Add live chat to Django. DeskCrew support widget
DeskCrew adds AI live chat, an AI support chatbot and helpdesk ticketing to a Django project through the official django-deskcrew package on PyPI: a template tag or middleware for the widget, and create_ticket() for contact forms. A single script tag in your base template works too.
An official pip package
Install django-deskcrew and add one template tag, or flip one setting and let the middleware do it. Django 4.2 to 5.2, nothing to collect or bundle.
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 Django
Install the official package: pip install django-deskcrew, then add "deskcrew" to INSTALLED_APPS.
Add a DESKCREW dict to settings.py with WIDGET_KEY, SITE_URL and an optional BOARD, then put {% load deskcrew %}{% deskcrew_widget %} before </body> in your base template. Prefer no template edit? Set "AUTO_INJECT": True and add deskcrew.middleware.DeskcrewMiddleware to MIDDLEWARE.
Run python manage.py deskcrew_register_origin once per environment so the widget is allowed on your domain, then deploy. deskcrew.client.create_ticket(email=, message=, name=) files a ticket from a view, a form or a Celery task.
<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).
Note: Prefer no dependency? Paste the tag below into templates/base.html, outside any {% block %}, so a child template cannot drop it.
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 Django
Last updated: September 2026
Is there a pip package for Django?
Yes. pip install django-deskcrew, add "deskcrew" to INSTALLED_APPS, set DESKCREW["WIDGET_KEY"], and put {% deskcrew_widget %} in your base template, or enable AUTO_INJECT with the middleware for every page. It also ships create_ticket() for contact forms and tasks. Listed at pypi.org/project/django-deskcrew.
How do I add live chat to a Django site?
Paste the widget script into your base template, normally templates/base.html, just before the closing body tag. Every template that extends the base inherits it, so one edit covers the whole site.
Should the tag be inside a block?
No. Put it outside any {% block %} so a child template redefining that block cannot silently drop the widget. Outside a block it is inherited unconditionally.
Will Django’s template engine interfere with the script tag?
No. Django only processes its own {% %} and {{ }} syntax. A plain script tag is copied through verbatim, and there is nothing in the snippet the engine will try to parse.
Do I need to add anything to settings.py or urls.py?
No. The widget is a client-side script loaded from a CDN. It needs no Django app, no middleware, no URL route, and no changes to installed apps.
Is there a free live chat widget for Django?
Yes. The DeskCrew free plan includes the chat widget, ticketing, a public help center, and a monthly AI answer allowance, with no credit card.