Top 13 LiveChat Alternatives to Boost Support and Save Cost

Take, for instance, a business using LiveChat: initially, the tool’s interface and live support capabilities seem promising. But as time goes on, they encounter high subscription costs, limited customization, and challenges integrating AI chatbots to handle routine queries. This setup increases expenses and leaves their support team handling repetitive tasks, which could be streamlined with automation.

This guide presents 13 LiveChat alternatives that enhance customer interactions without LiveChat’s limitations. It also introduces an optimized solution combining advanced AI chatbots with live agents to reduce costs, streamline support, and deliver highly personalized, efficient service.

LiveChat Overview: Key Features and Benefits for Customer Engagement

LiveChat is a well-known customer support software that enables businesses to connect with their customers instantly through an automated omnichannel platform. Its bright and attractive interface grabs visitors' attention that encourages them to engage with the chat feature for immediate assistance. This tool is designed to enhance the customer experience and make support processes smoother and more efficient.

LiveChat offers a variety of useful features, including:

• Automated Greetings: This feature helps businesses welcome visitors and prompt them to start a conversation by improving engagement.
• Ticket Tagging and Automated Follow-Ups: These tools assist in organizing customer interactions and ensuring timely follow-ups, which enhances the overall support experience.
• Message Sneak-Peek: Agents can see what customers are typing in real time that allows them to respond quickly and effectively.
• Interactive Reports: LiveChat provides valuable insights into chat resolution rates and visitor satisfaction, which helps businesses to assess their performance.

Pros of LiveChat:

💡 Lead Qualification

LiveChat allows businesses to use custom forms and AI chatbot automation to qualify leads effectively and ensure that inquiries are directed to the right agents.

💡 User Segmentation

The platform automatically segments users based on their website behavior, which helps tailor support responses.

💡 Smart Chat Routing

AI technology routes chats to the appropriate department that can enhance response times and customer satisfaction.

💡 Extensive Integration Options

With over 200 integration possibilities, LiveChat can work alongside various tools, including Google Ads and WhatsApp.

Top Reasons to Consider Alternatives to LiveChat for Customer Support

While LiveChat offers many features, there are several reasons businesses might consider seeking alternatives to LiveChat:

1 High Seat Costs

For larger teams, the costs can add up quickly. LiveChat's pricing starts at $20 per agent per month, which can be a burden for businesses with many support agents.

2 Limited Flexibility in AI-Powered Chatbots:

Although LiveChat offers some automated features, it may not fully support the shift towards using chatbots to reduce the number of live agents needed. This limitation can hinder businesses looking to save on costs while still providing efficient customer support.

3 Learning Curve

Many users find LiveChat's interface and features not very intuitive that can lead to a steep learning curve. This can slow down implementation and require additional training for customer support teams. The absence of product training in basic plans can further complicate the learning process.

4 Limited Customization Options

While LiveChat does provide various features, the customization options can be restrictive. Businesses often need to upgrade to premium plans for more branding flexibility, such as customizing chat buttons or removing the LiveChat logo from the widget. This can create challenges in delivering a unique customer experience.

5 Software Lagging Issues

Users have reported frustrating lagging problems with LiveChat. Instances of the chat tool freezing or delays in conversations can lead to customer dissatisfaction, as clients may have to wait longer for responses.

Despite the fact that LiveChat is a powerful tool for customer support, its high costs, limited flexibility, learning curve, customization restrictions, and performance issues lead many businesses to explore LiveChat alternatives. With the help of chatbots, businesses can significantly reduce the number of live agents required that will ultimately result in cost savings. However, LiveChat’s focus may not fully support this transformation, as they likely prioritize their core live-agent services

By considering other options, companies can find solutions that can help them to reduce LiveChat costs and better fit their specific needs to enhance their customer engagement strategies.

13 Top LiveChat Alternatives to Boost Your Customer Experience

#1 Zendesk

Zendesk is a robust customer support platform that allows businesses to connect with customers in real-time. It offers a customizable live chat widget that can be tailored to match your brand’s unique personality and tone. With Zendesk, you can engage with customers across various channels, including web, mobile, and social media. One of its standout features is the ability to manage multiple customer interactions simultaneously, thanks to its one-to-many communication capabilities. Additionally, Zendesk goes the extra mile by providing exceptional customer service support and ensuring that users can easily navigate its features.

Key Features:

• Resolve issues quickly with self-service options for customers
• Offer 24/7 support through Zendesk AI chatbot integration 
• Speed up repetitive tasks using canned responses
• Seamlessly integrate with CRM, analytics, and help desk platforms

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $19/user/month

#2 LiveAgent

LiveAgent offers an effective chat widget that allows businesses to reduce LiveChat costs and connect with customers instantly. This platform is designed to direct chats to the appropriate departments by ensuring that customer inquiries are handled by the right team. LiveAgent excels in providing outstanding customer support and includes features that help evaluate and improve operator performance. The tool is adaptable and ensures that users receive the necessary updates to meet their evolving requirements, which makes it a solid choice for businesses seeking reliable customer service tools.

Key Features:

• Live chat functionality
• Comprehensive ticketing system
• Call center capabilities
• Social media help desk integration
• Detailed customer service reporting

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $9 per agent/month (Free trial available for 14 days)

#3 Tidio

Tidio is a user-friendly alternative that enables real-time interactions between businesses and their customers. It combines live chat and chatbot functionalities that allow businesses to provide instant support while automating repetitive tasks. Tidio's AI capabilities, such as the Zendesk AI Chatbot Integration, enhance the efficiency of answering common customer queries. Additionally, Tidio supports email marketing, enabling teams to send personalized campaigns to targeted customer segments. However, it’s worth noting that Tidio offers separate products for customer service and sales, which may require additional management.

Key Features:

• AI functionalities for answering common customer queries with chatbots like Lyro and Reply Assistant
• Integration options with platforms like Shopify, Wix, and WordPress
• Personalized email campaign capabilities

Pricing Plans:

• Free Plan: Free for up to 50 live chat conversations
• Starter Plan: $29 per month for 100 live chat conversations
• Communicator Plan: $25 per month for unlimited live chat conversations
• Chatbots Plan: $29 per month for 50 live chat conversations and 2k-40k chatbot triggers

#4 Intercom

Intercom is a customer messaging platform that excels in real-time communication and engagement. With its chat feature, businesses can connect with website visitors and app users instantly and provide immediate support and assistance. This platform enhances customer relationships and boosts overall business performance, regardless of the volume of inquiries. Intercom’s user-friendly interface and powerful messaging tools make it an excellent choice for companies aiming to improve their customer interaction strategies.

Key Features:

• Real-time chat functionality for immediate support
• Automated responses to streamline customer interactions
• Mobile apps for on-the-go communication
• Extensive app integrations to enhance functionality

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $39/seat/month (Free trial available for 14 days)

#5 Crisp

Crisp offers a range of customer engagement tools, including chatbots and CRM integration, to streamline customer support. It features a chat widget, chatbots, and CRM integration that make it easy to streamline customer support. Crisp enhances customer engagement through email campaigns and in-app messages, which allows businesses to connect with their audience effectively. The ticketing system is particularly useful for managing customer inquiries by ensuring that no question goes unanswered. Additionally, Crisp’s status page provides real-time updates on system performance and helps to manage user expectations.

Key Features:

• Chatbots for automating lead conversations and support
• Email and SMS campaign capabilities to boost engagement
• Status page for monitoring system performance and alerting users
• Easy customization for chat flows and multilingual support

Pricing Plans:

• Basic Plan: Free forever for 2 users
• Pro Plan: $25 per month per workspace
• Unlimited Plan: $95 per month per workspace

#6 Freshchat

Freshchat, part of the Freshworks suite, provides a messaging solution for addressing customer queries on websites, apps, and more. This platform allows businesses to address customer queries through messaging, live chat, emails, and other channels. Freshchat enables users to create and deploy chatbots across various platforms, whether on their website or within mobile apps. Agents have access to valuable customer information, such as past purchases and open issues, which helps in delivering superior service. With budget-friendly plans, Freshchat is a great cost-effective alternative to LiveChat.

Key Features:

• Insights into customer behavior and agent performance
• Priority Inbox for urgent queries
• Advanced automation to streamline chat workflows
• Private notes for jotting down important customer information

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $12.08/agent/month

#7 Zoho SalesIQ

Zoho SalesIQ is yet another powerful LiveChat alternative, especially beneficial for users already within the Zoho suite. This platform allows customers to reach out via multiple channels including your website, mobile apps, and social media. One standout feature is the voice note capability, which enables both customers and agents to communicate complex issues without lengthy typing. This can significantly enhance the efficiency of customer interactions. Additionally, SalesIQ offers pre-defined responses to frequently asked questions, which helps optimize agent time. What set Zoho SalesIQ apart from other LiveChat alternatives is its advanced features like audio calling and voice notes. This modern functionality provides a more personalized experience for customers, making interactions more engaging.

Key Features:

• Seamless integration with Zoho CRM
• Custom reports for analyzing agent performance
• FAQs and documentation to reduce workload
• Real-time previews of customer inquiries as they type

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $9.78/user/month.

#8 Userlike

Userlike is an innovative live chat software designed to enhance customer experience across websites and mobile apps. This platform aims to bring businesses closer to their customers by generating leads, increasing satisfaction, and improving service efficiency. Userlike Messenger offers one-on-one support as well as targeted marketing campaigns through popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. The website chat feature allows for instant connection with visitors and supports multimedia messaging, including file sharing, video calls, and audio calls. Additionally, Userlike's no-code automation and chatbot features allow businesses to integrate customer support automation easily.

Key Features:

• One-on-one support through various messaging platforms
• Multimedia messaging capabilities in website chat
• Central knowledge database for answering common inquiries
• Strong focus on GDPR compliance for data privacy

Pricing Plans:

• Free plan available for individual users
• Team plan available for £90/month (approx. $109.88/month)
• Corporate plan available  £290/month (approx. $354.18/month)
• Flex plan also available for which you can contact sales regarding the pricing

#9 Podium

Podium is an intuitive live chat platform known for its effectiveness in customer support automation. This tool simplifies communication with customers and helps businesses drive more leads and respond to customer needs more efficiently. With personalized setup and onboarding, Podium enables you to start conversations quickly and address inquiries effectively. The platform's reporting capabilities allow for easy monitoring of customer behavior that will ultimately make it simpler to tailor your approach. Podium stands out as a reliable alternative to LiveChat, thanks to its focus on automation and customization, which can help reduce LiveChat costs.

Key Features:

• Automation to streamline daily tasks
• Automated review invitations to capture customer attention
• Customized branding options to strengthen brand identity
• Personalized messaging for better customer engagement

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $240/month

#10 Tawk.to

Tawk.to is a free live chat solution that allows businesses to connect with their customers directly through their websites and mobile apps. This platform is particularly appealing for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a cost-effective way to implement live chat support. Additionally, unlimited concurrent chats allow businesses to handle as many conversations as they can manage. Customization options are limited, and branding includes “Powered by tawk.io,” which may not be ideal for all businesses.

Key Features:

• You can track what pages your visitors are on and what they are looking for in real-time
• Conversations can be tagged and assigned to specific agents, which ensures that the right person addresses each inquiry
• A customizable knowledge base helps customers find answers to common questions themselves, speeding up issue resolution
• Since Tawk.to is free, there are no restrictions on the number of team members who can use it

Pricing Plans:

• Tawk.to is completely free

#11 Help Scout

Help Scout is a popular choice among alternatives to LiveChat. It simplifies customer service operations by providing a shared inbox for all customer conversations. This platform allows you to set up workflow rules to automate actions and filter emails efficiently.

Key Features:

• Streamline repetitive tasks with just a few clicks
• Suggest relevant articles based on a customer’s browsing history
• Collaborate with team members through messaging
• Track data across various channels and view key performance indicators (KPIs) based on your preferences

Pricing Plans:

• Starts at $20/user/month

#12 Olark

Olark is a live chat software designed to help businesses engage with customers in real-time. It centralizes customer data and provides insights from chat interactions that help businesses improve their services. Olark features a user-friendly interface and requires minimal training to get started. However, while it covers essential live chat features, it may lack some functionalities, such as extensive mobile compatibility and integrations.

Key Features:

• Connect with customers instantly for support and feedback
• Store structured notes and chat transcripts or integrate with a CRM system for better data management
• Collect relevant information before a chat to personalize conversations
• Capture messages when live agents are unavailable, enabling follow-up via email

Pricing Plans:

• Standard Plan: $29/month/agent
• Olark Pro: Custom pricing available upon contacting their sales team

#13 Ocelot

Ocelot is a live chat platform specifically designed for the education sector with its main focus on providing personalized support to students. It allows institutions to offer 1:1 assistance for critical issues, which ensures that students receive the guidance they need when they need it most. Ocelot also comes preloaded with content that addresses common student queries, which allows institutions to respond proactively with text and video responses across more than 20 departments.

Key Features:

• The platform is easy to implement that makes it a hassle-free choice for organizations looking to integrate live chat into their systems quickly
• Ocelot helps institutions manage budgets for students throughout their academic journey
• The platform provides valuable insights into student behavior and preferences, which enable institutions to tailor their support effectively
• Ocelot can be integrated with Student Information Systems (SIS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and other third-party platforms seamlessly

Pricing Plans:

• Interested users need to contact Ocelot for a customized quote

The Most Cost-Effective Solutions for Customer Support

As businesses expand, the demand for customer support increases. Traditional live agent-based systems can lead to rising costs that many companies struggle to manage. For instance, imagine a growing e-commerce platform that needs to respond to hundreds of customer inquiries daily. As the volume of requests increases, so does the need for more live agents. This often means hiring more staff, incurring additional training costs, and managing larger teams. The result? Overhead costs skyrocket, and maintaining high-quality customer service becomes a challenge.

Moreover, during peak hours, customers may experience long wait times that often lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. This scenario is not uncommon; many businesses find themselves trapped in a cycle of needing to enhance their customer support while battling rising expenses.

For many such problems, the solution lies in combining AI-powered chatbots with established platforms like LiveChat, Zendesk, or Intercom. By integrating advanced AI chatbots, such as GPTBots, companies can significantly improve their customer service efficiency while reducing costs.

Why Use GPTBots?

GPTBots is one of the most advanced AI chatbot builders available today. By utilizing GPTBots alongside platforms like LiveChat or Intercom, businesses can drastically minimize the number of live agents required to handle customer inquiries. In fact, organizations can cut their support costs by up to 50%!

GPTBots can effectively manage up to 90% of routine queries, which allows human agents to focus on more complex issues that require personal attention. For example, a business that previously required over 100 live agents for customer support can now operate efficiently with far fewer staff. This shift leads to significant savings in overhead costs, enabling companies to allocate resources more effectively.

Real-World Example: GameWorld

Consider GameWorld, a leading global gaming platform (talk to our sales for more details). By integrating GPTBots into their customer support strategy, they achieved remarkable improvements. GameWorld managed to reduce customer wait times by over 99%, which enhances the overall customer experience. Their customer satisfaction ratings soared to an impressive 95%, and they saved a staggering $4 million annually.

This transformation demonstrates the power of combining AI with traditional support platforms. Businesses can not only streamline their operations but also provide outstanding service to their customers.

Imagine what your company could accomplish with such enhancements. By embracing customer support automation with solutions like GPTBots and exploring LiveChat alternatives, your organization can thrive in a competitive landscape while maintaining happy and satisfied customers.

Reduce Costs and Boost Efficiency with GPTBots in Customer Support

As said earlier, integrating GPTBots with platforms like LiveChat, Intercom, and Zendesk can transform how businesses handle customer inquiries. This setup allows companies to provide efficient and effective customer support while reducing the workload on human agents. Here are some key use cases:

24/7 Customer Support

With GPTBots, businesses can offer round-the-clock support. Automated responses ensure that customers receive assistance anytime, even outside business hours. According to research, 75% of consumers expect 24/7 support, and utilizing customer support automation with GPTBots can meet this demand.

Quick Response Times

It is safe to say that customers value quick responses. GPTBots can instantly reply to common questions that reduces wait times significantly. For instance, businesses using automated chat solutions see response times decrease by up to 90%. This capability allows human agents to focus on more complex issues while basic queries are resolved swiftly.

Personalized Interactions

GPTBots can be programmed to recognize customer details and previous interactions. This allows for personalized communication, which can enhance customer satisfaction. A study shows that personalized experiences can lead to a 20% increase in customer satisfaction, showing how customer support automation can improve service quality.

Handling High Volumes of Inquiries

During peak times, customer inquiries can spike. GPTBots can manage thousands of simultaneous conversations, something human agents cannot do. This scalability ensures that all customer interactions are attended to without delays by maintaining a high level of service.

Collecting Customer Feedback

After resolving issues, GPTBots can automatically ask customers for feedback. This process helps businesses understand customer satisfaction levels and areas needing improvement. Analyzing this data through tools like Zendesk or Intercom chatbot alternative can lead to better service strategies and enhanced customer experiences.

Cost Efficiency

Integrating GPTBots can reduce operational costs significantly. By automating responses to common queries, businesses can save on hiring and training additional support staff. According to industry reports, companies can save up to 30% on customer support costs through effective customer support automation.

Integrating with User Data

GPTBots can pull information from user databases to provide relevant answers quickly. For example, if a customer asks about their order status, the bot can retrieve the necessary details from the system. This integration leads to faster resolution times and improves overall customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

Choosing the right customer support tool can greatly enhance customer satisfaction. While LiveChat is a powerful solution, alternatives like GPTBots, Zendesk, and Intercom may better fit specific needs, offering customizable features, advanced AI chatbot integrations, and cost-effective options. Explore these tools to optimize customer interactions and streamline support processes for your business.