Cliedesk vs Crisp
Cliedesk vs Crisp: a Crisp chat alternative for WordPress.
Crisp is a hosted messaging platform priced per workspace, with a set number of seats and AI credits in each plan. Cliedesk is a help desk plugin inside your WordPress site: live chat, a shared inbox, a customer portal and a help center with unlimited agents, plus AI on your own provider key with Cliedesk Pro. Both work well on WordPress — the difference is where your data lives and what limits your plan sets.
Which one fits you?
Choose Cliedesk if…
- You want unlimited agents without seat limits per plan
- You want conversations and customer data in your own WordPress database
- You want a customer portal and help center made of WordPress pages
- You want AI limited only by your own AI budget, not by plan credits
- You want customers recognised from their WordPress login
Choose Crisp if…
- You also run sites that aren’t on WordPress
- You want a hosted service the vendor operates for you
- Your team fits in a plan’s included seats
- You prefer AI credits bundled into the plan over managing an AI provider account
Key differences
| Cliedesk | Crisp | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Inside your WordPress site; data in your site’s database | Crisp’s cloud service |
| How you pay | Free plugin; Pro by number of sites (from $49 a year), unlimited agents | Per workspace a month: $45 (4 seats), $95 (10 seats) or $295 (20+ seats); extra seats $10 |
| AI for customers | AI agent on your own AI provider key; no credits to run out † | AI credits included per plan: $5, $25 or $75 a month (about 90, 450 or 1,350 conversations) |
| Live chat | Included in the free plugin | Included |
| WooCommerce | Orders next to every conversation (free); refunds, cancellations, reships and order edits within your limits † | WooCommerce plugin shows order history; Crisp says agents can handle refunds |
| Migration | Crisp importer with preview and rollback † | — |
-
Where it runs
- Cliedesk
- Inside your WordPress site; data in your site’s database
- Crisp
- Crisp’s cloud service
-
How you pay
- Cliedesk
- Free plugin; Pro by number of sites (from $49 a year), unlimited agents
- Crisp
- Per workspace a month: $45 (4 seats), $95 (10 seats) or $295 (20+ seats); extra seats $10
-
AI for customers
- Cliedesk
- AI agent on your own AI provider key; no credits to run out †
- Crisp
- AI credits included per plan: $5, $25 or $75 a month (about 90, 450 or 1,350 conversations)
-
Live chat
- Cliedesk
- Included in the free plugin
- Crisp
- Included
-
WooCommerce
- Cliedesk
- Orders next to every conversation (free); refunds, cancellations, reships and order edits within your limits †
- Crisp
- WooCommerce plugin shows order history; Crisp says agents can handle refunds
-
Migration
- Cliedesk
- Crisp importer with preview and rollback †
- Crisp
- —
† with Cliedesk Pro. Crisp prices are per workspace as listed on its pricing page; the conversation counts for AI credits are Crisp’s own estimates.
Last checked 26 October 2026.
Sources: Crisp pricing · Crisp for WooCommerce
What a year costs
Plan or licence cost for one support site, before extra AI usage.
| Team size | Cliedesk Pro (Agent plan, 1 site) | Crisp (smallest plan that fits) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 agents | $49 | $540 ($45 plan, 4 seats) |
| 10 agents | $49 | $1,140 ($95 plan, 10 seats) |
| 25 agents | $49 | From $3,540 ($295 plan, 20+ seats) |
-
3 agents
- Cliedesk Pro (Agent plan, 1 site)
- $49
- Crisp (smallest plan that fits)
- $540 ($45 plan, 4 seats)
-
10 agents
- Cliedesk Pro (Agent plan, 1 site)
- $49
- Crisp (smallest plan that fits)
- $1,140 ($95 plan, 10 seats)
-
25 agents
- Cliedesk Pro (Agent plan, 1 site)
- $49
- Crisp (smallest plan that fits)
- From $3,540 ($295 plan, 20+ seats)
Formula: Crisp = monthly workspace price × 12 for the smallest plan with enough seats. Crisp lists extra seats at $10; check its pricing page for how many seats the $295 plan includes. Cliedesk Pro is priced per site, so the agent count doesn’t change it; the free plugin costs $0. Crisp plans include AI credits; on Cliedesk you pay your AI provider’s token cost directly. We don’t estimate AI totals because they depend on your volume.
Last checked 26 October 2026.
Sources: Crisp pricing · Cliedesk pricing
When Crisp is the better choice
If you run sites on several platforms and want one chat inbox for all of them, Crisp works anywhere. Cliedesk only runs inside WordPress.
Crisp is hosted, so there is nothing to update or host yourself. With Cliedesk, the help desk shares your WordPress hosting.
For a small team that fits a plan’s seats and wants AI credits bundled in, Crisp’s pricing is simple to predict.
Using Crisp with WordPress?
Crisp’s WordPress plugin is popular and actively maintained; it adds the Crisp chat widget to your site. Its WooCommerce plugin shows a customer’s order history in Crisp.
With Cliedesk, the help desk is part of WordPress itself. Conversations are stored in your database, logged-in customers are recognised automatically, and the customer portal and help center are pages on your own site.
Migration
Moving from Crisp
Cliedesk Pro includes a Crisp importer. A preview shows counts and sample conversations before anything is imported, the import runs in the background, and you can roll it back. A delta sync keeps new Crisp conversations coming in while you switch.
How switching worksIn the free plugin: unlimited agents, live chat, the shared inbox, request forms, the customer portal and the help center. Cliedesk Pro adds: the AI agent and copilot on your own key, incoming email, more channels, WooCommerce order actions and the Crisp importer.
Compare plansFrequently asked questions
Can’t find your answer? Search the docs or ask us.
Search the docs →Get support →Does the free Cliedesk plugin include live chat?
Yes. Live chat, the shared inbox, request forms, the customer portal and the help center are all in the free plugin, with unlimited agents.
How does AI compare?
Crisp includes a set amount of AI credits in each plan. Cliedesk Pro’s AI agent runs on your own AI provider key: you pay the provider for the tokens you use, and you set budgets and hard caps yourself.
Where are chat conversations stored?
With Cliedesk, in your own WordPress database. With Crisp, on Crisp’s servers.
Can I import my Crisp conversations?
Yes, with Cliedesk Pro. Contacts, conversations, notes, files and tags come over, with a preview first and rollback afterwards.
Live chat that lives in WordPress.
Start with the free help desk and unlimited agents, then add the AI agent with Cliedesk Pro.
