Reactions

Knowledge Base

Multi-language Widget

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The Problem with Crisp

While Crisp is powerful, it's built for larger teams with complex needs. For solo founders and small teams, it can be overwhelming.

Bloated with Features

Crisp is packed with enterprise features like ticketing systems, campaigns, and knowledge bases. For founders who just want to talk with users, it's overwhelming bloat.

Built to Reduce Conversations, Not Encourage Them

Crisp is designed to automate conversations away and reduce support volume. But the best products are built by talking WITH users, not avoiding them. Heyo encourages those valuable conversations.

Complex Onboarding and Setup

Getting started with Crisp means navigating through multiple dashboards, settings, and features you don't need. Heyo is simple and ready in minutes.

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Understanding Crisp

What It Is & What It's Missing

What Crisp Does Well

Powerful Automation & AI

Crisp excels at automation with chatbots, auto-replies, and AI features. Great for reducing support volume and handling repetitive queries at scale.

Multi-Channel Support

Handles multiple channels (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Email, SMS, social media) in one unified inbox. Perfect for larger teams managing diverse communication channels.

Knowledge Base & Help Center

Built-in help center and knowledge base for self-service support. Great for creating documentation and reducing support tickets.

Ticketing System

Advanced ticketing features with routing and assignment. Built for teams that need structured support workflows.

Extensive Integrations

Connects with many tools and services. Great if you need deep integrations with your existing tech stack.

Where Crisp Falls Short

Too Much Bloat

Crisp is packed with features most small teams never use. If you just want to talk with users to build better products, the bloat gets in the way.

Automation Over Human Touch

Crisp focuses on automating conversations away. But talking with your users is how you build better products. That personal connection matters.

No Visitor Alerts

Crisp doesn't have automated alerts to notify you when important visitors arrive. Heyo's alerts help you reach out at the perfect moment.

Expensive for Bootstrapped Teams

Pricing scales quickly at $45/month per project plus extra per team member. For bootstrapped startups on a budget, costs add up fast.

Free Plan is Very Limited

Only 2 weeks of chat history and no file sharing on the free plan. You can't even look back at past conversations or share screenshots without paying.

TL:DR: Crisp helps you do support. Heyo helps you build better products. Crisp is powerful for larger teams that need automation. Heyo is for founders and small teams who want to personally connect with users and build better products through real conversations.

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Crisp vs Heyo: Which Should You Choose?

An honest comparison to help you make the right decision

Choose Crisp If:

You're a larger team that needs AI automation
You want to reduce support volume with chatbots
You need multi-channel support (email, SMS, social)
You have budget for enterprise features
You want sophisticated routing and workflows

RECOMMENDED

Choose Heyo If:

You're a solo founder or small team
You want personal conversations with your users
You need unlimited chat history on the free plan
You want to share files and images for free
You prefer simple over feature-heavy
You want to build better products through real feedback

💸 Budget Consideration

Crisp's paid plans start at $45/month per project, plus extra for team members. Heyo offers unlimited chat history and file sharing for free, with Pro at just $9.97/month or $64/year for unlimited projects and team members. Perfect for solo founders and bootstrapped startups who want great features without breaking the bank.

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Heyo is perfect for...

Simple, human-first chat for teams building better products

Product Managers

Build better products through direct user feedback

Talk directly with users to gather feedback, understand pain points, and validate features. No bot getting in the way of real insights that help you improve your product.

Bootstrapped Founders

Show there's a real person behind the product

Build trust and loyalty through personal conversations. No enterprise complexity, no expensive per-project pricing. Just simple chat that helps you understand your users and build what they need.

Growth & Sales Teams

Reach out when visitors hit important pages with automated alerts

Set up visitor alerts to get notified when users reach checkout, pricing, or key pages. Start conversations at the perfect moment to understand needs and close deals, no complex workflows needed.

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Heyo's Features