Chatwoot alternative

A self-hosted alternative built for Windows and SQL Server

Chatwoot is an open-source support platform you can self-host, and if you are comfortable operating it, it is a solid choice. ZChat is for teams that want the same data ownership on a Microsoft stack: install on Windows and IIS with SQL Server as the store, buy the license once, and get support from the vendor who wrote the code.

Download Free Evaluation Read the Deployment Guide

A Microsoft-stack install

Run the server on Windows behind IIS with SQL Server as the database, or on Linux with Nginx, or in Docker. If your team already administers Windows and SQL Server, there is no new runtime to learn.

A native desktop console

Agents get a real Windows desktop application alongside the browser dashboard, with native notifications for incoming chats rather than a tab that has to stay open.

One license, vendor support

A one-time license from $299 covers the full feature set with support from the team that builds it. A source-code license is available if you need to own and extend the code itself.

ZChat vs Chatwoot, at a glance

How a self-hosted, one-time-license platform compares with a typical hosted plan.

Compare	ZChat	Chatwoot
Hosting model	Self-hosted (Windows/IIS, Linux/Nginx, Docker)	Self-hosted (open source) or paid cloud
Licensing	Commercial, one-time license	Open source, or paid plans
Database	SQL Server	PostgreSQL
Agent console	Browser dashboard + native Windows desktop	Browser dashboard
Support	Vendor support included	Community (paid tiers for support)
AI chatbot	Built in - local Ollama or your OpenAI/Anthropic keys	Varies

Is ZChat open source?

No. ZChat is commercial software you install and run on your own servers, licensed once rather than by subscription. If you want the code itself, a separate source-code license is available. Self-hosting and open source are different things: with ZChat you own the deployment and the data, and the vendor owns the maintenance.

Where does my chat data live?

In your own SQL Server database, on infrastructure you control and in the region you choose. Transcripts, visitor records, and ratings are queryable directly, exportable to CSV, and covered by built-in GDPR access and erasure plus an audit log of privileged actions.

Does it have an AI chatbot?

Yes, and you choose the model. Point it at a local Ollama model to keep inference on your own hardware, or use your own OpenAI or Anthropic keys. It answers from your knowledge base and hands off to a human with the transcript attached. The bot is optional and off by default.

How do I evaluate it before buying?

The download is the real product with a localhost trial license: server, dashboard, widget, and SQL scripts. One command provisions the demo database and opens the dashboard, so you can rehearse the whole rollout before you pay anything.

Own it on your server

Self-hosted, without running a platform.

Keep every conversation inside your own network and let someone else maintain the software. Install it on the stack you already run and try the whole thing free on localhost first.

Download ZChat On-premise overview

Owned customer support software

Deploy live chat on your own terms, not on someone else's pricing model.

ZChat gives you the installable server, web dashboard, website widget, and desktop agent tools in one self-hosted product you buy once and keep. Run it on infrastructure you trust and connect AI only if and how you want it.

Download ZChat See Product Demo

Deployment

Install on Windows or Linux, behind IIS or Nginx, in a VM, or in Docker if that fits your stack.

Commercial model

One-time purchase, perpetual license, and no monthly per-agent bill attached to growth.

AI Flexibility

Use Ollama locally or connect OpenAI and Anthropic with your own provider accounts.