7 Best Live Chat Software for Businesses in 2025

Remember the days of pen-pal letters, where communication took days or even weeks? Fast forward to now, and we’re in an era where instant replies are the norm, thanks to live chat software. Just as communication evolved from handwritten letters to instant messaging, live chat software has transformed over the decades into a sophisticated tool for businesses to connect with their customers in real time.

At its core, live chat software enables businesses to offer instant support and personalized interactions, making it a critical component of modern customer service. But its journey didn’t start here—it’s a story of evolution, driven by technology and changing customer expectations.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through everything you need to know about live chat software, including its evolution, benefits, and top recommendations for businesses of all sizes.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

1. Evolution of live chat software: From the 90s to today

2. Benefits of a live chat software

3. What makes the best live chat software?

4. Best live chat software for SMBs

5. Best live chat software for mid-market companies

6. Best live chat software for enterprises

7. Conclusion

Evolution of live chat software: From the 90s to today

The 90s: The Early Days of Digital Communication

In the 90s, live chat was like sending an early email—basic, slow, and accessible only to a few. Computers were scarce, internet connections were dial-up, and businesses used live chat sparingly, more as a novelty than a necessity.

The 2000s: Going Mainstream

As computers became household staples and broadband connections replaced dial-up, live chat started gaining momentum. Businesses, especially larger ones, shifted their focus from expensive voice support to chat, realizing its potential to save costs while scaling customer interactions. This era democratized live chat, bringing it to the forefront of customer service strategies.

The 2010s: Integration and Personalization

With the rise of smartphones and social media, live chat became a 24/7 service. Businesses integrated chat with CRM systems and analytics tools, enabling personalized and data-driven interactions. Customers now expected faster, more tailored responses, pushing companies to make live chat smarter and more efficient.

Today: Smart Conversations with AI

In 2025, live chat software is the cornerstone of customer engagement. AI assistants now handle routine queries with lightning speed, while advanced tools help human agents draft smarter, more empathetic responses. Chat platforms are no longer just communication tools; they’re engines of efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Benefits of a live chat software

The benefits of using live chat software are numerous and impactful. Here are some of the most significant advantages:

• Improved Customer Satisfaction: Live chat software allows businesses to respond to customer inquiries and concerns in real-time, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers appreciate the immediacy and convenience of live chat, which can significantly enhance their overall experience.

• Increased Sales: By providing instant support and assistance, live chat software can help businesses increase sales and conversion rates. Potential customers who receive timely answers to their questions are more likely to make a purchase.

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Live chat software enables businesses to offer personalized and timely support, leading to a better overall customer experience. Personalized interactions can make customers feel valued and understood.

• Reduced Support Costs: Live chat software can help businesses reduce support costs by enabling them to handle multiple customer inquiries simultaneously. This efficiency can lead to lower operational costs and a more streamlined support process.

• Improved Customer Insights: Live chat software provides businesses with valuable customer insights, enabling them to better understand their customers’ needs and preferences. These insights can inform product development, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements.

What makes the best live chat software?

Not all live chat tools are created equal. The right choice depends on your organization’s size, needs, and budget. Here are the key qualities that define top-tier live chat software:

Robust features

High-quality live chat software should include essential features like real-time messaging, automated greetings, and customizable chat windows. It should support file sharing and integrate with knowledge bases to enhance user experience. These functionalities ensure faster response times, seamless communication, and improved customer satisfaction.

Flexible pricing model

Live chat software typically follows a subscription-based pricing model, with costs varying based on features, usage, and agent count. Many platforms offer free versions with substantial features, ideal for small businesses and startups. Pricing structures may include pay-per-conversation, per-agent plans, freemium models, or tiered subscriptions to suit different budgets and needs.

Excellent customer support

Reliable customer support is critical, especially when addressing technical issues. Look for platforms that provide comprehensive in-app resources such as FAQs and tutorials, 24/7 availability, and multilingual support to ensure smooth operation.

AI and advanced features

AI-powered tools, like chatbots with natural language processing (NLP), streamline repetitive tasks such as answering FAQs or qualifying leads. This not only speeds up response times but also allows your team to focus on more complex customer needs. Additionally, video chat capabilities can add a personal touch to customer interactions.

Real-Time Messaging

The cornerstone of live chat software is its ability to deliver instantaneous communication. Customers expect prompt, lag-free responses, and the software should excel in providing seamless real-time interactions.

Seamless integrations

Best live chat platforms integrate easily with other systems like CRM software, helpdesk tools, and analytics platforms. These integrations provide agents with all necessary customer information, enabling efficient and personalized support.

Mobile optimization

In an era where customers increasingly use mobile devices, a live chat solution must be mobile-friendly and offer dedicated apps. This ensures smooth cross-device experiences for both customers and support teams.

Multi-Channel Support

A great live chat tool consolidates communication across multiple channels—website, email, social media, and messaging apps—into one platform. This unified approach simplifies customer interactions and ensures consistency across touchpoints.

Best live chat software for SMBs

WotNot

Using WotNot was a breeze from the very start. Its sleek and intuitive interface made setup effortless, and I was impressed by how quickly I could get my team onboarded. The platform’s AI-powered features, like AI rewrite and generate response, stood out, allowing us to handle chats more efficiently with its comprehensive live chat solution. These features auto-generate replies based on past interactions, while the smart chat deflection capabilities ensured that routine L1 and L2 queries were managed by AI assistants, leaving agents free to focus on more complex issues.

What I appreciated most about WotNot was its cost-effective pricing with unlimited seats, making it an attractive option for growing businesses. Its flexibility was further enhanced by multiple channels, such as the web app, Slack threads, and a mobile app, enabling me to manage conversations from anywhere using the live chat widget. Detailed analytics reports were another highlight, providing invaluable insights into agent performance and helping me optimize my team’s efficiency.

While WotNot excels in providing excellent customer service and a reliable live chat solution, its channel support is somewhat limited, as it doesn’t yet natively integrate with popular platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly, easy-to-use platform with strong AI capabilities and great support, WotNot is a fantastic choice that delivers excellent value.

WotNot pros:

• A super flexible platform with professional services

• Cost-effective pricing plans with unlimited seats

• Very quick to setup and easy to use

WotNot cons:

• Limited channels offered

WotNot pricing: Starts at $99/mo (Unlimited seats)

Crisp.chat

Crisp Chat is an excellent live chat software for startups and small businesses looking for an affordable and efficient way to connect with customers. Its pricing structure is particularly appealing, offering great value for teams of up to 10 users, making it one of the best-priced options in the market for SMBs. The clean and modern user interface of the chat widget ensures a seamless experience for website visitors, while the simple interface makes it easy for agents to manage conversations without any hassle. With its free plan, Crisp Chat is also an ideal choice for websites with low traffic, providing essential live chat tools without a steep learning curve.

One of Crisp Chat’s strengths lies in its multi-channel capabilities. It allows businesses to engage with customers across multiple platforms, including websites, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, all from a unified dashboard. Recently, the platform expanded its offerings beyond live chat to include knowledge base creation, ticketing systems, and even a status page. This makes Crisp Chat more than just live chat support software—it’s evolving into a well-rounded communication hub for businesses aiming to streamline customer support. Unlike many competitors, Crisp’s AI is powered by its proprietary large language model (LLM) rather than relying on OpenAI, offering a unique and tailored approach to automation.

However, Crisp Chat does have its limitations. While the free plan and basic features are impressive, accessing more advanced tools often requires upgrading to higher-tier plans, which could be a drawback for businesses on tight budgets. Despite this, the combination of affordability, ease of use, and a growing feature set makes Crisp Chat a solid choice for companies seeking chat software that can grow alongside their business needs.

Crisp chat pros:

• User-friendly interface that’s easy for agents to navigate

• Affordable pricing, especially for startups and SMBs with up to 10 users

• Clean and modern design for its chat widget

Crisp chat cons:

• Advanced features often require upgrading to higher-tier plans

Crisp chat pricing: $95/mo (10 seats)

Tawk.to

Tawk.to is one of the most widely used live chat tools, boasting an impressive 20% market share, and its popularity is largely due to its innovative pricing model. The platform offers a completely free version with access to nearly all the features, making it a fantastic option for budget-conscious businesses or those just starting out. For a simple website with a low volume of chats, Tawk.to gets the job done without any major expenses. The only cost comes if you want to remove the “powered by Tawk.to” branding, which is available for just $29 per month. Additionally, they offer outsourced live chat support for as little as $1 per month, providing an affordable way to manage customer interactions.

The interface is straightforward, making it easy for website visitors to engage and for agents to respond to queries. However, the platform does come with limitations. Tawk.to lacks the premium features or advanced AI capabilities offered by other modern live chat software options, which can leave agents without the tools needed to optimize efficiency. Moreover, while the software functions adequately, it can feel clunky and occasionally buggy, which might frustrate users managing higher chat volumes or complex workflows.

That said, Tawk.to is a solid choice if you’re looking for a basic live chat solution without incurring hefty costs. While it may not compete with chat software offering the latest features or AI-driven tools, its free pricing model ensures that businesses on a tight budget can still provide effective customer support. For simple use cases or as an entry point into live chat tools, Tawk.to delivers decent functionality at an unbeatable price point.

Tawk.to pros:

• Free plan allows budget-conscious businesses to access most features

• User-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate

Tawk.to cons:

• Software can be clunky and prone to occasional bugs

• Lacks modern AI-driven features for agents

• Restricted to website chats only, limiting multi-channel support

Tawk.to pricing: Free

Best live chat software for mid-market companies

Drift (now Salesloft)

Drift(now Salesloft) is a popular live chat software, especially for sales and marketing teams. What sets Drift apart is its focus on automating lead generation and qualification. The platform offers smart alerts powered by company-based IP lookup, helping identify the companies your website visitors are from. This allows your team to prioritize high-value prospects without guesswork. Drift’s in-built prospect scoring feature also ensures that sales teams know which leads are hot or cold, improving resource allocation.

The interface is straightforward, allowing agents to navigate and engage with customers efficiently. This simplicity is a huge advantage for sales and marketing teams. Drift also offers mobile apps, enabling team members to chat on the go with website visitors. However, Drift does have some drawbacks. The pricing is steep, starting around $40k per year, making it difficult for smaller businesses. Also, while it excels in lead generation and sales qualification, its customer support features are more limited.

Drift’s standout feature is its ability to automate the qualification process. You can create custom playbooks that automatically qualify leads based on criteria and add them to your CRM. The platform also simplifies meeting scheduling, allowing prospects to book directly with your team. If you’re looking for chat software that integrates well with sales, Drift is a great option—but the high cost may be a barrier.

Drift pros:

• Smart alerts powered by company-based IP lookup to identify website visitors

• User-friendly interface for agents to easily manage conversations

• Mobile app for chatting with prospects on the go

Drift cons:

• High pricing, starting at $40k per year

• Features are primarily geared towards sales and marketing teams

Drift pricing: $3,000/mo (Few seats)

Livechat.com

Livechat.com is a versatile live chat software that offers a great mix of features and affordability, making it ideal for small and medium-sized businesses. Starting at just $20 per month, it provides tools like saved replies, real-time notifications, and chat ratings to help agents manage customer interactions effectively. For deeper insights, the platform includes detailed reports with export options, empowering businesses to analyze and improve their support operations.

The software shines in team management with features like agent roles, chat supervision, groups, and work hour scheduling, ensuring smooth collaboration. Smart routing and automation allow businesses to set up workflows that enhance efficiency and deliver faster responses to website visitors. Its extended product suite, including helpdesk and knowledge base tools, adds value for businesses looking to expand their support capabilities.

However, Livechat.com does have a few drawbacks. It lacks an in-built chatbot, requiring businesses to purchase an additional product for automation needs. The platform also has a learning curve, especially for those new to live chat tools. Despite these challenges, Livechat.com remains a strong choice for businesses seeking feature-rich and reasonably priced chat software.

Livechat pros:

• Offers a robust combination of features and functionalities tailored for business needs

• Smart routing and automation streamline workflows efficiently

• Affordable pricing starts at $20/month, making it accessible for SMBs

Livechat cons:

• Does not include a built-in chatbot; requires purchasing an additional product

• Slightly steep learning curve for new users

Livechat pricing: $50/mo/seat

Best live chat software for enterprises

Zendesk

When it comes to customer support, Zendesk is one of the most well-known platforms on the market, and for good reason. It’s a complete package that brings together ticketing, live chat, and CRM all in one place, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking for an all-encompassing support solution. One of the biggest advantages of Zendesk is its wide integration capabilities. Whether you’re looking to connect to messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger or need to support live chat on your website or mobile app, Zendesk has it covered. It also integrates with email, so your team can manage support requests from multiple channels without the need for separate tools.

However, despite its robust features, Zendesk comes with some drawbacks. The tool can be quite expensive, particularly given its seat-based pricing model, which may not be ideal for smaller businesses or those with a limited budget. Additionally, the user interface, while functional, feels a bit outdated compared to some of the newer competitors on the market, making the platform feel less intuitive at times.

What sets Zendesk apart is its flexibility. You can create custom routing rules based on skill sets, ensuring that tickets are sent to the right team member, and use logic-based routing to further streamline workflows. Additionally, Zendesk allows you to run automations triggered by specific events, which helps reduce manual work and improves the overall efficiency of your support teams. These features, paired with its multi-channel support, make Zendesk a solid choice for businesses looking to provide exceptional customer service across various touchpoints.

Zendesk pros:

• Integrates with most channel that one would need

• A complete package with ticketing + live chat + CRM

Zendesk cons:

• Expensive tool given its seat-based pricing

• Outdated user interface

Zendesk pricing: $29/mo/seat, billed annually

Intercom

Intercom is quickly becoming a favorite for tech-focused companies looking to supercharge their customer support operations, and I can see why. It offers a sleek, modern interface that makes navigating the platform a pleasant and engaging experience. For a customer support team, the interface is a game-changer—it’s visually appealing and intuitive, allowing agents to get the job done more efficiently. But what really sets Intercom apart is its AI-driven features like Fin AI and the Fin AI Copilot. These tools are incredibly powerful for agents, providing real-time guidance and performance-enhancing suggestions that help them tackle complex customer queries more effectively.

However, Intercom isn’t without its downsides. The platform can get pretty expensive as you add more features, and the pricing structure, with features as add-ons, can quickly escalate. Additionally, while Intercom’s feature set is comprehensive, it can be a bit technical to set up, especially if you’re looking to create more complex workflows or custom automations. It may take some time to get everything up and running smoothly.

Intercom truly excels in providing all the features for a forward-thinking customer support team. It supports multiple channels like websites, email, and social media apps, ensuring you can engage with customers no matter where they reach out. The keyboard shortcuts are another standout, enabling agents to work faster and more efficiently. Custom reports allow businesses to extract valuable insights, helping teams make data-driven decisions. The ability to push customer data via APIs keeps agents informed in real time, providing context to each conversation. It also offers video chat and phone support, allowing for more connected and personal interactions with customers.. However, there’s no free version of Intercom, which may be a dealbreaker for some smaller businesses or startups looking to save on costs. But for those who are ready to invest, Intercom’s features make it a powerful tool for any customer support team.

Intercom pros:

• Offers a sleek, modern interface that enhances the user experience

• Includes advanced AI features such as Fin AI and the Fin AI Copilot

• Allows the creation of complex automations to streamline workflows

Intercom cons:

• Pricing can escalate as additional features are added

• The setup process can be a bit technical for users

Intercom pricing: $29/mo/seat

Conclusion

Choosing the right live chat software is crucial for businesses aiming to deliver exceptional customer experiences in 2025. Whether you’re a startup, an SMB, or a large enterprise, there’s a live chat tool out there that fits your unique needs. From affordable options like Crisp Chat and Tawk.to for budget-conscious businesses to robust, feature-packed platforms like WotNot and Intercom for scaling operations, each solution offers something valuable.

Ultimately, the best live chat support software for your business will depend on factors like your team size, budget, and the level of automation or integration you require. By exploring the options in this list and identifying the features most important to your goals, you’ll be well-equipped to select a live chat software that enhances customer satisfaction and drives growth.