Category
Live chat software: what they are and who makes them
Crisp, Tidio, LiveChat and 6 more, sorted into types, with the company behind each and where it is based.
Types of live chat software
Flat-fee suites for small teams
Crisp and Chatwoot price by workspace or by agent with generous conversation allowances, and both bundle a shared inbox and a help center. They suit companies of two to twenty people who want one tool for chat, email and social messages without a quote.
Ecommerce and revenue-focused chat
Tidio and LiveChat are built around store catalogs, cart recovery and proactive invitations. Reporting tries to tie chats to sales. They fit shops and sales teams that judge the widget by revenue, and both bolt an AI agent on top with its own usage limits.
Helpdesk-first platforms with chat
Intercom, Zendesk and Freshchat treat chat as one channel in a larger support system with tickets, routing rules and reporting. They cost more per seat, but suit teams that already expect volume, service-level targets and several channels in one inbox.
Free and human-staffed options
tawk.to gives the chat widget and apps away and earns money from branding removal, an AI add-on and hired chat agents. Olark sells plain human chat per agent. Both fit tight budgets, and both accept thinner reporting, lighter ticketing and fewer governance controls in return for the low entry cost.
Facts at a glance
| Tool | Publisher | Based in | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crisp | Crisp IM SAS | France | Free tier + API |
| Tidio | Tidio | Poland | Free tier + API |
| LiveChat | Text (formerly LiveChat Software) | Poland | Trial + API |
| Intercom | Intercom | United States | Trial + API |
| Zendesk | Zendesk | United States | Trial + API |
| Freshchat | Freshworks | United States | Free tier + API |
| Chatwoot | Chatwoot | United States | Free tier + API |
| tawk.to | tawk.to | United States | Free tier + API |
| Olark | Olark | United States | Trial + API |
