Features & Performance
Detailed performance comparisons and technical specifications. See how The Chat Widget compares to Intercom, Zendesk, Drift, and other leading chat solutions.
Performance Metrics
Script size, CPU time, and Total Blocking Time comparison.
| Widget | Size | CPU Time | TBT Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chat Widget | 3 KB | ~0–5 ms | None |
| Crisp | ~50–60 KB | ~311 ms | Medium |
| Intercom | ~100 KB | ~514 ms | High |
| Drift | ~150 KB | ~645 ms | High |
| Zendesk | ~180 KB | ~966 ms | Very High |
All sizes are gzipped transfer sizes (actual download size). Data collected via Chrome DevTools and Lighthouse.Learn why widget size matters →
Latency Comparison
Message delivery speed across different infrastructure setups.
| Widget | Architecture | Latency |
|---|---|---|
| The Chat Widget | Edge-native (Cloudflare DO) | 10–30 ms |
| Crisp | Regional servers (EU-heavy) | 70–120 ms |
| Intercom | Centralized cloud clusters (US/EU) | 80–150 ms |
| Drift | US-first server architecture | 100–200 ms |
| Tawk.to | Single-region backend | 150–250 ms |
Latency measured from multiple global locations. Edge-native architecture provides consistent low latency worldwide.Installation guide →
Feature Comparison
Key features and pricing comparison.
| Feature | The Chat Widget | Intercom | Zendesk | Drift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website chat widget | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gmail threading (reply from inbox) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Privacy-first (no tracking) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cookie-free | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| GDPR compliant by default | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Edge-powered latency | 10-30ms | 80-150ms | 100-200ms | 100-200ms |
| Script size (gzipped) | 3 KB | ~100 KB | ~180 KB | ~150 KB |
| Page speed impact | None | High | Very High | High |
| Starting price | $0 (free forever) | $39/mo | $49/mo | $40/mo |
| Setup time | 30 seconds | ~10 mins | ~15 mins | ~10 mins |
| Contact management | ✓ (Pro) | ✓ (paid) | ✓ (paid) | ✓ (paid) |
| Contact export (CSV) | ✓ (Pro) | ✓ (paid) | ✓ (paid) | ✓ (paid) |
| Lead capture (email required) | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
Data from public documentation and third-party testing (2024).
Gmail Threading
Reply to website messages directly from your inbox. No dashboard required.
Reply from Gmail
Get notified via email when visitors message you. Just hit reply — your response appears in the chat widget.
All plansFull Conversation Threads
Every reply stays in one email thread. See the full conversation history without switching apps or logging in.
All plansVisitors Reply Too
Visitors get your reply via email and can respond back. The conversation continues in both the widget and email.
All plansAutomation & Availability
Never miss a lead. Set your availability, automate responses, and capture emails when you're away.
Available/Away Status
Toggle your availability with one click. When you're away, visitors see a custom message and can leave their email.
All plansBusiness Hours
Set your working hours for each day of the week. Automatically switch to away mode outside business hours.
ProEmail Capture
When you're away, visitors can leave their email. You get notified and can follow up directly — never miss a potential customer.
All plansCRM Lite
Simple contact management built into your chat widget. Capture leads, track conversations, and export to CSV.
Email Capture
Visitors enter their email before sending a message. Every conversation is a captured lead — no anonymous chats.
All plansContact Management
View all your contacts in one place. Add names, phone numbers, and notes. Search and filter to find anyone quickly.
ProExport to CSV
Download all your contacts as a CSV file. Import into Mailchimp, HubSpot, your email tool, or any spreadsheet.
Pro