Kustomer vs Crisp chat - The best e-commerce option in 2025

Kustomer - a quick overview

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Founded in 2015 in Short Hills, New Jersey by Brad Birnbaum and Jeremy Suriel, Kustomer is an omnichannel SaaS CRM platform designed to transform customer service for modern businesses. The platform leverages artificial intelligence and automation to streamline support operations, unify customer conversations across channels, and provide actionable insights for support teams.

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Kustomer serves a diverse client base ranging from small businesses to large enterprises—particularly those in internet, retail, apparel & fashion, manufacturing, and software sectors. Its robust feature set includes advanced CRM capabilities, real-time analytics dashboards, seamless integrations with business tools, and AI-powered workflow automation.

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In the following section, we’ll explore Kustomer’s features, pros and cons, pricing details, and user reviews—comparing them directly with Crisp chat and Ringly.io to help you determine which solution best fits your needs.

Kustomer's features

• Unified Customer Timeline:
  Kustomer merges all customer interactions—across email, chat, social, and more—into a single timeline. This gives agents a 360° view for faster, more personalized support. Unlike Crisp’s focus on live chat and shared inboxes, Kustomer excels at complex case management but can feel overwhelming for smaller teams or those seeking simplicity like Ringly.io offers.
• Integrated CRM Capabilities:
  Built-in CRM tools let you track customer data, purchase history, and engagement in one place. This is ideal for businesses needing deep context on every contact. While Crisp integrates with external CRMs, Kustomer’s native approach is better suited to large enterprises; Ringly.io instead prioritizes instant knowledge integration without manual setup.
• Omnichannel Support:
  Kustomer supports conversations from multiple channels (email, social media, SMS) within the same dashboard. This helps larger teams manage high volumes efficiently. Crisp also offers multichannel messaging but emphasizes real-time chat over broad channel unification; Ringly.io focuses specifically on phone automation rather than text-based channels.
• Automation & Routing Rules:
  Automated workflows assign tickets based on rules like topic or urgency to the right agent or department. This reduces manual triage work compared to Crisp’s simpler routing options and is essential for scaling support operations—but lacks the AI-driven call transfer intelligence found in Ringly.io.
• Analytics & Reporting:
  Detailed dashboards track agent performance, response times, CSAT scores, and workflow bottlenecks. These analytics are robust compared to Crisp’s basic reporting tools but require more setup expertise; by contrast, Ringly.io provides actionable call analysis out-of-the-box with AI-generated summaries that don’t need configuration.
• Third-Party Integrations:
  Kustomer connects with popular business apps (e.g., Shopify, Slack), though some integrations may require technical resources to implement fully. While both Kustomer and Crisp offer wide integration libraries (Crisp shines here for ease of use), neither matches the plug-and-play automation flexibility of Ringly.io via Zapier/Make.com connections during live calls.
• Knowledge Base Management:
  Agents can access internal knowledge bases directly within conversations—a must-have for consistent answers across teams. However, unlike Ringly.io’s automatic daily syncing from your website content (no training needed), both Kustomer and Crisp rely on manual updates which can lead to outdated info being shared if not maintained regularly.
• Scalability & Customization:
  Highly customizable workflows make Kustomer suitable for enterprises with complex needs or regulatory requirements. Small businesses may find this overkill versus the straightforward interfaces of both Crisp and especially Ringly.io—which delivers enterprise-grade automation without complexity or steep learning curves.

In summary: Kustomer stands out in unified omnichannel support and deep CRM features, making it powerful but potentially cumbersome unless you have dedicated admin resources. For businesses wanting instant phone-based automations that update themselves—and who value rapid deployment over granular ticketing—Ringly.io offers a modern alternative built around speed and simplicity while still supporting advanced integrations when needed.

Pros

• Comprehensive feature set – Users consistently praise Kustomer for its wide range of features including ticket management, omnichannel support (email, chat, social), knowledge base, reporting/analytics tools, automation capabilities, and more.
• Unified customer view – Many reviewers highlight how having all customer data in one place (including order history and previous interactions) helps agents deliver faster and more personalized support.
• Highly customizable – The platform allows significant customization: workflows can be tailored to business needs; branding elements like chat colors/logos are adjustable; integrations with other tools are robust.
• User-friendly interface – Multiple users mention that the UI is intuitive for both new hires and experienced agents. Most core functions are accessible from a single screen or profile view.
• Strong automation & AI capabilities – Automation features help reduce repetitive tasks for agents by routing tickets or suggesting responses automatically. This boosts productivity across teams.

Cons

• Steep learning curve for advanced features – While basic use is straightforward, several reviewers note that mastering all advanced functionalities requires training time—especially for smaller teams or less tech-savvy users.
• Can be overwhelming/suited to larger organizations – Some small businesses find the platform’s depth excessive relative to their needs; setup/customization may require dedicated resources not available in leaner teams.
• Occasional glitches & lagging performance – Users report intermittent technical issues such as laggy interfaces or malfunctioning features (e.g., redaction tool not working as expected). Ringly.io’s modern architecture avoids these legacy system slowdowns.
• Customer support responsiveness varies – A few customers mention difficulty getting timely help when issues arise with the software itself—support can sometimes be slow or unhelpful compared to expectations set during onboarding. Ringly.io emphasizes responsive live support as a differentiator.
• Pricing concerns at scale – Pricing is cited as a drawback by some businesses: costs can rise quickly depending on plan/user count. For startups or those watching budgets closely this may present a barrier versus simpler alternatives. Ringly.io offers transparent pricing without hidden fees.

These insights reflect what actual users experience day-to-day with Kustomer—and where alternative solutions like Ringly.io might offer advantages around simplicity, speed of support response, cost transparency, or ease-of-use without sacrificing essential functionality.

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Crisp chat - a quick overview

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Founded in 2015 in Nantes, France by Baptiste Jamin and Valerian Saliou, Crisp is a customer support SaaS designed to simplify and enhance real-time communication between businesses and their customers. With over 600,000 users worldwide, Crisp serves startups and small to medium-sized companies by offering a unified inbox that integrates chat, email, social media messaging, and helpdesk features.

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Crisp’s key features include multi-channel support across platforms like Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram; chatbot automation; video chat with screen sharing; CRM integrations; customer segmentation tools; and an intuitive interface built for ease of use. The company operates fully remote with a flat organizational structure and prides itself on being bootstrapped without venture capital funding.

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In the following section, we will explore Crisp’s features, pros and cons, pricing plans, and user reviews compared to competitors like Kustomer and Ringly.io to help you understand how it stands out in the customer support software market.

Crisp chat's features

• Live Chat & Messaging
  Crisp lets you talk to customers in real time through live chat on your website and apps. It’s great for quick support, answering questions, and guiding shoppers through checkout. Unlike Kustomer’s broader CRM focus, Crisp is built for speed and simplicity—ideal for small teams or anyone who wants instant customer conversations without a complicated setup. Ringly.io takes this further by automating phone calls, so you don’t just chat—you actually call customers when it matters most.
• Unified Inbox
  All your chats from email, social media, WhatsApp, and more land in one place with Crisp. This makes it easy to manage conversations without jumping between tools. Kustomer also offers a unified inbox but leans more toward enterprise needs with deeper CRM integrations. Ringly.io unifies phone calls into the mix too—so you can handle every channel (including voice) from one spot.
• Chatbots & Automation
  Set up chatbots that answer FAQs or guide users through simple tasks automatically with Crisp. It saves time on repetitive questions but isn’t as advanced as Kustomer’s automation rules or AI-driven workflows for complex cases. Ringly.io stands out by using AI to automate not just chats but full phone conversations—making it possible to recover carts or check orders over the phone.
• Knowledge Base Integration
  With Crisp, you can connect a knowledge base so customers find answers themselves before chatting with an agent. This reduces support load but doesn’t update automatically like Ringly.io does; our product pulls fresh info daily from your site so agents always have current details at their fingertips.
• Abandoned Cart Recovery
  Crisp helps send reminders via email or chat when someone leaves items in their cart—but it doesn’t make actual calls like Ringly.io does (which recovers over 35% of lost sales by talking directly to customers). Kustomer focuses more on post-purchase follow-up than proactive recovery.
• Order Status Checking
  Agents using Crisp can look up order status manually during chats if they have access to your store backend—but there’s no automated system that checks orders mid-call like Ringly.io offers (where AI instantly finds shipping info while talking).
• Smart Routing & Transfers
  Messages in Crisp can be routed based on keywords or team availability for faster replies; however, transfers are limited compared to Kustomer’s advanced routing rules across channels and departments. With Ringly.io, smart AI decides exactly when and how to hand off calls based on custom triggers you set.
• SMS Capabilities
  Send SMS messages directly from the platform with links or codes during customer interactions using Crisp—similar functionality exists in both Kustomer (for notifications) and our product (where agents send texts mid-call), but only we let agents personalize messages instantly while talking live.
• Custom Actions & Integrations
  Connect other tools via Zapier/Make.com integrations within all three platforms; however only our product lets agents trigger actions during actual phone calls rather than just after chats end as seen elsewhere here today!

Next, let's look at Crisp chat's pros and cons. We studied dozens of reviews from real Crisp chat users from platforms like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. Then we identified commonalities and summarized the main pros and cons of Crisp chat based on real user feedback for you here:

Pros

• User-friendly interface – Many users praise Crisp’s clean design and intuitive setup, making it easy to get started even for non-technical teams.
• All-in-one inbox with multi-channel support – Users appreciate being able to manage live chat, email, social media DMs (like Facebook Messenger, Twitter), WhatsApp, Telegram and more in a single dashboard.
• Responsive customer support team – The support team is frequently described as helpful, fast to respond, and open to feedback. This is especially valued during onboarding or troubleshooting.
• Affordable pricing for startups/SMBs – Several reviewers highlight that Crisp offers strong value compared to competitors like Intercom or Zendesk—especially in its lower tiers.
• Builtin AI chatbot & automation tools – The platform includes native AI-powered bots with visual flow builders that help automate responses across channels without complex coding.
• Easily integrates with other tools (Zapier/Make) – Integrations are solid; connecting with popular apps helps teams streamline workflows without manual workarounds.
• Smooth scalability & reliability for growing businesses – Users report that the platform scales well as their business grows—without major slowdowns or loss of features.
• Builtin live translation feature is handy for global teams/customers.
• "Magic browse" lets agents see what visitors are doing in real time.

Cons

• Difficult learning curve & cluttered UI for new users – While generally user-friendly once set up, several reviewers mention it takes time to fully understand all features; newcomers may find the interface overwhelming at first due to its many options. Ringly.io’s onboarding process was designed specifically to reduce this friction.
• No broadcast/campaign messaging capabilities – Users note you cannot send mass messages or drip campaigns directly through Crisp; this limits marketing possibilities beyond basic website interactions. Ringly.io provides built-in campaign messaging out-of-the-box.
• Certain advanced features require higher-tier plans – Some customization options (like branding or message personalization) are locked behind paid tiers. This can be frustrating if your needs grow but your budget doesn’t.
• Limited CRM functionality & integrations can be unreliable – Reviewers say CRM capabilities feel basic—a simple contact list—and integrating deeply with other sales/support tools sometimes fails. Ringly.io was built API-first so integrations stay robust as you scale.
• Occasional bugs, lag, or delayed notifications – Reports include mobile app crashes, late push notifications, widget not loading properly, orange error banners blocking new messages, etc. These issues disrupt timely customer communication until resolved.
• Conversations never auto-close by default – Some users dislike how chats remain open indefinitely unless manually closed; over time this clutters the dashboard.
• High cost at upper tiers – A few customers mention price jumps when scaling up seats/features — which can make it less affordable compared to alternatives if your team grows quickly.
• No free plan available anymore – Unlike some competitors offering forever-free versions, recent changes mean all serious use requires a paid subscription. Ringly.io continues offering a generous free tier.

Pricing - Kustomer vs Crisp chat

Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.

Kustomer pricing

Additional Details:

• Minimum Seats: All plans require a minimum of 8 users.
• Contract Length: Kustomer requires an annual subscription for all standard plans. There is no month-to-month payment option publicly listed. Discounts or lower rates are built into the annual commitment, but there is no explicit mention of further discounts for multi-year contracts in public sources.
• Cancellation Fees: If you terminate before your contract ends, you may be responsible for unpaid fees up to the end of your term, but there are no additional cancellation penalties beyond what’s owed under your agreement. You must provide at least 30 days’ written notice prior to renewal or expiration to avoid automatic renewal.
• Refund Policies: Refunds are generally not offered if you cancel early or do not use all services paid for. However, if you pre-paid and have unused service due to certain types of termination (e.g., Kustomer breach), a refund may be issued after account reconciliation—otherwise, refunds are not standard policy.

Key Takeaways:

• Kustomer targets mid-sized and larger businesses with robust omnichannel features.
• Pricing starts at $89/user/month billed annually.
• Contracts auto-renew unless canceled with sufficient notice.
• Early cancellation means paying out the remainder of your term—no additional penalty fees.
• Standard refunds aren’t available except in rare cases tied to provider fault.

For exact feature breakdowns by tier or custom quotes, contacting Kustomer directly is recommended as some advanced tiers and add-ons have variable pricing based on business needs.

Crisp chat pricing

Ringly.io pricing

Ringly.io has simple, usage-based pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments. Test drive it risk-free for 14 days, then scale up or down on month-to-month terms—or book a demo for fully tailored enterprise support.

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Online customer reviews: Kustomer vs Crisp chat

What users are saying about Kustomer:

Total reviews and average rating:
- G2: Over 200 reviews, average rating approximately 4.3/5.
- Capterra, Trustpilot, Product Hunt: No recent or significant review data found; most user feedback is concentrated on G2.

"Kustomer Efficiency" – Marjorie D., Customer Support Specialist
Kustomer helps us manage our efficiency and productivity in work as we can keep up on the number of tickets we handle... The user interface (UI) is intuitive / has user-friendly setup which makes the experience when utilizing it always smooth and seamless...

No critical competitor-focused review available.
There are currently no detailed critical reviews highlighting weaknesses in competitors for Kustomer available from major platforms like Capterra, Trustpilot, or Product Hunt. Users should be cautious and seek additional feedback if this perspective is important to their evaluation.

What users are saying about Crisp chat:

Total reviews and average rating:
- G2: 90+ reviews, average rating around 4.5/5.
- Capterra: 250+ reviews, average rating approximately 4.7/5.
- Across all major platforms (including GetApp & TrustPilot), Crisp consistently scores between 4.5–4.7 out of 5 with over 250 combined verified reviews.

"Reliable and Scalable Chat Platform" – Tuan B., SaaS Founder
All-in-one inbox with multi-channel support... affordable pricing especially for startups... excellent support team... If you're a startup or growing SaaS company looking for a cost-effective alternative to Intercom or Zendesk, Crisp is worth considering...

"Reporting feature needs improvement" – Anonymous Reviewer (Capterra)
The reporting feature needs to be improved to ease the process of obtaining detailed statistics... It does not allow you to create campaigns with new leads you enter...

Additional context:

Users praise both tools’ ease of use but note that Kustomer targets larger enterprises while Crisp appeals more to small businesses seeking affordability and simplicity.
Common criticisms for Crisp include limited analytics customization and some bugs in advanced features; however, its pricing undercuts many competitors like Intercom by a wide margin.

What users are saying about Ringly.io:

Ringly.io is known for its simplicity, and a focus on e-commerce, with features like abandoned cart recovery and order status lookups. It has a 4.8 star rating from 12 reviews on Product Hunt and other platforms.

"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.

"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."

"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.

"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.

Kustomer vs Crisp chat: Which is best for you?

Who Kustomer is best for…

• Big businesses with complex needs: If you run a large company or enterprise with lots of agents handling support across many channels (like email, chat, social, SMS), Kustomer’s powerful ticketing, automation, and CRM tools are a good fit.
• Teams that want everything under one roof: For support teams who need deep customer history, advanced analytics, and custom workflows to stay organized, Kustomer’s features will help—especially if you have the resources for setup and ongoing management.
• Companies requiring high-level reporting: If your business relies on tracking every detail and drilling into support data, Kustomer’s analytics dashboards give you the insights you need to improve service and performance.
• Organizations with dedicated admins: Kustomer’s learning curve means it’s best for teams with IT support or specialists who can help set up, customize, and maintain the platform.

Who Crisp chat is best for…

• Small teams and startups: If you want to chat with your customers easily and don’t need lots of complicated features, Crisp chat is great. Its pricing is friendly for new businesses and the setup is quick.
• Companies that value real-time messaging: Use Crisp if most of your support happens through website chat, email, or social inboxes, and you want to keep things moving fast and smooth.
• Teams that want solid basics and flexibility: Crisp gives you an all-in-one inbox, good chatbot automation, and easy integrations for a balance between features and not feeling overwhelmed.
• Businesses on a budget: Crisp’s free and lower-cost plans make it a smart choice if you’re watching your costs but still need solid live chat support and helpful customer service.

Who Ringly.io is best for…

• Businesses of all sizes: Whether you’re a small store or a large brand, Ringly.io’s easy setup and simple pricing make it a perfect match—you only pay for what you use, and there’s no long-term contract or big learning curve.
• Teams that want to automate phone support with AI: Ringly.io is made for companies who want to give instant, friendly phone support using AI agents that actually sound human. It’s great for things like recovering abandoned carts, checking order status, and helping customers anytime—automatically.
• Stores & e-commerce brands needing voice automation: If you want to wow your customers with quick order updates, product advice, or after-hours support by phone, Ringly.io stands out. It keeps getting smarter by learning from your website so there’s no manual setup needed.
• Businesses that want reliable, modern support that just works: Ringly.io offers a clean interface, fast setup, responsive help from real people, and advanced integrations through Zapier and Make.com. You get powerful automation—without overcomplicating things or running into tech headaches.

Why is Ringly.io the overall best choice? With its plug-and-play AI phone agents, daily-updated knowledge, and flexible pricing, Ringly.io gives you the power of enterprise automation—without big contracts or tricky setups. It works for solo shops and big teams alike, helping you save time and impress your customers from day one.

Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice

Highly Rated: 4.8/5

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Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io is revolutionizing e-commerce customer service with AI phone agents. Designed for online businesses, Ringly handles customer calls on autopilot—solving support issues, recovering abandoned carts, and even boosting sales—at just 20% of the cost of human agents.‍

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With 2,300+ customers, Ringly.io is the go-to solution for e-commerce stores looking to scale without scaling their support team. With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io transforms your phone system into a revenue-driving powerhouse—without the headaches of traditional call centers.‍

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Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Kustomer and Crisp chat:

No-code setup, instant results – Ringly.io is ready to go in minutes. Just add your website, docs, or text—no engineering required—and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.‍‍‍

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AI-powered sales & support – Ringly.io does both inbound and outbound calls. Recover 35%+ of abandoned carts with automated follow-up calls, provide real-time order tracking from Shopify, and convert more customers with personalized AI-driven conversations—not just reactive support.‍‍

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Advanced analytics for smarter decisions – Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports—helping you optimize support and sales strategies.‍‍‍

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Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts – Ringly.io offers transparent, scalable pricing—pay for what you use, no locked-in contracts.‍

Conclusion: Which Support Platform Should You Choose?

Choosing the right customer support platform comes down to your team size, your business goals, and how much time you want to spend setting things up—or dealing with support headaches down the road. Here’s a simple recap to help you make the best choice:

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• Kustomer:
  • ✓ Best for large businesses or enterprises that need advanced ticketing, deep CRM features, and detailed analytics.
  • ✓ Ideal if you have a dedicated IT team for setup and ongoing management.
  • ✓ Comes with a higher price tag and a learning curve, but it’s powerful if you need bespoke workflows and all data in one place.
• Crisp chat:
  • ✓ Great for small to mid-sized businesses or startups that want quick, simple chat and multi-channel messaging.
  • ✓ Easy onboarding, friendly pricing, and all the basics you need for responsive support.
  • ✓ Fewer bells and whistles than Kustomer, but easy to use and tough to beat for affordability and chat-first support.
• Ringly.io (the smarter solution):
  • ✓ Built for any business looking for instant, human-like phone support—without complicated tech or high costs.
  • ✓ Let’s you automate voice support, recover abandoned carts, check orders, and provide 24/7 AI-powered help—straight out of the box with no-code setup.
  • ✓ Flexible pricing with no contracts, daily-updated knowledge, and modern integrations—all designed to help you scale support and boost sales, fast.

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If you want heavy customization and have an enterprise IT team, Kustomer might fit best. If you just want live chat for a small team, Crisp chat is quick and cost-effective. But if you’re after true automation with AI phone agents, instant results, and a platform that keeps getting smarter on its own—Ringly.io is the new standard for modern businesses that want to wow customers, save on support costs, and never get stuck in technical weeds.

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No contracts, no drama—just reliable, friendly support that helps you grow. Try Ringly.io for free today and see the difference for yourself.

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