Blog · Comparisons
Smartsupp alternatives: how do tawk.to, Tidio, LiveChat and TalkMerlin compare?
The main alternatives to Smartsupp are tawk.to (free, with paid add-ons), Tidio (a base fee with a conversation quota), LiveChat (priced per user) and TalkMerlin (priced per site, hosted in the EU). Which one fits depends on how you want to pay and on what the widget stores in your visitors' browsers. Below is what each tool's own public pages say.
By TalkMerlin
Checked in November 2026 against each tool's public pricing and help pages. Prices change, so follow the links for current figures. Each price is in the currency its page shows.
The short version
| Tool | How you pay | Free plan | Where data is stored | In the browser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartsupp | Plans by number of operators, from €14 a month billed annually | Yes: 1 operator, 25 conversations a month, 14-day history | Not stated on the pages we checked | Cookies and Local Storage entries, per its help centre |
| tawk.to | Free; paid add-ons such as branding removal at $29 a month | Yes, free for life with tawk.to branding | Not stated on the pages we checked | Cookies stored when the widget loads, unless its consent option is on |
| Tidio | Base fee with a quota of billable conversations, from $24.17 a month billed annually | Yes: 50 billable conversations | Mainly in the EEA, with some transfers to the US | Not checked |
| LiveChat | Per user, from $19 per user a month billed annually | None listed; a free trial | Not stated on the pages we checked | lc_cid and lc_cst cookies, described as necessary for the widget |
| TalkMerlin | Per site: Pro is €19 per site a month, up to 5 agents per site | Yes: 1 site, 1 agent, 50 conversations a month, 30 days of history | Hetzner servers in Germany and Finland | Nothing before a chat; a visitor ID in local storage once one starts |
Smartsupp
Smartsupp's pricing is per plan, and each plan sets how many operators can log in: 1 on Free and Solo, 3 on Plus, 5 or more on Expert, with extra operators from $24 a month. Solo costs €14, Plus €21 and Expert €69 a month, billed annually. The free plan includes 25 conversations a month and a 14-day history; the paid plans list unlimited conversations. Expert covers 3 websites, the other plans 1.
Its strengths are channels and apps. WhatsApp and Messenger come with every plan, Free included. The paid plans include AI reply assists, and there are apps for iPhone and Android.
tawk.to
tawk.to's chat is free. Its page on why it is free lists what it charges for instead: $29 a month to remove the "Powered by tawk.to" branding, AI Assist from $29 a month, and trained human agents who answer for you at $1 an hour.
It is also the most widespread chat script. The HTTP Archive's Web Almanac 2024 names embed.tawk.to as the most common customer-success domain in its data. Its help centre says its cookies are stored as soon as the widget loads, unless the consent option is on.
Tidio
Tidio's pricing is a base fee that includes a quota of billable conversations: 50 on Free, 100 on Starter at $24.17 a month, and from 250 on Growth, from $49.17 a month, billed annually. The self-serve plans include 10 seats, so you do not pay per agent. Its privacy policy says data is processed mainly within the EEA, with some transfers to the US.
Its strength is automation: the Lyro AI agent and Flows, both also sold as separate products.
LiveChat
LiveChat charges per user: $19 per user a month on Essential and $79 on Growth, billed annually, and every person who answers chats needs a seat. Essential keeps conversation history for 60 days; Growth keeps it without a limit. Its cookie guide lists the lc_cid and lc_cst cookies as necessary for the widget.
It has the broadest feature set here: AI tools, ticketing, a desktop app for macOS and Windows, and an MCP server.
TalkMerlin
TalkMerlin charges per site, not per agent. Pro is €19 per site a month, with up to 5 agents per site and unlimited conversations. The Free plan has 1 site, 1 agent, 50 conversations a month and 30 days of history, with TalkMerlin branding. Data stays on Hetzner servers in Germany and Finland, and nothing is stored in the visitor's browser before they start a chat. You answer from one inbox for all your sites, or by replying to the alert email. Details are on the pricing page.
Where the others are stronger
- Channels. Smartsupp brings WhatsApp and Messenger into its inbox. TalkMerlin covers the chat on your website only.
- Mobile apps. Smartsupp has apps for iPhone and Android. TalkMerlin's mobile apps are coming; today you answer in the browser or by email.
- AI. All four sell AI features today. TalkMerlin's AI replies are coming and are not live yet.
- A price of zero. tawk.to is free for life if you keep its branding.
- Languages. TalkMerlin's chat window is in English and Polish only.
- Track record. Smartsupp says it has 100,000+ customers, and LiveChat's maker says its products have 30,000+. TalkMerlin is new.
How to choose
- Free, and the branding is fine: tawk.to.
- WhatsApp and Messenger in one inbox, with phone apps: Smartsupp.
- Automation and an AI agent first: Tidio or LiveChat.
- Several small sites, data in the EU, and a chat that stores nothing before it is used: TalkMerlin.
Still deciding whether a chat is worth it at all? Start with live chat on a small website. For the privacy side, see live chat without cookies.
Questions people ask
Is there a free alternative to Smartsupp?
Yes. tawk.to is free for life if you keep its branding. Tidio and TalkMerlin have free plans with limits: 50 billable conversations on Tidio, and 1 site, 1 agent and 50 conversations a month on TalkMerlin. Smartsupp's own free plan includes 25 conversations a month.
Which Smartsupp alternative keeps data in the EU?
Tidio's privacy policy says data is processed mainly within the EEA, with some transfers to the US. TalkMerlin stores data on Hetzner servers in Germany and Finland. The pages we checked for Smartsupp, tawk.to and LiveChat did not state a location.
Which is cheapest for a team of three?
It depends on how you pay. On LiveChat Essential, three users cost 3 x $19 = $57 a month, billed annually. Smartsupp Plus includes 3 operators for €21 a month, billed annually. Tidio's self-serve plans include 10 seats. TalkMerlin Pro includes up to 5 agents for €19 per site a month.
Does TalkMerlin have WhatsApp or a mobile app?
Not today. TalkMerlin covers the chat on your website. Mobile apps, Slack and AI replies are coming and are not live yet.