Intercom Alternatives EU: Userlike vs Crisp vs Tidio (2026)
GDPR-compliant live chat with AI. Compare Userlike, Crisp, and Tidio - European alternatives to Intercom and Zendesk.
Read time: 9 min | Last updated: January 2026
TL;DR: Userlike for enterprise-grade German support with WhatsApp integration. Crisp for modern startups who want chat + CRM + knowledge base in one. Tidio for e-commerce with strong chatbot automation. All keep customer data in Europe.
Every customer conversation contains personal data. Names, email addresses, order details, complaints, payment issues.
When you use Intercom or Zendesk, those conversations go to US servers. Subject to US law. Potentially accessible to US authorities.
With the EU AI Act now regulating AI chatbots, European compliance matters more than ever.
Here’s how the European alternatives compare.
The Quick Comparison
| Userlike | Crisp | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Germany | France | Poland |
| Main Use | Live chat + messaging | All-in-one support | E-commerce support |
| AI Chatbot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | €100/mo+ | €25/mo | €29/mo |
| Best For | Enterprise DACH | Tech startups | Online shops |
The Compliance Reality
Customer support AI falls under EU AI Act scrutiny. When chatbots make decisions affecting customers, transparency requirements apply.
What you need:
- Clear disclosure that AI is involved
- Human escalation path
- Data processing in EU
- Audit trail for decisions
European vendors are building these requirements in. US tools are retrofitting.
Userlike: German Engineering for Support
German company (Cologne), founded 2011. The most established player in European live chat.
What Makes It Different
Userlike unifies all messaging channels - website chat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS - into one inbox. Built for German market requirements.
What’s Good
Unified messaging. All channels in one place. Website visitors and WhatsApp customers in the same queue.
WhatsApp Business API. Official integration. Not a workaround. Proper business verification.
AI Automation Hub. Train chatbots on your knowledge base. Smart routing to the right agents.
German compliance. ISO 27001 certified. Data stays in Germany. Built for GDPR from day one.
Video chat included. Escalate to face-to-face when text isn’t enough.
What’s Not
Enterprise pricing. Starts at €100/month. This isn’t for hobby projects.
Complex setup. More features means more configuration. Plan for onboarding time.
DACH focus. Strongest in Germany, Austria, Switzerland. Less presence elsewhere.
Best For
- German companies with compliance requirements
- Businesses using WhatsApp for customer service
- Teams handling multiple messaging channels
- Organizations needing video support option
Crisp: The Modern Alternative
French company (Nantes), founded 2015. Built for modern SaaS and tech companies.
What Makes It Different
Crisp combines live chat, shared inbox, CRM, and knowledge base in one platform. Everything integrated, nothing bolted on.
What’s Good
All-in-one simplicity. Chat, inbox, CRM, help center, chatbot. One login, one bill.
Modern interface. Actually pleasant to use. Your support team won’t hate their tools.
MagicReply AI. Suggests responses based on your help docs. Learns your tone.
Affordable. €25/month for the Pro tier. Real pricing, not “contact sales.”
Developer friendly. Good API, webhooks, integrations. Easy to customize.
What’s Not
Less enterprise polish. Great for startups, might lack features big corporations expect.
Smaller ecosystem. Fewer third-party integrations than Intercom.
French focus. Strong in France, growing elsewhere. Documentation quality varies.
Best For
- SaaS startups who want everything in one place
- Small teams who need simplicity
- Companies that value good UX for their support team
- Developers who want to customize
Tidio: Built for E-commerce
Polish company (Szczecin), founded 2013. Specifically designed for online shops.
What Makes It Different
Tidio understands e-commerce. Order tracking, abandoned cart recovery, product recommendations. Not just generic chat.
What’s Good
E-commerce focus. Integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce natively. Knows about orders.
Visual chatbot builder. Drag-and-drop flows. No coding needed. Actually works.
Lyro AI. Conversational AI trained on your product catalog. Handles common questions automatically.
Aggressive free tier. 50 conversations per month free. Enough to start.
Quick setup. Install in minutes. Copy-paste snippet or use plugin.
What’s Not
E-commerce assumptions. Some features only make sense for shops. Not ideal for pure SaaS.
Scale pricing. Gets expensive with high conversation volume.
Poland-based. EU member, GDPR compliant, but some enterprises prefer Western Europe hosting.
Best For
- E-commerce stores
- Shopify and WooCommerce users
- Small businesses wanting chatbot automation
- Companies recovering abandoned carts
AI Features Compared
Chatbot Capabilities
| Feature | Userlike | Crisp | Tidio |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-code builder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI responses | AI Hub | MagicReply | Lyro AI |
| Knowledge base training | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sentiment detection | Yes | Basic | Basic |
| Multi-language | Good | Good | Good |
All three offer AI chatbots. Userlike has the most sophisticated AI features. Tidio’s Lyro is specifically optimized for e-commerce questions.
Human Handoff
Critical for AI Act compliance - customers must be able to reach humans.
| Userlike | Crisp | Tidio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-escalation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Skill routing | Yes | Basic | Basic |
| Agent availability | Real-time | Real-time | Real-time |
| Fallback handling | Sophisticated | Good | Good |
Userlike has the most advanced routing and escalation options.
Real-World Performance
I tested each platform with standard support scenarios.
Response Time
| Scenario | Userlike | Crisp | Tidio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Widget load | ~1s | ~1s | ~1s |
| AI response | Instant | Instant | Instant |
| Agent notification | Real-time | Real-time | Real-time |
All are fast. No significant performance differences.
Mobile Experience
All three have mobile apps for agents. Crisp’s mobile app is the most polished. Tidio’s is focused on e-commerce notifications.
The GDPR Question
| Data Location | Certifications | Sub-processors | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Userlike | Germany | ISO 27001, GDPR | EU-only option |
| Crisp | France | GDPR | EU-based |
| Tidio | Poland (EU) | GDPR | EU/US mix |
Userlike offers explicit EU-only processing. Crisp processes in France. Tidio is EU-based but check their sub-processor list.
Pricing Reality
| Tool | Free Tier | Entry Paid | Full Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Userlike | 1 seat | €100/mo | €320/mo+ |
| Crisp | 2 seats | €25/mo | €95/mo |
| Tidio | 50 convos | €29/mo | €59/mo+ |
Crisp offers best value for small teams. Userlike is premium but comprehensive. Tidio scales with conversation volume.
Integration Ecosystem
E-commerce
| Platform | Userlike | Crisp | Tidio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Yes | Yes | Native |
| WooCommerce | Yes | Yes | Native |
| Magento | Yes | Basic | Basic |
Tidio has the deepest e-commerce integrations.
CRM
| CRM | Userlike | Crisp | Tidio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | Yes | Via Zapier | Via Zapier |
| HubSpot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pipedrive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Userlike has the most CRM integrations.
My Recommendation
Choose Userlike if:
- German compliance is required
- You need unified messaging channels
- WhatsApp is a key support channel
- Enterprise features matter
- Budget allows €100+/month
Choose Crisp if:
- You want all-in-one simplicity
- You’re a startup or small team
- Modern UX matters to you
- Budget is €25-95/month
- You value French tech
Choose Tidio if:
- You run an online shop
- Shopify/WooCommerce is your platform
- Chatbot automation is priority
- You want fast setup
- E-commerce features are important
FAQ
Do I need to tell customers they’re talking to AI?
Yes, under EU AI Act. Customers must be informed when interacting with AI systems.
What about Intercom/Zendesk?
Good products, US-based. Customer conversations go to American servers. Consider the implications for GDPR compliance.
Can these replace a human support team?
No. AI handles routine questions. Complex issues need humans. Plan for both.
Which has the best chatbot?
Tidio’s Lyro for e-commerce. Userlike’s AI Hub for complex routing. Crisp’s MagicReply for simplicity.
Do these integrate with my helpdesk?
All offer integrations. Check specific connections for your tools.
Try Them
- Userlike: Start free - 1 seat free
- Crisp: Start free - 2 seats free
- Tidio: Start free - 50 conversations free
See also:
Last updated: January 2026
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