tawk.to vs Charla
Choose tawk.to if you need free live chat for multiple agents and sites; choose Charla if self-hosting or unlimited AI conversations on a paid plan is the deciding factor. Both offer live chat, a knowledge base, ticketing, and mobile and desktop apps, but their free-plan limits and approaches to AI pricing differ.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | tawk.to | Charla |
|---|---|---|
| Free-plan agents and sites | Unlimited agents and sites | 1 agent and 1 site |
| Deployment | Hosted; no on-premise option | SaaS or self-hosted option |
| Paid pricing | Optional add-ons; AI Assist from $29/month | Starter $12/agent/month; Essentials $25/month; Plus $59/month |
| AI usage | Free and paid AI Assist plans with message credits | Unlimited AI conversations on paid plans |
| Free-plan knowledge base | Free knowledge base | 3 articles |
| Branding removal | $39/month or $348/year per property | Available on paid plans |
| Live chat volume | Unlimited chats | Unlimited conversations |
| Customer records | CRM contacts and pipelines | Visitor profiles and conversation history |
| Messaging channels | Website chat and shared inbox | Website, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, Messenger, and email |
| Website integrations | Shopify, WordPress, and Squarespace installation | Shopify, WordPress, Magento, and WooCommerce extensions |
| Agent apps | iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows | iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows |
| Support tools | Ticketing and knowledge base | Helpdesk, ticketing, and knowledge base |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose tawk.to if
- Teams needing multiple agents on a free plan
- Businesses running chat across multiple sites at no software cost
- Teams wanting contact records and sales pipelines alongside support
- Businesses that want optional hired chat agents
Choose Charla if
- Organizations seeking a self-hosted option
- Single-agent, single-site teams comfortable with free-plan limits
- Teams seeking unlimited AI conversations on a paid plan
- Businesses managing WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and Messenger conversations in one inbox
The verdict
Pick tawk.to when your team needs room to grow without paying per agent: it publishes no limits on agents, chat volume, or sites for its free software. Pick Charla when self-hosting matters, or when a paid plan with unlimited AI conversations fits your needs better than tawk.to’s message-credit plans. For a single-agent, single-site team, both have a free option; Charla’s free plan has explicit limits.
tawk.to vs Charla: common questions
- Can I use tawk.to or Charla for free?
- Yes. tawk.to offers free live chat with no stated limits on agents, chat volume, or sites. Charla’s free plan allows one agent, one site, and three knowledge base articles, and displays Charla branding.
- Which costs less for a team with multiple agents?
- tawk.to does not charge for additional live chat agents. Charla’s free plan allows one agent; its advertised Starter price is $12 per agent per month, and it also lists Essentials at $25 per month and Plus at $59 per month.
- Can either product be self-hosted?
- Charla advertises a self-hosted option and asks buyers to contact it for details. tawk.to says its service is hosted and does not offer an on-premise option.
- How do their AI conversation limits compare?
- Charla says its paid plans include unlimited AI conversations. tawk.to offers free and paid AI Assist plans with monthly message-credit allowances.
- Do tawk.to and Charla both offer ticketing and a knowledge base?
- Yes. Both publish ticketing and knowledge base features. Charla limits its free plan to three knowledge base articles.
- Can I remove their branding?
- tawk.to offers a branding-removal add-on for $39 per month or $348 per year per property. Charla says upgrading from its free plan to a paid plan removes Charla branding.
- Which one has CRM features?
- tawk.to publishes CRM contact records and pipelines. Charla publishes visitor profiles and conversation history; it does not list a sales pipeline among those features.
- Do both have mobile and desktop apps?
- Yes. Both vendors advertise agent apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.