Here are value-for-money conversational support (live chat + chatbot) options grouped by budget and use‑case, with quick pros/cons and pricing references so you can pick what fits your team and scale.

Top picks (shortlist)

• Chatwoot — Best open‑source / self‑hosted (lowest ongoing license cost). Good if you can host/manage it yourself; cloud plans available if you prefer SaaS. Community edition is free; premium support/cloud plans are paid. (chatwoot.com)
• tawk.to — Best truly free hosted chat (zero cost for core product). Unlimited agents/sites; paid add‑ons (branding removal, AI, or agent service) only if you need them. Excellent if budget = 0. (tawk.to)
• Tidio — Best low‑cost SaaS with AI for small businesses. Starts with a free tier; paid starter tiers and per‑conversation/usage AI options make it easy to scale affordably. Good mix of chat, no‑code bots and AI. (tidio.com)
• ManyChat — Best for ecommerce/marketing‑first chatbots (Instagram/Facebook/WhatsApp automation). Generous free tier; paid Inbox/Pro tiers for multi‑seat support and large contact lists. (inbox.manychat.com)
• Crisp — Predictable flat workspace pricing and built‑in AI/chatbot features — useful if you prefer predictable monthly workspace fees instead of per‑conversation or per‑agent surprises. (crisp.chat)
• LiveChat — Strong mid‑market product (easy setup, per‑agent pricing) with optional chatbot/AI add‑ons. Good for teams that want fast ROI and mature analytics. (livechat.com)
• Olark — Simple, budget‑friendly per‑agent pricing (starts around $29/agent/mo) for small teams that want a straightforward live chat tool with optional AI add‑ons. (olark.com)
• Intercom / Zendesk — Best enterprise / product‑led support with advanced automation and AI. Pricier per seat or per‑agent plus add‑ons, but deliver deep integrations, multichannel routing and AI agents for larger teams. (Intercom pricing examples; Zendesk suite tiers cited). (intercom.com)

How to choose (quick checklist)

• Volume model: per‑agent vs per‑conversation vs per‑workspace vs per‑contact — pick the model that matches your traffic. (e.g., Tidio has billable conversation limits; LiveChat and Olark price per agent; Crisp offers flat workspace pricing). (tidio.com)
• Channels you need: WhatsApp, SMS, Instagram, voice — enterprise platforms (Zendesk, Intercom) and some mid‑market tools support more channels out of the box. (zendesk.com)
• AI costs & limits: many vendors charge separately for AI agent resolutions or quota (watch for per‑resolution or add‑on charges). (intercom.com)
• Integrations & CRM: if you already use HubSpot/Shopify/Salesforce, verify native integrations (HubSpot has a free chat/CRM bundle if you want tight CRM integration). (blog.hubspot.com)
• Compliance / hosting: if you need HIPAA/enterprise security or self‑hosting, consider Chatwoot self‑host or enterprise Zendesk offerings. (chatwoot.com)

Quick recommendation (most value for most SMBs)

• If you want the best balance of price + built‑in AI + easy setup: try Tidio (free tier → low‑cost growth plans). (tidio.com)
• If you need zero licensing cost and can manage hosting or only need basic chat: start with tawk.to (free) or Chatwoot (self‑hosted free). (tawk.to)

Next steps

1. Shortlist 2–3 vendors from above that match your volume and channels.
2. Use their free tiers/trials to simulate 1 week of real traffic (watch agent vs AI usage). (All vendors above offer free trials/free tiers). (tidio.com)
3. Compare 30‑ and 90‑day TCO (licenses + AI add‑ons + integrations + setup/maintenance).
4. If you want, tell me your team size, monthly chat volume, and must‑have channels (web, WhatsApp, Instagram, voice) and I’ll pick the top 2 best value options and estimate monthly costs.

Would you like a 2‑option shortlist for a specific team size or channel mix?