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Hay.chat vs Chatwoot:
Different AI Approaches for Different Needs
Published · Updated
The main difference between Hay.chat and Chatwoot is that Hay.chat's AI comes with Shopify, WooCommerce and Stripe actions ready to use, while Chatwoot's Captain AI calls APIs you build and host yourself.
Chatwoot is an excellent open-source helpdesk, and its Captain AI can now follow plain-language scenarios and call APIs you set up yourself. Hay.chat's AI comes with Shopify, WooCommerce and Stripe actions ready to use, and it can run inside your Chatwoot inbox. The right choice depends on how much you want to build.
Chatwoot vs Hay.chat: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Chatwoot | Hay.chat |
|---|---|---|
| AI Answers Questions | Yes | Yes |
| AI Executes Actions | Custom HTTP tools you build (Business+) | Built in |
| Process Refunds via AI | DIY via custom tools | Yes |
| Check Order Status (Live) | Partial | Yes |
| Self-Host Option | Yes | Yes |
| Source Code on GitHub | Yes (MIT core; Captain under enterprise licence) | Yes |
| No DevOps Required | Cloud: yes; self-hosted: no | Yes |
| Managed Cloud Option | $19-99/agent/month | From €50/mo total |
| Shopify Integration | Listed as coming Q4 2026 | Full read/write |
| WooCommerce Integration | Not available yet | Full read/write |
| Works on Top of Zendesk | No | Yes |
| Runs Inside Chatwoot | n/a | Yes |
| Human approval of AI replies | Handoff to human + Copilot drafts | Yes |
| Knowledge Base RAG | Yes | Yes |
| Plain-Language Instructions | Yes (Captain scenarios) | Yes (playbooks) |
| Support | Priority email from $19/agent; phone on Enterprise | Email to dedicated manager, by plan |
Chatwoot pricing as of October 2026, from its public pricing page. Hay.chat prices are from our pricing page and change only with notice.
Pricing: The Real Cost Breakdown
Understanding the true cost of self-hosted vs managed solutions
Chatwoot
Captain AI is included on Startups, Business and Enterprise Cloud plans with a monthly credit allowance (300 to 800). Taking actions needs custom tools, available on Business and up, pointing at APIs you build and host. Self-hosting the free Community Edition doesn't include Captain.
Hay.chat
Fully managed, with Shopify, WooCommerce and Stripe actions ready to use. No tools to build or host. Predictable monthly cost.
Real-World Scenario: 5-Person Support Team Wanting AI Actions
Chatwoot Cost
$195/month
Business plan: $39/agent x 5, needed for Captain custom tools, plus building and hosting your own API tools
Hay.chat Cost
€135/month
Starter plan, unlimited users, store actions included
About 24% less with Hay.chat, with no integration work
Key Differences That Matter
AI Action Capability
Chatwoot
Captain AI answers from your knowledge base, follows scenarios, hands off to humans and resolves conversations. Since April 2026 it can also call external APIs through custom tools on Business plans and up. You supply the endpoint, so a refund action means building and hosting that API yourself.
Hay.chat
Hay.chat's AI executes actions out of the box. '@Shopify Process Refund' processes the refund and confirms to the customer, with nothing to build. This allows end-to-end resolution without human intervention for routine tasks.
Teams with developers can build actions for Captain. Teams that want refunds and order changes working this week benefit from Hay.chat's ready-made actions.
Use Both Together
Chatwoot
Chatwoot is a strong omnichannel inbox, with more channels than most tools: website, email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, SMS and more.
Hay.chat
Hay.chat integrates with Chatwoot. Messages arriving in your Chatwoot inboxes are answered by Hay.chat's AI, and when a person should take over, the conversation goes back to your Chatwoot agents.
You don't have to choose. Keep Chatwoot as your inbox and add Hay.chat for the AI and the store actions.
Self-Hosting Trade-offs
Chatwoot
Chatwoot's open-source core is a genuine advantage for teams with data sovereignty requirements or DevOps capacity. You control your data, can customize the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Self-hosting means responsibility for uptime, security patches, scaling, and maintenance, and Captain needs a paid self-hosted plan.
Hay.chat
Managed by default: we handle infrastructure, security, updates, and scaling. Hay.chat can also be self-hosted from the public source code on GitHub if it has to run in your environment.
Teams without dedicated DevOps find Hay.chat faster to deploy and maintain. Both can be self-hosted when data control requires it.
Integration Depth
Chatwoot
Chatwoot's integrations are mostly communication channels, and it has a lot of them. Its packaged Shopify integration is listed as coming in Q4 2026 (Chatwoot's integrations page, October 2026) and there's no packaged WooCommerce integration yet. Today, store data reaches Captain only through tools you build.
Hay.chat
E-commerce integrations with action capability. Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe with full read/write access. See the order AND process the refund. The trade-off is fewer channels than Chatwoot.
Teams valuing channel breadth may prefer Chatwoot as the inbox. Teams needing e-commerce action execution prefer Hay.chat, and can run it inside Chatwoot.
Cost Structure
Chatwoot
Open source means free software with operational costs you control. Cloud plans charge per agent, with Captain AI credits included and extra credits billed at $20 per 1,000.
Hay.chat
Flat monthly pricing based on usage, not seats. Unlimited agents included. Costs are predictable, and the store actions are part of the plan.
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose Chatwoot if:
- You have strong DevOps capacity and want to self-host
- You want the widest range of messaging channels in one inbox
- You want to customize the codebase for unique requirements
- You have developers to build Captain's custom tools
- You primarily need FAQ answers, not store actions
- Open source philosophy is important to your organization
Choose Hay.chat if:
- You need AI that executes store actions without building them
- You run Shopify or WooCommerce and want refunds and order changes handled
- You don't have DevOps or developer capacity
- You want to keep Chatwoot as your inbox and add stronger AI
- Predictable monthly costs matter more than theoretical 'free'
- You want to be live in days, not weeks of setup
Switching from Chatwoot to Hay.chat
You can add Hay.chat to Chatwoot rather than leave it: connect the two and Hay.chat's AI answers in your Chatwoot inboxes. Or move over fully if you'd rather use Hay.chat's own channels.
Export Knowledge Base
Export your Chatwoot help articles and FAQs. Upload to Hay.chat as documents for RAG training.
Connect E-commerce with Write Access
Connect Shopify or WooCommerce with full action capability. Refunds and order changes work without building custom tools.
Configure Action Playbooks
Go beyond Q&A. Write playbooks that complete tasks: '@Shopify Process Refund if eligible' instead of just explaining refund policy.
Connect Chatwoot or Set Up Channels
Connect Hay.chat to your Chatwoot inboxes, or use Hay.chat's own web chat, email and WhatsApp channels.
Test Action Execution
Verify that AI actually completes tasks. Process a test refund, check a real order.
Timeframe: Most teams have Hay.chat answering in Chatwoot, or migrated fully, within 1-2 weeks, including knowledge transfer and playbook configuration.
Chatwoot pricing: cloud plans in 2026
Chatwoot's cloud plans in 2026 are Hacker (free, without Captain AI), Startups at $19, Business at $39 and Enterprise at $99 per agent a month (chatwoot.com/pricing, as of October 2026). Paid plans include 300, 500 or 800 Captain AI credits a month, and extra credits cost $20 per 1,000.
Captain needs custom tools to take actions, and those start on Business. For a five-person team that's $195 a month before anyone builds the tools. Hay.chat's Starter plan is €135 a month with unlimited users and store actions included, and it can run inside your Chatwoot inbox.
Frequently asked questions
The Bottom Line
Chatwoot is an excellent open-source helpdesk with wide channel support and self-hosting flexibility. Captain AI handles knowledge-based Q&A well, and teams with developers can extend it with custom tools.
Hay.chat is focused on AI that executes store actions without any building: refunds and order changes on Shopify and WooCommerce, ready to use. You can run it on its own or inside Chatwoot, so teams who love Chatwoot's inbox don't have to give it up.