Best Live Chat Software 2024
Compare Intercom, Zendesk Chat, LiveChat, and Drift to find the best live chat and customer support solution for your website.
Quick Comparison Summary
Best Overall: Intercom (comprehensive platform)
Best Integration: Zendesk Chat (ticketing system)
Best Features: LiveChat (customization options)
Best for Sales: Drift (conversational marketing)
Detailed Live Chat Platform Comparison
Intercom
Complete PlatformKey Features
- • Messenger and live chat
- • Help desk and ticketing
- • Knowledge base creation
- • Customer data platform
- • Automation and bots
Pricing
Essential: $74/month (2 seats)
Advanced: $132/month (5 seats)
Expert: $329/month (25 seats)
14-day free trial
Pros
- • Comprehensive customer platform
- • Excellent automation capabilities
- • Strong mobile app
- • Advanced customer segmentation
- • Beautiful user interface
Cons
- • Higher pricing than competitors
- • Can be complex to set up
- • Limited customization options
- • Steep learning curve
Zendesk Chat
Best IntegrationKey Features
- • Real-time chat monitoring
- • Visitor analytics and tracking
- • Proactive chat triggers
- • File sharing capabilities
- • Integration with Zendesk Suite
Pricing
Lite: Free (1 agent)
Team: $14/month/agent
Professional: $29/month/agent
Enterprise: $59/month/agent
Pros
- • Free plan available
- • Seamless Zendesk integration
- • Good visitor tracking
- • Reliable and stable platform
- • Easy setup and implementation
Cons
- • Limited features compared to others
- • Basic customization options
- • Fewer automation capabilities
- • Interface feels dated
LiveChat
Feature RichKey Features
- • Customizable chat widget
- • Chat transcripts and history
- • Canned responses library
- • Advanced chat routing
- • Comprehensive reporting
Pricing
Starter: $20/month/agent
Team: $41/month/agent
Business: $59/month/agent
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- • Highly customizable widget
- • Excellent chat features
- • Good value for money
- • Strong mobile support
- • Comprehensive analytics
Cons
- • Limited automation features
- • No free plan available
- • Basic help desk functionality
- • Interface could be more modern
Drift
Sales FocusedKey Features
- • Conversational marketing
- • Lead qualification bots
- • Meeting scheduling
- • Email integration
- • Sales pipeline integration
Pricing
Free: Basic chat (100 contacts)
Starter: $50/month (2 seats)
Pro: Custom pricing
Advanced: Custom pricing
Pros
- • Excellent for lead generation
- • Strong automation and bots
- • Great sales tool integration
- • Modern, conversational approach
- • Good free plan available
Cons
- • Limited customer support features
- • Pricing can get expensive
- • More focused on sales than support
- • Limited customization options
Choosing the Right Live Chat Solution
Choose Intercom if you:
- • Want a complete customer platform
- • Need advanced automation
- • Have a higher budget
- • Want best-in-class user experience
Choose Zendesk Chat if you:
- • Already use Zendesk products
- • Want a free solution to start
- • Need reliable, basic chat
- • Prefer simple setup
Choose LiveChat if you:
- • Want highly customizable chat widget
- • Need comprehensive chat features
- • Want good value for money
- • Focus primarily on support
Choose Drift if you:
- • Focus on sales and lead generation
- • Want conversational marketing
- • Need meeting scheduling features
- • Want modern, bot-driven approach
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Intercom | Zendesk Chat | LiveChat | Drift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | 14-day trial | ✓ Yes | 14-day trial | ✓ Limited |
| Chat Automation | ✓ Advanced | Basic | Basic | ✓ Excellent |
| Help Desk | ✓ Full featured | ✓ Zendesk integration | Basic | Limited |
| Customization | Good | Basic | ✓ Excellent | Limited |
| Sales Tools | Good | Basic | Basic | ✓ Excellent |
Use Case Recommendations
E-commerce Businesses
- 1. LiveChat - Best chat features for support
- 2. Intercom - Comprehensive customer platform
- 3. Zendesk Chat - Good integration with help desk
- 4. Drift - Limited support features
SaaS Companies
- 1. Intercom - Best all-around platform
- 2. Drift - Great for lead qualification
- 3. LiveChat - Good for customer support
- 4. Zendesk Chat - Basic but reliable
Small Businesses
- 1. Zendesk Chat - Free to start
- 2. Drift - Good free plan
- 3. LiveChat - Affordable and feature-rich
- 4. Intercom - May be too expensive
Sales-Focused Teams
- 1. Drift - Built for sales and marketing
- 2. Intercom - Good sales automation
- 3. LiveChat - Basic sales features
- 4. Zendesk Chat - Limited sales tools
Integration Capabilities
Most Integrations
- 1. Intercom - 300+ integrations
- 2. LiveChat - 200+ integrations
- 3. Zendesk Chat - Native Zendesk + 100+ apps
- 4. Drift - 50+ sales-focused integrations
Key Integration Categories
- • CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot)
- • Help desk software (Zendesk, Freshdesk)
- • E-commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce)
- • Email marketing (Mailchimp, ConvertKit)
- • Analytics (Google Analytics, Mixpanel)
- • Team chat (Slack, Microsoft Teams)
Final Recommendations
🏆 Best Overall: Intercom
Most comprehensive customer messaging platform with excellent automation and user experience.
🔗 Best Integration: Zendesk Chat
Perfect for businesses already using Zendesk or wanting a free, reliable chat solution.
⚙️ Best Features: LiveChat
Most customizable chat widget with comprehensive features at competitive pricing.
💼 Best for Sales: Drift
Leading conversational marketing platform designed for lead generation and sales.
Improve Your Customer Communication
Choose the right live chat software and provide better customer support while capturing more leads.
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Disclaimer
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