Must have
Installation requirements
- Docker Engine and Docker Compose for the container deployment.
- PostgreSQL and Redis accessible to the application and background workers.
- A public application address with HTTPS and a reverse proxy.
Application hosting
Hosting Chatwoot
Chatwoot brings customer conversations into a shared inbox so a support team can assign replies and keep context in one place. It combines a website chat widget with supported messaging channels, conversation history and team collaboration. Self-hosting gives your team responsibility for the service and its customer data; it does not replace the channel accounts or email delivery services used to reach customers.
Requirements last checked against the project's documentation.
A sensible first server for Chatwoot is 4 vCPU, 4 GB RAM and 40 GB of storage. The cheapest listed plan that fits is OVHcloud VPS-2 (US) at $8.50/month.
Understand the setup
Find the software and services needed to run the application.
See requirementsBudget your resources
Plan memory, storage and CPU for the way you will use it.
Open resource plannerBuild your shortlist
Compare plans for the starting size, then review the provider and billing terms.
See plansRecommended
Planning guidance
- Start with 4 vCPU, 4 GB RAM and 40 GB storage.Resize after watching real memory and CPU use under your own traffic.
- Use the resource planner to size for your user count.
Choosing a server for Chatwoot
Budget for web processes and background workers together. The requirements guide gives four cores as a recommended minimum and 4 GB RAM as a minimum, but conversation volume, attachments and channel activity affect the actual workload. These figures do not establish a tested capacity for a particular VPS.
Where to start
A sensible first server for Chatwoot
- vCPU
- 4
- RAM
- 4 GB
- Disk
- 40 GB
Chatwoot's requirements page sets 4 GB of RAM as the minimum and recommends 4 CPU cores, for up to 10,000 conversations a day. Total disk is our estimate.
Our shortlist
Cheapest plans that meet this size
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$8.50/mo list price
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$18.88/mo list price
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$20.00/mo list price
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$20.00/mo list price
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$24.59/mo list price
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$26.99/mo list price
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$28.99/mo list price
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$34.99/mo list price
One cheapest plan per provider, based on each provider's standard list price. Check the plan page for introductory and renewal pricing before you buy.
Deploy with
Supported paths
The host must provide
Runtime
- Web application
- Chatwoot Rails image matching the selected release.
- Background jobs
- Sidekiq workers connected to the same database and Redis service.
- Database
- PostgreSQL; other database engines are not supported.
- Queue and cache
- Redis; select the version supported by the Chatwoot release.
Storage
Persistent data
Keep PostgreSQL data and conversation attachments in durable storage. Attachment volume depends on the channels and files your customers send. S3-compatible storage can separate those files from the application host.
Step by step
Plan your Chatwoot deployment
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Prepare the deployment
Choose the supported release and its matching Compose files. Set database and Redis credentials consistently across the web and worker services.
Official instructions -
Initialize and publish
Prepare the Chatwoot database, start the web and worker containers, and place the application behind an HTTPS reverse proxy.
Official instructions -
Connect customer channels
Configure the required inboxes and email settings. Confirm a message can be received and answered before directing customers to the service.
Official instructions
Security
Before you go public
- Keep database and Redis ports private; expose the application through its reverse proxy.
- Protect backups and channel credentials because they can contain customer conversations.
Cost
Beyond the server price
- Include attachment storage, backup retention and outbound email in the operating budget.
- Channel providers and paid Chatwoot features can introduce charges beyond server rental.
Want the full monthly bill? Use the hosting cost calculator. Add storage, backups and other costs to your estimate.