After considering numerous live chat solutions, our research focused on nearly twelve noteworthy potential vendors before finalizing our top five choices. We evaluated various factors such as price, usability, features, and compatibility. We are confident that our five recommendations are user-friendly and all-inclusive live chat solutions suitable for any small business operating within a reasonable budget.
The Best Live Chat Software Reviews of 2023
LiveChat
When considering live chat software, integrations play a crucial role in enhancing productivity and facilitating a user-friendly experience that benefits both staff and customers. Based on our research, LiveChat remains our top choice for incorporating numerous integrations due to its extensive range of features, affordable cost, user-friendly interface, and a wide variety of integration alternatives.
Integrations aid in streamlining a business’s operations by linking the capabilities of one software to another. LiveChat offers integration support for over 170 options, encompassing various functions such as email marketing, CRM, analytics, and e-commerce requirements. By supporting prominent business software solutions like Mailchimp, Shopify, Salesforce, and Google Analytics, LiveChat enables users to personalize the platform to suit their precise needs. Furthermore, LiveChat can be integrated with other popular online chat platforms like Slack and Facebook Messenger. If a company requires an AI-powered chatbot, integration with the ChatBot service is also feasible.
LiveHelpNow
LiveHelpNow stands out among the many live chat solutions available in the market due to its impressive feature set, security measures, integration support, and affordable monthly fee. It has been our top choice for live chat software for a long time, mainly because it offers a user-friendly and customizable chat interface that suits any business website. The exceptional options provided by LiveHelpNow benefit both customers and companies, as they enable personalized conversations between employees and potential customers.
LiveHelpNow is an outstanding live chat software solution that fulfills the necessary requirements for a software as a service (SaaS) platform. Regardless of whether you have a small team or operate a larger business, LiveHelpNow can effectively adapt its services to cater to your specific requirements. The platform is designed to enable your live chat operators (or chatbots, which have an additional cost) to efficiently manage multiple customer inquiries simultaneously. This impressive multitasking capability significantly minimizes any waiting time encountered by website visitors seeking solutions.
Comm100
Comm100 is a vendor that offers omnichannel communications platform, allowing face-to-face video chatting over the internet. This feature adds a personal touch to conversations facilitated by their live chat software solution. After evaluating similar visually enhanced platforms, we concluded that Comm100 not only enables video chat but also provides a reliable overall live chat platform.
Irrespective of the type of your business, video chatting can bring a personal touch to customer service, sales, or tech support queries that your operators will encounter. Available exclusively through Comm100’s Business service plan, their video capabilities are web-based and do not require any additional downloads or plugins. This allows both operators and website visitors to initiate a video chat with just one click. During a video chat, both parties can also exchange text messages, share files, or make use of the company’s co-browsing feature. By eliminating the need for verbal communication to convey ideas, Comm100’s video chat makes problem-solving easier while also humanizing both sides of the conversation.
Provide Support
If you are not certain about the necessity of a live chat function or don’t want to spend too much on a solution, we recommend choosing Provide Support as our top choice for a budget-friendly option. Unlike many free or inexpensive services that lack essential features, this user-friendly platform offers almost the same range of functions as the more expensive alternatives we evaluated.
The feature set offered by a provider is one of the most crucial factors to consider when it comes to live chat software. As the price decreases, these features become even more valuable. Provide Support offers a similar range of functions compared to other top choices. It is effortless to manage and add live chat to any business website without the need for additional software. In many ways, Provide Support appears and functions like a more costly service, with features such as proactive chats, support for native file transfers, canned messages, and easy management and transfer of conversations between operators and customers.
Velaro
Velaro, along with other enterprise chat software solutions, targets more intricate and sizable businesses by providing extensive features that prioritize robust security measures, data collection, reporting methods, and monitoring capabilities. Nevertheless, these offerings come at a significantly higher price compared to their small business counterparts.
Velaro is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that, like other live chat services, provides company representatives with the necessary tools to assist web visitors in finding accurate answers to their inquiries. It offers a customizable host environment, allowing users to easily tailor the chat tool according to their company’s requirements. This includes options for customizing chat windows, buttons, pre- and post-chat surveys, triggers, keywords, reporting, canned messages, and other features.
Velaro, an enterprise chat software, provides comprehensive tools, robust security measures, data collection, reporting methods, and monitoring capabilities. However, these advanced features come with a considerably higher price tag compared to the solutions offered to small businesses.
Similar to other live chat services, Velaro is a SaaS solution that provides company representatives with the necessary tools to assist web visitors in finding the correct answers to their inquiries. Velaro presents itself as a chat tool that can be easily tailored to fit your company’s requirements, offering customization options for chat windows, buttons, pre- and post-chat surveys, triggers, keywords, reporting, canned messages, and more.
Live Chat Software Features to Consider
The basic service offered by live chat solutions is essentially the same. Each vendor allows for the inclusion of a web chat window on a company’s website, allowing assigned operators to assist existing and potential customers in finding the information they require. The distinguishing factor between vendors lies in the unique features provided by each one.
Many chat solutions not only allow you to engage in online communication with your customers but also provide valuable information regarding your website visitors and their actions, enabling more effective marketing of your products and services or customization of your business offerings to suit your customer base.
Included in most chat software is:
- Real-time visitor monitoring. You can see which pages your website visitors access and how long they spend on them. This information can be used with other features, such as routing directs chat requests to agents in departments corresponding to the page the visitor is on when they initiate chat, like sales or tech support.
- Visitor tracking. Chat software shows where your website visitors are coming from, and which search engines and terms they used to find you. You can also see whether visitors are new to your site or returning guests. This information gives you a better understanding of who your customers are and what they’re looking for on your website.
These are some additional features to consider, depending on your business industry and how you plan to utilize chat software.
- Data collection and reporting: Most modern live chat solutions come with features that let an operator know where a customer is located, the types of browsers they use, which website they visited before coming to your company’s site and other tracking methods. With that information in hand, a good live chat solution lets operators more easily serve a customer.
- Video chat. Of the world’s largest companies, 1 in 5 were expected to implement video chat by 2020, according to a Gartner report. Chat software allows small businesses to get in on this trend.
- Integrations with the other business programs you use. Many chat solutions allow you to connect the software to Google Analytics as well as your e-commerce platform, email marketing service and CRM.
Benefits of Live Chat Software
In the current era of high-speed internet, where promptness is valued by customers, businesses of all scales have had to acknowledge that a delayed response may result in a missed opportunity to make a sale.
Live chat software has the capability to significantly decrease the time between a customer’s query and receiving an answer, as stated by Hubspot. Regardless of whether you opt for an automated solution or have one of your employees operating the live chat, it provides potential customers with a direct platform to ask their questions and expect prompt responses.
The focus will not only be on the customer’s seamless chat conversation online but also on the live chat software’s administrator toolkits and chat options.
Almost all of the solutions we reviewed emphasized the availability of various tools that not only assist the operator in finding the correct answers but also aid managers in comprehending the usage of the solution. By conducting thorough data analysis through extensive reporting functions, administrators can extract specific information such as response time for a question, website pages visited by a visitor prior to seeking assistance, the outcome of a chat leading to a successful transaction, and the rating of the operator’s performance. Equipped with this knowledge, managers can then assign the appropriate individuals to handle customer queries promptly and efficiently.
Live chat software offers the opportunity for real-time conversations between your company and customers, regardless of the device they are using. This technology allows your staff to provide support, make product recommendations, and enhance brand loyalty. In addition, certain solutions even enable face-to-face video chats between your employees and potential buyers, creating a more personalized customer service experience. Implementing live chat software not only greatly improves customer satisfaction, but also provides valuable business data.
More Live Chat Software in 2023
HubSpot Live Chat
Did you know that in addition to its reputation for being one of the top marketing automation platforms, HubSpot also provides a live chat solution and a range of tools for managing sales, support, and more, making it a leading CRM platform for business growth?
HubSpot’s live chat enables businesses to engage with website visitors instantly, offering support, answering inquiries, and generating leads. It seamlessly integrates with other HubSpot solutions, including HubSpot CRM and marketing automation tools, while remaining user-friendly.
Key Features of HubSpot Live Chat:
- CRM, CMS, and Marketing integrations
- Qualify, and then route leads to the right team
- Chat conversations are stored in CRM so future agents can get customer context fast
- Slack integration so you can help customers where you work
Businesses that are already utilizing HubSpot’s suite of tools will find it an ideal solution due to its smooth integration with its own CRM. The integration of the CRM enables enhanced tracking of customer interactions and customer support.
Ideal for:
If businesses are already using HubSpot for CRM, they need not search elsewhere for basic live chat. However, it lacks in conversational AI capabilities. For those seeking a live chat solution that integrates with CRM, opting for a unified platform can address two issues at once.
Tidio
Tidio is a user-friendly live chat widget with impressive AI chatbot abilities that enables businesses to convert passive visitors into active buyers.
Key Features of Tidio:
- AI bot that classifies user intent, understands queries even if misspelled words are used, creates FAQ responses based on website content, and a writing assistant that is trained on your customer satisfaction data
- eCommerce integration to automate offers, discounts, and recommendations based on store and visitor data
- AI learns your business communication over time to be able to answer even more customer questions while you take a break
- WordPress/WooCommerce plugin for easy integration and setup
Tidio is a live chat solution that is easy to use and offers a wide range of chatbot features, making it suitable for businesses of any size. The chatbot builder enables simple customization of basic chatbots to meet specific business requirements. However, Tidio+ provides conversational AI, although it comes with a significantly higher monthly cost.
Ideal for:
Tidio is ideal for all types of businesses, as they offer plans that cater to businesses of any size. Tidio is adaptable and can expand alongside your business while equipping you with the necessary tools.
LiveAgent
LiveAgent is an easy-to-use customer chat software that facilitates businesses in offering customer service to users and visitors, with the added advantage of being customizable to suit the requirements of any company.
Key Features of LiveAgent:
- Universal inboxes for chat, email, and even phone support support
- Knowledgebase and forum solutions built-in
- Workforce management tools like time tracking, call queueing, and interaction routing/transfer
By consolidating communications from different channels into one centralized location, LiveAgent’s universal inbox feature simplifies customer support and enables support agents to effortlessly manage and address customer inquiries, regardless of their source.
Ideal for:
LiveAgent is designed for businesses that depend on a well-organized and efficient customer support system. LiveAgent can be trusted by extensive support teams managing intricate inquiries across various platforms.
Zendesk Chat
Zendesk Chat is a software solution that enables businesses to offer round-the-clock customer support through live chat. It is user-friendly, adaptable to businesses of all sizes, and highly regarded for its powerful live chat solution with AI chatbots and sophisticated analytics. Furthermore, Zendesk is a trusted provider for all customer support needs.
Key Features of Zendesk Chat:
- AI-powered chatbots (called Answer Bot)
- Rule or Condition-based bots for routine conversations and answers
- Conversation analytics, CSAT scoring, and customer journey views
- Out-of-the-box integrations with 3rd party tools and a broader CX platform
- Async web chat that works across channels (start a conversation in Facebook Messager, finish it on any supported channel)
Larger enterprises looking for advanced chatbot capabilities can greatly benefit from Zendesk Chat, a powerful and scalable solution. With AI-powered chatbots, businesses can efficiently and personally provide customer support. The platform provides multiple tools like proactive chat, canned responses, offline forms, customizable branding, and integration options.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk Live Chat is a tool for customer service, enabling your chat support team to effectively manage support tickets and chats. You may already be familiar with Zoho due to its highly popular CRM and numerous integrated tools, but it offers additional features as well. It’s important to note that live chat is exclusively provided in their “Enterprise” plan, although small businesses can still reap advantages from the standard plan’s help center, email ticketing, and social media integrations.
Key Features of Zoho Desk:
- Multichannel support (Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and WeChat)
- Workflow and Macros for automatic ticket management
- Improve customer satisfaction by giving faster and more personalized support
- Time-saving snippets for repeated phrases
- Gather customer feedback to improve your processes
Ideal for:
If you need customer service and support that is tailored to different scalability requirements, Zoho Desk is the ideal choice. Their more affordable plans prioritize asynchronous communication channels but may exclude some essential features. On the other hand, their premium plans are designed to accommodate larger teams and provide access to live chat and telephone support. However, if live chat is the only feature you require as a small business, consider using Olark instead.
Olark
Olark, a cherished live chat software, assists businesses in promptly attending to their customers. Utilizing Olark allows you to engage in real-time conversations with website visitors, addressing their inquiries and providing various other services.
You can use it to arrange the data gathered from your users in Olark or any CRM you prefer, along with its WordPress plugin.
Key Features of Olark:
- Customizable chatbox design with pre-chat forms for faster resolve times
- Automatically trigger chat messages based on web events (location, referring URL, and browsing behavior)
- Searchable chat transcripts to uncover trends
- Live dashboards, analytics, and management tools
- All plans have all the features (that’s worth looking at)
- Co-browsing addon lets you control the customer’s screen
Ideal for:
Small to medium-sized teams in need of a straightforward and user-friendly live chat solution to effectively interact with their customers.
Social Intents facilitates customer interaction for businesses operating with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and Webex by leveraging a live chat solution. This enables companies to engage with customers through a well-known collaborative tool that employees are already acquainted with.
Key Features of Social Intents:
- Website chatbot with deep integration to other tools your team uses every hour of every day
- Pre-qualify leads based on rules and data
- Quick replies based on routine questions
- No “per agent” pricing, so you just pay for the tech (Basic plan and up)
- Pro and Business plans have access to ChatGPT API and Dialogflow chatbots
Ideal for:
Social Intents is designed for social teams and offers a flexible live chat solution. Unlike customer support-based chat solutions, it may not have all the advanced features, but that’s what sets Social Intents apart. Educational institutions, government organizations, and clubs can leverage Social Intents to establish an authentic means of communication with their members.
Tawk.to
Tawk.to stands out in the market with its appealing pricing model, providing a free live chat tool. Users can benefit from unlimited messaging, ticketing, and agent seats, along with access to iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac OSX apps without any additional cost. Additionally, they have plans to broaden their services by venturing into CRM, chat payments, and phone support.
Key Features of Tawk.to:
- 100% free (they only make money through professional services and logo removal)
- Live chat, knowledge base, and ticketing features are baked in
- Mobile and desktop apps so you can help your customers no matter which device you’re at
- WordPress plugin for easy integration
Tawk.to is an excellent live chat software suitable for small businesses and startups, offering a wide range of features at an affordable price. Its pricing structure, which is completely free, allows companies of any size to use it, and its chat widget can be customized to provide a smooth user experience.
Ideal for:
Small businesses and startups in need of an affordable live chat solution that includes all the necessary features.
Botsify
Botsify is designed as an AI live chat solution with the purpose of assisting you in minimizing your workload, allowing you to direct your efforts towards business expansion. It seamlessly integrates with WordPress, either through the official Botsify plugin or by incorporating a JavaScript snippet manually into your website.
Key Features of Botsify:
- AI-driven chatbots to handle nuanced talks using natural language
- Turn Botsify into a lead generation and booking agent that gets your customers to the next step
- Website chatbot that connects with other live messaging services like WhatsApp
- AI bot chat with agent fallback when a human touch is necessary
Botsify’s chatbots, which are powered by AI, aim to offer efficient and customized customer support. Additionally, their integration with various popular platforms makes it convenient for businesses to incorporate Botsify into their current workflow.
Ideal for:
Botsify is favored by agencies due to its Whitelabel features and specialized chatbot development teams, making it an ideal choice for businesses in need of an AI-powered live chat solution with robust chatbot capabilities and smooth integrations.
Intercom
At ET, we utilize Intercom, a user-friendly business messaging platform facilitating companies in establishing connections with their customers through various channels, such as website live chat. With Intercom’s customizable live chat service, you can effortlessly tailor the chat experience to suit your unique requirements.
Key Features of Intercom:
- Conversational AI bots
- Real-time insights and outcome reporting
- Gather context and customer intent by integrating with other data and enrichment tools in your tech stack
- Workload management so your team stays busy but not overwhelmed
Companies can enhance their customer support by using Intercom’s targeted messaging feature, which allows them to send personalized and relevant communication. The use of custom chatbots and real-time insights further assists in providing a smooth and efficient customer support experience.
Ideal for:
If your business is in need of a comprehensive customer messaging service that includes advanced chatbot features and strong integrations, consider Intercom. We have been using Intercom for a significant period of time, and it has greatly benefited our business. To learn more about our initial implementation of Intercom, please watch this video from 2017 featuring Mitch Skolnik. If you are interested in learning more about Intercom, we also recommend checking out our introduction to the platform.
LivePerson
LivePerson is a conversational AI platform that provides businesses with the ability to automate customer support and eCommerce chat sales through live chat, chatbots, and upcoming voice AI solutions. It offers a centralized workspace for agents and supervisors to handle all conversations and supplies a range of tools for enhancing customer engagement and boosting agent performance.
Key Features of LivePerson:
- Cutting-edge conversational AI that sounds as natural as a human
- Omnichannel support to message customers wherever they are
- Detailed analytics that gives you an understanding of every area of the platform’s running
- Create intent-based conversational AI automations to give the bots some human genius
LivePerson has developed an AI-driven conversational commerce platform with the aim of improving customer experience and increasing sales. Omnichannel support enables businesses to engage with customers on their preferred channels, while advanced analytics offer valuable insights to enhance the customer experience.
Ideal for:
Enterprise companies are seeking to improve customer experience and boost sales by utilizing a conversational commerce platform enhanced by artificial intelligence.
