Tawk.to

KEEP IT

The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying.

Live chat that is free for unlimited agents, with a widget, a dashboard and a knowledge base — paid only if you want the branding removed.

Promptfree, for everyone, and the only version there is

It is free, so build only if you object to the third-party script.

DECIDE FIRST
- Cost is not the reason here. A widget loading a script from another company on every page is

STACK
- A small Node server, SQLite, server-sent events

THE WIDGET
- Under 5KB, served from your own domain, loaded after first paint
- A dialog element, keyboard accessible, closes on Escape

MESSAGES
- Visitor identity is a random id in localStorage; no account, no personal data
- SSE for delivery, polling as a fallback

WHEN NOBODY IS THERE
- Show office hours honestly and take an email address instead
- A chat widget that nobody answers is worse than no widget

Include the widget, the SSE channel and the offline form.

What you lose

Unlimited agents at no cost, which nothing you build competes with
Apps on every platform so a reply can come from a phone
Widget hosting, delivery and uptime you never think about

If you would rather not build

Papercups, if it still fits
An email link, which converts better than an unanswered chat

The escape hatch

open source · no votes, no paid placement

Chatwoot

Self-hosted live chat with a widget served from your own domain.

chatwoot/chatwootfree · open source

Zammad

Self-hosted support with chat and email in one queue.

zammad/zammadfree · open source

Why this verdict

our own opinion · changed only by a person

26/100

Verdict no at 26 because it is free. Build only to remove a third-party script from every page, which is a legitimate reason but not a financial one.

History

tracked since 10 Aug 2026 · nothing is ever overwritten

Interest · last 30 days

Nothing recorded yet. This chart fills in once the page has visitors, votes or prompt copies — it will not draw a flat line to look busy.

Questions about Tawk.to

answered from the record above

Is Tawk.to free?

No — the plan we track is $0 a month. Free with no seat limit; branding removal and hired agents are the paid extras.

Can you replace Tawk.to by building your own?

KEEP IT. The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying. Replacement score 26 out of 100, build time longer than it saves. Read what you lose before you decide.

How much does Tawk.to cost?

$0 a month on Free — $0 a year. Recorded 10 Aug 2026.

What do you lose by replacing Tawk.to?

Unlimited agents at no cost, which nothing you build competes with; Apps on every platform so a reply can come from a phone; Widget hosting, delivery and uptime you never think about. If any of those carry weight for you, keep paying.

Is there an open-source alternative to Tawk.to?

Yes: Chatwoot, Zammad. The prompt on this page is for when you want it your way instead.

Related entries

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free forever · no tracking pixel · every prompt stays free on the site