AI included, not bolted on
Every ChatKit plan includes the AI agent and the live inbox. No separate AI add-on.
The Tidio alternative · updated Oct 2026
AI included — and we never auto-upgrade you.
SMB and e-commerce live chat with the Lyro AI agent, strong in Shopify and WordPress. Here's an honest look at how ChatKit compares — including when Tidio might suit you better.
Free plan · 14-day Growth trial · no credit card
At a glance
| Feature | Tidio | ChatKit |
|---|---|---|
| AI agent | Lyro add-on from $32.50/mo | Included on every plan |
| Automation | Flows add-on from $24.17/mo | Actions included from Starter |
| At 95% usage | Automatic tier upgrade | Nothing — hard cap at 100% |
| Seats | Up to 10 on self-serve | Unlimited from Starter |
| Languages (AI) | 12+ | 95+ |
Price at 500 AI chats / month
- Tidio
- $91.50+/mo
- ChatKit
- $29/mo
Tidio: Growth from $59 + Lyro AI add-on from $32.50. Lyro is priced by AI volume, so 500 AI chats costs more than its entry tier. ChatKit: Starter, 500 conversations, branding removed, hard cap. Based on public pricing, Oct 2026.
Switch in 3 steps
- 1
Paste your URL
We learn your site from scratch — nothing to export or migrate.
- 2
Run both side by side
Compare answers during your free 14-day trial.
- 3
Swap one script tag
Replace the Tidio snippet with ours. Done.
What Tidio users report
Common frustrations
- AI is an add-on: base plan + Lyro + Flows is about $80/mo for a realistically automated store.
- Automatic tier upgrades at 95% usage (reported).
- The December 2024 repricing roughly doubled some customers' bills (reported).
- Big jump from Growth to Plus at $300.
- “Expensive” is the most frequent complaint in reviews.
Sourced from public pricing pages and customer reviews (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, Reddit) as of Oct 2026.
Where ChatKit wins
Built to fix exactly that.
We never auto-upgrade you
Hit your limit and we cap — you decide whether to buy a pack or upgrade.
Shopify order status built in
Order lookups ship as a ready-made action on paid plans, no flow builder required.
95+ languages
The agent replies in the visitor's language automatically.
Tidio pricing
How Tidio bills
Billable conversations on the base plan, plus Lyro AI conversations sold as a tiered add-on.
Public list prices as of Oct 2026. Vendors change pricing often.
Compare with ChatKit pricingFree
50 billable conversations; 50 lifetime Lyro conversations
$0
Starter
100 billable conversations; Lyro is extra
$29/mo
Growth
From 250 billable conversations; Lyro is extra
from $59/mo
Plus
Plus usage
from $300/mo
Add-ons
Lyro AI from $32.50/mo · Flows from $24.17/mo
from $24.17/mo
When Tidio might be the better choice
Tidio has a mature live-chat app with native Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp channels. If omnichannel social inboxes matter most today, it's worth a look.
Live in about a minute
Switch from Tidio in a minute.
Paste your URL — we learn your site from scratch, so there's nothing to migrate. Run both side by side during your free trial.