27 Best Live Chat Apps in 2024: Free and Paid

You may already know that live chat apps can improve customer service, but did you know that adding live chat to your website can increase conversions by 12%? With a live chat app, you can answer customer questions immediately, help website visitors find the information they’re looking for, and establish the kind of rapport that keeps people coming back to your site.

If you’re just starting to research live chat apps, you may find that you have an overwhelming number of options, at several different price points. Read on to learn more about the best live chat apps in 2024.

What Is a Live Chat App?#

Live chat software is an application that you can install on your website, so everyone who visits it will be able to send a message to your sales or customer support team and receive an answer in real time from a human, not a chatbot.

Probably, you have already noticed a window that pops up on the corner of your screen with a personalized message, such as "What can I help you with?", and an answer box so you can start chatting. The best live chat software allows you to personalize the message based on trigger actions and the page the user is on.

This part is similar to what a chatbot would do, as the message is automatic, The difference is that, with live chat software, the customer has the opportunity to talk with someone from your team, instead of just receiving bot messages.

Your team can keep track of customer interactions and will be notified once someone sends a message. It will be redirected to the employee in charge of answering them, and you can have access to important metrics such as lead response time, and conversion rate that are usually provided by the live chat software through analytic features.

What to Consider When Choosing a Live Chat App#

Before purchasing a live chat app — or downloading a free one — think about what you want the app to do for your business. Do you need a basic chat app for a small team, or a feature-rich platform that provides detailed analytics?

Affordability#

Many live chat apps offer a free version, but they often lack the features that businesses need. Before choosing a live chat app, compare pricing for different service tiers to make sure you get the features you want within your budget.

Pay attention to add-ons, too — some platforms charge a premium for certain features, while other apps may offer those features at no additional cost.

Ease of Setup#

When you purchase a live chat app, you’ll want to start using it immediately, so look at whether you can easily install it. Also consider a trial-run, so you can evaluate the user-friendliness of the interface — some apps are not intuitive and may require training.

Scalability#

If you have fluctuations in business or anticipate growth, you’ll probably want a live chat app that’s scalable. Free live chat apps, and some paid versions, typically limit the number of users.

Feature Set#

The best live chat app for your business is one that has all the features your team needs — and ideally, no features you don’t need. These are some of the features that many live chat apps offer:

• Behavior-based chat triggers
• Transfer chats between agents
• Multilingual chat
• Co-browsing
• Real-time visitor tracking
• Canned responses
• Omnichannel customer communication
• Away messages
• Upselling/cross-selling
• AI chatbots

Security and Privacy#

If you anticipate your customers sharing personal or financial information via live chat, look for a live chat app that uses transport layer security (TLS) for end-to-end security and a web application firewall.

Integration Options#

If you intend to offer live support chat for website users, your live chat app will need to be compatible with your content management system. Choose an app that integrates with your CMS, and if applicable, with your CRM and project management platforms.

Omnichannel capabilities. Don’t limit yourself to a website chat app — choose a live chat app that you can use to communicate with customers on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, and any channels your customers use. Customers expect excellent customer service across all channels, not just on your website.

Benefits of Using a Live Chat App#

Implementing a live chat app can bring several benefits, but you need to count on software that is easy to use, and also train your team to know how to deal with customers through the live chat.

Close More Sales#

You can close more sales by solving customer questions right away. Instead of having to wait for an email response or call your company, for instance, the customer can just send a message about what is preventing him from completing a purchase and receive appropriate help immediately.

Your sales team must be able to identify the best solution and offer it to the customer, preventing you from losing deals. Besides, receiving personalized help adds credibility to your company, and improves customer satisfaction.

Increase Customer Loyalty#

The use of live chat software helps to straighten the relationship with your customers. Talking directly to them enables you to get to know them better and have insights about how to improve services and products to solve their demands.

On the other hand, customers know they can count on efficient and quick support when they need it, through live chat, which encourages them to keep buying from your business. It's possible to nurture a long relationship with them.

Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate#

You can trigger personalized messages to pop up on the customer's screen when they are about to leave your website without completing a purchase. For example, offering a coupon discount or free shipping to encourage the purchase, or asking what is stopping them from buying the product.

Someone from the sales team can engage in a conversation with the customer to understand better the situation and help them through the purchase. Offering personalized assistance increases the chance of sales, as the customer's pain points can be better addressed.

Improve Lead and Customer Interactions#

Live chat software allows you to enhance customer experience and interactions with your company. As long as the conversations are dealt with correctly, they enable you to connect with your audience and boost engagement.

27 Best Live Chat Apps in 2024#

1. JivoChat#

JivoChat is an omnichannel live chat app that lets busy agents engage in multiple conversations, across multiple channels - website live chat, email, phone callbacks, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, and more - at the same time, from a single dashboard.

JivoChat’s chatbots can respond to simple customer queries and transfer chats to live agents, if necessary. On the backend, agents can see a record of all client communication across every platform. That means customers never have to repeat themselves, and your agents can mention details from previous interactions to show customers that your business is paying attention to them.

Key features:

• Behavior-based chat triggers
• AI and rules-based chatbots
• In-chat product sharing
• Cross-selling and upselling
• Instant callback option
• TLS security and web application firewall
• Quick installation
• Webhooks API
• Automatic translation
• Available for web, iOS, and Android

2. LiveChat#

Beyond enabling customers to interact via messages on your website in real-time, LiveChat integrates multiple communication channels in one platform. You and your team can manage every interaction from one place. You can have as many customized chat widgets as you need on different websites.

Key features:

• Audit log
• Agent ratings
• Canned messages
• Chat satisfaction surveys
• Unlimited ticket history
• Ticket transfers
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

3. Zendesk#

Zendesk has two platforms — one for sales teams, and one for service teams that includes live chat functionality. Zendesk users can offer customer support via SMS, email, live chat, or on the phone, and track all interactions in a central platform.

Channel volume and performance metrics help teams see which channels have the most customer interactions, and agents can easily turn tweets or Facebook posts into support tickets.

Key features:

• Personalize conversations across channels
• Ticketing system
• Modify Zendesk to meet your needs
• Data privacy and protection
• Agent workspace
• Integrations
• Workforce management
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

4. LiveAgent#

LiveAgent offers you an all-in-one customer care solution. You can connect with your customers on multiple channels and manage everything from one platform. It provides a fast chat widget that can help you increase your earnings by 48%. Use the ticketing system to organize customer support and save up to 95% time and money.

Key features:

• All-in-one customer care solution
• Connect with customers on multiple channels
• Fast chat widget
• Personalized customer service
• Call recordings
• Ticketing system
• Integrations
• Proactive chat invitations
• Available for: Web, iOS, and Android

5. ProProfs#

ProProfs can be seamlessly integrated into the most popular ecommerce platforms and CMS (content management systems), such as Shopify, Magento, and WordPress. Your customer support and sales team will be able to reach clients instantly, solve their demands faster, and increase the chance of closing more sales.

Instead of waiting for a response via email, which takes time, your customers can interact in real time with your team. The operators can use features such as canned responses, and send self-help articles.

Key features:

• Easily transfer chats
• Answer faster with canned responses
• Anticipate customer questions
• Add self-help articles
• Set chat invitation pop-up
• Set individual operator greetings
• Add announcement
• Send personalized greetings
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

6. Tidio#

With more than 300.000 users, Tidio enables you to talk to customers in real-time and boost customer satisfaction. You can manage all your channels with one tool, speed up replies by creating canned responses, and use the Tidio app on computers or mobile devices. It's also possible to track the pages each customer visited on your website and see what your customers are typing before they hit send.

Key features:

• Manage all your channels with one tool
• Canned responses
• Viewed pages
• Live visitor list
• Live typing
• Pre-chat surveys
• Customer database
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

7. Olark#

Olark is a live chat app developed to include people with disabilities, making your website more accessible. It was tested to comply with WCAG (web content accessibility guidelines) 2.1 AA standards. You can enable not only live chat but also a chatbot powered by AI. You will find many automation tools to help you save time and improve customer experience.

Key features:

• Accessible live chat
• AI-powered chatbot
• 100+ plugins and integrations
• Live chat transcripts
• Analytics
• Custom chatbox forms
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

8. HubSpot#

The HubSpot live chat software lets you add a customizable live chat widget to your website and brings all your website conversations to a universal inbox. HubSpot's live chat solution works best when combined with HubSpot's free CRM solution.

Key features:

• Customizable chat window
• Central inbox automatically saves all web conversations
• Chatbot builder
• Rich contextual information via HubSpot's CRM
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

9. Tawk.to#

Used by more than 5 million people, Tawk is an easy-to-use free live chat software that enables you to engage with your customers and keep close track of their interactions. You can monitor their activities in real-time, check what they are searching for, and identify the page they are in. Besides, it enables you to tag and assign conversations to members of your team, which helps to enhance productivity.

Key features:

• Live chat
• Ticketing
• CRM
• Chat pages
• Knowledge base
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

10. Freshchat#

Freshchat focuses on providing a seamless customer experience on the channel of their choice. You can manage all communication channels, including live chat, chatbot, and emails, in a single place. Your agents will have access to customer data such as past purchases, previous conversations, and open issues from any channel.

Key features:

• Bot-drive support
• Unified agent workspace
• Proactive chat
• Analytics tools
• Multilingual support
• Integrations
• Manage conversations
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

11. Chatra#

With Chatra, you can easily install a live chat on your website and start answering your customers in real-time to improve their experience. Manage all the messages from multiple channels in a single dashboard, and monitor your website visitors.

Key features:

• Live chat for business
• Chatbot
• Monitor website visitors
• Multichannel dashboard
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

12. ThriveDesk#

ThriveDesk allows you to create a completely customized live chat experience. It's easy to use, and you can quickly access all the information you need about your customer, such as their browsing and conversation history. You can count on AI to automatize repetitive tasks and enable an efficient chatbot.

Key features:

• Customizable live chat
• Access to customer history
• Intuitive agent dashboard
• Collaborative live chat
• Automation tools
• AI-powered
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

13. Crisp#

With Crisp, you have a centralized shared inbox where you can control all the messages from your live chat, emails, messenger, Instagram DM, WhatsApp, and phone calls. Used by more than 500,000 brands, Crisp allows you to offer customer support through multiple channels and use bots to automatize the sales pipeline too.

Key features:

• All-in-one business messaging platform
• Shared inbox
• CRM
• Co-browsing
• Chatbot
• Knowledge base
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

14. Hiver#

Hiver enables you to be where your customers are and manage all your communication channels from your Gmail inbox. You can unify email, live chat, phone, WhatsApp, and much more. It's also possible to assign customer queries, keep track of who is working on what, and automate routine tasks.

Key features:

• Multi-channel customer support
• Assign queries
• Automate tasks
• Analytics
• Google Workspace
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

15. SendPulse#

Sendpulse offers you live chat software that can be customized according to your needs. You can change the widget color, format, and size to match your brand's identity. It also allows you to create automated messages that will be triggered based on the customer's actions. Every interaction can be managed in a single dashboard using the SendPulse CRM tool.

Key features:

• Customizable live chat
• CRM
• AI-powered chatbot
• Automate tasks
• Integration tools
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

16. Userlike#

With Userlike, everyone who accesses your website will be able to enjoy an efficient live chat. As you receive their messages, you can answer them immediately or in your own time. Every interaction will be accessible in each customer's history. You can also reach out to customers by automating messages based on triggers.

Key features:

• Customizable live chat
• Proactive chat
• Centralized dashboard
• Multimedia messaging
• Easy installation
• Chatbot
• Available for web.

17. SnapEngage#

SnapEngage is compatible with mobile devices, but it does not offer native apps for iOS or Android. This platform is one of the best live chat apps for health care providers, as it offers HIPAA compliance as an add-on feature. Many of the other features that offer top-tier functionality are also available as add-ons.

Key features:

• CRM and help desk integration
• Tweet-to-chat
• Canned messages
• Team chat
• Chat transfers
• Post-chat surveys
• Available for web.

18. Smartsupp#

Smartsupp is one of the best live chat apps for analyzing on-page behavior. Its video-recording feature lets agents see how website visitors interact with content and when a shopper is about to abandon their shopping cart.

Key features:

• Customer satisfaction ratings
• Customizable chat box placement
• Agent photos
• API
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

19. Social Intents#

Trusted by more than 65,000 users, Social Intents brings your live chat channel straight to your Slack or MS Teams account. With Social Intents, you can handle incoming chat messages right from inside your favorite daily work apps. All you need to do is set up a live chat channel in your communications app, put up the code for the live chat widget on your website, and set up the integration.

Key features:

• Branded chat widget
• Supports unlimited agents
• Supports proactive chats
• Custom chatbots
• Respond to chat messages directly from Slack and Microsoft Teams
• Available for web.

20. Chaport#

Trusted by over 30,000 businesses for their live chat channel, Chaport offers a "better way to talk to your customers" with its live chat widget that works 24/7 for you (even when your agents or salespeople are offline). Chaport also comes with custom chatbots and a centralized inbox to power your conversations happening both on your website and over other channels (including social media messaging apps).

Key features:

• Multi-channel support
• Custom chatbots for sales and support
• Doubles up as a knowledge base tool (requires at least the business plan)
• Detailed visitor analytics brings context to conversations
• A suite of productivity tools to facilitate conversations
• Highly customizable chat window
• Supports auto-replies (if agents are busy or unavailable)
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

21. Podium#

Podium — a powering service for 100,000+ businesses — focuses exclusively on local providers and offers three key functionalities. In addition to being a live web chat solution that's built exclusively around the needs of single- and multi-location local businesses, Podium supports collecting payments (via multiple gateways) and running SMS campaigns.

Key features:

• Unified inbox to streamline all customer conversations
• Online reputation management allows users to collect and respond to reviews
• Invoicing functionality
• Offers physical card readers to facilitate payments at local outlets
• Supports video chats for face-to-face interactions
• Lets you create personalized text marketing campaigns at scale
• Works as a survey tool for collecting feedback
• Comes with autoresponders and smart responses
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

22. Heymarket#

Heymarket is a "business text messaging" solution that enables your website's SMS text channel. In addition to enabling one-on-one texting with customers, Heymarket also lets you build your contact base and launch personalized text campaigns at scale.

Key features:

• Shared inbox to streamline conversations across multiple channels
• Targeted SMS/MMS campaigns
• Supports texting messaging
• Integrations with popular CRM and help desk platforms
• Hassle-free message routing, assignment, and collaboration
• Shared inbox for Facebook Pages and Google My Business listings
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

23. Amity Chat#

Amity Chat is a development kit (SDK) that lets you build a robust chat channel for your web app or website. It's essentially the backend of a live chat and you're expected to create the front end (chat window) and set up the required integrations.

Key features:

• Robust SDK to build a fully customized 1-1 chat channel
• Supports group chatting
• Custom branding
• Supports event engagement tools such as Facebook live-streaming
• Available for web.

24. Avochato#

Avochato allows you to connect with leads and customers via two channels: web live chat and text. It brings all your conversations to a single dashboard and helps you streamline your sales and service delivery ops. AvoChato also works inside Salesforce.

Key features:

• Shared inbox brings all your web messages, texts, and call data into one place
• Use the SMS channel to connect with your customers and leads
• Integrate phone support
• Auto responses based on the knowledge base and FAQ content
• Survey functionality
• Works seamlessly with Microsoft Teams and Salesforce
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

25. Re:amaze#

Live chat, chat automation, and native in-chat video calls are some of the benefits Re:amaze offers to its users. It enables you to create a complete customized chat to boost customer confidence and increase sales. You can also set up automatic messages to be triggered based on customer actions. Another option it provides is video chat with customers, and enter in a video call with them to assist them better.

Key features:

• Customizable chat experience
• Messages customers automatically
• Pre-built and custom chatbots
• Native in-chat video calls
• Mobile app
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

26. 3CX#

3CX offers not only a free live chat but voice calls and WhatsApp too. If messaging isn't enough, you can switch to an audio call without any charges. You can also create a WhatsApp business number that will be used by you and your whole team. The software keeps customer records, so you can offer a better service.

Key features:

• Zero cost
• Audio calls
• Free WordPress plugin
• WhatsApp for teams
• Customer history
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

27. Chatlio#

Chatlio is a live chat tool that integrates with Slack so that agents can communicate with website visitors from within Slack, and multiple agents can participate in the same conversation. Unlike many other live chat apps on our list, Chatlio is strictly a chat app for website — it’s not an omnichannel communication tool.

Key features:

• Customizable chat widget
• Canned messages
• Action-based triggers
• Real-time website visitor information
• Agent ratings and analytics
• Available for web, iOS, and Android.

FAQ: Best Live Chat Apps#

How much does live chat software cost?#

It depends on the live chat software and plan of your choice. You can count on free plans on some of the best chat software though, such as JivoChat.

What is the best live chat software for small businesses?#

The best live chat software for small businesses varies depending on each case. There isn't an answer that fits all since your priorities and needs differ from other companies.

Are live chats secure?#

Yes, the best live chat software usually follows privacy and security standards. Before choosing one, it's important to check what measures they take to ensure your company and your customer data are protected.

Choose the Best Live Chat App for Your Business#

So now that you’ve reviewed our 15 best live chat apps, have you decided which one is best for your business? Remember that your needs may change over time, so you might want to consider a live chat app that gives you the flexibility to grow, to integrate with other platforms, and to collect new data on your customers.

JivoChat is a scalable, omnichannel messenger that functions as an extension of your sales and support teams. With JivoChat’s live chat app, you can proactively engage visitors the moment they land on your site, and communicate with them on the other platforms they use every day. On the backend, your agents can see a complete history on every customer — an excellent foundation for building long-term relationships.