Livechat

What is LiveChat®

LiveChat® is a commercial live chat and customer messaging platform designed to help online businesses engage website visitors, close sales, and handle customer support in real time. The product combines a lightweight chat widget for websites with agent-facing apps, bots for automated handling of routine requests, and analytics to measure chat-driven outcomes such as conversion and average order value. LiveChat® is commonly used by ecommerce merchants, SaaS vendors, and customer support teams that need a fast, integrated chat channel across web, mobile, and social touchpoints.

LiveChat® positions itself as both a sales and support tool: features intended to increase conversion and average order value sit alongside productivity features for agents such as canned responses, collision detection, and chat routing. The platform also exposes developer APIs and a marketplace of integrations so that teams can connect chat conversations to CRMs, help desks, email marketing and commerce platforms.

Adoption scenarios include using LiveChat® as a front-line sales channel on product pages to reduce cart abandonment, as a first-line support channel that deflects routine queries to bots, and as a channel that consolidates messages from web chat, Facebook Messenger and other channels into a single agent interface. The vendor reports tens of thousands of customers across retail, fintech, travel, and professional services.

LiveChat® features

What does LiveChat® do?

LiveChat® delivers a suite of interrelated capabilities that cover live conversation, automation, and analytics:

• Real-time website chat widget: configurable chat windows for desktop and mobile that appear on chosen pages and capture visitor context.
• Agent console and apps: web-based and mobile apps for agents to handle multiple simultaneous chats, transfer conversations, and view customer details.
• Chatbots and automation: automated flows to answer common queries, qualify leads, and hand off complex issues to human agents.
• AI Copilot features: agent assistance such as text enhancement, tag suggestions, chat summaries and suggested responses to reduce handling time.
• Omnichannel routing: bring messages from web chat, Facebook, and other channels into a single workspace.
• Integrations marketplace: prebuilt connectors to commerce platforms (Shopify, Magento), CRMs, help desks and analytics tools (200+ integrations).
• Reporting and analytics: dashboards for chat volume, agent performance, conversion impact, staffing prediction and campaign attribution.

Beyond core chat and bots, LiveChat® includes features that help with day-to-day operations: canned responses and macros, ticketing and tagging for conversation categorization, secure file transfer in chats, proactive chat triggers, and product card or order lookup features to support ecommerce use cases. Admin controls, role-based permissions and single sign-on options support enterprise deployments.

LiveChat® pricing

LiveChat® offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: 14-day trial with full functionality (no credit card required) and limited seats
• Starter: $20/month per agent when billed monthly (entry-level team plan for chat and basic reporting)
• Professional: pricing varies by add-ons and seats; contact sales for standard monthly rates and volume discounts
• Enterprise: custom pricing for large organizations with advanced security, SSO, and dedicated support

LiveChat® also provides annual billing that reduces the effective monthly cost; annual commitments typically produce a ~15%–20% savings compared with month-to-month billing depending on the plan and promotions. For companies with complex needs, the vendor offers tailored Enterprise contracts that include volume discounts, SAML/SSO, enhanced SLAs and onboarding assistance. Check LiveChat®'s pricing page for current plan details, available promotions and enterprise options. Visit their official pricing page for the most current information.

How much is LiveChat® per month

LiveChat® starts at $20/month per agent for the Starter-level plan when billed month-to-month, based on the vendor's published entry-level pricing. Monthly billing is useful for teams who want flexibility or shorter commitments; larger teams will frequently see lower per-agent costs when moving to annual or enterprise agreements.

How much is LiveChat® per year

LiveChat® costs vary by plan and seat count when billed annually, with typical savings of around 15%–20% versus monthly billing. That means the effective per-agent monthly cost falls when you choose yearly billing, but exact yearly totals depend on seat counts, add-ons (such as AI packs) and any promotional discounts. For precise rates for your team size, consult the LiveChat® pricing details on the LiveChat® pricing page.

How much is LiveChat® in general

LiveChat® pricing ranges from an entry-level Starter option at $20/month per agent to custom Enterprise contracts. Costs vary according to the number of agents, required integrations, AI feature packs and SLA levels. Teams using AI-driven automations or advanced security should budget for higher-tier or custom pricing. Visit LiveChat®'s official pricing page to model the options for your organization.

What is LiveChat® used for

LiveChat® is used for online customer engagement across sales and support workflows. Typical use cases include:

• Real-time pre-sale conversations on product pages to increase conversion and average order value.
• First-line customer support to answer routine questions, check order status and triage cases to agents or tickets.
• Lead qualification using chatbots that collect contact details and route high-value leads to sales reps.
• Multi-channel message consolidation so support teams can handle web chat and social messages from one interface.

Operationally, teams use LiveChat® to reduce response times, capture conversational data for analytics, and automate repetitive interactions with bots or AI suggestions. Ecommerce merchants commonly use product cards, cart context and order lookups during chats so agents can reference the customer’s session and provide tailored recommendations. Support managers use agent performance reports and staffing prediction to plan shifts and measure the ROI of chat as a channel.

Pros and cons of LiveChat®

LiveChat® has a mix of strengths and limitations that organizations should weigh when selecting a chat platform.

Pros:

• Strong ecommerce feature set including product cards, cart context and integrations with major commerce platforms.
• Mature analytics that link chat activity to sales, agent performance and campaign conversion metrics.
• AI-assisted features that reduce agent workload and speed responses (text enhancement, summaries, suggested tags).
• Broad integrations (200+), enabling connection with CRMs, help desks and marketing tools.

Cons:

• Cost can be significant for teams that require many seats and AI add-ons; some customers describe advanced features as relatively pricey.
• Enterprise-level security and compliance features may require custom contracts and higher-tier plans.
• As with any hosted chat widget, customization beyond shipped options may require developer work and use of the API.

Choosing LiveChat® typically means prioritizing a polished agent experience, strong ecommerce integration and prebuilt analytics, while budgeting for per-agent licensing and optional AI packs.

LiveChat® free trial

LiveChat® provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required so teams can test the full product in their environment. The trial allows evaluation of the web widget, agent apps, integrations and basic automation flows. Because chat performance depends on site placement, teams should run realistic traffic and support scenarios during the trial to measure conversation volume and agent capacity.

During the trial period you can integrate LiveChat® with key systems (for example, Shopify or a CRM) to evaluate data flows and attribution. Use the trial to test staffing prediction, agent workflow, and bot handoff behavior; these are areas where real-world traffic reveals practical constraints. When the trial ends, teams can select monthly or annual billing and choose from Starter, Professional or Enterprise options. Visit the LiveChat® pricing page for enrollment and trial details.

Is LiveChat® free

No — LiveChat® does not have a permanently free plan for commercial use, but it provides a free 14-day trial. The trial gives temporary access to core functionality so teams can test chat performance, integrations and agent workflows without committing. For ongoing usage, LiveChat® requires a paid subscription per agent, or a custom Enterprise contract for large deployments.

LiveChat® API

LiveChat® exposes APIs and webhooks that allow developers to extend and integrate the platform with internal systems. The API supports retrieving chat transcripts, posting messages, managing agents and creating custom workflows. Webhooks notify external systems about events such as new chats, ended chats and conversation updates so you can sync chat activity with CRMs, analytics pipelines or ticketing systems.

Common developer uses include:

• Synchronizing chat transcripts to a CRM record on chat end.
• Building custom bot logic that calls external knowledge bases or fulfillment systems before replying.
• Automating user provisioning and role changes via developer scripts.

LiveChat® maintains developer documentation and SDKs for common languages; check the LiveChat® developer resources and API documentation for detailed endpoints and authentication workflows. For production-grade integrations, plan for rate limits, data retention policies and secure handling of personally identifiable information via the platform’s security guidance.

10 LiveChat® alternatives

Paid alternatives to LiveChat®

• Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim): a chat product within Zendesk's suite that integrates tightly with Zendesk Support and Zendesk Suite for unified ticketing and chat.
• Intercom: conversational customer messaging with a strong focus on product-led growth, in-app messages, and a comprehensive automation suite.
• Drift: sales-oriented conversational marketing platform that emphasizes bot-led qualification and account-based messaging for B2B sales teams.
• Freshchat (Freshworks): multichannel messaging with automation and integration into Freshdesk for ticketing and support workflows.
• Olark: straightforward live chat focused on easy setup and basic reporting, frequently used by small ecommerce stores.
• HelpCrunch: combined live chat, email marketing and help desk workflows aimed at customer engagement and lifecycle communications.

Open source alternatives to LiveChat®

• Rocket.Chat: open source messaging platform that can be extended with web chat features and self-hosted for tighter control over data.
• Chatwoot: open source customer engagement platform with web chat, social inbox and CRM-like features that can be self-hosted or run as a managed service.
• Mibew Messenger: a lightweight open source live support application primarily for self-hosted chat on websites.

Frequently asked questions about LiveChat®

What is LiveChat® used for?

LiveChat® is used for real-time website chat and customer messaging for sales and support. Teams deploy it to engage visitors, answer questions, qualify leads and provide post-sale support. It’s commonly used by ecommerce stores to increase conversion and by B2B teams to speed lead qualification and support responses.

How much does LiveChat® cost per agent?

LiveChat® starts at $20/month per agent for the entry-level Starter option when billed monthly. Actual per-agent costs depend on plan tier, add-ons like AI packs, seat volume and whether you choose monthly or annual billing; annual billing usually reduces the effective price.

Does LiveChat® integrate with Shopify and other ecommerce platforms?

Yes, LiveChat® offers integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce and other commerce platforms. These integrations enable product card sharing, cart context in chats and simple attribution of chat-driven sales. LiveChat® also supports integrations with CRMs and email platforms through its marketplace and API.

Can LiveChat® use chatbots to automate support?

Yes, LiveChat® supports chatbots and automation flows to handle routine requests. Bots can answer common FAQs, collect contact details, and route qualified leads to human agents. The platform also provides AI Copilot features to assist human agents during handoffs.

Is LiveChat® secure and compliant for enterprise use?

Yes, LiveChat® offers enterprise-grade security features and controls. Larger customers can get SSO/SAML, granular role-based permissions and contractual security provisions; for specific compliance certifications (SOC 2, GDPR handling or HIPAA), review LiveChat®’s security documentation or contact sales for enterprise-level agreements. See LiveChat®'s security documentation for details.

When should I choose LiveChat® over other chat providers?

Choose LiveChat® when you need a mature chat solution with ecommerce focus and strong analytics. It’s a good fit for teams that want a quick-to-deploy widget, prebuilt commerce integrations and reporting that ties chat to sales metrics. If you prioritize heavy customization or full self-hosting, evaluate open source options as well.

Where can I find LiveChat® reviews?

You can find LiveChat® reviews on software review sites and marketplaces such as G2 and Capterra. These sites aggregate user feedback on usability, support quality and ROI. Company case studies and customer quotes are also available on LiveChat®'s site and third-party review platforms.

Does LiveChat® offer an affiliate program?

Yes, LiveChat® operates an affiliate program for partners and agencies. Affiliates can earn referral commissions for new customers who sign up through tracked links; details and sign-up procedures are listed in the LiveChat® partner portal and partners documentation.

Can I use LiveChat® for B2B sales workflows?

Yes, LiveChat® can be configured for B2B sales workflows. The product supports qualification bots, routing to specific account owners, lead capture and integrations with CRMs for follow-up. For account-based needs and enterprise SSO, consider the higher-tier or Enterprise options.

How do I get developer access to LiveChat® APIs?

LiveChat® provides developer APIs and webhooks for integration. Developers can use the APIs to post messages, retrieve transcripts and subscribe to events; SDKs and API documentation are available on the LiveChat® developer site to help implement custom workflows.

LiveChat® careers

LiveChat® maintains hiring pages for engineering, product, sales and customer support roles. Larger product companies with distributed teams typically list positions on their careers site and on major job boards. For current openings and role requirements, check LiveChat®’s careers portal.

LiveChat® affiliate

LiveChat® offers partner and affiliate programs for agencies, platform partners and resellers. Partners get access to promotional materials, tracking links and referral commission structures. Details are available through LiveChat®'s partner pages.

Where to find LiveChat® reviews

Independent reviews for LiveChat® are available on sites such as G2, Capterra and TrustRadius, and the vendor publishes case studies and customer testimonials on its site. These sources provide ratings on ease of use, support quality, ROI and feature completeness.