Available now Web app · self-hosted on your server

💬 Chatlet

The live-chat bubble you own — unlimited agents, unlimited sites, no per-seat pricing.

Crisp's team plan is $95/month — $1,140 a year. Intercom bills per seat, plus usage. Chatlet is the same chat bubble in the corner of your site, except you host it: one tiny Node server, one SQLite file, unlimited sites, unlimited agents, unlimited conversations, and no branding-removal fee because there's no branding.

$95/mo (Plus) forever $49once
Chatlet screenshot

Chatlet, as it actually looks — a real screenshot, not a mockup.

What's in the box

Features

One-line embed

A single script tag. Shadow-DOM widget (~9 KB of dependency-free JS), so your site's CSS can't break it.

Real-time over WebSockets

Automatic reconnect, an outgoing message queue, and a transparent HTTP-polling fallback when corporate firewalls block WS.

Agent dashboard

Live-updating inbox with open/closed states and unread badges, typing indicators both ways, sound + browser notifications.

Visitor context sidebar

Current page, referrer, browser and full past-conversation history beside every chat.

Canned responses

Type /shortcut in the composer to fire saved replies instantly — full CRUD in the dashboard.

Offline mode

No agent online? The widget switches to "leave a message", flags it in your inbox and optionally emails you via your own SMTP.

Multiple sites, one install

Every site you run gets its own embed snippet from the same server. Transcripts download as text files.

100% local & private

SQLite storage, visitor identity persisted client-side, zero telemetry, zero third-party calls.

The receipt

Chatlet vs Crisp

Crisp at $95/mo (Plus) runs roughly $1140/year — $2,280 over two years. Chatlet is $49, once.

ChatletCrisp
Price$49 once$95/month Plus plan ($1,140/yr)
Cost over 3 years$49~$3,420
AgentsUnlimitedPer-plan limits
SitesUnlimitedPer-plan limits
Remove brandingThere is nonePaid
Canned responsesIncludedPaid tier
Your dataYour server, one SQLite fileTheir cloud
Source codeMIT, yoursClosed

Chatlet pays for itself in under 3 weeks vs Crisp's team plan — then live chat is free for as long as you run a website.

Setup

Three steps, no subscription

STEP 01

Buy once on Whop

One-time $49 for the packaged version — Windows desktop app plus one-command VPS deploy.

STEP 02

Deploy where visitors can reach it

docker compose up -d on a $5 VPS behind your reverse proxy (WebSocket upgrade passed through). Desktop mode is perfect as the always-on agent console.

STEP 03

Paste the snippet, start chatting

Copy the embed from Sites, paste it before , and conversations land in your dashboard in real time.

FAQ

Honest answers

Is it really free on GitHub?

Yes — MIT source at github.com/bensblueprints/live-chat. $49 buys the packaged version, 1-click setup and updates.

Does it have chatbots or AI answers?

No — Chatlet is human-to-human live chat done properly: real-time delivery, typing indicators, canned responses, offline messages. Intercom's Fin-style AI agents and workflow bots are genuinely beyond its scope; if you need those, Intercom earns its (considerable) price.

Do I need a server?

For visitors on the public internet, yes — the widget needs a public address, so budget a $5 VPS. Desktop mode runs the same server locally and doubles as your agent console.

Is there a mobile app for agents?

Not yet — honestly. The dashboard is responsive and works in a phone browser, with sound and browser notifications, but there's no native iOS/Android agent app like Crisp's.

What happens when no agent is online?

The widget flips to "leave a message" automatically. Messages arrive flagged in your inbox, and Chatlet can email you via your own SMTP so nothing sits unread.

Deep-dive comparisons:

Own Chatlet forever

$49 once. Deploy on your own server — your data never leaves it. No renewal, no account with us, no meter. Or build it yourself from the MIT source — it's the same app.