Under $20/mo
Under $20/month you should still get a usable inbox and chat — not a crippled free forever plan with forced branding. Here is what actually fits that budget in 2026, with honest tradeoffs.
Entry plan price for core chat/inbox — not a teaser that hides AI.
Forced badges count as a real cost.
Organisation or drafts included beats paying $95 later.
Can two people collaborate without jumping tiers?
$8 Starter · $16 Advance · Best for: Teams that want AI + chat under $20
Starter ($8) includes AI draft replies and tabs within conversation limits. Advance ($16) covers five members — still under $20 — with higher volume. Free tier available to try.
Pros
Cons
Entry ~$25+ (often over $20 for AI) · Best for: Chat-first teams okay stretching the budget
Listed because many founders start on Crisp’s lower tiers. Meaningful AI usually pushes you over $20. Still a strong product if chat UX is your top priority.
Crisp homepage · visit site
Pros
Cons
$0 · ~$19 to remove branding · Best for: Zero budget with branding tradeoffs
Stays under $20 easily. Removing the badge approaches the whole Userscom Starter budget without AI organisation or drafts.
Tawk.to homepage · visit site
Free · paid plans for volume · Best for: Forms only — not a full helpdesk
Great for contact forms, not a shared support inbox. Included so you do not confuse form endpoints with customer support software.
Formspree homepage · visit site
Pros
Cons
Free tier · paid seats climb fast · Best for: Trying ticketing before you pay
Free tier can work briefly. Once you need seats and AI, you leave the under-$20 club quickly.
Freshdesk homepage · visit site
Yes. Userscom includes AI ticket organisation and draft replies from the $8 Starter plan. Many competitors gate AI behind $50–95+ tiers.
Only if you accept branding, heavier widgets, and missing AI. Paying $8 for a clean widget and drafts is usually cheaper than the conversion cost of a badge.
Conversation limits and team seats. Check caps before you announce a launch.