Live Chat Software for Small Ecommerce Sites, Free to Flat Rate

The right live chat software for small ecommerce sites is usually a free plan, not a big help desk. I read the official pricing pages of Tidio, Crisp and tawk.to on November 7, 2026. Here is how I would pick between them.

Quick answer

  • Tight budget and you answer chats yourself? Try tawk.to. Its core live chat is free.
  • Want chat plus simple automation and a low entry price? Look at Tidio.
  • Want one flat price per workspace, no conversation cap? Look at Crisp.
  • Prices are from each vendor's page on November 7, 2026. They change, so check before you buy.

What a small store really needs from live chat

Most small shops get a few chats a day. They need fast answers about shipping, sizes and returns. They do not need ten agent seats.

So I judge each tool on four things:

  • Cost at low volume. Can you start for free?
  • Limits. Is there a cap on chats or seats?
  • Store fit. Does it connect to your shop platform?
  • Branding. Can you remove the vendor logo, and what does that cost?

Free live chat for ecommerce: what you actually get

ToolFree plan, per its own page
Tidio$0, 50 billable conversations, 10 seats listed
CrispFree forever, 2 seats, website chat widget, e-commerce integrations listed
tawk.toFree for life if you keep the "Powered by tawk.to" label

Tidio, for a low entry price and built-in automation

Tidio's pricing page lists a Free plan at $0 per month with 50 billable conversations. The Starter plan showed $24.17 per month for 100 billable conversations. Growth started at $49.17 per month, from 250 conversations.

The page has a Monthly and an Annually toggle ("2 months free"). I did not confirm which view those numbers came from, so check the toggle yourself.

Removing Tidio branding is a paid add-on at $16.67 per month on that page. Tidio also sells its AI agent (Lyro) and its automation tool (Flows) as separate add-ons. The page listed Lyro from $32.50 per month and Flows from $24.17 per month.

Good fit: you want a chatbot to handle the same five questions. Poor fit: you expect chat volume to climb fast, because the plans are tied to conversation counts.

Crisp, for flat pricing

Crisp lists a Free plan with 2 seats and a website chat widget. Paid plans were Mini at $45, Essentials at $95 and Plus at $295 per month, each per workspace.

Crisp says it charges a flat rate with no limit on conversations. That makes a bill easy to predict. The catch is the jump from free to $45, which is steep for a very small shop.

Good fit: a growing store with steady chat traffic. Poor fit: a shop that just needs a simple widget for now.

tawk.to, for the lowest cost

On its own "Why is tawk.to free?" page, tawk.to says its chat software is free and that removing the "Powered by tawk.to" label costs $29 per month. It also says its AI Assist bot starts from $29 per month, with a free plan for low chat volume.

The same page says it offers hired chat agents at $1 per hour. That is the company's own claim, and I did not test or verify the service. If you pay for agents, read the terms first.

Good fit: a new store that wants chat at zero cost. Poor fit: a brand that does not want any vendor label on the widget.

How to choose: a quick flow

  • If you answer chats yourself and want to spend nothing, start with tawk.to.
  • If you want a bot to answer repeat questions, try Tidio.
  • If you want a predictable flat bill as you grow, try Crisp.
  • If your store platform is not listed as supported, stop and check the integration list first.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Paying for seats you do not use. One or two agents is plenty for most small shops.
  • Ignoring the logo. Free plans often show the vendor's brand. Decide if that bothers you.
  • Skipping the store integration check. Confirm your platform is supported before you install.
  • Leaving chat on when nobody answers. Set operating hours or an offline message.

Chat also shows you why customers leave. My guide on how to reduce churn covers the thinking behind that. If you also want a place where buyers can see their orders, read how to build a customer portal without developers. And for taking payments through a form, see the form builder with payment integration guide.

FAQ

Is there free live chat software for a small ecommerce site?

Yes. Tidio, Crisp and tawk.to all list a free plan on their own sites, each with limits described above.

Do I need a chatbot, or just live chat?

If you get a handful of chats a day, live chat alone is fine. A bot helps once the same questions repeat all day.

Will a free plan show the vendor's logo?

Often yes. tawk.to charges $29 per month to remove its label, and Tidio lists a $16.67 per month add-on to remove its branding.

Is Crisp cheaper than Tidio?

It depends on volume. Tidio starts lower ($24.17 on the page I read) but ties plans to conversation counts. Crisp starts at $45 with a flat price per workspace.

Can I use live chat on a Shopify store?

I did not confirm each tool's Shopify setup on the pages I read. Check the vendor's integration page for your platform before installing.

This is general information, not business or financial advice. I did not test these tools. My picks come from the vendor pages I read.

Sources

All three are vendor pages, so they describe each product in its best light.

Last updated: November 7, 2026

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