13 Best LiveChat Alternatives for Customer Support in 2026

Live chat has become an essential feature for support teams in 2026, and it's hard to imagine handling customer interactions without this channel.

The eponymously titled LiveChat is one of the most popular options and a very comprehensive customer service solution. But that comes at a price. Too many features, a complicated onboarding process, and pricing built for enterprises can put you off LiveChat and make you look elsewhere.

This is why we're here, bringing you the best LiveChat alternatives for increasing customer engagement and providing personalized support. 👇

TL;DR - The best LiveChat alternatives:

1. ✨ Featurebase: Best modern AI customer support & feedback management for SaaS
2. Tidio: Best for small businesses that want affordable live chat with AI chatbots and multichannel messaging.
3. Intercom: Best for SaaS and digital products that need in-app messaging, automation, and customer onboarding.
4. LiveAgent: Best for teams that want chat, email, and call center tools in a single low-cost system.
5. Zendesk: Best for companies that need scalable ticketing, automation and structured support workflows.
6. Freshdesk: Best for businesses that want a balanced help desk with chat, automation, and self-service tools.
7. Olark: Best for small teams that want simple and straightforward live chat without extra complexity.
8. Crisp: Best for startups that want modern multichannel chat with automation and chatbots.
9. SmartSupp: Best for ecommerce brands that want chat plus behavior tracking and AI product recommendations.
10. Chatbase: Best for teams that want an AI-first chatbot that answers questions using their content.
11. Robylon: Best for small and mid-sized teams that want AI-powered chat automation with a simple setup.
12. Gorgias: Best for e-commerce stores that want support tied directly to order data and store platforms.
13. Help Scout: Best for small teams that want simple email-based support with light chat and self-service tools.

Why look for alternatives to LiveChat?

To be fully transparent, most of the online reviews on LiveChat are pretty positive, which is not surprising since it's a capable, well-rounded tool. But it's not perfect, and here's why.

The pricing is deceptively low

LiveChat has four pricing plans, three of which are publicly available. There is no free plan, but a 14-day free trial is available. Paid plans start at $19/user/month and include 100 tracked website visitors, one campaign, 60-day chat history, and the most basic widget customization options.

This is on par with similar live chat tools, but anyone who runs a website knows that 100 visitors is far too few to make a meaningful impact on customer engagement and satisfaction. Full white labeling is only available in the Enterprise plan (no publicly available pricing), which means you need to spend a lot of money to make the live chat software feel like a part of your tool or website.

You don't get AI agents in the main plans

If we take a step back to define it, LiveChat is a tool that lets your agents talk to customers in real time. While there are some AI features and add-ons, humans have to do most of the work.

To get fully automated AI chatbots, you need to purchase ChatBot separately, which is an AI agent that resolves "up to 80% of cases". This is a feature that costs $52 per ChatBot.

Aside from the lack of transparency, this means that LiveChat can get very expensive very quickly.

The best LiveChat alternatives for handling customer conversations in 2026

Still looking for a customer messaging platform that gives you that perfect mix of a user-friendly interface, affordable pricing, and seamless integration with the rest of your tech stack? Here are some live chat software options to consider.

1. Featurebase ✨

Featurebase is a modern customer support & feedback platform built for SaaS and product teams that want to collect feedback, manage support, and publish product updates in one place. Unlike many other live chat apps, you can try Featurebase with a completely free plan to see how it fits into your customer support workflows.

Top features

1. Omnichannel inbox – Handle live chat, email tickets, and feedback posts all in one view. It centralizes customer data so support agents can see all the key metrics, customer inquiries, and previous interactions in one place.
2. AI support agent & auto-responses – Use the Fibi AI agent to draft replies, pull in help center articles, convert chats into feedback posts, and execute workflows around customer support tickets.
3. Feedback boards & voting – Let users submit feature requests, vote on ideas, and see progress on your roadmap.
4. In-app surveys – Run NPS, CSAT, or custom surveys inside your product with targeting, conditional logic, and brand styling. Forge better customer relationships by asking the right questions at the right time.
5. Help center – Create self-service help articles in a branded domain, support 40+ languages, and integrate directly in your product to make it even more valuable and user-friendly with proactive support.
6. Product updates – Publish product updates via public changelog, in-app widgets, notifications, and targeted segments.
7. Integrations – Connects with Slack, Linear, Jira, HubSpot, and more

How it’s better than LiveChat: LiveChat is primarily a chat-focused tool, while Featurebase offers a full support and feedback ecosystem that goes beyond just a live chat feature. With Featurebase, you not only talk to users in real time but also collect their feedback, run surveys, publish updates, build knowledge articles, and manage feature requests. And the best part is you can do all of this without switching back and forth between five different tools.

Pricing: Free plan available with unlimited conversations. Paid plans start at $29/seat/month with $0.29 per AI resolution. The onboarding is super fast, and doesn't require a credit card, so there's no downside to trying it. 👇

✨ Automate your support with the fastest AI-enchanced inbox today →

2. Tidio

Tidio is a customer communication platform that combines live chat, chatbots, and multichannel messaging in one tool. It is a good fit for small to mid-sized businesses that want an affordable system for real-time support and simple automation.

Top features

• Live chat: Add a customizable chat widget to your site for instant conversations and immediate support.
• AI chatbot builder: Automate common questions, lead capture, and basic support flows.
• Multichannel inbox: Manage chat, email, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger in one place.
• Email marketing tools: Send follow-up emails and promotions directly from Tidio based on past customer behavior.
• Mobile app: Respond to customers from iOS or Android.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Tidio combines live chat with chatbots and basic email tools at a lower price point. It is a better choice for smaller teams that want automation and chat in one place without higher enterprise pricing.

Pricing: Tidio pricing starts at $24.17 per month for 100 billable conversations. Lyro AI will set you back another $32.50 per month for 50 conversations.

3. Intercom

Intercom is a conversational support platform that combines live chat, bots, and in-app messaging. It works well for SaaS companies and digital products that want real-time engagement and personalized onboarding.

If you want to enhance customer satisfaction with AI, its agent Fin can help engage and convert website visitors, but it comes at a cost.

Top features

• Business Messenger: Add a customizable chat widget to your site or product.
• AI chatbot: Automate replies to common questions and route issues to the right team.
• Shared inbox: Manage email, chat and in app conversations in one view.
• Product tours: Guide new users through key features with interactive flows.
• Analytics: Track response times, conversation volume and customer satisfaction.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Intercom offers advanced automation, in-app communication, and onboarding tools that LiveChat does not. It is the better choice for SaaS teams that want customer engagement and instant support in a single system.

Pricing: Intercom pricing starts at $19 per seat per month, and you pay extra for Fin AI and each resolution.

4. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is an effective live chat solution that brings together chat, email and call center tools. It is a good option for teams that want chat plus phone support at a lower entry price than most help desk systems.

Top features

• Universal inbox: Handle email, chat and calls from one dashboard.
• Live chat: Add a fast chat widget with customization options.
• Call center: Manage inbound and outbound calls and customer queries with IVR and routing.
• Automation rules: Auto assign or escalate tickets with custom triggers.
• Customer portal: Offer self-service articles and FAQs to improve customer engagement.

How it’s better than LiveChat: LiveAgent goes beyond chat by adding built in call center functionality and ticket management. It is a stronger fit for teams that want phone support alongside chat.

Pricing: starts at $4 per agent per month, but this is a heavily discounted price for the end of 2025 and may not be relevant at the time when you read this blog post.

5. Zendesk

Zendesk is a full customer service platform with ticketing, automation and multichannel support. It is great for companies that want structure, scalability and deeper workflows than a chat only tool can offer.

Top features

• Omnichannel ticketing: Manage email, chat, phone and social messages in one place.
• Automation tools: Use triggers, macros and rules to reduce repetitive work.
• Help center: Build a self-service library for customers.
• Reporting: Track agent performance, resolution time and satisfaction.
• Integrations: Connect with thousands of business and support tools.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Zendesk offers full help desk functionality, not only chat. It is the better choice for teams that need automation, reporting, and complex workflows instead of a chat-focused setup.

Pricing: Zendesk's pricing starts at $19 per user per month for the Support Team plan.

You may also want to consider some Zendesk alternatives, too.

6. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is an easy-to-use help desk built for teams that want email, chat, automation, and self-service tools wrapped in a simple interface. It is a strong fit for businesses that want affordability and omnichannel support.

Top features

• Ticketing system: Handle chat, email, phone and social messages in one dashboard.
• AI bots: Automate responses and help with routing.
• SLA management: Track deadlines and create escalation rules.
• Knowledge base: Build self-service articles and FAQs.
• Marketplace apps: Add integrations for CRM, project management and analytics.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Freshdesk provides a complete help desk with ticketing and automation at a lower cost. It is better for teams that need more than live chat and want to scale support without unnecessary complexity.

Pricing: Freshdesk's pricing starts at $15 per agent per month.

7. Olark

Olark is a simple live chat tool that focuses on real-time conversations and ease of use. It works well for small teams that want straightforward chat without extra layers of support features.

Top features

• Customizable live chat widget: Match the chat window to your brand.
• Chat transcripts: Review past conversations for context and quality control.
• Automations: Trigger greetings or route chats based on visitor behavior.
• Searchable conversation history: Quickly find previous interactions.
• Simple reports: View chat volume and responsiveness.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Olark is simpler and more lightweight than LiveChat, which makes it ideal for small teams that only need chat and do not want a full support suite.

Pricing: Olark pricing starts at $29 per user per month.

8. Crisp

Crisp is a customer messaging platform that blends live chat, chatbots and multichannel communication in one workspace. It is a strong fit for startups and growing teams that want modern chat tools with automation.

Top features

• Live chat widget: Customize the chat window and talk with visitors in real time.
• Shared inbox: Manage chat, email and social messages together.
• Automation rules: Trigger replies, assign conversations or send reminders.
• Chatbots: Automate common questions and simple support flows.
• Knowledge base: Create self service articles for customers.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Crisp offers automation, chatbots and a unified inbox that covers more channels. It is better for teams that want chat plus automation without paying enterprise pricing.

Pricing: Crisp pricing starts at $45 per month per workspace.

9. SmartSupp

Smartsupp is a chat and chatbot tool made for ecommerce brands and small businesses that want to talk with visitors and improve conversions. It mixes human chat with automated assistance for a smoother customer experience.

Top features

• Live chat: Engage visitors and customize the widget to match your brand.
• AI chatbot: Automate answers to common questions and recommend products.
• Visitor tracking: See what customers are browsing and use that context in conversations.
• Multichannel inbox: Handle chat, email and social messages from one place.
• Mobile app: Stay connected with customers on the go.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Smartsupp is more focused on ecommerce behavior and has stronger automation at a lower entry price. It works well for online stores that want chat plus sales focused automation.

Pricing: there is a free plan with just 50 conversations available. Paid plans start at $14 per month for 100 live chat conversations.

10. Chatbase

Chatbase is an AI chatbot builder that lets teams create custom support bots trained on their content. It suits businesses that want to automate a large portion of support and reduce chat volume before a human steps in.

Top features

• Custom AI chatbots: Train bots on your website content, PDFs or documents.
• Instant answers: Provide accurate replies without manual scripting.
• Easy setup: Embed a chatbot widget on your site with no coding.
• Conversation analytics: See what users ask and where they need help.
• Integrations: Connect the bot to help desk tools or CMS platforms.

How it’s better than LiveChat: LiveChat is built around live conversations while Chatbase reduces the need for them by handling common questions with AI. It is a stronger choice for teams that want automation first and human chat only when needed.

Pricing: Chatbase's pricing starts at $40 per month. There is a free plan with up to 100 messages a month, but you'll run out of this very quickly.

11. Robylon

Robylon is an AI support platform that automates answers, routes conversations, and reduces the workload on human agents. It is a solid choice for small and mid-sized teams that want faster responses without a complex setup.

Top features

• AI chat assistant: Provide instant answers based on your website or help docs.
• Conversation routing: Send questions to the right team automatically.
• Unified inbox: View all customer messages in one place.
• Training tools: Improve the bot by teaching it better answers over time.
• Custom widgets: Add branded chat windows to your site.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Robylon focuses on AI first. It reduces chat volume by answering the most common questions before a human agent gets involved. It is ideal for teams that want automation built directly into their chat flow.

Pricing: starts at $35 per month, which gives you 2,000 monthly message credits.

12. Gorgias

Gorgias is a support platform built for ecommerce businesses that want to connect support conversations with order data. It is best for online stores that handle refunds, shipping issues and product questions every day.

Top features

• Shopify, Magento and BigCommerce integrations: View order history and customer data inside the chat.
• Ticketing system: Manage chat, email, social and SMS in one dashboard.
• Automation rules: Tag, assign and respond to routine inquiries automatically.
• Macros: Speed up responses with pre written answers.
• Revenue tracking: Measure how support conversations influence sales.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Gorgias gives ecommerce teams order-level context that LiveChat cannot. Agents can process refunds, track shipments and edit orders directly from the interface. It is perfect for online stores that want faster support tied to real customer data.

Pricing: Gorgias pricing starts at $10 per month for 50 tickets but pricing can get pretty complex, so it's best to do some detailed research first.

13. HelpScout

Help Scout is a simple and friendly help desk built around email style communication. It is great for small and mid sized teams that want a clean shared inbox without complicated features.

Top features

• Shared inbox: Assign conversations, add private notes and prevent collisions.
• Beacon widget: Combine chat, help docs and contact options in one widget.
• Knowledge base: Create self-service articles to reduce incoming questions.
• Customer profiles: See a customer’s past conversations and details.
• Reports: Track volume, response times and satisfaction.

How it’s better than LiveChat: Help Scout is easier to use and more email-focused than LiveChat. It fits teams that want personal communication and simple workflows rather than a chat-heavy setup.

Pricing: Help Scout's pricing starts at $25 per user per month.

Conclusion

If you want simplicity, ease of use and affordable pricing, LiveChat is definitely not the platform for you. It does a bit of everything but like with any messaging app, you need to make some compromises, and nothing is worth sacrificing customer satisfaction.

Featurebase is the best overall LiveChat alternative for modern AI-powered support. It combines AI automations, omnichannel ticketing, help center, and feedback tools in one platform - all at a simple, transparent price. Unlike Chatwoot, Featurebase includes a mobile app, AI automations, and more.

What’s best is that it comes with a Free plan and 1-click import from other tools, so there’s no downside to trying it out. 👇

✨ Automate your customer support with the fastest AI omnichannel inbox today →