Add live chat to Astro. DeskCrew support widget
DeskCrew adds AI live chat and ticketing to an Astro site with one official integration. Npm install @deskcrew/astro, one line in astro.config.mjs.
A real plugin. Settings page, no code
Install the plugin on Astro, paste your widget key on its settings page, and it registers your site's domain with DeskCrew automatically.
AI drafts, humans approve
The AI drafts replies grounded in the knowledge base you publish, and every draft waits in an approval queue until a human sends it.
Every conversation is a ticket
Widget chats, emails, and board posts land in one dashboard with full history; visitors who leave get their answer by email.
Free plan, no card
The free plan includes the chat widget, a public knowledge base, and ticketing. Start free and upgrade only when you outgrow it.
How to install DeskCrew on Astro
Run npm install @deskcrew/astro in your project.
In astro.config.mjs, import deskcrew from "@deskcrew/astro" and add deskcrew({ widgetKey: "pub_…" }) to the integrations array. Your key is on the DeskCrew dashboard’s Install page.
Deploy. The chat bubble appears on every page. Options for board, color, position, and greeting are documented on the npm page.
<script src="https://deskcrew.io/desk.js" data-key="pub_YOUR_KEY" data-board="your-board" defer></script>
pub_YOUR_KEY and your-board are placeholders. Your real widget key and board slug are in your DeskCrew dashboard under Install (free signup, no card).
DeskCrew vs the usual suspects
| DeskCrew | Tidio | Crisp | Zendesk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes. Free plan, no card | Yes (limited) | Yes (basic) | Free trial only |
| AI included | Yes. AI drafts on every plan, human-approved | Paid add-on | Higher plans | Paid add-on |
| Setup | About 2 minutes. One script tag or plugin | Minutes. Script tag | Minutes. Script tag | Longer. Full workspace setup |
| Price floor | $0 free plan · paid from $29/mo | Free plan; paid tiers above | Free plan; paid tiers above | Per-agent pricing, no free plan |
Competitor cells generalize their public pricing pages. Always check current plans.
DeskCrew has a free plan with no card. Chat widget, public knowledge base, and ticketing included. Every new workspace starts with full Team features free for 14 days, and paid plans start at $29/mo. Full details on the pricing page.
FAQ. add live chat to Astro
How do I add live chat to an Astro site?
Install @deskcrew/astro from npm and add deskcrew({ widgetKey: "pub_…" }) to the integrations array in astro.config.mjs. The widget ships on every page. Prefer zero dependencies? Pasting the script tag into your base layout’s <head> works too.
Do I need is:inline for a third-party script in Astro?
Not strictly. Astro only processes script tags whose sole attribute is src, so the DeskCrew tag (src plus data-key, data-board, and defer) is already left as-is. Adding is:inline simply states that intent explicitly.
Does it work with SSR adapters and islands?
Yes. The widget is plain head markup, indifferent to static output, SSR adapters (Node, Vercel, Netlify), and islands architecture. It draws in a Shadow DOM outside any framework component.
Will the widget hurt my Astro site’s performance scores?
No. The deferred tag loads after your page renders, so first paint is untouched, and the Shadow DOM keeps the widget’s CSS fully isolated from your site’s styles.
Is there a free live chat widget for Astro?
Yes. DeskCrew’s free plan includes the chat widget, a public knowledge base, and ticketing, no card required.
Where do chats from my Astro site go?
Every conversation becomes a ticket in your DeskCrew dashboard. The AI drafts a reply grounded in your knowledge base, a human approves it, and visitors who already left get the answer by email.