Head-to-head
Crisp vs Tidio: which one in 2026?
Crisp is a customer messaging suite from Crisp IM SAS that prices per workspace, and Tidio is a live chat and chatbot tool from Tidio LLC that prices by billable conversations. Crisp charges flat monthly tiers with AI credits; Tidio meters conversations and sells its Lyro AI agent as an add-on.
Verdict
Crisp suits teams that grow in seats and channels and want a bill that does not move with chat volume. Tidio suits small stores that start free, pay little early and add AI later. Prices above are as of November 2026 and come from each vendor's pricing page. Tidio's pages carry no AI training statement for chat data, so ask the vendor before connecting sensitive conversations.
Crisp and Tidio side by side
| Crisp | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry | $45 per workspace per month (Mini) | $24.17 per month (Starter, billed annually) |
| Pricing unit | A flat fee per workspace: Mini $45, Essentials $95 and Plus $295 per month, with extra agents at $10 per month each. | Billable conversations drive price: Starter $24.17, Growth from $49.17, Plus from $300 per month plus usage. |
| Free plan | Free forever with 2 seats, a chat widget, shared inbox and mobile apps; customer profiles are capped at 100 and no AI credits are included. | Free forever with 10 seats, 50 billable conversations, 50 one-off Lyro AI conversations and live video calls inside the widget. |
| AI agent cost | Prepaid AI credits come with paid plans: $5 on Mini for about 90 automated conversations, $25 and $75 on the higher tiers. | Lyro AI Agent is an add-on from $32.50 per month for 50 conversations; the vendor page cites a 75% average resolution rate. |
| Seats | 2 seats on Free, 4 on Mini, 10 on Essentials and 20 or more on Plus; each additional agent costs $10 per month. | Self-serve plans allow up to 10 agents, Free included, and Plus offers custom seat counts that are negotiated with sales. |
| Channels | Shared inbox covering the widget, email, WhatsApp and Messenger plus 8 other channels, with iOS, Android and React SDKs. | Unified inbox for live chat, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger direct messages, with Shopify order edits, cancels and refunds from the inbox. |
| Hosting location | Core infrastructure in Amsterdam; the privacy policy does not confirm that all sub-processor data stays in the EU. | Data is mainly processed in the EEA, but some may move to the United States, and Tidio LLC is a U.S. entity. |
| AI and your data | The policy says Crisp never trains its AI model with customer data, and data sent to LLM providers is not used to train them by default. | The policy text we read says nothing on training AI models with chat data; it only states a limit on Google Workspace API data. |
| Enterprise end | Enterprise is demo only, with a personalized SLA and team training; ticketing and white labelling start at Plus. | Premium is contact sales and adds SSO and compliance; the vendor lists a guaranteed 50% Lyro resolution rate with pay-per-resolution billing. |
Where each one wins
Crisp wins on
- Flat workspace pricing is easier to forecast than conversation-based billing as chat volume grows.
- Policy states plainly that customer data never trains Crisp's own AI model.
- Ticketing, status page, Developer Hub API and SDKs are bundled into one product.
Tidio wins on
- Free plan gives 10 seats and video calls, against 2 seats and no AI credits on Crisp Free.
- Shopify order management from the inbox suits store owners without extra tooling.
- Cheapest paid entry at $24.17 per month undercuts Crisp Mini at $45.
Which to pick
Pick Crisp if
You want predictable per-workspace pricing, a shared inbox across many channels, and a clear policy statement that your chats do not train its AI.
Pick Tidio if
You run a Shopify store, want a larger free team and a lower first paid tier, and will add the Lyro AI agent only when volume justifies it.
Each tool in context: Crisp, Tidio, and the full Best Live Chat Software in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many automated conversations do Crisp's AI credits cover?
Crisp's pricing page says $5 of credits on Mini covers around 90 automated conversations, $25 on Essentials around 450 and $75 on Plus around 1,350. Free includes no AI credits at all, so the AI chatbot needs a paid plan.
Does Tidio charge per conversation or per agent?
Mainly per billable conversation: Free has 50, Starter 100, and Growth starts at 250. Self-serve plans allow up to 10 agents, so seat count is capped rather than priced, and the Lyro AI agent is sold separately from $32.50 per month.
Where is chat data stored for Crisp and Tidio?
Crisp names Amsterdam for core infrastructure but does not confirm all sub-processor data stays in the EU. Tidio says data is mainly processed in the EEA with some transfers to the United States. Neither policy we read named SOC 2 or ISO 27001.
Can I try Crisp or Tidio paid features before paying?
Crisp offers a 14-day trial with all features and no card required. Tidio offers a 7-day free trial of premium features on Starter and Growth, also without a card, and the account drops back to Free afterward unless you upgrade.