Add live chat to Gatsby. DeskCrew support widget
DeskCrew adds AI live chat and ticketing to a Gatsby site with one official plugin. Npm install gatsby-plugin-deskcrew, one entry in gatsby-config.js.
A real plugin. Settings page, no code
Install the plugin on Gatsby, 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 Gatsby
Run npm install gatsby-plugin-deskcrew in your project.
In gatsby-config.js, add { resolve: "gatsby-plugin-deskcrew", options: { key: "pub_…" } } to the plugins array. Your key is on the DeskCrew dashboard’s Install page.
Rebuild and deploy. The plugin injects the widget through gatsby-ssr, so the tag is in the rendered HTML rather than added after hydration.
<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 Gatsby
How do I add live chat to a Gatsby site?
Install gatsby-plugin-deskcrew from npm and add { resolve: "gatsby-plugin-deskcrew", options: { key: "pub_…" } } to the plugins array in gatsby-config.js. Rebuild and the widget is on every page.
Does the widget end up in the server-rendered HTML?
Yes. The plugin injects through gatsby-ssr rather than adding the tag after hydration, so the script is present in the HTML Gatsby generates at build time.
Can I use setHeadComponents myself instead?
Yes. Adding the script tag via setHeadComponents in gatsby-ssr.js does the same job. The plugin is the packaged version of exactly that, so you do not maintain it yourself.
Will it clash with my Gatsby styles?
No. The widget draws inside its own Shadow DOM, so its CSS is isolated from your site’s, and the deferred script never blocks page render.
Is there a free live chat widget for Gatsby?
Yes. The DeskCrew free plan includes the chat widget, ticketing, a public help center, and a monthly AI answer allowance, with no credit card.