Tidio alternative
A free Tidio alternative for small support teams
Give visitors a real person to talk to and keep every chat in one shared inbox, free. How HelpCenter.chat and Tidio compare, including where Tidio wins.
Short answer: HelpCenter.chat is a good Tidio alternative if you want free human live chat and a shared inbox, and AI that answers from your own help center. Tidio is the stronger choice if you need more free seats, social and WhatsApp channels, or Shopify actions. We make HelpCenter.chat, so weigh our view with that in mind.
HelpCenter.chat vs Tidio at a glance
Prices are in USD, taken from each pricing page in October 2026.
| HelpCenter.chat | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0, no credit card, human chat does not expire | $0 (Tidio describes it as "For solo entrepreneurs") |
| Free conversations | 100 new conversations per monthly usage period | 50 billable conversations, counted only when your team replies |
| Free seats | 2 team seats per workspace | 10 seats |
| First paid step | Orelvi Start, $29 a month: 2 chat seats, 1,000 new conversations, 200 AI credits | Starter, $29 a month billed monthly ($24.17 billed annually): 100 billable conversations |
| AI assistant | Orelvi, included in every paid plan, answers from your published HelpCenter.io articles | Lyro, first 50 conversations free, then from $39 a month for 50 AI conversations |
| Channels | Website messenger and shared inbox | Live chat, email, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp |
| Extra seats | $9 per month each | Custom seat counts on Plus, from $300 a month plus usage |
Where Tidio is the better pick
- Bigger free team. Tidio's Free plan lists 10 seats. HelpCenter.chat's free workspace has 2.
- Fairer counting for busy sites. Tidio only counts a conversation once your team replies, so spam and unanswered messages do not use up your plan.
- More channels. Tidio connects email, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, and offers native Shopify actions. HelpCenter.chat is a website messenger and shared inbox.
- AI without a help center. Lyro can learn from uploaded FAQs or a website scan. Orelvi needs a connected HelpCenter.io knowledge base.
Where HelpCenter.chat fits better
- More free conversations. 100 new conversations every usage period, and human chat never expires or turns into a trial.
- One flat price for AI and chat. Every Orelvi plan bundles AI credits, chat seats and a larger conversation allowance per workspace. There are no automatic top-ups, overage bills or annual commitments.
- Answers your team already wrote. Orelvi answers from your published, public HelpCenter.io articles, includes references, and hands the conversation to a person when it cannot help.See how chat and your help center work together.
- Bundle savings. Pair a HelpCenter.io plan with an Orelvi plan and both save 20%.
Is Tidio free?
Yes. Tidio has a $0 Free plan with 50 billable conversations and 10 seats, and the limit refreshes every 30 days. Its AI agent, Lyro, gives you your first 50 conversations free for the lifetime of the account. Paid plans start with a 7-day free trial and no credit card.
How much is Tidio per month?
Tidio Starter is $29 a month billed monthly, or $24.17 a month billed annually, for 100 billable conversations. Growth starts at $59 a month billed monthly ($49.17 billed annually) for 250 conversations. Plus starts at $300 a month plus usage, and Premium is priced on request. Lyro AI is a separate line, from $39 a month for 50 AI conversations.
How much is HelpCenter.chat?
Human chat is free: 2 team seats and 100 new conversations per monthly usage period. When you want AI, Orelvi plans cost $29, $79 or $199 a month per workspace. Each adds AI credits and a bigger conversation allowance, and Grow and Scale add chat seats. See full pricing.
Is HelpCenter.chat a chatbot or live chat?
Live chat first. Your team answers visitors in a shared inbox, and AI is optional. If you are weighing the two approaches, our guide tochatbot vs live chat walks through when each one works.
Try it on your own site
Create a free workspace, add the messenger to your website, and start talking to visitors today.
Create your free workspaceTidio details are from tidio.com/pricing, read on 4 October 2026. Plans change, so check their page before you decide.