Add live chat to Eleventy. DeskCrew support widget
DeskCrew adds AI live chat and ticketing to an Eleventy site with one official plugin. Npm install eleventy-plugin-deskcrew, one addPlugin line, no template changes.
A real plugin. Settings page, no code
Install the plugin on Eleventy, 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 Eleventy
Run npm install eleventy-plugin-deskcrew in your project.
In your Eleventy config (.eleventy.js or eleventy.config.js), require the plugin and register it: eleventyConfig.addPlugin(deskcrew, { key: "pub_…" }). Your key is on the DeskCrew dashboard’s Install page.
Build your site. The chat launcher appears on every generated page. Optional board, colour, position, and greeting options 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 Eleventy
How do I add live chat to an Eleventy site?
Install eleventy-plugin-deskcrew from npm and register it in your Eleventy config with eleventyConfig.addPlugin(deskcrew, { key: "pub_…" }). The widget is injected into every generated page, so no layout or template needs editing.
Do I have to edit my base layout?
No. The plugin adds an Eleventy transform that injects the widget before the closing body tag of every generated page. That is the point of using the plugin over pasting a script tag: your templates stay untouched, so a theme update cannot drop the widget.
Can I still just paste the script tag instead?
Yes, and it works identically. Paste it into the base layout your templates extend, for example _includes/base.njk. The plugin exists so you do not have to remember to keep it there.
Does it slow down my build or my site?
No. The plugin only appends one script tag at build time, and that script loads deferred from a CDN at runtime. It renders inside a Shadow DOM, so its styles cannot collide with your site CSS.
Is there a free live chat widget for Eleventy?
Yes. The DeskCrew free plan includes the chat widget, ticketing, a public help center, and a monthly AI answer allowance, with no credit card.