Softabase
LiveChat logo

Best LiveChat Alternatives 2026

14 alternatives reviewed and compared

Looking for alternatives to:

LiveChat

Dedicated live chat platform for customer support with ticketing, canned responses, and rich messaging from $20/agent/mo.

Why look for LiveChat alternatives?

LiveChat works well for a lot of teams. Still, there are a few common reasons people start shopping around:

  • Pricingyou want a more affordable option or a different pricing model
  • Feature gapsyou need something LiveChat doesn't do well
  • Ease of useyou want a tool that's simpler to set up and run day to day
  • Scaleyou've outgrown it, or it's too heavy for your team size
  • Integrationsyou need it to fit the rest of your stack better

Top alternatives compared

SoftwareRatingStarting priceBest forActions
Tidio logo

Tidio

Live chat, chatbot, and help desk platform built for small businesses and e-commerce stores. Free plan available.

8.3
FreeSmall ecommerce shops that need a free starting point
tawk.to logo

tawk.to

Completely free live chat software with unlimited agents, chat history, and a ticketing system used by over 6 million websites worldwide.

7.4
FreeBootstrapped teams that just need basic chat
Intercom logo

Intercom

Customer messaging platform with live chat, bots, product tours, and help center.

4.4
$39/moProduct-led SaaS teams that need lifecycle messaging
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

Enterprise live chat and messaging integrated into the Zendesk support suite with AI agents, triggers, and proactive engagement capabilities.

8.0
$55/moEnterprise support teams already on Zendesk that want to add chat as another channel seamlessly
HubSpot Chat logo

HubSpot Chat

Free live chat built into HubSpot CRM with chatbot builder, meeting scheduler, and automatic contact creation for sales and support teams.

7.6
FreeB2B SaaS companies already using HubSpot CRM that want chat-to-CRM lead capture without extra cost
Gorgias logo

Gorgias

E-commerce help desk with Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento integrations built-in.

4.6
$10/moShopify, BigCommerce, and Magento stores
Front logo

Front

Shared inbox platform for teams managing email at scale with collaboration features.

4.5
$19/moTeams managing high-volume email communication
Freshchat logo

Freshchat

Conversational messaging platform by Freshworks with AI bots, omnichannel support, and a free plan for 100 agents.

7.8
FreeTeams wanting free live chat for large agent groups
Crisp logo

Crisp

Business messaging platform for startups and SMBs with live chat, shared inbox, chatbot, and a generous free plan.

8.0
FreeStartups and indie hackers needing a free messaging solution
Olark logo

Olark

Simple, affordable live chat for small businesses with real-time visitor monitoring and CRM integrations from $29/mo.

7.4
$29/moSmall businesses that want straightforward chat without learning a complex platform

Detailed reviews

#1
Tidio logo

Tidio

8.3(1,850 reviews)

Live chat, chatbot, and help desk platform built for small businesses and e-commerce stores. Free plan available.

Best for:

Small e-commerce stores on Shopify or WooCommerceBusinesses wanting live chat and chatbots without enterprise complexitySolo entrepreneurs and small teams (1-10 people)

Why pick Tidio over LiveChat?

Tidio ships a free plan and includes Lyro AI chatbots in paid tiers, where LiveChat has no free option and sells its ChatBot product separately — a cheaper entry point for small stores.

#2
tawk.to logo

tawk.to

7.4(5,200 reviews)

Completely free live chat software with unlimited agents, chat history, and a ticketing system used by over 6 million websites worldwide.

Best for:

Startups and small businesses that need live chat functionality without any budgetWebsites testing whether live chat actually improves conversion rates before investing in premium toolsCompanies that need unlimited agent seats without per-seat pricing eating into margins

Why pick tawk.to over LiveChat?

Tawk.to is fully free for unlimited agents and chats and only monetizes optional add-ons like branding removal, so very small teams skip LiveChat's $20+ per-agent bill entirely.

#3
Intercom logo

Intercom

4.4(2,891 reviews)

Customer messaging platform with live chat, bots, product tours, and help center.

Best for:

SaaS companies and software productsTeams prioritizing conversational supportCompanies wanting unified messaging platform

Why pick Intercom over LiveChat?

Intercom layers Fin AI, product tours and outbound messaging on top of the inbox, so it scales further than LiveChat for product-led SaaS teams that want chat plus lifecycle messaging in one tool.

#4
Zendesk Chat logo

Zendesk Chat

8.0(9,600 reviews)

Enterprise live chat and messaging integrated into the Zendesk support suite with AI agents, triggers, and proactive engagement capabilities.

Best for:

Enterprise support teams already on Zendesk that want to add chat as another channel seamlesslyRegulated industries (healthcare, government, finance) that need HIPAA and FedRAMP-compliant chatLarge-scale support operations handling thousands of conversations daily across multiple channels

Why pick Zendesk Chat over LiveChat?

Zendesk Chat is priced competitively and is strong at Enterprise support teams already on Zendesk that want to add chat as another channel seamlessly.

#5
HubSpot Chat logo

HubSpot Chat

7.6(8,900 reviews)

Free live chat built into HubSpot CRM with chatbot builder, meeting scheduler, and automatic contact creation for sales and support teams.

Best for:

B2B SaaS companies already using HubSpot CRM that want chat-to-CRM lead capture without extra costSales teams that need automated lead qualification and meeting booking through a website chat widgetSmall marketing teams that want to engage website visitors and route qualified leads to sales

Why pick HubSpot Chat over LiveChat?

HubSpot Chat has a genuinely usable free tier and is strong at B2B SaaS companies already using HubSpot CRM that want chat-to-CRM lead capture without extra cost.

Still deciding?

Put your shortlist side by side and see how the numbers and features really stack up.