SMB Guide content and reviews are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

7 Best LiveChat Alternatives & Competitors

Not sure if LiveChat is the best software for your business communication? Here are the 7 best LiveChat alternatives for you to know.

Best Overall
Best for Messaging
Best for Lead Gen
4.8
4.5
4.2

Effortless help desk software. Answer more tickets with all-in-one customer care solution.

Engage your customers with smarter conversations on any channel.

Smartsupp is your personal online shopping assistant that drives online sales through conversations.

Best Overall
4.8

Effortless help desk software. Answer more tickets with all-in-one customer care solution.

Best for Messaging
4.5

Engage your customers with smarter conversations on any channel.

Best for Lead Gen
4.2

Smartsupp is your personal online shopping assistant that drives online sales through conversations.

Although LiveChat provides flexible business solutions, some customers may look for alternatives because of its limited customization options and pricing flexibility.

LiveAgent is a strong competitor among the many possibilities.

Why trust us? Our knowledge of software analysis is based on extensive research and input from actual users, making us an ideal choice to write this guide.

Read on to see how each LiveChat option meets the specific demands of various businesses, so you can make a well-informed choice.

1. LiveAgent

LiveAgent homepage

Best for: It is ideal for businesses with a large number of support agents as it offers auto-routing and back-end coordination functions.

Pricing: $15/user/mo – $85/user/mo

Pros

30-day free trial

200+ integrations

Easy to use and intuitive UI

All-in-one customer care solution

Cons

High integration costs

Mobile apps can be clunky

LiveAgent is a full-featured Help Desk and live-chat software that allows you to personalize customer interactions with an all-in-one solution.

Features

  • Helpdesk Software: A feature-rich helpdesk software system gathers all incoming messages from various clients into a single, consolidated inbox. For customer communications, you can use a variety of channels, such as email, messenger, phone calls, and live chat.
  • Software for Live Chat: Excellent live chat features are provided by LiveAgent to communicate directly with your knowledge base and ticketing software, as well as the other products in the LiveAgent ecosystem.
  • Analytics, insights, and reports: A detailed “Reports” tab shows everything from the number of messages you’ve received to how quickly agents are responding. Agents can monitor their own performance reports to see whether or not they are moving closer to their objectives.
  • Contact Center and Calling: LiveAgent comes with its own contact center software, in contrast to a lot of the live chat and customer support apps available today. Businesses can integrate a practical phone system into their customer experience stack by using VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol).

LiveAgent vs LiveChat

CriteriaLiveAgentLiveChat
Best ForBusinesses looking to provide phone, email, and live chat supportSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureContact center softwareAI-powered chatbot
Pricing$15/user/mo – $85/user/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

LiveAgent uses an omnichannel inbox, real-time chat, built-in phone center, and robust customer care site.

With LiveAgent, you can use customer segmentation, automation, built-in CRM, strong analytics, and customer knowledge base to personalize your communication.

Get started with LiveAgent for free

Try LiveAgent for free

2. Freshchat

freshchat homepage

Best for: It caters excellently to companies seeking effective solutions for engaging with prospects and customers directly on their website, mobile app, or social media pages.

Pricing: Free – $95/user/mo

Pros

Free forever plan

15+ integrations

User-friendly interface

Multichannel support

Cons

Limited customization

Occasional glitches

Freshchat is an innovative messaging platform crafted to streamline communication between sales and customer engagement teams and their audience across social media, mobile apps, and websites.

Features

  • Channels: You can install a chatbot on three channels with Freshchat: website, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. You can also send out email campaigns to your users.
  • Integrations: Freshchat offers several integrations and provides an app for iOS and Android that allows you to respond to user inquiries while on the road. Additionally, Freshchat can be integrated with Freshdesk and Freshsales, among other Freshworks products.
  • Marketing: Websites are the primary focus of Freshchat’s marketing opportunities. You can add a native widget to your website and customize its colors and design to better fit your branding.
  • Online Retailers: With Freshchat’s Shopify integration, one of your live chat agents can help the user more quickly by sending Shopify properties (such as the Order ID) to Freshchat.

Freshchat vs LiveChat

CriteriaFreshchatLiveChat
Best ForBusinesses looking for solutions to talk to prospects and customers on the websiteSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureAI-powered candidate matchingAI-powered chatbot
PricingFree – $95/user/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

Freshchat is a great option for businesses looking for affordable or free options to manage their customer interactions on websites, mobile apps and social media.

Its Shopify integrations make it an ideal choice for small eCommerce businesses looking for automated interaction functionalities.

Start your free trial of Freshchat today

Try Freshchat for free

3. Smartsupp

smartsupp homepage

Best for: This chat-based tool is meant to help businesses increase sales chances and conversions by providing a simple means of engaging their target audience.

Pricing: Free – $60/mo

Pros

Free forever plan

Conversational AI chatbot

iOS and Android mobile app

Built for ecommerce

Cons

Conversations can get lost

Issues with mobile app

Smartsupp is a comprehensive chat-focused tool that combines video recordings, live chat, and chatbot features to convert more visitors into clients.

Features

  • Live Chat: With SmartSupp’s live chat feature, business owners can quickly and easily add a personalized chat box or widget to any website.
  • Visitor Insights: SmartSupp’s ability to help businesses interact with their target market and gather insightful data about their purchase behavior is among its greatest selling points.
  • Video recordings: Visitor session recordings give agents additional information about a customer’s past interactions with the business, enabling them to provide personalized assistance. can also be used for compliance and training needs.
  • Reports and Analytics: You can track important details about almost every interaction on your website and keep an eye on new chats with clients and the number of chats happening every day.

Smartsupp vs LiveChat

CriteriaSmartsuppLiveChat
Best ForCompanies needing a scalable and comprehensive hiring solutionSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureAI-powered candidate matchingAI-powered chatbot
PricingFree – $60/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

Smartsupp is a great option for online businesses that are looking to drive their online sales through chat.

It combines chatbots, live chats, and video recordings to offer a more personalized experience to visitors and convert them into customers.

If you’re an online business looking for a chat platform for a better and more personalized customer experience, then Smartsupp may be a better choice for you

Give Smartsupp a try for free today

Try Smartsupp for free

4. Zendesk

Zendesk homepage

Best for: It’s a great enterprise solution intended for businesses that need detailed, advanced reporting and analytics.

Pricing: $25/user/mo – $149/user/mo

Pros

30-day free trial

100+ integrations

Omnichannel support

Intelligent AI usage

Cons

No self-hosting

Only ticketing support provided

Zendesk is a cloud-based help desk management solution that offers tools for creating online communities, knowledge bases, and customer care portals.

Features

  • Ticket Processing: Users can open trouble tickets with Zendesk in various ways, including through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and messaging programs like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
  • Data Export and Reporting: The Zendesk Explore reporting tool can help manage analytics and comes with pre-made dashboards that show the most frequently used data in a graphical layout. Data from the dashboard can be exported as PDF, JPG, or Excel/CSV files.
  • Omnichannel experience: Zendesk provides an easy-to-use omnichannel experience with a user-friendly Agent Workspace. The agent gets a single view of the entire customer experience using this workspace, which includes all of the client chats, ticket statuses, order history, personal information, and context needed to offer 
  • Integrations: Zendesk offers more than 1,300 pre-built apps and integrations on a highly configurable platform. By integrating Zendesk with other applications in your stack, you can increase its usefulness and potential.

Zendesk vs LiveChat

CriteriaZendeskLiveChat
Best ForBusinesses that need detailed, advanced reporting and analyticsSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureZendesk ExploreAI-powered chatbot
Pricing$25/user/mo – $149/user/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

Zendesk is a great choice for organizations that are looking for more advanced and detailed analytics to interpret customer requirements.

Despite its high subscriptions plans, it aims to offer higher ROI.

5. Intercom

Intercom homepage

Best for: Intercom is ideal for SaaS companies but works for any online seller who wants to answer visitor questions.

Pricing: $39/user/mo – $139/user/mo

Pros

14-day free trial

User-friendly interface

Powered by AI

All-in-one customer service solution

Cons

Slow customer service

Pricey adding additional features

Intercom is a Conversational Relationship Platform focused on improving client relationships by offering live chat, chatbots, and help desk features.

Features

  • NLP and AI: The Resolution Bot on Intercom can train your chatbot to grasp user intent by asking it a series of questions and automatically responding to user inquiries.
  • Conversation Management: Messages are collected in an inbox designed specifically for groups to provide mutual assistance. Permissions can be configured, and distinct inboxes for sales and support can be used.
  • Reporting: Intercom gathers information from each of these functions to assist you in better understanding and serving your clientele. You may monitor the performance of your support team and make any adjustments.
  • Integrations: There are numerous tools and apps that Intercom integrates with including Facebook, Google Analytics, Google Calendar, Jira Cloud, Mailchimp, Outlook, Salesforce, Stripe, Zoom, and more.

Intercom vs LiveChat

CriteriaIntercomLiveChat
Best ForSaaS companies and other online sellersSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureResolution BotAI-powered chatbot
Pricing$39/user/mo – $139/user/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

Intercom features an intuitive interface, built-in AI and NLP, the ability to embed your chatbot on your website and iOS/Android app, built-in live chat, and over 100 direct integrations.

6. LivePerson

LivePerson homepage

Best for: Consider LivePerson if you’re searching for a live chat tool that will boost your conversions and sales.

Pricing: Request a quote

Pros

Multiple AI products

Great customer support

Easy to track responses

Integrates with other apps

Cons

Must request pricing

No mobile apps

LivePerson is a live chat platform that uses a conversation cloud to enable straightforward and efficient branded consumer interactions.

Features

  • Messaging Connectors: To efficiently communicate with customers, LivePerson integrates contact center operations with third-party channels and uses built-in tools for straightforward, centralized messaging, creating and managing personalized bots, and assessing operational effectiveness with comprehensive data.
  • Automated Feedback: LivePerson uses a skill-specific survey bot to send automated, customizable, closed-ended text questions to clients to get their feedback, evaluate customer sentiment, and track agent performance.
  • Reporting: Comprehensive reporting capabilities of LivePerson track and evaluate revenue, engagement, and agent activity.
  • Conversation Builder: LivePerson offers a conversation builder with pre-made, sector-specific templates and enhances automated conversation flows with a single user interface.

LivePerson vs LiveChat

CriteriaLivePersonLiveChat
Best ForCompanies looking for a live tool to boost conversionsSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureGreat customer supportAI-powered chatbot
PricingRequest a quote$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

LivePerson equips you with a full toolset to create and optimize your chatbots for better sales and conversions.

If you’re looking for live chat software with flexible options and pay-as-you-go pricing, then LivePerson can be a better fit for you than LiveChat.

7. Front

Front homepage

Best for: It is ideal for businesses with broad, frequent, and asynchronous consumer communication requirements.

Pricing: $29/mo – $79/mo

Pros

Offers free trial

100+ integrations

Easy to use interface

Powered by AI

Cons

No free forever plan

Delays with emails

Front is a customer relationship management platform that enables support, sales, and account management teams to deliver exceptional service on a massive scale.

Features

  • Multiple Channels: Front centralizes all of your consumer conversations. Support tickets from emails, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp can be easily managed in one place.
  • Collaboration Tools: Front facilitates teamwork and streamlines your customer conversations. Your agents can have a private conversation area under each chat.
  • Automation Tools: Front offers several automation tools such as auto-assigning emails to streamline processes, pre-made responses to FAQs, and automated collection of client data.
  • Reporting: With Front’s reporting tool, you can gain comprehensive insights to improve team and customer satisfaction, enhance customer experience, and manage workload and team performance.

Front vs LiveChat

CriteriaFrontLiveChat
Best ForBusinesses with broad, frequent, and asynchronous consumer communication requirementsSizable organizations seeking dependable and robust live chat solutions
Standout FeatureCentralizes conversations in one placeAI-powered chatbot
Pricing$29/mo – $79/mo$20/user/mo – $59/user/mo

Conclusion

While Front doesn’t offer phone support, it is a great platform for centralized communication on all channels.

If you don’t require phone support and are looking for a better-managed live chat platform, then Front may be a good option for you.

Which LiveChat alternative should I use?

Selecting the right software for your business communication needs is essential, and the LiveChat alternatives that we’ve looked at each have special advantages suited to various company requirements.

Your selection should be in line with your unique operational needs, whether you’re looking for user-friendly platforms for startups or extensive systems for larger corporations.

Here’s a quick recap of the LiveChat alternatives for you to make an informed decision:

  • Zendesk: Advanced and detailed analytics with higher ROI
  • LiveAgent: Own contact center software with VoIP
  • Intercom: Built-in AI and NLP, the ability to embed your chatbot 
  • LivePerson: A full toolkit for creating, managing, and optimizing bots 
  • Freshchat: Affordable or free options to manage customer interactions 
  • Smartsupp: Affordable, personalized customer experiences
  • Front: Centralized communication and tickets
LiveAgent

Effortless help desk software. Answer more tickets with all-in-one customer care solution.

Try for free
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.