Top 10 Chat Widgets for Your Website in 2023

You've probably noticed those tiny chat bubbles at the bottom right corner of a website. You may have even used one in the past. These chat widgets are now becoming a must have feature for every website. Perhaps, it is time you should also think about including one on your website.

But, there are dozens of chat widgets available in the market, each claiming to be the best!

So, which chat widget should you go for?

To find the answer, you need to evaluate the offerings of each option, which is time-consuming.

Don’t worry! We have hand-picked the 10 best website chat widgets to save your time, while driving sales and customer satisfaction.

We will go through their pricing, features, pros and cons to give you a full picture of your options.

But before that, let’s understand what chat widgets actually are and why your website needs one.

What are Chat Widgets?

A chat widget is a small chat interface embedded on websites or apps to allow users to communicate with customer support representatives or other service representatives. It is user-friendly and accessible from any page on the website or app, and can be triggered by a button or link.

Chat widgets typically appear as a button on the bottom of the page to welcome visitors and provide assistance. While some connect users with real human customer service agents, some are even AI-powered and can react to user inquiries automatically.

A website live chat widget can help organizations enhance customer engagement and satisfaction with quick and convenient support, while handling a high volume of client inquiries. They also offer a chance to get vital information and customer feedback.

Why Do You Need a Chat Widget?

Do you know why customers abandon a website? Most of the time, the reason is a lack of customer support. Other times, it’s the attention time span. A chat widget helps with that.

It allows visitors to get quick and efficient assistance with any issues or questions they may have without them having to navigate through a website or make a phone call. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

A chat widget can also improve the efficiency of a business's customer service operations. By providing a direct line of communication, representatives can handle multiple interactions simultaneously, which can help to reduce response times and improve overall customer support.

Moreover, businesses can quickly engage with website visitors and gather information about their needs and interests by offering a chat option. This can help to identify potential leads and improve the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts.

• According to a survey by Kayako, 41% of customers prefer live chat over other forms of customer support. 

• A survey conducted by CrazyEgg states that 38% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company if they offer live chat support.

These statistics and facts demonstrate that chat widgets can effectively improve customer satisfaction, engagement, and sales.

Having a chat widget on your website can be helpful for your customers and your business. It allows customers to reach out for support or help in real time. This means they can get the answers they need immediately, making them happy and more likely to buy from your business again.

Chat widgets can also help increase sales by giving personalized recommendations to help your customers with their buying decision. Customer support teams can also leverage chat widgets for handling routine questions and providing instant support.

10 Best Chat Widgets in 2023

Some popular chat widget providers that have been around for a while and are still being widely used are:

1. Tidio

Tidio is a chat widget that enables businesses to communicate with their customers in a timely manner. It offers a convenient and user-friendly chat interface for customers to reach out for support or assistance.

By providing immediate assistance, Tidio can enhance customer satisfaction and through personalized recommendations or assistance with the purchasing process, it can also increase sales.

In terms of pricing, Tidio offers a free chat widget that allows up to 3 team members and offers basic functionality, while paid plans starting at $15.82/month offer additional features.

Key Features:

• Real-time visitor monitoring, allowing businesses to see who is on their website and initiate chats with them

• Businesses can customize the look and feel of the chat widget with their brand

• Tidio can automatically greet visitors with a predefined message to initiate conversations easily

• Tidio supports multiple channels like chat, email, and Facebook Messenger for businesses to interact with their customers

• Businesses can view past chat transcripts and customer information to improve future interactions

• It offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android

• Tidio also offers advanced automation such as form-filling and personalized messages

Pros of Tidio:

• Tidio helps you and your team keep track of interactions through live chat, messenger, and email all on one page     

• With its live chat feature, you can communicate with visitors in real-time using customizable widgets

• It also allows you to automate frequently asked questions, saving time for your agents 

• Tidio has integrations with popular business applications that can be used in your daily work

• It also offers a wide variety of chatbots that can be customized for your eCommerce site

• It can help customers with information about current promotions and services

Cons of Tidio:

• Tidio does not have the capability to manage client chats through messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, or Twitter. 

• Tidio lacks a feature that quickly alerts users when a new conversation comes in, resulting in delayed responses and disappointed customers

• It is not equipped to handle multiple chats simultaneously 

• It is considered expensive for the purpose of increasing customer reach and engagement

2. WotNot

WotNot is a chatbot builder that automates client interactions to enhance conversational marketing. The platform is designed to generate high-quality leads, automate customer service and enhance accessibility for businesses.

With regards to cost, WotNot has a free option. It also provides various pricing plans that commence at $99/month, catering to different business sizes. It also provides a bespoke plan for large and enterprise organizations.

Key Features:

• Pre-made templates are available in the chatbot builder to help design a chatbot

• The platform includes various tools such as version control, auto layout, and undo-redo to improve efficiency

• Integrations with CRMs and other tools like Salesforce, Google Calendar, Hubspot, Zoho, etc are possible.

• The platform has a no-code bot builder that allows you to create a chatbot without the need of an expert developer

• You can use drag & drop tools to make conditions and create workflows

• You can preview and test the bot before making it live to the public

Pros of WotNot:

• Creating chatbots is simple with this no-code chatbot builder

• A dashboard analytics provides easy-to-read reports to understand the performance of the bot

• Good customer support is available to answer any questions

• It is easy to set up and use.

Cons of WotNot:

• The integrations are limited in the startup package

3. Tawk.to

Tawk.to is the world's leading live chat software and is used by more than 35% of websites that have live chat features. Millions of business users interact with billions of end customers through tawk.to.

It can enhance customer satisfaction by providing instant support, and can also boost sales by giving personalized recommendations or help with the buying process. It is simple to set up, free to use and provides a plethora of features.

In terms of pricing, Tawk.to is free to use, but businesses can opt for a paid plan starting at $19/month for removing the branding from their products.

Key Features:

• Tawk.to offers real-time visitor monitoring, automated triggers, canned shortcuts, GEO IP tracking, ticketing built-in, etc. 

• You can even customize chat widget to match the brand of the business

• Proactive chat triggers can be set up to initiate chats with visitors based on certain conditions

• Tawk.to supports over 100 languages, making it a suitable solution for businesses with international audiences

• Supports both Android and iOS

Pros of Tawk.to:

• It's free to use

• Easy to install and customize

• Multi-language support

• Mobile apps available

Cons of Tawk.to:

• Limited reporting and analytics capabilities on the free plan

• Some users have reported issues with the chat widget sometimes not appearing on the website

4. LiveChat

LiveChat is a tool that allows people visiting a website to talk to customer service representatives or support staff immediately. It connects multiple communication channels to manage customer interactions. It also provides customer service, sales, or technical support all in one place.

You can use the live chat widget for a website to show a company's branding and messaging. And can even connect to other systems like CRM or helpdesk software.

LiveChat is a popular choice among medium and large businesses. However, it does not offer a free option and the least expensive plan starts at $20 per month per agent. This basic plan has features like a ticket system, integrations, and chat features like surveys and canned responses.

To get additional features such as statistics on chats and agents, ecommerce tools, and more options for customization, a business would need to upgrade to the Team plan ($41/month per agent) or the Business plan ($59/month per agent).

If a business wants to use chatbot, plans start at $52/month.

Key Features:

• The LiveChat widget for websites is able to work with various CRM software, email marketing platforms, and Google Analytics, allowing for the monitoring of team performance in meeting customer service objectives.

• The widget includes an integrated help desk feature for addressing customer requests that cannot be resolved through the chat interface.

• LiveChat has the ability to view what customers are typing before they send a message which enables the preparation of appropriate responses.

• The widget templates can be fully customized and mobile applications are available to ensure constant availability for customers.

Pros of LiveChat:

• Advanced automation and reporting features

• Multi-language support

• Mobile apps available

• Easy to install and customize chat widget

Cons of LiveChat:

• Higher pricing compared to some other chat widgets

• Some users have reported that the chat widget can be slow to load

5. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a customer service software that includes a chat widget for real-time communication between website visitors and customer service reps. It can be embedded on a website, customized with branding and messaging and integrated with CRM or helpdesk software.

The software also includes other features such as a ticketing system, call center and email management.

In terms of pricing, LiveAgent offers a free trial and then paid plans starting at $15/month. 

Key Features:

• It allows businesses to monitor website visitors in real-time and initiate chats with them

• The website chat widget includes a video chat feature

• It supports 43 languages, making it a suitable option for businesses with international customers

• Businesses can review past chat transcripts and customer information to improve future interactions

• Frequently asked questions can be answered automatically using pre-written responses and feedback can be collected through customer feedback surveys

• LiveAgent provides detailed chat transcripts, visitor and agent activity data, etc., to help businesses improve their customer support and sales

• LiveAgent has multiple ways to interact with customers, such as chat, email, phone, social media, and more

Pros of LiveAgent:

• Advanced automation and reporting features

• Multi-language support

• Mobile apps available

• Multi-channel support

Cons of LiveAgent:

• Higher pricing compared to some other chat widgets

• Some users have reported that the chat widget can be slow to load

6. HubSpot

HubSpot is a software that helps with marketing, sales, and customer service. It includes a chat widget for real-time communication between website visitors and customer service reps, which can be embedded on a website, customized with branding and messaging and integrated with CRM or helpdesk software.

The software also includes other features like live chat, deal pipeline, ad management, email marketing, and analytics. Advanced automation and self-service features are available on paid plans starting at $50/month, but the chat widget is free with a HubSpot CRM.

Key Features:

• The ability to capture leads by prompting website visitors to fill out a form before initiating a chat

• The ability to create and customize chatbots to automate customer service and sales

• Analytics to track the performance of chatbots and make improvements

• Multi-language support, making it suitable for businesses with international customers

• Integration with multiple communication channels such as email, phone, and social media for seamless customer experience

Pros of HubSpot Live Chat:

• Advanced automations and reporting features

• Multi-channel support

• Mobile apps available

• Easy to install and customize

Cons of HubSpot Live Chat:

• Some features are not included in the free plan

• There are inadequate reporting tools

• Ticket categorization isn’t available

7. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a software that simplifies customer service by consolidating all interactions into one platform. It includes a chat widget, ticketing system, call center, and email management.

Additionally, it offers a self-service portal, knowledge base, and community platform for customers to find answers and solutions independently. The chat widget can be embedded on a website, customized with branding and messaging and integrated with CRM or helpdesk software.

It offers features like tracking customer requests, call center, and email management.

Zoho Desk offers a free plan and paid plans starting at $14/month, which goes up to $40/month. The paid plans come with additional features that will enhance your customer service.

Key Features:

• Automates repetitive tasks, assigns customer inquiries to the right team member, and manages help desk essentials.

• Work Modes system to organize open customer inquiries and increase chat agent productivity.

• Light Agent seat count is an option for professionals who assist with customer inquiries but are not part of the customer support team. This can lower overall cost by not counting them in the seat count.

Pros of Zoho Desk chat:

• Advanced automations and reporting features

• Multi-channel support

• Mobile apps available

• Easy to install and customize

Cons of Zoho Desk chat:

• The software has been criticized for being difficult to use, with confusing hotkey changes

• Setting it up and learning to use it effectively can take a significant amount of time

8. Freshchat

Freshchat is an AI powered self service chat widget to transform your support experience. It is a feature-rich chat solution that offers customizable chat widgets, automatic chat routing, and advanced analytics to help businesses improve their customer engagement and support efforts.

It also allows integration with various popular platforms like Freshdesk, Freshsales, Slack, and more. Freshchat offers free as well as paid options. Its paid solution pack starts from $15/month and can go upto $65/month for enterprise solutions.

Key Features:

• The chat widget can be customized to match website's branding and style

• Automatically greets visitors and shows offline messages when no agents are available

• Chats can be transferred between agents

• Chat transcripts and history can be accessed by agents

• Integrates with Freshdesk ticketing system

• Works seamlessly on mobile devices

• Supports multiple languages

• Allows monitoring visitor behavior in real-time

• Allows proactive chats with visitors

• Can trigger automatic chats based on visitor behavior

• Agents can share files with visitors during chat

• Allows businesses to collect feedback from visitors after chat

• Can automatically translate chats 

Pros of Freshchat:

• Ease of use

• Real-time communication

• Multi-language support

• Customizable pre-chat forms

• Use of canned responses to streamline customer service processes.

Cons of Freshchat:

• Expensive than other options in the market

9. Zendesk

Zendesk Chat is a tool that helps companies talk to people visiting their website right away through a chat window. This chat window, called a widget, can be placed on the website and allows customers to start a conversation with a customer service agent. The widget can be changed to match the website's style and is useful for providing fast and effective customer service.

The cost for Zendesk's chat widget begins at $14 per agent per month for the Team plan. The cost goes up for the Professional, Enterprise, Elite plans.

Key Features:

•  Zendesk gives you the capability to examine all the data from the discussions that take place on your platforms

• You can design your own online chat system with the functions you need, such as gathering email addresses or answering to customers

• The chat widget can be tailored to match your website and branding by including your logo, changing the colors and fonts. It also includes a JavaScript API that allows you to make modifications or add new features manually

Pros of Zendesk's Chat Widget:

• Easy to use 

• Provides real-time communication, and multi-channel support

• Has the ability to customize pre-chat forms and use canned responses to streamline the customer service process 

• The chat triggers and automations

Cons of Zendesk's Chat Widget:

• Costly compared to other options

• Insufficient support service. The majority of negative feedback is related to the slow response time from the support team and lack of product knowledge

• Challenging to monitor through resolved tickets

10. Sendinblue

Sendinblue is a chat widget that assists businesses in enhancing customer service and customer satisfaction. It provides a complete chat solution that includes a live chat feature, chatbots, automation, and pre-written responses.

The widget is suitable for businesses of any size, whether a small operation or a large corporation with a customer support team. Pricing for using this chat widget starts from $25/month to a custom price tailored specifically for your enterprise business. For eCommerce businesses, Sendinblue charges a nominal fee of $65/per month. 

Key Features:

• Offers customization of the chat widget as per business requirements

• Automatic greetings to welcome website visitors

• Offers pre-written responses for frequently asked questions to save time

• Multiple operators to handle chats at the same time

• Multi-language support for customer service

• Integration with other tools such as Salesforce, Zendesk and Shopify

• Email and SMS management in one central location

• Includes an AI-powered chatbot to automatically respond to customer inquiries and reduce workload for human operators

Pros of Sendinblue:

• Multi-language support

• Integrations with other tools

• Email and SMS integration

• AI-powered chatbot

Cons of Sendinblue:

• Limited in terms of customization options compared to some other chat widgets

• Some users have reported issues with AI-powered chatbot not being able to understand and respond to complex queries

Key Insights

Selecting the perfect chat widget for your website is a vital decision for your business. No doubt, chat widgets offer an efficient and convenient way for your customers to receive help and support in real-time.

To make the right choice, it's important to evaluate your specific needs and goals. The market offers a wide range of chat widgets with unique features and benefits. Popular options include WotNot, Tawk.to, LiveChat, Zendesk, etc. So, evaluate the options carefully and choose the chat widget that will provide the most value to your users.