Best Live Chat Software
The best live chat and customer messaging tools, ranked for support and sales teams of every size.
We ranked 5 picks for Live Chat Software. Intercom takes the #1 spot at 4.4/5 (from $29/mo). Entry pricing runs $19–$29/mo. 2 offer a free tier. 5 have a public API.
Our picks at a glance
Tidio
Genuine free tier — test it before committing budget.
Tidio
4.6/5 across 4,700 reviews.
The full ranking
| # | Tool | Starts at | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intercom AI-first customer service & live chat | $29/mo | 4.4/5 | Support & sales teams |
| 2 | Tidio Live chat + chatbots for small business | Free | 4.6/5 | Small business & ecommerce |
| 3 | Zendesk Enterprise help desk with live chat | $19/mo | 4.3/5 | Mid-market to enterprise |
| 4 | Crisp Affordable shared inbox & chat | Free | 4.5/5 | Startups & small teams |
| 5 | LiveChat Sales-focused live chat platform | $20/mo | 4.5/5 | Sales & support teams |
Side-by-side comparison
| Comparison | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Starting price | $29/mo | Free | $19/mo | Free |
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium | Paid | Freemium |
| API available | ||||
| Best for | Support & sales teams | Small business & ecommerce | Mid-market to enterprise | Startups & small teams |
| Live chat & Messenger | ||||
| Fin AI agent | ||||
| Help desk & inbox | ||||
| Product tours | ||||
| Outbound messages | ||||
| Live chat | ||||
| Lyro AI chatbot | ||||
| Visual chatbot builder | ||||
| Ecommerce widgets | ||||
| Email integration | ||||
| Omnichannel ticketing | ||||
| Live chat & messaging | ||||
| Knowledge base | ||||
| AI agents | ||||
| Reporting & SLAs | ||||
| Shared inbox | ||||
| Chatbot builder | ||||
| Co-browsing | ||||
| Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit |
What to look for in live chat software
- Check whether pricing is per seat — it multiplies with team size.
- Headline prices usually assume annual billing; monthly costs more.
- Confirm the integrations you already depend on are supported.
- Start on a free tier or trial before committing to a year.
How we rank: we weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. Rankings are updated as products and prices change, and affiliate relationships never affect the order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best live chat software?+
Intercom is our #1 pick, rated 4.4/5 and starting at $29/mo. Powerful AI agent The full ranked list with pricing and trade-offs is above.
Is there a free live chat software option?+
Yes — Tidio, Crisp offer a free tier, so you can start without paying.
What is the cheapest live chat software?+
Zendesk at $19/mo. Across our picks, entry pricing runs $19–$29/mo.
Which of these is rated highest by users?+
Tidio, at 4.6/5 across 4,700 reviews. We rank on overall fit for the use case, not rating alone, which is why it is not automatically #1.
How did you rank these tools?+
Rankings weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. We update them as products and prices change.