TL;DR: Tidio fits small sites that want free live chat with a published paid upgrade. Intercom fits product-led teams that need messaging plus help desk features (quote or published starter). Zendesk Chat fits support teams already in the Zendesk ecosystem. Order is not a quality ranking.
A live chat software tool provides real-time website messaging, chatbots and handoff to human agents. This comparison covers options with public pricing where available.
Every entry uses the same fields. The order below is not a quality ranking. Free and published-price options appear first.
Live chat software compared at a glance
| Provider | Published pricing | Free limit | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidio | Free plan; paid from published starter rates | Free conversations and chatbot limits | Small business websites | Visit → |
| Crisp | Free; Pro published rates | Free for basic use | Startups wanting shared inbox + chat | Visit → |
| Intercom | Starter published or quote depending on suite | Limited free or trial | Product messaging + support | Visit → |
| LiveChat | Starter $19 per person per month billed annually, or $25 monthly. Team $49 annual / $59 monthly. Business $79 annual / $89 monthly. Enterprise is a sales call. 14-day trial, no card. | Person | A support desk that wants a published per-person list price | Visit → |
Packaging was read on 16 September 2026. Always confirm current conversation and seat limits on the live pages.
The 4 companies in detail
1. Tidio
Best for: Small websites that need a free live chat widget with upgrade path to paid features.
| Published pricing | Free + paid tiers |
| Main limitation | Conversation and visitor caps on free |
- Free plan available for basic live chat and chatbot.
- Published paid plans for higher volume.
- Easy embed for marketing sites.
2. Crisp
Best for: Teams that want a shared inbox plus live chat with a free starting point.
| Published pricing | Free; Pro published |
| Main limitation | Advanced automation on paid |
- Free plan covers core messaging.
- Shared team inbox model.
- Published Pro rates for growth.
3. Intercom
Best for: Product and support teams that need messaging, bots and help-center features in one platform.
| Published pricing | Starter or suite pricing; higher tiers often quote |
| Main limitation | Full value often requires higher suite |
- Strong product-led messaging focus.
- Combines chat with customer data and automation.
- Pricing structure mixes published starters and custom.
4. LiveChat
Best for: Support teams that want published per-agent live chat rates, a 14-day trial, and a clear step from a one-user Starter plan to team and department plans.
| Published pricing | Starter $19 per person/month billed annually ($25 monthly). Team $49 annual / $59 monthly. Business $79 annual / $89 monthly. Enterprise is a sales call. |
| Free / trial | 14-day trial, no credit card required on the public pricing page. No permanent free plan. |
| Agent model | Pay per agent account. Starter lists 1 user; Team and Business list unlimited users. |
| Main limitation | Starter is a single-user plan; visitor tracking and chat history expand only on higher tiers |
- Starter is a published $19 annual rate for a one-person chat desk.
- Team removes the one-user cap and raises visitor tracking to 400.
- Business adds work scheduling, advanced reporting, SMS and Apple Messages for Business.
Kurums Match
Start with Tidio or Crisp free for simple website chat. Choose LiveChat when you want a published per-agent price and a 14-day trial. Move to Intercom when product messaging and richer data become the priority.
Buying tip: Count monthly conversations and concurrent agents before choosing a paid plan; free tiers usually cap one or both.
How this comparison was put together: Official pricing pages checked 16 September 2026. Order follows free / published price rule. No quality ranking.
FAQ
Do free live chat plans support multiple agents?
Most free plans limit concurrent agents or conversation volume. Check the current free-plan limits on each provider’s pricing page.
Related: Best Help Desk Software in 2026 · Best AI Customer Service Software in 2026
Last checked: 4 October 2026. LiveChat pricing rechecked on the official page the same day.
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