Crisp AI alternative: hiy vs Crisp AI.
Pick Crisp AI for small teams already running their chat and inbox on Crisp. Pick hiy if you want answers tied to the passage they came from, a plain “I don’t know” when your docs run out, and that question handed to you.
We make hiy, so read this knowing that. Every Crisp AI fact here comes from its own pages, checked 16 October 2026.
Side by side, row by row.
Each Crisp AI cell says only what its own pages say. Where they’re silent, we don’t guess.
| Crisp AI | hiy | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Mini, $45/mo per workspace, with $5 of AI credits (about 90 automated conversations). | Starter, $40/mo, flat: no overage and no per-resolution fee. |
| Free plan or trial | A free plan for 2 seats, with no AI credits; a 14-day trial, no card. | A 14-day free trial, no card needed, one per account. The free plan is for an Expert Twin, not a Support Agent. |
| Shows its sources | Not stated on crisp.chat/ai. | Yes, by default: an answer cites the passage it used, and a visitor can open it. On every plan; you can hide sources. |
| When the docs don’t cover it | Says it lacks an answer rather than guessing, with a confidence setting, and hands over to a person. | It says so plainly and, by default, offers to hand the question to a person. |
| Handing over to a person | Crisp’s own shared inbox and live chat. | The visitor leaves an email and the conversation lands in your Inbox, or opens a ticket in Zendesk or Intercom. The question waits on Unanswered, where your answer becomes a correction. |
| What it learns from | Answer snippets, Crisp’s knowledge base, a website crawl, past conversations and PDF or CSV files. | Your site’s pages by address, pasted text, PDF, Word and Markdown files, YouTube transcripts and lists. |
| Where it answers | Web chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and email. | A bubble, bar or inline chat on your own site, and the chat API. Email and WhatsApp are in test, and voice in a pilot, for some workspaces. |
Where Crisp AI is ahead.
hiy is new and small. If one of these is what you need, it’s the better pick today.
- A full helpdesk and live chat in one.
- More channels: WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and email.
- A copilot for your agents, and a permanent free plan.
hiy and Crisp AI: what differs.
From each product’s own pages. Prices are theirs, as published.
- Crisp’s AI is part of its helpdesk; hiy is an agent you add to your site, not a helpdesk.
- hiy’s paid plan is flat, where Crisp’s AI is paid from credits.
- Crisp’s AI page doesn’t say whether answers show sources; hiy’s do by default.
Pricing side by side
- Crisp AI, Mini: $45/mo per workspace, $5 of AI credits (about 90 conversations)
- Crisp AI, Essentials: $95/mo, $25 of credits
- Crisp AI, Free plan: 2 seats, no AI credits
- hiy: Starter, $40/mo, flat: no overage and no per-resolution fee.
Checked 16 October 2026 from crisp.chat/en/pricing and hiy.ai/pricing.
Where hiy is different.
What hiy is built around, whichever plan you’re on. Citations, the honest gap, the AI label and the report link are on every plan.
Answers show their source
An answer cites the passage it used, and a visitor can open it to check.
It says when it doesn’t know
When your material doesn’t cover a question, it says so rather than guessing, and offers a person.
Each miss is taught once
Handovers land in your Inbox. The question waits on Unanswered; answer it with Teach it and every similar question is covered.
One line on your site
Switch on Open on your site and paste one script tag, with no server. Signed-in visitors can get a token from your server instead.
Questions people ask first.
Is hiy a good Crisp AI alternative?
It is if what matters most is answers your customers can check: hiy cites the passage behind its answers, says so when your docs don’t cover a question, and hands that question to a person. Crisp AI is the better fit for small teams already running their chat and inbox on Crisp.
How much does Crisp AI cost compared with hiy?
Crisp’s Mini plan is $45 a month per workspace with $5 of AI credits, about 90 automated conversations, and Essentials is $95 with $25 of credits. hiy’s Starter plan is $40 a month, flat, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed. What each plan includes, and how to start, is on the pricing page.
Does Crisp AI show where its answers come from?
Crisp’s AI page doesn’t say whether answers show their sources, so we can’t tell you either way. hiy cites the passage behind its answers by default, on every plan, and a visitor can open it; an owner can hide sources.
Does Crisp AI have a free plan or trial?
A free plan for 2 seats, with no AI credits; a 14-day trial, no card. hiy: A 14-day free trial, no card needed, one per account. The free plan is for an Expert Twin, not a Support Agent.
How does Crisp AI hand a chat to a person, compared with hiy?
Crisp AI: Crisp’s own shared inbox and live chat. hiy: The visitor leaves an email and the conversation lands in your Inbox, or opens a ticket in Zendesk or Intercom. The question waits on Unanswered, where your answer becomes a correction.
Try hiy on your own docs. Start free; the paid plan is free for 14 days.
- 14-day free trial
- No card needed
- Paste a URL to start