Are you looking to add live chat support to your business website? With 67% of online shoppers abandoning their carts, having instant answers to customer questions via chat can help boost conversions.
In this comprehensive guide as an experienced webmaster, I‘ll compare the top live chat software options to help you make the right choice for your business needs and budget.
Contents
The Powerful Benefits of Live Chat for Business Websites
Let‘s first look at some key statistics that highlight the major benefits of adding live chat:
-
73% of customers are satisfied with their live chat experience according to research by eConsultancy, much higher than other channels like email or phone support.
-
Live chat can reduce shopping cart abandonment by as much as 20% according to SuperOffice.
-
44% of customers feel live chat gives them quicker solutions according to research by Kayako.
-
Adding live chat can increase conversion rates by over 20% according to Comm100.
-
Live chat has an ROI of 403% for SMBs with 1-99 employees per Comm100 data.
Clearly, live chat delivers immense value by providing instant answers to customer questions before they abandon their purchase. It also boosts conversion rates and provides high returns on investment.
Other key benefits include:
- Improved customer satisfaction with quick resolutions
- Higher average order values with cross-sells/upsells during chat
- Lower customer support costs compared to phone
- Increased sales by capturing leads and converting shoppers
With live chat, your support team can handle 5-10 chats at once versus being limited to 1 phone call. This results in major efficiency gains.
Now that we‘ve seen the immense upside, let‘s compare the top live chat software options available to maximize these benefits.
Live Chat Software Comparison Factors
With 15 years of experience as a webmaster, I have tested all the leading live chat solutions. When evaluating options, here are the key factors I consider:
- Ease of use – How easy is it to set up and use daily?
- Features – What tools and capabilities does it offer?
- Integrations – Does it connect to other software you use?
- Customization – Can you brand the chat widget?
- Mobile support – Are there mobile apps?
- Pricing – How much does it cost?
- Customer support – Do they offer timely and useful support?
Let‘s dive into my top picks across these criteria:
Top 9 Live Chat Software Recommendations
1. LiveChat
LiveChat is my top recommendation and the industry leader, used by over 38,000 businesses. It‘s incredibly easy to set up using their WordPress plugin.
Key features include:
- Apps for agents to chat from anywhere
- Chat transfer to forward chats appropriately
- Visitor tracking to see who‘s browsing
- Proactive chat invitations to start conversations
- Customizable chat widget styling
LiveChat seamlessly integrates with tools like HubSpot, MailChimp, Google Analytics, and more. This saves time by avoiding manual data entry across systems.
The chat functionality loads extremely quickly for a smooth user experience. On my ecommerce stores, LiveChat helps me respond faster and boost customer satisfaction.
Their smart API also connects LiveChat to my knowledge base and ticketing system to streamline workflows.
Pricing: Starts at $16 per month per agent (annual billing), with a 14-day free trial.
2. HubSpot
HubSpot offers an all-in-one marketing platform with live chat, chatbots, email marketing, landing pages, a CRM, and more.
HubSpot live chat provides:
- Drag and drop chatbot builder
- Visitor personalization tools
- Tight integration with HubSpot CRM
- Mobile apps for agents
- Customizable widget branding
Consolidating customer data into one CRM avoids manually transferring info between tools.
HubSpot is a great choice if you want marketing automation capabilities alongside live chat. It works for both small businesses and enterprises.
Pricing: A free version is offered. Paid plans start at $45/month with a 14-day free trial.
3. Tidio Chatbots and Live Chat
Tidio is used by over 300,000 businesses for its easy-to-use live chat and chatbots. You can add it to any website in minutes and customize the widget.
Key Tidio features:
- See real-time visitor info and typing
- Mobile apps to chat from anywhere
- Drag and drop bot builder with templates
- Tools for visitor engagement and data collection
- Integration with popular platforms
Tidio provides both automated chatbots and live chat capabilities to engage visitors and convert leads. It‘s one of the most user-friendly options.
Pricing: Starts at $16/month per agent with a 14-day free trial.
4. ChatBot by LiveChat
ChatBot helps businesses automate customer service and sales via AI chatbots without coding. It makes creating customized bots easy.
Key features:
- Drag and drop workflow builder
- Numerous industry-specific bot templates
- Bots handle FAQs automatically
- Escalate complex questions to humans
- Integrates with WordPress, WooCommerce
I use ChatBot on my stores to manage common questions and forward others to live chat agents. It‘s one of the top chatbot apps.
Pricing: Starts at $42/month for 1000 chats. 14-day free trial offered.
5. Intercom
Intercom is a conversational platform with chatbots, live chat, a knowledge base, and messaging.
Key features:
- Chatbots with customized workflows
- Team inbox to manage conversations
- Visitor intelligence and segmentation
- Customizable messaging and widgets
- Integrations with CRMs, email, etc
While pricier, Intercom offers one of the most robust conversational suites, great for larger businesses.
Pricing: Starts at $53/month for 1 seat. 14-day free trial provided.
6. Drift Chat
Drift is a business messaging platform with live chat, chatbots, and email capabilities.
Key features include:
- Drag and drop bot builder with templates
- Lead scoring and visitor identification
- Team inbox to manage conversations
- Customizable chat widget and messaging
- Integration with popular marketing apps
Drift makes capturing leads and sales conversations easy. It works well for product demos and sales teams.
Pricing: Starts at $50/month per seat. 21-day free trial offered.
7. Olark
Olark provides feature-packed live chat software with automation and co-browsing.
Key Olark features:
- Auto-greeting and canned responses
- Co-browsing for agent screen sharing
- Team inbox to manage all chats
- Third-party mobile apps available
- Integration with marketing tools
Olark offers easy setup and usage. The automation helps reduce repetitive tasks for agents. It‘s a good option for those wanting co-browsing.
Pricing: Starts at $17/month per agent with 14-day free trial.
8. Zendesk Chat
Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim) provides fast, fully-featured live chat.
With Zendesk Chat you get:
- Proactive chat and offline forms
- Visitor intelligence tools
- Customizable chat widget
- Mobile SDK for iOS and Android
- Integration with Zendesk Support
Existing Zendesk users will appreciate the seamless integration.
Pricing: Starts at $14/month per agent with a 30-day free trial.
9. LiveAgent
LiveAgent offers feature-rich live chat and help desk capabilities.
Notable features include:
- Real-time visitor monitoring
- Automation rules and canned responses
- Contact list integration
- Customizable chat widget
- Integrated help desk system
LiveAgent combines chat and ticketing for managing customer queries. It offers robust capabilities at a reasonable price.
Pricing: Starts at $15/month per agent with a 30-day free trial.
Live Chat Software Comparison Chart
Here is a quick overview of how the top live chat software options compare across key factors:
| Software | Ease of Use | Mobile Apps | Chatbots | Integrations | Customization | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveChat | Excellent | Yes | Third-party | Excellent | Full | $16/mo |
| HubSpot | Very Good | Yes | Yes | Very Good | Full | $45/mo |
| Tidio | Excellent | Yes | Yes | Good | Good | $16/mo |
| ChatBot | Very Good | Third-party | Yes | Good | Limited | $42/mo |
| Intercom | Good | Yes | Yes | Very Good | Full | $53/mo |
| Drift | Good | Yes | Yes | Good | Full | $50/mo |
| Olark | Very Good | Third-party | No | Good | Full | $17/mo |
| Zendesk | Very Good | Yes | No | Very Good if existing user | Full | $14/mo |
| LiveAgent | Good | No | No | Good | Full | $15/mo |
This covers my top recommendations across a range of prices and capabilities. Consider which features are most important to your business when deciding.
Tips for Choosing the Right Live Chat Software
With 15 years of webmaster experience, here are my top tips for choosing the best live chat solution:
Determine your primary use case – Do you want AI chatbots, human live chat, or both? Chatbots provide 24/7 automation for common queries. Live chat connects visitors to real support agents. Most businesses benefit from a combination.
Consider your budget – Prices vary widely from $15 to $50+ per agent monthly. Balance capabilities against costs to find the best value.
Review integrations – If using other marketing tools like email services or CRMs, prioritize options that integrate well to avoid duplicate data entry.
Assess ease of use – The platform should be quick and simple for agents to learn, especially if providing self-service chat.
Evaluate customization – Matching your brand look and feel builds credibility. Prioritize highly customizable chat widgets.
Determine special requirements – Unique needs like co-browsing, screen sharing, or omnichannel messaging may dictate certain platforms.
Sign up for free trials – Take advantage of 14, 21, or 30-day trials to test options hands-on before committing.
Following these tips will ensure you select the best live chat software for your specific business needs and use case. Let me know if you need any guidance in making your choice!
Conclusion
Adding live chat support provides one of the highest returns on investment for any business looking to boost conversions and sales on their website. With options like LiveChat and HubSpot, it‘s now easy and affordable for any organization to start offering real-time customer engagement.
Hopefully this comprehensive guide provided you with all the information needed to confidently choose the right live chat software for your website and business needs. Please let me know if you have any other questions as you evaluate options and I‘ll be happy to help!
