Customer service platforms can now do wonders for your business. They can convert curious visitors into paying customers, process order reships without human intervention, and even integrate with IoT devices to offer proactive support.
But no customer service software is ideal, and Tidio is no exception. Many users say it's overpriced for what it delivers and has other drawbacks that your business may want to avoid.
That's why we've done the legwork to bring you a lineup of Tidio competitors that might work better for you.
What Is Tidio? A Quick Overview
Its feature set includes:
- Help desk with automated ticket creation and routing
- Live chat that covers website chat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger
- Lyro AI agent that automates customer interactions across channels and supports 12 languages. You can purchase Lyro AI separately or use it as part of a Tidio bundle.
Tidio has a G2 rating of 4.7/5 based on over 1,700 reviews. But even with a high rating, the platform has flaws that can hold your business back.
Top Reasons to Consider a Tidio Alternative
If you’re an active Tidio user or just considering this platform for your customer service needs, the following drawbacks can compel you to look for Tidio alternatives.
Fixed number of conversations, both human and automated
Customer service is all about conversations with prospects and customers. Yet, Tidio has a limited number of human-to-human and chatbot interactions per month.
The Starter plan costs $29 per month and includes only 100 human and 50 Lyro AI conversations, while the Growth plan comes with 2,000 human and 50 Lyro AI interactions. Go over the limit, and you'll have to switch to a higher-tier plan or wait for the limit to reset.
This kind of pricing structure is less predictable, especially in the case of promo campaigns or system outages when support tickets start pouring in. Customer service teams might also find it problematic if they must address every inquiry unless it's clearly spam.
Critical functionality only available in more expensive plans
All Tidio plans support integrations with multiple platforms for email marketing, CRMs, and CMSs. However, if you need custom integrations via OpenAPI, the Plus and Premium plans are your only options.
The same goes for the live chat widget, automatic chat assignment, advanced analytics, and Lyro AI. The Starter plan doesn’t offer these features.
Missing features
Here's what you won't find in Tidio:
- Customer support by phone and SMS
- Knowledge base
- Support for a wide range of languages
- HIPAA compliance
Tidio positions itself as a solution for small and medium-sized businesses, but its lower-tier plans are quite limited. This setup constantly nudges users toward pricier subscriptions, topping out at $749 per month.
This model, along with usage-based billing and limited functionality, is one of the main reasons to consider alternatives.
Top 11 Tidio Alternatives You Should Try Now
Below, we've listed top Tidio alternatives, each addressing its drawbacks differently.
|
Platform |
G2 rating |
Free plan |
Best for |
| Freshchat | 4.4/5 ⭐ | ✅ | Companies that need a live chat |
| Intercom | 4.5/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Businesses in heavily regulated industries |
| Zendesk | 4.3/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Businesses with AI-powered omnichannel customer service needs |
| Re:Amaze | 4.6/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Small to medium e-commerce businesses |
| LiveChat | 4.5/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Business with live chat needs |
| HelpDesk | 4.6/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Businesses that need email-focused ticketing |
| Crisp | 4.5/5 ⭐ | ✅ | Businesses looking for a native integration of a help desk with CRM |
| Gorgias | 4.6/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Small to large e-commerce businesses |
| Gladly | 4.7/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Customer-focused B2C businesses, mainly in retail |
| Kustomer | 4.4/5 ⭐ | ❌ | Businesses looking for a scalable, AI-powered CRM-centric help desk with advanced automation |
|
Zoho Desk |
4.4/5 ⭐ | ✅ | Businesses using other Zoho solutions |
Freshchat
Pros
- SMS and phone (via Freshcaller)
- Freddy AI Agent can not just answer questions but also update orders and process refunds
- 40+ languages supported
Cons
- Freshcaller, Freddy AI Agent, and Freddy Copilot cost extra
- Some users complain about unreliable Freshchat’s customer service and frequent issues with the mobile app
Pricing per agent, billed monthly
- Growth: $23
- Pro: $59
- Enterprise: $95
Intercom
Its AI agent, Fin, topped G2’s Spring 2025 report as the best on the market, thanks to the highest number of positive customer reviews. Just like Tidio’s AI agent, Fin AI is available as a standalone offering that plugs into other help desks and CRMs.
Pros
- SMS and phone (both traditional and VoIP-based calls)
- Fin AI is suitable for complex, heavily regulated industries, like fintech, thanks to its strict escalation controls and security measures
- Knowledge base
- 45 languages supported
- HIPAA-compliant
Cons
- Some users struggle to fully train Fin and understand how it will respond to users before actually deploying it
- Copilot isn’t as advanced as Fin
- Intercom charges $0.99 per Fin resolution, which makes the final cost less predictable
Pricing per seat, billed monthly
- Essential: $39
- Advanced: $99
- Expert: $139
Zendesk
Pros
- SMS and phone (VoIP)
- Knowledge base
- 30+ languages supported
- HIPAA-compliant
Cons
- No AI agents in the cheapest plan
- AI copilot available only as an add-on ($50/agent/month, billed annually)
- Poor customer service, according to Trustpilot (1.6/5 rating based on over 630 reviews)
Pricing per agent, billed monthly
- Support Team: $25
- Suite Team: $69
- Suite Professional: $149
- Suite Enterprise: Custom pricing
Re:amaze
Pros
- SMS and VoIP
- Knowledge base
- The ability to add an unlimited number of brands
- Live website visitor view
- Integrations (including e-commerce integrations) via open APIs available in all plans
Cons
- Poor customer service, according to Trustpilot’s 1.5 rating based on 40 reviews
Pricing per team member, billed monthly
- Basic: $29
- Pro: $49
- Plus: $69
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
LiveChat
However, this Tidio chat alternative is a standalone product. If you need an AI agent for automatic responses and a help desk, you need to purchase them separately, which can be both a pro and a con.
Pros
- SMS, X, Apple Messages for Business
- A comprehensive live chat feature set, including in-chat voice/video/screen sharing, file sharing, staffing prediction, and internal operator chat
- 45+ languages supported
- HIPAA-compliant
Cons
- Only live chat; no help desk or AI agents included
- HIPAA-compliant LiveChat only available for enterprise customers
Pricing per agent, billed monthly
- Starter Plan: $24
- Team Plan: $49
- Business Plan: $69
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing
HelpDesk
HelpDesk offers a comprehensive help desk feature set, including screen recording, team collaboration, a no-code email template builder, detailed team performance data, and more.
Pros
- A solid email ticketing tool
- Some AI capabilities, such as ticket summaries, tone adjustments, and grammar improvement
Cons
- Live chat, AI agents, and a knowledge base require additional payment
Pricing per user, billed monthly
- Team: $34
- Business: $59
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Crisp
While testing different platforms, we liked how Crisp's AI Chatbot handled tricky questions by quickly connecting us to a live agent. Tidio gave up too easily, saying it lacked information, and Zendesk kept looping the same questions.
Pros
- A wide range of channels supported, including live chat, email, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, X, Instagram, SMS, Viber, Line, WhatsApp Business, and phone
- Knowledge base
- Open API available on all tiers, including the free plan
- Scalable pricing: add extra seats for $10 each per month
Cons
- AI capabilities not available in all plans
Pricing per workspace, billed monthly
- Free: 2 agents
- Mini: €45 (4 agents)
- Essentials: €95 (10 agents)
- Plus: €295 (20+ agents)
Gorgias
Pros
- SMS and phone (as add-ons)
- TikTok among interaction channels
- Integrations with multiple e-commerce apps
- Multistores unlimited for all plans vs. Tidio’s multisite feature available only in the priciest package
Cons
- SMS and phone tickets charged extra
- Less predictable pricing structure than in most Tidio alternatives
Pricing, billed monthly
- Starter: $60
- Basic: $120
- Pro: $160
- Advanced: $210
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Gladly
Pros
- All customer channels built in, including email, live chat, social media, SMS, and voice
- Interactions grouped by customer
- Knowledge base
- Sidekick both automates customer conversations and performs basic actions, handling returns, refunds, and more
- 57 languages supported
Cons
- Teams used to more traditional, ticket-based systems might find it inconvenient
- Some users say that customer data doesn't always show up on the customer profile, even though it's in the system
Pricing
- Cost depends on the size of the contact center.
Kustomer
Pros
- SMS and phone
- Kustomer's AI agents can process orders and issue refunds autonomously
- Knowledge base
- 53 languages supported
- Open APIs available in all plans
- HIPAA-compliant
Cons
- AI capabilities cost extra
- HIPAA compliance comes as an add-on ($25/user/month)
Pricing per seat, billed monthly
- Enterprise: $89
- Ultimate: $139
Zoho Desk
Pros
- More than 50 native apps for smooth help desk integration
- Knowledge base
- 40 languages supported
- HIPAA-compliant
Cons
- AI assistants available only in the Enterprise plan (though they’re priced lower than similar-tier options elsewhere)
- Many users report a steep learning curve with Zoho Desk
Pricing per user, billed monthly
- Express: €9
- Standard: €20
- Professional: €35
- Enterprise: €50
Free vs. Paid Tidio Alternatives: What’s Worth It in 2025?
Free plans can be compelling, but free usually means major limitations, both in availability (only 3 out of 11 tools here provide them) and functionality.
If you're a boutique agency serving just a few clients, a free plan might be a good option. But if you serve hundreds, a paid plan is a smarter choice. Plus, Tidio alternatives listed here offer cost-effective packages for growing teams.
How to Choose the Right Tidio Alternative for Your Business
The choice of a customer service solution depends on many aspects: the cost of a plan and what it delivers for the money, channel support, scalability, and integrations. We’ve prepared these quick tips to guide your decision:
- Review each solution and shortlist the top candidates that meet your core needs.
- Check for must-have features critical for your business.
- Review pricing carefully and factor in all add-ons you might need to avoid surprise costs once you commit.
- Contact the software provider to test their customer service. How they treat prospects says a lot about how they handle paying customers.
- Schedule demos to see how the platform works with your actual processes.
- Plan your data migration strategy if you're moving away from an underperforming customer service platform.
FAQs About Tidio Alternatives
Tidio is a strong platform, but it has limitations such as conversation caps, missing features like phone/SMS support and knowledge base, and higher costs for critical functionality. Many businesses find better value in competing tools.
Tidio limits both human and AI-powered conversations per month. If you exceed the limit, you’ll either need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan or wait for the reset—making costs less predictable.
Among the listed options, Freshchat, Crisp, and Zoho Desk provide free plans. However, free plans typically have feature limitations and are best for very small teams or businesses.
Platforms like Freshchat, Intercom, Zendesk, Re:amaze, LiveChat, Gorgias, Gladly, Kustomer, and Zoho Desk include or integrate with phone and SMS channels, making them more versatile than Tidio.
If you work in healthcare or another regulated industry, Intercom, Zendesk, LiveChat (enterprise), Kustomer, and Zoho Desk are HIPAA-compliant options.
Re:amaze, Crisp, and Gorgias are designed with e-commerce in mind, offering integrations with platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, along with order management features.
Zoho Desk (starting at €9 per user/month) and Freshchat (starting at $23 per agent/month) are cost-effective compared to Tidio, especially for businesses scaling their support operations.
If AI is your priority, Intercom (Fin AI), Zendesk AI, Crisp AI agent, Kustomer AI, and Gladly Sidekick are leading options. They automate conversations, process refunds, and support multiple languages.
Evaluate your must-have features (like phone support, AI, or multilingual service), compare pricing tiers, test the customer service of each provider, and request demos to ensure the tool fits your workflows.
You can use Help Desk Migration to transfer tickets, contacts, knowledge base articles, and more to your new platform securely, with zero downtime or data loss.
