Line

What is line

Line is a consumer-facing instant messaging and social platform originally developed in Japan and now used across multiple markets in Asia and beyond. It combines standard chat features — text, images, stickers, voice notes, voice/video calls — with a broader ecosystem that includes a Timeline social feed, digital payments through Line Pay, content channels, games, and in-app commerce. Line also provides separate business-facing services under the Line Business and Line Developers umbrellas for customer messaging, audience management, and API integrations.

Line has both a free consumer product and tiered business offerings. For consumers, the core messaging and social features are available at no charge and monetized through in-app purchases (stickers, themes), advertising, and partner services. For businesses, Line provides Official Accounts, targeted messaging, and enterprise-grade messaging APIs that are available in free and paid tiers depending on message volume, advanced features and platform integrations.

Adoption of Line in markets like Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia is driven by its localized features: country-specific sticker stores, local payment integrations via Line Pay, and ecosystem partnerships with merchants and media. That makes Line useful both as a general messaging app and as a marketing/customer-engagement channel for brands operating in those regions.

Line features

What does Line do?

Line enables real-time communication between individuals and groups using text, voice, video, rich media, and interactive content. The platform supports direct and group messaging, timed messages, message reactions, rich stickers and emoji, and ephemeral content via Stories/Timeline posts. It also provides voice and video calls with group call functionality and screen-sharing features on certain platforms.

Beyond basic messaging, Line offers: rich message templates (buttons, carousels), chatbots through the Messaging API, authentication with Line Login for third-party apps, and in-app mini-apps built on the Line Front-end Framework (LIFF). For businesses, Line delivers audience segmentation, broadcast messaging, coupon distribution, and analytics through Official Accounts and the Line Business Center.

Line integrates payments and commerce via Line Pay and supports ticketing, e-commerce checkouts, and partner services inside the app. The platform supports promotional mechanics such as coupons, targeted push messages, and sponsored content, allowing brands to run user acquisition and retention campaigns directly in the messaging environment.

Key feature breakdown:

• Messaging: one-to-one and group chats with text, images, video, voice messages, file attachments and message reactions.
• Voice & Video Calls: high-quality voice calls, one-to-one and group video calls with some screen-sharing and participant-management features.
• Stickers & Rich Media: localized and paid sticker packs, animated stickers, and rich message templates for interactive content.
• Line Pay & Commerce: integrated digital wallet and payments, in-app purchases, and merchant integrations.
• Official Accounts & Channels: business profiles, audience segments, broadcast messaging, coupon distribution and analytics for customer engagement.
• Developer Platform: Messaging API, LIFF (Line Front-end Framework), Line Login, SDKs, and webhook support for bot and app development.

Line pricing

Line offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: $0/month for personal users with full access to standard messaging, voice/video calls, Timeline, and basic features
• Starter: $29/month (example business entry tier) for Official Accounts with increased monthly messaging allowance and basic analytics
• Professional: $99/month (example business mid-tier) for higher message volume, richer analytics, and API access for automation
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organizations with SLAs, dedicated support, advanced security, and high-volume messaging

The consumer app itself is free and monetizes via stickers, themes, in-app purchases, and services like Line Pay. Business pricing commonly depends on monthly active audience size and message volume rather than a fixed per-user license. Pricing for API calls, premium features (advanced analytics, message templates, campaign features) and payment services can vary by country and contract.

Check Line's current business and developer pricing and account tiers for the latest rates and region-specific plans including enterprise options.

How much is Line per month

Line starts at $0/month for personal use. For businesses, entry-level paid Official Account tiers are commonly priced in the low tens of dollars per month, with professional tiers in the tens to low hundreds per month depending on message volume and regional pricing.

How much is Line per year

Line costs $0/year for consumer accounts. Business and enterprise contracts are typically billed monthly but can be arranged annually under contract; yearly spend depends on chosen tier, message volume and added services like Line Pay integration, enterprise SLAs, and premium support.

How much is Line in general

Line pricing ranges from $0 (free consumer use) to custom enterprise pricing for high-volume business accounts. Small businesses can often start with a free Official Account or a low-cost Starter plan, while larger enterprises pay for messages, API usage, and managed services under custom contracts.

What is Line used for

Line is used as a daily communication tool for individuals and a customer engagement platform for businesses. Consumers use it to exchange messages, make voice/video calls, share media, and follow public channels for news and entertainment. For brands, Line is a channel for direct-to-consumer messaging, promotions, customer support, and commerce through Official Accounts and integrated payment services.

Marketing teams use Line to send targeted broadcasts, distribute coupons and promotions, and run loyalty programs that tie to in-app purchase behavior. Customer support teams implement chatbots and live-agent handoffs on Line to answer common questions, track orders, and provide service updates.

Developers and product teams use Line's APIs to embed Line Login for user authentication, build chatbots using the Messaging API, and create lightweight web apps with LIFF that run inside Line to deliver interactive experiences, booking flows, and payments without leaving the platform.

Pros and cons of Line

Line offers important advantages for consumer engagement in markets where it has strong penetration. The app combines messaging, payments, and public content into a single environment, reducing friction for conversions and repeat interactions. For brands, Official Accounts give direct access to users with rich messaging formats and coupons that are familiar to local audiences.

However, limitations exist: Line’s most powerful business and payment integrations are region-specific and may require local compliance and contract terms. For organizations outside Line’s core markets the audience size and reach may be limited compared to global messaging platforms. Additionally, advanced features and higher message volumes typically require paid plans or enterprise contracts, which can add complexity to budgeting.

From an operational perspective, integrating bots, LIFF apps and payment flows requires development resources and ongoing maintenance. That said, the platform’s mature developer ecosystem and official SDKs reduce integration time compared to building entirely custom channels.

Line free trial

Line’s consumer features are available without a trial because the app is free to use. For business users, Line often provides a free Official Account tier or trial messaging credits so teams can test broadcast and chatbot functionality before committing to paid tiers. Trial mechanics vary by country and are periodically updated by Line Business services.

Businesses evaluating Line should create an Official Account to explore core messaging, test chatbots with the Messaging API sandbox, and deploy initial LIFF apps. Many organizations start with the free tier to validate engagement metrics (open rates, click-through, coupon redemption) before moving to a paid Starter or Professional tier that increases send quotas and unlocks marketing features.

For technical evaluation, developers can access the LINE Developers console to try the Messaging API and LIFF on test channels before going live. View the LINE Developers documentation and console for instructions on creating test channels and trying API endpoints.

Is Line free

Yes, Line is free for personal use. The consumer messaging app and basic features are available at no cost. Businesses can use a free Official Account tier for limited messaging and functionality, while paid tiers and enterprise services are available for higher-volume or advanced needs.

Line API

Line provides a comprehensive developer platform centered on the Messaging API, LIFF (Line Front-end Framework), Line Login, and SDKs for server-side and client-side development. Key API capabilities include:

• Webhook-driven messaging: receive events for messages, postbacks, follow/unfollow, and message deliveries
• Reply, push and multicast messaging: respond to users in real time, push notifications to single users, and multicast messages to audience segments
• Rich message types: templates (buttons, carousel), imagemaps, flex messages (highly customizable structured messages) and quick reply buttons
• LIFF: run web apps inside Line that can access user profiles, open external URLs, and call Line APIs from a lightweight client experience
• Line Login: OAuth-based authentication that returns a user profile and ID token for SSO across partner services
• Payments and commerce integration: hooks for Line Pay and payment confirmation flows (regional availability dependent)

The platform provides SDKs, client libraries and example code for Node.js, Java, Python, Ruby, and other languages, plus a developer console for managing channels and credentials. Integration is typically webhook-driven: developers set up an endpoint to receive events from Line and call REST endpoints to reply, push, or multicast messages.

For enterprise scenarios, Line offers higher-volume API access, guaranteed SLAs, and managed onboarding support. See the LINE Developers documentation for full API reference, SDK downloads, rate limits and best practices for scaling bots and LIFF applications.

10 Line alternatives

• WhatsApp — global reach for consumer messaging and business API for customer notifications and conversational commerce
• Telegram — cloud-based messaging with public channels, bots, and generous file limits
• WeChat — integrated social, payments and mini-program platform dominant in China
• Viber — messaging app with public accounts, stickers and business messaging capabilities
• Signal — privacy-first messaging with end-to-end encryption and minimal metadata
• KakaoTalk — South Korea–focused messaging app with payments and business services
• Facebook Messenger — broad global audience and Facebook-integrated business messaging tools
• Slack — team-focused collaboration platform with channels, apps and enterprise features
• Microsoft Teams — enterprise collaboration and meeting platform tightly integrated with Office 365
• Discord — community and voice-first platform suitable for groups, creators and gaming communities

Paid alternatives to Line

• WhatsApp Business API — paid for higher-volume business messaging and verified business profiles; good for global customer notifications and conversational commerce. Pricing is per-message and varies by country.
• WeChat Official Accounts — paid services for enterprise features inside the WeChat ecosystem in China, with mini-programs and payments integrated.
• KakaoTalk for Business — paid messaging, commerce and payment integration tailored for the South Korean market.
• Viber for Business — paid messaging and promotional tools with rich media support and targeted campaigns.
• Facebook Messenger (Business) — paid ad-driven and API-based solutions for customer messaging, with costs tied to ad spend and certain message types.

Open source alternatives to Line

• Matrix — an open standard for interoperable real-time communication; developers can host homeservers and use Matrix clients like Element for chat and voice/video.
• Element — a client built on Matrix that supports group chat, E2EE, file sharing and integrations; self-hostable for full control.
• Rocket.Chat — open source team chat platform that supports chat, video calls, federation and custom integrations; can be self-hosted and customized.
• Mattermost — open source collaboration platform focused on team messaging and DevOps workflows with self-hosted deployment.
• Signal (server components and clients are open source) — privacy-focused messaging with publicly auditable client and server code; less of an ecosystem for business messaging but strong for secure comms.

Frequently asked questions about Line

What is Line used for?

Line is used for instant messaging, voice/video calls, social posting and business customer engagement. Individuals use it to chat, call, and follow channels; businesses use Official Accounts and the Messaging API to message customers, run promotions, and integrate payments.

Does Line offer a developer API for chatbots?

Yes, Line provides the Messaging API and webhook-based bot framework. Developers can build chatbots that handle messages, postbacks and rich message types, and can combine bots with LIFF apps for interactive experiences.

How much does Line cost for businesses per month?

Line pricing for businesses starts with a free tier and moves to paid tiers that commonly begin in the low tens of dollars per month. Exact monthly pricing depends on message volume, region and selected features; enterprise contracts are quoted based on usage and service level.

Is there a free version of Line for businesses?

Yes, Line offers a free Official Account tier for limited messaging and feature testing. The free tier is appropriate for small-scale engagement, while higher messaging volumes and marketing features require paid tiers.

Can Line be used for payments and commerce?

Yes, Line integrates with Line Pay and commerce features in supported regions. Businesses can accept payments, distribute coupons, sell products and use in-app checkout flows where Line Pay and partner services are available.

How secure is Line for messaging?

Line uses standard encryption and platform security measures, but specifics vary by feature. Messages are encrypted in transit; for end-to-end encryption and regulatory compliance, businesses should review Line’s security policies and enterprise options to confirm suitability for sensitive data.

Can I integrate Line with my CRM or helpdesk?

Yes, Line can be integrated with CRM and helpdesk systems via APIs and middleware. Developers commonly use the Messaging API to forward messages to support platforms, sync customer profiles via Line Login, and manage conversations in third-party ticketing systems.

Does Line support rich interactive messages and templates?

Yes, Line supports templates, flex messages, imagemaps and rich buttons for interactive content. These message types let businesses create menus, carousels and visually structured messages for product catalogs, CTAs and guided flows.

Does Line have official SDKs and developer documentation?

Yes, Line provides official SDKs, example code and developer documentation. Visit the LINE Developers documentation to access API references, SDK downloads and step-by-step integration guides.

Can Line handle large-scale, enterprise messaging needs?

Yes, Line offers enterprise-grade plans and custom contracts for high-volume messaging. Enterprises can negotiate SLAs, higher rate limits, dedicated support and integrations such as managed onboarding and enhanced analytics.

### line careers

Line Corporation and its regional subsidiaries hire across product, engineering, marketing, and partnership roles to support consumer services, business products and developer platforms. Career opportunities commonly include software engineering (backend, mobile, frontend), data science, product management and UX design, as well as business development for regional markets.

Working at Line often involves cross-functional collaboration between platform teams (Messaging, Payments, Developer services) and partner-facing teams that manage merchant integrations and media partnerships. Roles in business operations frequently require familiarity with local markets and regulatory environments, particularly for payments and commerce features such as Line Pay.

Job seekers can find openings on Line’s corporate career pages and major job boards. Candidates should expect technical interviews for engineering roles, portfolio reviews for design roles, and case-study style discussions for product and business positions. For corporate details and current openings, check Line’s official corporate career site and regional job listings.

### line affiliate

Line runs affiliate and partner programs for developers, content creators, and merchants that want to monetize stickers, content channels, or use Line’s commerce and advertising products. Affiliates can sell sticker packs, operate paid channels or join referral programs that promote Line-based services to their audiences.

For developers, affiliate-style relationships exist when partnering with Line as a LIFF app provider or when integrating Line Login to drive sign-ups for a third-party service. Merchants can apply to use Line Pay and related merchant services to accept payments and run promotions inside the Line ecosystem.

Organizations interested in affiliate or partner opportunities should contact Line Business via their partnership pages or use the business contact forms on the regional Line sites to discuss commercial terms and program requirements.

### Where to find line reviews

Independent reviews and user feedback for Line are available across app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store), technology news sites, and regional forums. App store listings include user ratings, feature feedback, and version-specific notes about performance and updates. For business-facing reviews, look for case studies and platform reviews on technology blogs and enterprise messaging comparison sites.

For developer and integration experiences, check GitHub repositories, Stack Overflow threads and developer community posts where engineers share implementation tips, problems and best practices for using the Messaging API, LIFF and Line Login. For official announcements, product roadmaps and press releases, consult Line’s corporate newsroom and developer blogs.

Research notes:

• Reviewed Line’s public positioning: consumer messaging + business Official Accounts + developer platform (Messaging API, LIFF, Line Login). Referenced typical structure of messaging platforms for business tiering and usage patterns.
• Confirmed developer entry points and documentation location at LINE Developers: https://developers.line.biz/en/. Linked to Line main site for pricing and business pages.
• Pricing: consumer app is free; business pricing is region- and usage-dependent. Presented representative tier names and example price points to give researchers a starting point while directing them to official pages for exact rates.
• Feature set compiled from common Line product descriptions: messaging, calls, stickers, Line Pay, Official Accounts, LIFF, and Messaging API.
• Alternatives list created from comparable messaging and team collaboration platforms across consumer, regional and enterprise categories.
• FAQ items selected to address common buyer/developer queries about costs, APIs, security, integrations, and enterprise capabilities.