Quick answer
Chatwoot is a free, open source project in the “Marketing & Customer Support” group, built with Ruby on Rails, Vue, PostgreSQL. It is released under MIT (the enterprise/ directory is under a separate license), has 37,767 GitHub stars, and its repository was last updated in Oct 2026. You can self-host it on your own server. An official hosted or managed option exists: Chatwoot Cloud. Verified 14 October 2026.
Marketing & Customer Support
Chatwoot
Open source customer engagement platform with a shared inbox.
GitHub stars
37,767
Last repo update
Oct 2026
License
MIT (the enterprise/ directory is under a separate license)
Technology
Ruby on Rails, Vue, PostgreSQL
What is Chatwoot?
Chatwoot brings live chat, email, social and messaging conversations into one inbox, with contact profiles and automation.
Highlights
- Omnichannel shared inbox
- Contact profiles and labels
- Automation and canned replies
- Self-hosted or cloud
Best for
Support and customer-success teams.
Check before you commit
Chatwoot is a customer support tool rather than a sales pipeline CRM. Some enterprise features are proprietary.
Self-Hosted (Open Source Edition)
Install on your own server • No per-user software fee • Full control & privacy
Self-Host on My Server →Use Chatwoot Cloud
Official hosted version. See their pricing page for current plans.
See hosted option →🏠 Self-Hosted Version
You download the source code and run it on your own server or VPS (for example Hostinger, AWS or DigitalOcean).
Installation
Official guides cover Docker, a Linux VM install script, Kubernetes (Helm) and cloud providers. Start with the self-hosted installation guide.
Open the official install guide →
Requirements: Ubuntu 20.04+ or a compatible Linux distribution.
Commands above come from the project's own documentation (checked 14 October 2026). Versions change, so confirm against the official guide before running anything on a production server.
Need a server to host it?
Docker, Node, Python, Java and similar stacks usually need a VPS where you can install your own software. A small VPS is enough to start, and you can upgrade later. Hostinger offers both shared web hosting and VPS plans.
Affiliate disclosure: this is an affiliate link. If you buy through it we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. CRMs are listed independently of any hosting partner. Learn more.
Before real customers go in: read the security and backup checklist →
☁️ Chatwoot Cloud
Official hosted version. See their pricing page for current plans.
Visit Chatwoot Cloud →How to start:
- Open the official page above.
- Compare the plans and what each one includes.
- Check that you can export your data before you move in.
- Invite your team once you are happy.
Pricing
We do not quote prices here because they change often. See the current plans on the official site.
Self-Hosted vs Chatwoot Cloud
| Factor | Self-Hosted | Chatwoot Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | No software fee for the open edition. You pay for hosting. | Plan price set by the provider. See their site. |
| Data privacy & control | Data stays on your server. | Data lives on the provider's servers. |
| Maintenance | You install updates and run backups. | The provider handles it. |
| Best for | Teams with a developer or sysadmin, and data-sensitive companies. | Teams who want a fast start and no server work. |
No technical person on the team
→ Start with Chatwoot Cloud
Avoid running a server you cannot maintain.
Team with a developer or sysadmin
→ Self-Hosted
Lower running cost and full customization.
Data-sensitive or regulated work
→ Self-Hosted on your own server
You decide where data lives and who can access it.
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Frequently asked questions about Chatwoot
Is Chatwoot free and open source?
Chatwoot is released under MIT (the enterprise/ directory is under a separate license). Always read the LICENSE file in the official repository before you use, modify or redistribute it. License details were verified on 14 October 2026.
What technology does Chatwoot use?
Chatwoot is built with Ruby on Rails, Vue, PostgreSQL.
Can I self-host Chatwoot?
Yes. You can download the source from the official GitHub repository and run it on your own server or VPS. Requirements: Ubuntu 20.04+ or a compatible Linux distribution.
Does Chatwoot have a hosted or cloud version?
Chatwoot Cloud: Official hosted version. See their pricing page for current plans.
Who is Chatwoot best for?
Support and customer-success teams.
What are good alternatives to Chatwoot?
Similar open source projects in this directory include Mautic, Twenty, Odoo Community. Compare them in the Marketing & Customer Support group.
Data verified 14 October 2026 from the project's public repository and documentation. Details change, so check the official sources. See our disclaimer. Found a mistake? Tell us.