“### 2. Tidio — Best budget option”
“- Email.”
“Tidio | Best affordable option to get started | Free / $24.17+”
“- Shared inbox for two people.”
“- Website live chat.”
“- Instagram messages.”
“- Facebook Messenger.”
“- WhatsApp.”
“- AI chatbot options.”
“- Ticket management.”
“Its shared inbox is available on the free plan, making it easy to test before committing.”
“- Choose Tidio if keeping costs low is important and you want to start with a free shared inbox.”
“One thing to watch: Tidio uses conversation limits, so costs can increase as your support volume grows.”
“Crisp | Best overall shared inbox for a small team | $45/month”
“- Website live chat.”
“- Shared email inbox.”
“- Instagram and Facebook Messenger integrations.”
“- WhatsApp integration.”
“- Internal notes and conversation assignments.”
“- Saved replies.”
“- Flat-rate pricing rather than charging for every agent.”
“- Choose Crisp Essentials if you want predictable flat-rate pricing, more collaboration features and a dedicated omnichannel inbox.”
“Important: Instagram, WhatsApp and the broader omnichannel inbox require Essentials, so don't assume the $45 plan includes everything.”
“### 4. Intercom — Best for advanced support”
“Intercom | Best for advanced live chat and AI automation | $29/seat/month”
“- Excellent website live chat.”
“- Shared inbox.”
“- AI-powered customer support.”
“- Automated workflows.”
“- Customer history and segmentation.”
“- Email and messaging integrations.”
“Additional AI and messaging costs can apply.”
“For a two-person team, I would only choose Intercom if you expect substantial growth or need advanced automation.”
“### 3. Help Scout — Best for email support”
“Help Scout | Best for email-heavy customer support | $25/user/month”
“- Excellent shared email inbox.”
“- Website live chat.”
“- Instagram and Facebook Messenger.”
“- WhatsApp.”
“- Conversation assignments.”
“- Internal notes.”
“- Saved replies and automation.”
“- Choose Help Scout if email is your primary support channel and live chat/social are secondary.”