Crisp
Crisp combines live chat, shared inbox, and Hugo AI agent for support teams. See 2026 pricing from $45/month, AI credit limits, and alternatives.
About Crisp
What is Crisp (2026 update)
Crisp is a business messaging platform in the business management category built for sales, marketing, and customer support teams, combining live chat, a shared inbox, a knowledge base, and an AI agent in one workspace. It is designed as an all-in-one alternative to running separate live chat, chatbot, and help desk tools.
What is new in 2026
Crisp’s 2026 pricing structure separates the flat workspace subscription from AI usage. Every paid plan now includes a specific dollar amount of AI credits for Crisp’s AI agent, named Hugo, and those credits get drawn down as Hugo handles conversations rather than being billed on a flat per-seat AI add-on. On the feature side, Crisp has pushed further into automatic topic detection, which tags conversations by type such as billing issues, technical support, or feature requests, and a no-code workflow builder that automates common questions alongside Hugo’s AI-first responses. Teams can also run workflows and Hugo side by side, letting a scripted flow handle routine routing while Hugo takes over the open-ended parts of a conversation.
Key features
- Hugo AI agent trained on your content and past conversations to answer customer questions across channels
- No-code visual workflow builder to automate common questions and routing
- Omnichannel shared inbox covering chat, email, and other connected channels
- Automatic topic detection that tags conversations by category
- Knowledge base for self-service support
- Live chat widget for the website with real-time visitor messaging
Pricing in 2026
Crisp is priced per workspace with four tiers, each including a set number of seats and a metered AI credit allowance for Hugo.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 2 seats, live chat and shared inbox basics, no AI credits |
| Mini | $45/month | 4 seats, about $5 in Hugo AI credits (roughly 90 AI conversations) |
| Essentials | $95/month | 10 seats, about $25 in Hugo AI credits (roughly 450 AI conversations) |
| Plus | $295/month | 20+ seats, about $75 in Hugo AI credits (roughly 1,350 AI conversations) |
Extra seats cost $10/month each on every paid tier. Teams that outgrow Plus can contact Crisp’s sales team for a custom Enterprise quote with dedicated onboarding and SLAs. All new accounts get a 14-day free trial with full access to Crisp’s features before choosing a plan.
Who should use it
Crisp fits small to mid-size support and sales teams that want live chat, a shared inbox, and an AI agent bundled into one flat-rate workspace instead of stitching together separate chat and chatbot vendors. The Mini and Essentials tiers cover most small teams, while Plus suits growing teams needing 20 or more seats and heavier AI conversation volume. It is a weaker fit for very high-volume support operations where AI credit costs could climb faster than a dedicated usage-based AI support tool. Marketing and sales teams that want proactive outbound messaging on top of support, not just inbound chat, will also find Crisp’s positioning closer to a hybrid tool than a pure help desk.
Limitations and alternatives
The main limitation is that Hugo’s AI credits are metered separately from the flat workspace price, so a team that leans heavily on AI-first replies can burn through included credits before the billing period ends and need to budget for more. The free plan also includes no AI credits at all. For live chat and shared inbox alternatives, teams commonly compare Crisp against Intercom and Zendesk, both of which bundle AI agents with support and messaging tools, and against Tidio for a lighter-weight option aimed at smaller stores. Check each platform’s current AI credit or usage pricing directly, since metered AI costs change more often than flat subscription fees.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crisp free to use?
Yes, Crisp has a free plan for 2 seats with core live chat and shared inbox features, though it includes no Hugo AI credits.
How much does Crisp cost in 2026?
Paid plans run $45/month for Mini, $95/month for Essentials, and $295/month for Plus, each including a set number of seats and a metered Hugo AI credit allowance. Extra seats cost $10/month each.
What is Hugo in Crisp?
Hugo is Crisp's AI agent, trained on your content and past conversations to answer customer questions across channels. It draws down a plan's included AI credits as it handles conversations.
Does Crisp offer a free trial?
Yes, new accounts get a 14-day free trial with full access to Crisp's features before you need to choose a paid plan.
Information last verified: September 2026.
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