Chatwoot
Chatwoot is an open-source, AI-augmented omnichannel customer support platform offering a unified inbox, help center, voice, and the Captain AI agent, serving 15,000+ SMBs, startups, and regulated organizations via self-hosted MIT-licensed or managed cloud deployment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersDover, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Chatwoot does
Chatwoot is an open-source, AI-augmented customer engagement platform founded in 2020 and headquartered in Dover, United States, operating under the legal entity Chatwoot Inc. The company provides an omnichannel shared inbox that consolidates live chat, email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, LINE, SMS, TikTok, and API channels into a single collaborative dashboard, complemented by a self-service Help Center and a built-in AI agent called Captain that automates first-response conversations, drafts agent replies, transcribes voice and audio messages, and analyzes customer images. The core stack is Ruby on Rails with a Vue.js frontend, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Node.js, deployed either as a fully self-hosted MIT-licensed open-source distribution (Docker, Kubernetes, one-click installers on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Heroku) or as a managed SOC 2 Type II compliant cloud service, with companion iOS and Android applications. Deep integrations with Twilio (Voice, SMS, WhatsApp), Slack, Linear, HubSpot, Shopify, Stripe, Google Translate, Dialogflow, and Meta platforms position Chatwoot as a flexible Zendesk/Intercom alternative for developers and data-sensitive organizations.
Chatwoot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chatwoot
- Legal name
- Chatwoot Inc.
- Website
- https://chatwoot.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chatwoot is an open-source, AI-augmented omnichannel customer support platform offering a unified inbox, help center, voice, and the Captain AI agent, serving 15,000+ SMBs, startups, and regulated organizations via self-hosted MIT-licensed or managed cloud deployment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chatwoot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Customer Support Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration) (HDAAAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Enterprise/Team Messaging (BPAMACAB), Workplace Automation & Self-Service (RPA for IT, Chatbots, Virtual Agents) (BPAEAIAI), Multilingual/Translation Communication Apps (BPAMACAJ)
Keywords
Where Chatwoot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Chatwoot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Cloud Subscriptions: Cloud-hosted version with tiered subscription plans (Startups, Business, Enterprise). Includes free monthly usage for Captain AI with additional AI credits purchasable. Revenue from monthly/annual subscriptions.
- Self-Hosted Premium Plans: Self-hosted deployment with premium support plans offering priority support, dedicated engineers, installation/migration assistance, and custom SLA agreements. Infrastructure costs paid by customer.
- Captain AI Add-on: AI credits-based add-on for additional Captain AI responses beyond included monthly quota. $200/month for up to 10,000 additional responses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free trial period |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Captain AI Add-on |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Chatwoot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chatwoot provides an AI-powered, open-source customer support platform that unifies live chat, email, WhatsApp, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, LINE, TikTok), SMS, voice calls, and API channels into a single collaborative inbox. The platform includes Captain, a built-in AI assistant for automating conversations and assisting agents, and a Help Center/knowledge base for self-service. It is offered under a dual-deployment model: a self-hosted MIT-licensed community edition and a managed Cloud SaaS with tiered subscriptions.
Product overview
Chatwoot is an AI-powered, open-source customer support platform offered as a unified core product with modular components. The platform consists of the main Chatwoot Platform (core omnichannel support desk) with integrated add-on modules: Captain (AI assistant for automation and agent support), Help Center (knowledge base for self-service), Voice Calls (phone support via Twilio/WhatsApp), and Mobile Apps (iOS/Android for on-the-go support). Customers can deploy via self-hosted (full data ownership, MIT license) or cloud (managed service, SOC 2 compliant) options. The platform competes with Intercom and Zendesk, emphasizing data privacy, customization, and hybrid monetization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chatwoot Platform AI-powered, open-source customer support platform with omnichannel support desk, knowledge base, and AI assistant. Offers self-host or cloud deployment options with data privacy and customization focus for businesses of all sizes.
- Captain Built-in AI agent that automates conversations, assists agents with draft replies, suggests responses, identifies FAQ gaps, and remembers customer context. Includes AI Assistant, Co-Pilot, Smart FAQs, and Memories capabilities. Available as an add-on for paid Cloud plans.
- Support Desk Omnichannel shared inbox that brings chat, email, WhatsApp, and social messages into one collaborative queue. Features smart routing, SLA policies, team collaboration, and automation capabilities for customer support teams.
- Help Center Self-service knowledge base with AI-powered search, article editor, multi-language support, multiple portal management, and customizable portals. Reduces support tickets by enabling customers to find answers on their own.
- Voice Calls Phone call functionality built into the support inbox with Twilio Voice and WhatsApp Calling support. Calls are recorded, transcribed, and logged alongside chats and emails in the conversation timeline for unified customer support.
- Mobile Apps iOS and Android mobile applications for customer support on the go. Features push notifications, real-time messaging, team collaboration, canned responses, file sharing, and macros. Works with self-hosted instances.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15,000+ businesses trust Chatwoot globally
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chatwoot
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chatwoot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration25 records
AI capability10 records
Feature5 records
Chatwoot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- TwiliocoreTwilio Voice powers Chatwoot's built-in voice calling feature. Customers can connect their Twilio numbers to make and receive phone calls directly from the Chatwoot browser interface, with calls recorded and logged in the conversation timeline.
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram)coreNative integrations for Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs, with dedicated Instagram channel (using Instagram Business Login APIs) separate from Facebook Page dependency.
- WhatsApp (Meta)coreWhatsApp Business API integration allows customers to send/receive WhatsApp messages within Chatwoot. Also supports WhatsApp Calling for voice connections. Enterprise customers can use WhatsApp campaigns for proactive outreach.
- SlackcoreNative Slack integration enables receiving instant notifications about new conversations and collaborating with team members directly within Slack. Supports grouped file uploads.
- Google TranslatesupportingGoogle Translate integration provides automatic real-time translation of customer messages, enabling support in 100+ languages.
- DialogflowsupportingDialogflow (Google's NLP) integration enables building intelligent chatbots for handling initial customer queries with AI-driven conversations, with handoff to human agents.
- LinearsupportingLinear integration allows converting customer feedback into actionable issues, tracking feature requests with automated issue creation, and linking GitHub issues to conversations. OAuth-based connection.
- Cloudflare RealtimeKitsupportingCloudflare RealtimeKit integration enables instant audio and video calls with customers directly from conversations, powered by Cloudflare's reliable, low-latency calling infrastructure.
- LeadSquaredsupportingLeadSquared integration converts chat conversations into qualified leads automatically, tracking engagement across touchpoints.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chatwoot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Salesforce Service Cloud: Enterprise-grade customer service platform within the Salesforce ecosystem, offering omnichannel support, AI (Einstein), and deep CRM integration. Broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise customers Chatwoot targets with its Enterprise plan.
- Zendesk: Market-leading customer support and engagement platform with omnichannel capabilities, AI features, and a large enterprise sales motion. Chatwoot's pricing and open-source positioning target customers seeking alternatives to Zendesk's higher-cost SaaS model.
- HubSpot Service Hub: Customer service tools within HubSpot's CRM platform, offering ticketing, knowledge base, and AI features. Competes for the same mid-market customers that Chatwoot targets, particularly those already in the HubSpot ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Freshdesk (Freshworks): Customer support software from Freshworks offering shared inbox, automations, AI agents (Freddy AI), and multichannel support. Direct competitor in the SMB and mid-market segment that Chatwoot's seed funding explicitly named as a target.
- Crisp: Multichannel customer messaging platform with live chat, chatbot builder, CRM, and shared inbox. Targets similar SMB market and competes with Chatwoot on price, channel coverage, and AI chatbot capabilities.
- Intercom: AI-first customer support platform offering a similar omnichannel inbox, AI agent (Fin), help center, and shared inbox. Direct competitor in the SMB-to-enterprise segment, particularly competing for AI-native customer support budgets.
- Tawk.to: Free live chat and customer messaging platform with shared inbox, ticketing, and knowledge base. Direct competitor in the free-tier / low-cost customer support segment that overlaps with Chatwoot's self-hosted open-source offering.
- Help Scout: Customer support platform focused on SMBs with shared inbox, help center, and AI features (AI Answers, AI Assist). Comparable in target market, simplicity focus, and pricing positioning relative to Chatwoot.
- LiveChat: Customer service platform with live chat, chatbot (ChatBot), help desk, and knowledge base. Direct competitor in the live chat / customer support space, with comparable SMB and enterprise tiering and feature set.
Emerging players
- Front: Shared inbox and customer operations platform with omnichannel messaging, automations, and AI features. Comparable in team inbox / shared email model and mid-market positioning relative to Chatwoot.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chatwoot social profiles
Digital presenceChatwoot compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Chatwoot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chatwoot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Chatwoot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chatwoot M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chatwoot
What does Chatwoot do?
Chatwoot provides an AI-powered, open-source customer support platform that unifies live chat, email, WhatsApp, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, LINE, TikTok), SMS, voice calls, and API channels into a single collaborative inbox. The platform includes Captain, a built-in AI assistant for automating conversations and assisting agents, and a Help Center/knowledge base for self-service. It is offered under a dual-deployment model: a self-hosted MIT-licensed community edition and a managed Cloud SaaS with tiered subscriptions.
Is Chatwoot a public or private company?
Chatwoot is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Chatwoot founded?
Chatwoot was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chatwoot based?
Chatwoot is headquartered in Dover, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chatwoot make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Cloud Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are self-Hosted Premium Plans and captain AI Add-on.
Who are Chatwoot's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Salesforce Service Cloud, Zendesk and HubSpot Service Hub. Direct peers are Freshdesk (Freshworks), Crisp, Intercom, Tawk.to, Help Scout and LiveChat. Front is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chatwoot have an API?
Yes. Chatwoot provides a REST API for contacts, conversations, messages, and more. Build custom dashboards, sync data, and automate workflows. Includes webhook support for real-time HTTP callbacks when events occur, with signed payloads for security. Subscribe to conversations, messages, and more events. Agent Bots can be built using Dialogflow, Rasa, or Amazon Lex. Developer documentation is at developers.chatwoot.com.
What industry is Chatwoot in?
Chatwoot's product category is Customer Support Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAFAC, Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration), with a secondary code of BPAMACAB, Enterprise/Team Messaging. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7372.