Tidio vs Hiver: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Tidio
8.3(1,850 reviews)
Live chat, chatbot, and help desk platform built for small businesses and e-commerce stores. Free plan available.
Hiver
8.3(1,890 reviews)
Gmail-based help desk that turns your inbox into a shared workspace with ticketing, SLAs, and automation. Free for up to 10 users.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Tidio | Hiver |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small e-commerce stores on Shopify or WooCommerce | Teams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB |
| Rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
Pros & Cons
Tidio
Pros
- Free plan includes live chat, chatbot builder, and ticketing for up to 3 operators
- Widget loads in under 2 seconds without hurting page speed
- Lyro AI chatbot handles 50-70% of routine questions autonomously
- Drag-and-drop chatbot builder requires zero coding knowledge
- Native integrations with Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, and Wix
- Mobile apps let you respond to customers from anywhere
Cons
- Ticketing is basic compared to dedicated help desk tools like Zendesk
- Free plan limits live chat to 50 conversations per month
- Lyro AI is a separate add-on cost ($39/month) on top of your plan
- Limited reporting and analytics on lower tiers
- No phone or voice channel support
- Chatbot flows can get complex to manage as you scale
Hiver
Pros
- Zero learning curve if your team already uses Gmail
- Free plan genuinely useful for up to 10 users — not a crippled trial
- Collision detection stops agents from duplicating replies
- Internal notes and email assignments feel native to Gmail
- Live chat feeds into the same Gmail workflow, keeping everything unified
- SLA and automation features rival standalone help desks
Cons
- Only works with Gmail — if you use Outlook or another client, forget it
- No standalone web app — you depend entirely on the Gmail extension
- Live chat features are basic compared to dedicated tools like Intercom
- Limited customization since everything runs within Gmail constraints
- Advanced automation and AI features are locked behind the $49/user Elite plan
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tidio | freemium | Free0 |
| Hiver | freemium | Free0 |
Our Verdict
Choose Tidio if...
Small e-commerce stores on Shopify or WooCommerce
Choose Hiver if...
Teams already using Gmail/Google Workspace for email
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.