Top 8 Live Chat Software Reviews

• Proactive chat invitations
• Canned messages
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Co-browsing
• Advanced routing rules
• Audio and video chat
• Website real-time visitor tracking
• Detailed reporting
• Multi-language chat and auto-translation
• Multiple and dynamic campaigns
• Single sign-on
• Knowledge base
• Chatbot
• Task Bot
• Integrated platform with email, ticketing, social media & SMS

• Data level: TLS/SSL encryption; Data obfuscation, Comm100 is one of the only vendors that does not store any payment information
• Application level: Complex agent password policy enforcement; CAPTCHA verification
• Compliances: ISO 27001; PCI DSS; SOC 2 Type II; TRUSTe® Privacy Certified; HIPAA; GDPR; PIPEDA compliant

Comm100 is reported to be one of the easiest live chat software to use, with implementation and agent training usually taking one hour or less. However, while the visitor-facing chat window is fully customizable, the console on the agent side only has one theme.

Comm100 offers 24/7 live chat support, plus phone support, SMS and WhatsApp during business hours. It is reported that they are quick to respond, provide reliable support, and will work to meet custom needs. On-premise customers tend to wait longer to resolve technical issues.

Comm100 is the only live chat provider that offers cloud, private, and on-premise live chat software deployment.

Comm100 offers its live chat software via its SMB or Enterprise packing based on team size and needs:

SMB:

• Live Chat Startup: $29/per/month
• Live Chat Plus: $59/agent/month

Enterprise:

• Omnichannel Gold: Live chat, email, taskbot, knowledge base, standard integrations, 36 months data storage
• Omnichannel Platinum: Everything in Omnichannel Gold plus 1 standard NLP chatbot, NLP bot staging environment, social media integrations
• Custom

• Proactive chat invitations
• Canned messages
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Drift profiles (open a chat through email signature)
• Automated calendar booking
• Website visitor tracking
• Offline forms
• Basic reporting
• Calendar integration
• Single sign-on
• Chatbot
• Account-based marketing playbooks

• Data level: All data stored in AWS; uses AWS security protocols like TLS/SSL Encryption
• Application level: Ability to set agent data permissions and restrictions
• Compliances: GDPR compliant

The platform is described as easy-to-install, easy-to-use, clean, and modern. However, Drift seems to have issues when setting up multiple campaigns. When set up incorrectly, a visitor may be kicked out of chat when switching pages. There are also reports of difficulties setting up other features due to their complexity.

Drift only offers chat support during business hours. It is reported they have poor response times and customers do not usually know when new features or updates are rolled out until after the fact.

Drift only offers cloud live chat software deployment. They do not offer private or on-premise deployment.

Drift offers a free plan with one free agent license and limited features. Their Pro, Company, and Enterprise plans include Chatbot. Their full pricing packages are:

• Free (maximum of 1 agent/seat and 100 contacts)
• Standard: $50/agent billed monthly
• Pro: $500/agent billed monthly
• Company: $1,500/agent billed annually with a one-time $2,000 onboarding fee
• Enterprise: $5,000/agent billed annually with a one-time $10,000 onboarding fee

• Proactive chat invitations
• Automatic meeting scheduling
• Automatic lead qualification
• Chatbots
• Agent availability
• Canned messages
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Routing rules
• Reporting
• Website visitor tracking
• Agent-to-agent @ mentions
• Offline forms

• Data level: All data stored in AWS; uses AWS security protocols like TLS/SSL Encryption
• Application level: Ability to set agent data restrictions, advanced password policy
• Compliances: SOC2, EU-US Privacy Shield, Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Compliant

Intercom’s user interface is described as well-designed and navigationally intuitive. However, while set-up is easy, being able to use Intercom’s extensive features in practice takes some effort.

Intercom offers live chat support during business hours, however according to their chat window their team typically takes a few hours to reply to an inquiry.

Intercom offers private and cloud live chat software deployment. They do not offer on-premise deployment.

Intercom offers a 14-day free trial of all their products with unlimited add-ons. They have Essential, Pro, and Premium packages for each of individual products, as well as the full suite. Their live chat pricing includes:

• Essential: $87/agent per month
• Pro: $153/agent per month
• Premium: Quote-based pricing

• Proactive chat invitations
• Canned messages
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Offline forms
• Website visitor tracking
• Routing rules
• Basic reporting
• Chatbots
• Single sign-on
• Agent grouping
• Agent availability
• Multiple campaigns

• Data level: IP Restrictions; TLS/SSL Encryption
• Application level: 2-step verification for agents; ability to set agent data restrictions
• Compliances: PCI DSS; HIPAA; GDPR compliant

LiveChatInc is reported to have one of the simplest, easy-to-use platforms of all vendors. It’s easy to set up and they offer many customization options from both the agent console side and the visitor side.

LiveChatInc offers 24/7 live chat support and are reported to be one of the most responsive vendors. However, they can only usually answer more basic questions. If you have questions about specific functions or features like their chatbot, you’ll have to email them.

LiveChatInc offers cloud and private live chat software deployment. They do not offer on-premise deployment.

LiveChatInc offers a 30-day free trial of their Teams plan. With each of their pricing packages, you are able to create unlimited agent accounts but are only billed for the number of agents logged in monthly. Their full pricing packages are:

• Starter: $16/agent per month
• Pro: $33/agent per month
• Business: $50/agent per month
• Enterprise: $149/agent per month

• Proactive chat invitations
• Canned messages
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Meaningful connection score
• Website visitor tracking
• Routing rules
• Reporting
• Chatbots
• Single sign-on
• Co-browsing
• SMS
• Multiple campaigns

• Data level: IP restrictions; Data obfuscation
• Application level: Advanced password policy; Ability to set agent data restrictions
• Compliances: ISO 27001, PCI DSS, EU-US Privacy Shield, Skyhigh Enterprise-Ready, SOC2 and HIPAA Compliant

This live chat software provider is reported to have one of the most difficult platforms to set up. It takes some effort in order to properly set up the platform to align with reporting requirements. Customization is difficult, and their team will need to be involved to set up features such as customizing routing rules.

LivePerson offers phone, email, and live chat support. While their support team is described as second to none, their service team is the center of much vocal frustration – with long response times and misalignment between sales and support.

LivePerson offers cloud live chat software deployment only. They do not have an on-premise deployment or private deployment option.

LivePerson offers a 30-day free trial. Their pricing packages are completely quote-based starting at $40 per user monthly. They offer user-based, usage-based, and custom pricing depending on your setup.

• Proactive chat invitations
• Co-browsing (add-on)
• Auto-translation (add-on)
• Basic reporting
• Canned messages
• Searchable chat transcripts
• Customizable chat window
• Agent availability
• Group agents by team
• Chat tagging
• Automated reports sent by email

• Data level: AES encryption
• Application level: Ability to set agent data restrictions
• Compliances: No compliances

Olark is reported to be the easiest live chat platform to use and set up. Their interface is clean, well-designed, and easy to navigate. The chat window on the visitor’s side and the agent console offer many customization options.

Olark offers email and 24/7 live chat support, but no phone support. They are quick to respond but as their team is remote you may be transferred between departments in order to get an answer.

Olark offers cloud live chat software deployment only. They do not offer private or on-premise deployment.

Olark offers both a 2-week free trial and a free plan. They only offer one pricing package with discounts given depending on the billing cycle. Their free plan comes with one free agent license capped at 20 chats per month. Their full pricing packages are:

• Billed monthly: $17/agent per month
• Billed yearly: $15/agent per month
• Billed bi-yearly: $12/agent per month

• Proactive chat invitations
• Routing rules
• Canned messages
• Multi-language support
• Reporting
• Real-time agent queue monitoring
• Agent-to-agent private messaging
• Manage concurrent chats
• Supervisor suggested chat
• Customizable chat window and button

• Data level: TLS/SSL Encryption
• Application level: 2-step verification for agents; Ability to set agent data restrictions throughout Salesforce Service Cloud
• Compliances: PCI DSS; FISMA; ISO/IEC 27001:2005; SAS 70 Type II; SysTrust; and EU-US and Swiss-US Safe Harbor compliant

Installing Salesforce Live Agent takes some basic coding abilities. You need to have the service cloud console open to pick up chats. There are limited customization options for both the service console and the visitor side chat window.

Salesforce offers 24/7 phone, email, and live chat support. However, their support team handles queries for all salesforce.com products. It’s reported that there is some lag time to get answers for more complex queries.

Salesforce is a cloud-based solution that offers hosted and private deployments. While you can request your business’ data, Salesforce does not offer an on-premise deployment option for their live chat software or their Service Cloud.

Live Agent is part of the Salesforce Service Cloud and only available in their Lightning Enterprise (as an added cost) and Lightning Unlimited (included) plans. Plans start at $150/agent per month and $300/agent per month respectively.

• Proactive chat invitations
• Pre-/Post-chat survey
• Website visitor tracking
• Canned messages
• Routing rules
• Detailed reporting
• Offline forms
• Customizable chat window and button
• Chatbots
• Agent availability
• Timeline (Jump back to different points of conversation history)
• Agent permissions

• Data level: TLS/SSL encryption; IP restrictions
• Application level: Advanced password policy; 2-factor authentication
• Compliances: PCI DSS; ISO 27001:27018; SOC 2 Type II; Skyhigh Enterprise-Ready; Cloud Security Alliance (CSA); TRUSTe® Privacy; U.S.-EU Privacy Shield; U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor; HIPAA; SAS-70 Type II compliant

Zendesk is easy to set up and has a modern interface. However, navigation is difficult as different features are grouped into categories that are not intuitive to an agent, which takes some getting used to.

Zendesk does not offer phone or live chat support, only email support. Other Zendesk support agents may take over your query but not understand your full use case, so you may end up repeating yourself to different people.

Zendesk offers cloud deployment for all its products and custom deployment of their live chat software in Europe only. They do not offer on-premise deployment.

Zendesk offers a 30-day free trial of their Enterprise plan and a free plan for live chat. The free version of live chat is included with every Zendesk Support package. Their full pricing packages are:

• Lite: $0/agent per month
• Team: $14/agent per month
• Professional: $29/agent per month
• Enterprise: $59/agent per month