Businesses want to have smooth interactions with customers in today’s digital world, which makes finding the best live chat software very important. The right platform provides a flexible way to talk to people in real time, which improves customer engagement and makes support easier. To find the best live chat software out of all the options, you need a mix of features that are designed to meet the needs of different businesses. Live chat software is in high demand across all fields, from small businesses to multinational corporations.
To give customers a personalised and efficient experience, businesses look for systems with easy-to-use interfaces, strong automation tools, and connections to customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The best live chat software has proactive engagement tools, like chatbots and pre-written responses, that let you quickly address customer questions and concerns. Below, we have mentioned the best live chat software.
What is Live Chat Software?
The purpose of live chat software is to allow businesses and organisations to talk to website visitors, customers, or clients in real time. There are text-based conversations that can happen on a website or through a mobile app. A lot of live chat software has features like automated chatbots, pre-written responses, file sharing, and tracking visitors. Offering customer service, answering questions, and getting people to interact with your website is easy and quick with this tool.
Best Live Chat Software Comparison Table
Live chat software improves support and sales by enabling real-time communication. Intercom and LiveChat enable personalised and efficient customer service with automated messaging, chat routing, and customer tracking. Live chat improves engagement, response time, and customer relationships.
| Feature | Intercom | Qualified | HubSpot Live Chat | Tidio | Smartsupp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited | Extensive | Limited | Limited |
| Customization | Highly | Moderate | Moderate | Limited | Moderate |
| Automation | Advanced | Advanced | Advanced | Basic | Basic |
| User Interface | Modern | Modern | Modern | Modern | Simple |
| Support Options | 24/7 | Business hours | Business hours | Business hours | Business hours |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | Robust | Advanced | Advanced | Basic | Basic |
Intercom
Features:
- Omnichannel customer communication platform.
- Offers live chat, email, and in-app messaging solutions.
- Provides automated messaging and chatbots for customer engagement.
- Enables personalized customer interactions and support.
Intercom is the only complete customer service solution that combines automation and human support to give customers a smooth experience. This makes customers happier and cuts costs at the same time. We’re working towards a future where most customer conversations can be solved without any help from a person. This will free up the team to handle more important customer conversations. Currently, this is one of the best live chat software.
Pros
- Robust messaging and live chat capabilities.
- Advanced features like chatbots and customer segmentation.
- Integration with other tools for comprehensive customer communication.
Cons
- Higher pricing compared to some alternatives.
- Steeper learning curve for advanced features.
Qualified
Features:
- Conversational marketing and sales platform.
- Integrates live chat with marketing automation and CRM tools.
- Offers real-time website visitor tracking and qualification.
- Provides personalized messaging and lead nurturing capabilities.
Qualified is the best platform for modern sales teams to use to find new customers. Qualification helps business-to-business companies like Autodesk, GE Healthcare, and VMWare use their website, which is their best marketing tool, to find, engage, and convert their most valuable visitors with the Pipeline Cloud. Using AI, the Pipeline Cloud is an all-in-one solution that boosts website conversions with live chat, automated chatbots, meeting scheduling with just one click, and actionable intent data. Overall, this is one of the best live chat software.
Pros
- Focus on conversational marketing and sales.
- Integration with CRM systems for lead management.
- Personalized engagement with website visitors.
Cons
- Targeted towards sales teams, may not suit all customer service needs.
- Limited features compared to more comprehensive platforms.
HubSpot Live Chat
Features:
- Part of the HubSpot CRM suite for customer engagement.
- Allows businesses to chat with website visitors in real-time.
- Integrates with other HubSpot tools for seamless lead management.
- Offers customizable chatbots and automated responses.
HubSpot has a free option for businesses that don’t want to spend money on a full live chat solution. Live chats with customers and other website visitors can be started with HubSpot Live Chat. If, after talking to someone, you think their request would fit better with a different team, it’s easy to send them to the right person. This is the best live chat software that you can consider.
Pros
- Seamless integration with HubSpot’s CRM and marketing suite.
- Easy-to-use interface for managing customer conversations.
- Automation features for routing and managing inquiries.
Cons
- Features may be limited for businesses not using HubSpot’s broader platform.
- Pricing can be high for small businesses or startups.
Tidio
Features:
- Live chat and chatbot platform for website communication.
- Provides customizable chat widgets and templates.
- Offers automated responses and chat routing based on visitor behavior.
- Integrates with popular CRM and email marketing platforms.
Tidio is a live chat, chatbot, and ticketing solution that is geared towards medium-sized businesses that are looking to solve technical issues with their customers while simultaneously increasing sales. For a higher cost, an advanced artificial intelligence response bot can hold a conversation, and its extensive chatbot template library covers both support and sales scenarios. Overall, it is one of the best live chat software that you can consider.
Pros
- Affordable pricing plans for businesses of all sizes.
- Easy setup and integration with popular website platforms.
- Features include chatbots, automation, and email marketing.
Cons
- Some users report occasional glitches or bugs.
- Advanced features may require higher-tier plans.
Smartsupp
Features:
- Live chat and visitor recording platform for website owners.
- Allows businesses to chat with visitors and provide real-time support.
- Offers visitor tracking and recording for insights into user behavior.
- Provides integration with CRM and email marketing software for follow-ups.
Smartsupp is live chat software that works best for small businesses. It comes with a lot of different features, like the ability to add your company’s logo to the chat box. It also works with an unlimited number of websites and platforms. Customers can also talk to real people through an automated message system or a visitor list. Still, it is one of the best live chat software that you can consider.
Pros
- Real-time visitor monitoring and chat capabilities.
- Customizable chat widgets to match website design.
- Affordable pricing plans for businesses of all sizes.
Cons
- Limited features compared to more robust customer support platforms.
- Integration options may be limited for some website platforms.
Benefits of Using Live Chat Software
Live chat software can help businesses improve their customer service, make the user experience better, and make more sales. These are some of the best reasons to use live chat software:
Support in Real Time: Live chat lets businesses help website visitors and customers right away, in real time. Users can ask questions, get help, or solve problems right away, without having to wait for calls or emails to be answered.
Accessibility and Convenience: Live chat is an easy way for customers and website visitors to communicate that is also convenient. Users can start a chat from any device that can connect to the internet. This makes it easier and more flexible to get help or information.
Better customer satisfaction: Live chat lets you get help in a way that is personalised and interactive, which can make customers happier. Dealing with problems quickly and effectively through live chat can make customers like your brand more and make them more loyal to it.
Communicating at a Low Cost: Live chat software can be a cheaper way to talk to people than traditional ways of getting help, like calling. This lets companies handle more chats at once with fewer customer service reps, which lowers the costs of running a customer service department.
Increased Sales and Conversions: Sales and conversions go up because businesses can interact with website visitors in real time and help them make decisions through live chat. Businesses can make more sales and get a higher conversion rate by responding quickly to customer questions and concerns.
How to Choose the Best Live Chat Software for Your Business
There are a few things you should think about when picking the best live chat software for your business to make sure it meets your needs and helps improve customer service and engagement. To help you pick the best live chat software, here are some tips:
Features and Functions: Look at what the live chat software can do and what features it has. A few important things to look for are real-time messaging, chat routing, canned responses, file sharing, chat history, chatbots, co-browsing, and the ability to connect to CRM systems and other business tools.
Options for Customisation: Think about the live chat software’s options for customisation. Look for software that lets you change the chat widget’s look, language, branding, and behaviour to match the style and feel of your website.
Interface and Ease of Use: Pick live chat software that has an easy-to-understand interface for both agents and customers. You shouldn’t need a lot of technical knowledge or training to set up, configure, and use the software.
Mobile Compatibility: Make sure that the live chat software works on mobile devices and adjusts to fit different screen sizes and platforms. Customers can have live chat conversations without any problems whether they’re on a desktop computer, a smartphone, or a tablet.
Integration Options: It’s important to find out if the live chat software can work with other business tools and platforms. To make work easier and share data more efficiently, look for software that works with your helpdesk software, email marketing platform, analytics tools, and e-commerce platforms.
FAQs
Customer service agents use live chat software to communicate with prospects and customers via instant messaging.
Skype launched a free video messaging service for Windows, Mac OS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and BlackBerry on June 17, 2013. Skype offered money-sending with PayPal from 2017 to 2020.
