Chatstack

What is Chatstack

Chatstack is a live chat and customer messaging system that combines real-time visitor chat, offline messaging, and persistent transcripts with optional self-hosted deployment. It is aimed at businesses that need a lightweight, reliable support chat widget for websites, with features to manage agents, canned responses, visitor tracking, and integration points for CRM and analytics.

Chatstack can be deployed as a cloud-hosted service or installed on your own server depending on the licensing option you choose. The product emphasizes low friction for installation, a compact operator interface for agents, and storage of transcript history so support teams can continue conversations across sessions.

The platform is commonly chosen by small customer support teams, agencies who prefer client-owned installations, and organizations with privacy or compliance requirements that make self-hosting desirable. For companies evaluating chat systems that don’t require a large ecosystem of add-ons, Chatstack provides a focused set of chat and help desk capabilities.

Chatstack features

What does Chatstack do?

Chatstack provides a web chat widget for website visitors, a support operator console for agents, and tools for managing chat transcripts and offline messages. Key functional areas include:

• Visitor-facing chat widget with real-time messaging and file attachments
• Operator dashboard for accepting chats, routing to available agents, and monitoring active sessions
• Persistent chat transcripts and searchable history for follow-up and training
• Offline message capture and email forwarding when no agents are available
• Agent presence, status indicators, canned responses, and typing indicators
• Visitor information and session tracking (IP, referrer, pages visited)
• Integration hooks for analytics, CRM, and third-party tools via webhooks or API
• Self-hosted installation option with database storage for teams that need data control

The product is designed to handle standard support use cases: immediate chat support, lead capture, and asynchronous follow-up from stored transcripts.

Chatstack pricing

Chatstack offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: $0/month limited trial or demo mode (limited agents and features)
• Starter: $19/month per site for basic hosted chat access (billed monthly)
• Professional: $49/month per site for multi-agent support, advanced transcript search, and priority email support (billed monthly)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for high-volume deployments, SSO, SLA and dedicated support
• One-time License: $199 one-time self-hosted license with perpetual usage and optional paid updates or support renewals

The platform typically offers both monthly and annual billing options; annual commitments often reduce the effective monthly cost by 10–30%. For customers who prefer to self-host, Chatstack also offers a perpetual license model with optional paid maintenance and support subscriptions. Check the Chatstack product purchase and license pages for the most current plan details and enterprise options: view Chatstack's pricing and licensing information (https://www.chatstack.com/pricing).

How much is Chatstack per month

Chatstack starts at $19/month per site for hosted Starter plans when billed monthly. Mid-tier hosted plans sit around $49/month per site for more agents and features, while enterprise hosting is quoted individually.

How much is Chatstack per year

Chatstack costs approximately $228/year per site for the Starter plan at $19/month when multiplied by 12 months; Professional annual rates are typically around $588/year at $49/month before any annual discount. Self-hosted perpetual licenses are sold as a $199 one-time payment with optional annual support renewals.

How much is Chatstack in general

Chatstack pricing ranges from $0 (trial) to custom enterprise pricing, with typical hosted plans between $19/month and $49/month per site and a one-time self-hosted license at $199. Costs vary by number of agents, support level, and whether you choose hosted or self-hosted licensing.

What is Chatstack used for

Chatstack is used for real-time website support, lead capture from site visitors, and maintaining a searchable record of support conversations. Typical uses include:

• Live customer support for product and technical questions
• Pre-sales chat to convert website visitors into leads
• Handling after-hours inquiries via offline message capture
• Centralized transcript storage for follow-up and quality assurance

Teams use Chatstack when they want a compact chat solution that can be self-hosted to meet data residency or compliance needs, or when they want a straightforward hosted chat tool without a large app ecosystem. Because transcripts persist, teams can hand off conversations between agents and review past interactions for context and reporting.

Pros and cons of Chatstack

Pros:

• Straightforward operator interface with low learning curve for agents
• Self-hosted license option provides control over data and infrastructure
• Persistent transcripts and searchable history for continuity
• Lower cost profile for small teams compared with enterprise chat suites

Cons:

• Fewer built-in third-party integrations compared to major SaaS chat platforms
• Limited advanced automation and AI features relative to larger vendors
• Interface and mobile apps may be more basic than modern hosted chat services

The decision to use Chatstack commonly balances the need for on-premises data control and simplicity against the richer integration ecosystems and AI-driven features found in larger platforms.

Chatstack free trial

Chatstack typically provides a free trial tier or demo environment so teams can validate the chat widget and operator console. The trial exposes core chat flows, transcript storage, and basic administration settings so you can test agent workflows and widget behavior on a staging site.

Trials usually limit the number of concurrent agents or the length of the trial period but allow you to test whether the product fits your support processes. For self-hosted licenses, there is often a demo installer or limited-function trial version to evaluate the product before purchasing a perpetual license. For up-to-date trial offerings, view Chatstack's trial and demo information at the official purchase pages (https://www.chatstack.com/pricing).

Is Chatstack free

No, Chatstack is not fully free for production use. There is normally a free trial or demo mode for evaluation, but production-hosted plans and the full-featured self-hosted license are paid. Self-hosted perpetual licenses involve a one-time fee, while hosted plans are billed monthly or annually.

Chatstack API

Chatstack provides developer-facing integration points to exchange messages, forward transcripts, and connect with third-party services. Typical API capabilities and integration methods include:

• Webhooks to notify external systems on new chats, transcript completion, or offline messages
• REST endpoints for fetching or exporting transcript data for CRM or analytics ingestion
• JavaScript widget hooks for client-side customization and event tracking
• Authentication tokens for secure API requests when integrating with back-end systems

Developers commonly use these APIs to push chat transcripts into support ticketing systems, create CRM leads from chat sessions, or trigger analytics events on key visitor interactions. For full technical details and developer documentation, consult Chatstack's integration and developer resources: review Chatstack's integration and developer documentation (https://www.chatstack.com/developers).

10 Chatstack alternatives

• LiveChat — Hosted omnichannel chat platform with extensive integrations and apps for sales and support teams.
• Intercom — Customer messaging platform that pairs chat with automation, product tours, and targeted messaging.
• Zendesk Chat — Chat module of the Zendesk suite, strong ticketing integration and enterprise features.
• Olark — Simple hosted live chat with visitor insights and conversation notes.
• Tawk.to — Free hosted chat service with optional paid add-ons and agent management.
• Pure Chat — Live chat solution focused on lead capture and agent workflows.
• Freshchat — Part of Freshworks, combines chat, bots, and integrated ticketing.
• Crisp — Messaging platform with shared inbox, live chat, and knowledge base features.
• HelpCrunch — Live chat and email marketing-oriented messaging for sales and support.
• Smartsupp — Live chat with visitor recordings and simplified analytics.

Paid alternatives to Chatstack

• LiveChat: Enterprise-ready hosted chat with CRM integrations, analytics, and customization options for mid-size to large teams.
• Intercom: Rich messaging suite with advanced automation, product messaging, and multi-channel workflows for revenue-driven teams.
• Zendesk Chat: Strong ticketing backbone and enterprise security; preferred when chat needs tight integration with a full help desk.
• Freshchat: Modern UI, bot framework, and deep Freshworks product integration for teams already using Freshdesk or Freshsales.
• HelpCrunch: Combines live chat with email campaigns and marketing automation for teams that want messaging and marketing in one tool.

Open source alternatives to Chatstack

• Rocket.Chat: Open source team chat and messaging platform with live chat channels and on-premises deployment.
• Zulip: Open source threaded team chat with integrations and self-hosting capabilities suitable for internal support systems.
• Mibew (Open Web Messenger): Lightweight open source live chat specifically built for website visitor messaging and self-hosting.
• Chatwoot: Open source customer engagement suite with live chat, inbox, and CRM-like features for on-premises use.

Frequently asked questions about Chatstack

What is Chatstack used for?

Chatstack is used for website live chat and visitor support. It enables real-time conversations with site visitors, captures offline messages, stores transcripts for follow-up, and helps small support teams manage inbound chat traffic and leads.

Does Chatstack offer a self-hosted option?

Yes, Chatstack offers a self-hosted perpetual license. Organizations can install Chatstack on their own servers to retain full control of data, comply with internal policies, or meet specific regulatory requirements.

How much does Chatstack cost per user or site?

Chatstack starts at about $19/month per site for hosted Starter plans and around $49/month per site for Professional hosted plans; self-hosted perpetual licenses are commonly sold for a $199 one-time fee. Exact pricing depends on agent counts, support levels, and hosting choice.

Can Chatstack integrate with CRM systems?

Yes, Chatstack integrates with CRM systems via webhooks and API endpoints. You can forward chat transcripts or create CRM leads programmatically so that conversations become part of your sales or support workflows.

Is there a free trial for Chatstack?

Yes, Chatstack usually provides a free trial or demo mode. Trials let teams validate the chat widget, operator console, and transcript handling before committing to a paid hosted plan or purchasing a self-hosted license.

Does Chatstack support multiple agents and routing?

Yes, Chatstack supports multiple agents, presence, and basic routing. The operator console shows available agents and routes incoming chats to open operators; advanced routing and skill-based assignment are available on higher-tier plans or via custom configuration.

How are chat transcripts stored and accessed?

Chat transcripts are persisted and searchable within Chatstack. For self-hosted installations, transcripts are stored in your database; for hosted accounts, transcripts are retained according to the plan’s retention policy and can be exported for reporting or archival.

Does Chatstack provide mobile agent apps?

Chatstack typically provides a web-based operator console and mobile-capable interfaces. Dedicated native mobile apps may be limited compared with large hosted platforms, so teams often rely on mobile-optimized web access or third-party notification integrations for mobile workflows.

How secure is Chatstack for customer data?

Chatstack can be configured to meet common security needs, especially with self-hosting. Self-hosted deployments allow you to control encryption, backups, and network security; hosted plans usually use standard transport encryption and access controls — consult Chatstack's security documentation for details about certificates and data protection.

Can Chatstack be customized visually and behaviorally?

Yes, Chatstack’s chat widget and operator settings are customizable. You can adjust widget colors, welcome messages, canned responses, and client-side hooks; self-hosted customers have deeper access to modify templates and behavior.

Chatstack careers

Chatstack typically hires for roles spanning product development, support, and operations for both hosted and self-hosted product lines. Check Chatstack's official careers page and tech community channels for current openings and role descriptions: visit Chatstack careers listings (https://www.chatstack.com/careers).

Chatstack affiliate

Chatstack has historically offered reseller and affiliate arrangements for partners who sell self-hosted licenses or refer hosted customers. Affiliate terms and commission structures are posted on their partnership or reseller pages; consult those pages for current program details: review Chatstack partner and affiliate information (https://www.chatstack.com/partners).

Where to find Chatstack reviews

Independent user reviews and product comparisons can be found on software review platforms, developer forums, and comparison articles that evaluate live chat systems. For authoritative product statements and changelogs, consult Chatstack's official release notes and documentation pages: read Chatstack product documentation and customer testimonials (https://www.chatstack.com).