A Lighter Crisp Alternative
GhostChat is 15x lighter than Crisp, privacy-first by design, and has simpler pricing. All the live chat essentials without the feature bloat.
GhostChat vs Crisp
| Feature | GhostChat | Crisp |
|---|---|---|
| Script size (gzipped) | ~10 KB | ~155 KB |
| Privacy (zero tracking) | ✓ | Partial |
| Cookie-free | ✓ | Base only |
| Starting price | Free | Free (2 seats) |
| Remove branding | $9/mo | €95/mo |
| Team plan (5 agents, 10 sites) | $25/mo | €95/mo |
| Gmail threading (reply from inbox) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Page speed impact | Minimal | Moderate |
| Setup complexity | 30 seconds | 5-10 mins |
| Dashboard | Simple, focused | Feature-heavy |
| Mobile app | ✓ (PWA) | ✓ |
| Auto-translate (133+ languages) | $9/mo | €95/mo |
| Custom AI bot (bring your own LLM) | $9/mo | €95/mo+ |
Why Choose Us Over Crisp?
Crisp is a solid product, but it's grown complex and heavy. Here's why simpler wins.
15x Lighter
~10KB vs Crisp's ~155KB. Less JavaScript means faster page loads, better Core Web Vitals, and happier visitors. Your site stays fast.
80% Cheaper
Crisp Mini costs €45/mo, Essentials €95/mo. We start at $9/month, and you can remove branding for $9/mo. Save hundreds per year.
Gmail Threading
Reply to customers directly from Gmail. No need to switch tabs or open a dashboard. Crisp requires their app or dashboard for every reply.
Privacy-First
Zero tracking, zero cookies. GDPR-friendly by default. No cookie banners needed. Crisp tracks visitors and requires consent management.
Custom AI Bot — 19x Cheaper
Connect your own AI (Ollama, Claude, GPT) to handle customer chat. GhostChat's Bot Agent is $9/mo. Crisp's equivalent starts at €95/mo — and you still pay for AI credits on top.
Simple Live Chat Done Right
We focus on what matters: fast, reliable communication with your customers.
Real-time Messaging
Instant delivery via WebSocket. Works on any connection, anywhere in the world.
Email Notifications
Get notified instantly. Reply from Gmail and continue the conversation seamlessly.
Mobile PWA
Install on your phone like an app. Push notifications, offline support, reply on the go.
Lead Capture
Collect emails before or during chat. Build your contact list automatically.
Contact Export
Download all your contacts as CSV. Your data, your control. No vendor lock-in.
Simple Dashboard
No feature overload. Just conversations, contacts, and settings. Get in, reply, get out.
When Crisp Might Be Better
Crisp has grown into a full customer engagement platform. If you need these features, it might be worth the extra cost and weight:
- •No-code visual chatbot builder (GhostChat's bot requires a webhook or Bot Agent setup)
- •Shared inbox for multiple channels (email, Messenger, etc.)
- •Knowledge base / help center
- •Video calls & screen sharing
- •Advanced automations & campaigns
If you need focused live chat that's fast, light, and privacy-friendly, GhostChat delivers that at a fraction of the cost — without slowing down your site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crisp worth the price?
Crisp has a free plan (2 seats), but their paid Mini plan is €45/mo per workspace (4 seats), and Essentials is €95/mo. If you use their chatbot builder, shared inbox, and knowledge base, the cost may be justified. But if you mainly need live chat, GhostChat delivers that for free (or $9/mo for Pro) — saving you hundreds per year.
Is GhostChat simpler than Crisp?
Yes. Crisp has grown into a full customer engagement platform with chatbots, campaigns, a CRM, knowledge base, and more. That's powerful but complex. GhostChat focuses on live chat done right: real-time messaging, Gmail threading, lead capture, and a clean dashboard. Setup takes 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.
Does Crisp slow down my website?
Crisp's widget loads ~155KB of JavaScript, which can affect your page speed and Core Web Vitals — especially on mobile devices. GhostChat's widget is ~10KB gzipped (15x smaller), loads asynchronously, and has virtually zero impact on your Lighthouse score.
Ready for Simpler Live Chat?
Free forever for 1 site. No credit card required. Get set up in 30 seconds.
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