Chatwoot
Groove
| Feature | Chatwoot | Groove |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $19/mo | From $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, small-businesses, privacy-focused-companies, self-hosters | small-businesses, startups, small-support-teams, saas-companies |
| Founded | 2017 | 2012 |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Omnichannel Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Assist | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Canned Responses | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hostable | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shared Inbox | ✗ | ✓ |
| Knowledge Base | ✗ | ✓ |
| Assignments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collision Detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Chatwoot Pros
- Open-source with full self-hosting option
- Omnichannel (chat, email, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
- AI-powered response suggestions and summaries
- Free for self-hosted with unlimited agents
✗ Chatwoot Cons
- Self-hosting requires DevOps knowledge
- Fewer integrations than established help desks
- Mobile apps less polished than competitors
✓ Groove Pros
- Very simple to use
- Feels like email not a ticket system
- Good for small teams
- Knowledge base included
✗ Groove Cons
- Limited automation
- Basic reporting
- Not suitable for large teams
The Verdict
Chatwoot is built for startups and small businesses, with a focus on live-chat and omnichannel-inbox. Groove targets small businesses and startups and leads with shared-inbox and knowledge-base.
Pricing is close: Groove starts at $16/mo versus $19/mo for Chatwoot — not a deciding factor on its own.
Chatwoot has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Groove requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Chatwoot offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Groove takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for startups, small businesses — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.