Crisp vs Onyx (Danswer)
Business messaging platform with AI — chatbot, shared inbox, CRM and customer support in one.
🧠 Expert verdict
Our expert verdict: Onyx (Danswer) is the stronger all-round choice, scoring 4.5/5 versus 4.4/5 for Crisp, and it stands out for "Connects 40+ company apps". Choose Onyx (Danswer) if you want the best chatbots tool overall, especially for internal knowledge search; pick Crisp if its pricing or specific features matters more for your workflow.
Crisp
Business messaging platform with AI — chatbot, shared inbox, CRM and customer support in one.
Onyx (Danswer)
An open-source enterprise AI assistant and search (formerly Danswer) that connects to your company's apps — Slack, Drive, Confluence, GitHub — to answer questions over internal knowledge. Self-hostable, secure and free.
Onyx (Danswer)
✅ Pros
- +Connects 40+ company apps
- +Self-hostable (data stays yours)
- +Open-source alternative to Glean
- +Secure with permissions
- +Free to run yourself
❌ Cons
- −Setup for connectors/IT
- −Hosted cloud plan is paid
- −Best for teams, not individuals
- −Requires maintenance
🎯 Best for — Onyx (Danswer)
🏷️ Tags — Onyx (Danswer)
Our Verdict
After comparing ratings, pricing and features, Onyx (Danswer) comes out ahead with a 4.5/5 rating. It is the better choice for most users.
Expert take on each tool
📌 Onyx (Danswer)
Onyx (formerly Danswer) is the leading open-source alternative to Glean: connect your company apps and get a secure, self-hosted AI assistant over internal knowledge. Ideal for teams that want enterprise search without sending data to a vendor cloud.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Crisp or Onyx (Danswer)?
Onyx (Danswer) has the higher user rating (4.5/5 vs 4.4/5), making it the stronger overall pick. That said, Crisp can still be the better fit depending on your budget and specific needs — see the full comparison above.
Is Crisp or Onyx (Danswer) cheaper?
Crisp (Free / $25/mo) and Onyx (Danswer) (Free (open source) / cloud plans) sit at a similar price point. The best way to compare actual cost is to check each tool's plans for the specific features and usage limits you need.
Can I switch from Crisp to Onyx (Danswer)?
Yes — switching between Crisp and Onyx (Danswer) is usually straightforward since both are chatbots tools with similar core workflows. Most users can export their data and get started with Onyx (Danswer) within a day; just check Onyx (Danswer)'s free plan before committing to a paid tier.