Crisp vs Hiver: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editorยท12 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing Crisp and Hiver in 2026, Crisp is the stronger choice for startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one due to generous free plan. Hiver excels for gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving gmail with works inside gmail natively. Crisp offers Shared inbox, Live chat, Chatbots starting at $25/mo with a free plan. Hiver provides Shared Gmail inbox, Email assignment, Collision alerts from $19/user/mo with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Crisp delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 74/100. Crisp and Hiver compete in the customer support segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading customer support tools include Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk. Crisp serves 500K+ orgs users globally (founded 2015) while Hiver reports 10K+ orgs active users (founded 2011).

Crisp vs Hiver at a Glance

Crisp
Hiver
Starting Price
$25/mo
$19/user/mo
Free Plan
Yes
Yes
User Rating
4.5/5
4.5/5
Best For
Startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messagi...
Gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk w...
Users
500K+ orgs
10K+ orgs
Founded
2015
2011
hiltonsoftware Score
74/100
70/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
๐ŸŸข
Crisp
Customer Support
74
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED
VS
๐Ÿ“ง
Hiver
Customer Support
70
hiltonsoftware.co Score

What are the main differences between Crisp and Hiver?

Crisp and Hiver differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Crisp leads in 5 of 7 categories.

CrispHiver
86Ease of Use84
78Features77
72Value for Money75
67Customer Support70
68Integrations61
66Scalability60
74Learning Curve72

What are the pros and cons of Crisp vs Hiver?

Crisp
+Generous free plan
+All-in-one for early-stage companies
-Limited scalability for enterprise
-Mobile app needs improvement
Hiver
+Works inside Gmail natively
+No context switching needed
-Gmail only
-Limited beyond email support

Which is better, Crisp or Hiver?

After evaluating Crisp and Hiver across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Crisp earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 74/100 versus Hiver at 70/100. Crisp stands out for "generous free plan" and "all-in-one for early-stage companies". Hiver delivers competitive advantages in "works inside gmail natively", making Hiver a viable alternative.

Both Crisp and Hiver offer free plans. Crisp paid plans start at $25/mo while Hiver begins at $19/user/mo. ROI depends on which features justify upgrading.

Bottom line: Choose Crisp for startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one. Choose Hiver for gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving gmail. Both Crisp and Hiver are established customer support platforms.

CHOOSE CRISP IF:

Startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one.

CHOOSE HIVER IF:

Gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving Gmail.

Crisp vs Hiver: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Crisp better than Hiver in 2026?
Crisp outperforms Hiver in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 74/100 compared to 70/100. Crisp excels in Shared inbox, Live chat, Chatbots, making Crisp the better choice for Startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one. Hiver is the stronger option for Gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving Gmail due to works inside gmail natively. For teams needing shared inbox, hiltonsoftware.co recommends Crisp.
How does Crisp pricing compare to Hiver in 2026?
Crisp starts at $25/mo and includes a free plan. Hiver starts at $19/user/mo and offers a free plan. Crisp includes features like Shared inbox, Live chat, Chatbots. Hiver provides Shared Gmail inbox, Email assignment, Collision alerts. Crisp serves 500K+ orgs users while Hiver serves 10K+ orgs users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between Crisp and Hiver?
Crisp specializes in Shared inbox, Live chat, Chatbots, earning a 74/100 hiltonsoftware Score. Hiver focuses on Shared Gmail inbox, Email assignment, Collision alerts, scoring 70/100. Crisp is best for Startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one. Hiver is best for Gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving Gmail. Both Crisp and Hiver serve the Customer Support market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from Crisp to Hiver?
Migrating from Crisp to Hiver is possible since both operate in the Customer Support space. Export data from Crisp and verify Hiver import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: Shared inbox, Live chat, Chatbots (Crisp) versus Shared Gmail inbox, Email assignment, Collision alerts (Hiver). Running both Crisp and Hiver in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is Crisp or Hiver better for small business?
Both Crisp and Hiver offer free plans. Crisp (74/100) is ideal for Startups wanting free, all-in-one customer messaging from day one. Hiver (70/100) fits Gmail-first teams wanting shared inbox help desk without leaving Gmail. Evaluate both during trial periods.

Reviewed by Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editor. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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