Live chat software has become an essential customer service tool for businesses to engage and support customers in real-time on their websites and apps. With so many options available, selecting the right live chat platform can be challenging. In this comprehensive guide, we explore the top 7 live chat solutions based on market reputation, features, pros and cons to help you find the best fit for your business needs.
How We Selected the Top Live Chat Software
To select the leading live chat software vendors, we looked at:
- Market presence and reputation based on number of reviews on G2 and Capterra
- Average user rating of at least 4 out of 5
- Key features like chatbots, social media integration, analytics, and multilingual support
Based on these criteria, we narrowed down the top live chat software solutions:
| Software | Number of Reviews | Average Rating* |
|---|---|---|
| Zoho SalesIQ | 359 | 4.4 |
| Helpshift | 406 | 4.1 |
| Freshdesk | 6,109 | 4.4 |
| Intercom | 3,817 | 4.5 |
| LiveAgent | 2,987 | 4.6 |
| Front | 2,135 | 4.6 |
| Tidio | 1,819 | 4.7 |
*Ratings are out of 5 stars on G2 and Capterra.
Next, let‘s compare the features of the top live chat platforms.
Comparing Features of Leading Live Chat Software
| Software | Intelligent Chatbots | Social Media Integration | Visitor Tracking | Languages Supported | Audio/Video Chat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho SalesIQ | ✅ | Facebook, Instagram | ✅ | 28 | ✅ |
| Freshdesk | ✅ | Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn | ✅ | 50 | ❌ |
| Intercom | ❌ | Facebook, Instagram | ✅ | 35 | ❌ |
| LiveAgent | ❌ | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram | ✅ | 40 | ❌ |
| Front | ❌ | Facebook, Twitter | ❌ | 180 | ❌ |
| Tidio | ✅ | Facebook, Instagram | ✅ | Customizable | ❌ |
| Helpshift | ✅ | ❌ | 180 | ❌ |
Now let‘s dive deeper into the top live chat software solutions.
Top 7 Live Chat Software Reviews
1. Zoho SalesIQ
Zoho SalesIQ is a feature-rich customer engagement platform focused on live chat, email management, and website analytics.
Pros:
- Robust analytics to track website visitors and behavior
- Easy to integrate live chat, bots, and analytics in one platform
- Customizable chat widget and chat flows
Cons:
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Limited third-party integrations compared to some competitors
Zoho SalesIQ stands out with its strong analytics capabilities like granular tracking of visitor behavior to inform chat conversations. The unified platform brings together essential tools for chat, bots, and analytics.
2. Helpshift
Helpshift specializes in in-app customer support across web, mobile, and messaging apps.
Pros:
- Excellent for supporting customers in mobile apps
- Chatbots with NLU for intelligent conversations
- Tool for customers to help themselves with knowledge base
Cons:
- Expensive for businesses only needing web-based live chat
- Reporting and analytics lack customization
- Syncing conversations across channels can be challenging
With robust in-app support capabilities, Helpshift is a top choice for mobile-first businesses. Its chatbots leverage NLU to handle common queries. The self-service options also reduce customer support tickets.
3. Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a full-featured cloud-based customer support software with live chat, email ticketing, and call center capabilities.
Pros:
- Unified platform for all customer communication channels
- Powerful automation to streamline workflow
- Customizable dashboards and robust analytics
Cons:
- Can be complex for businesses just needing live chat
- Mobile app lacks some features of desktop
- Advanced reporting requires pricier plans
Freshdesk brings all aspects of customer support together in one platform. It provides strong analytics and automation to improve agent productivity. The solution offers enterprise-grade capabilities for larger businesses.
4. Intercom
Intercom focuses on customer messaging for sales, marketing and support.
Pros:
- Chat, bots and messaging in one platform
- Segment customers and personalize engagements
- Integrates visitor identity across channels
Cons:
- Expensive for smaller businesses
- Steep learning curve
- Third-party integrations can be limited
Intercom consolidates messaging channels to engage customers throughout their journey. Advanced segmentation and personalization features help craft targeted messaging. The customer identity management is robust across touchpoints.
5. LiveAgent
LiveAgent offers an all-in-one customer service platform with live chat, help desk, call center and social media integration.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface for agents
- Strong customization options
- Broad language support
Cons:
- Expensive for basic live chat needs
- Lack of built-in telephony
- Third-party app integration requires developer help
LiveAgent makes it easy for agents to deliver exceptional customer experiences with its intuitive user interface. The software is highly customizable for business-specific needs.
6. Front
Front focuses on shared inboxes, email collaboration and customer communication.
Pros:
- Unified inbox to manage customer conversations
- Smooth collaboration across teams
- Integration with 100+ apps
Cons:
- Limited built-in live chat features
- Can be complex to set up for non-technical users
- Occasional glitches
Front improves team productivity through its shared inbox that brings all customer communication into one place. The extensive integrations also enhance workflows.
7. Tidio
Tidio provides live chat, chatbots and messaging for sales and support.
Pros:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop chatbot builder
- Mobile-ready with apps
- Free live chat plan available
Cons:
- Basic analytics and reporting
- Limited features on free plan
- Email and social media integrations cost extra
Tidio offers an easy way to add live chat capabilities with features like chatbots tailored to different industries. The free plan makes it accessible for small businesses.
Key Features to Look for in Live Chat Software
When evaluating live chat software for your business, here are some key features to consider:
Intelligent Chatbots
Look for built-in chatbots or virtual agents that can use natural language processing to understand customer questions and automate responses to common inquiries. This provides instant answers and reduces customer support tickets.
Social Media Integrations
Integrations with messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat etc. This ensures you don‘t miss conversations started on these channels.
Visitor Tracking
Granular tracking to view visitor traffic sources, behavior on site, pages visited etc. Gives customer context to agents for better service.
Multilingual Support
For global businesses, the ability to chat with customers in their preferred language is essential. Look for broad language translation capabilities.
Audio/Video Chat
While less common, some live chat software offers voice or video chat for more personal customer engagements. This can enhance certain support conversations.
The Benefits of Live Chat Software
There are many reasons live chat software has become a must-have for customer service today:
- Immediate assistance – Customers get answers in real-time without wait times.
- Lower costs – Chat requires less staffing than call centers to manage higher volumes.
- Higher satisfaction – Issues can be resolved faster through live chat‘s immediacy.
- Increased sales – Chat makes it easy for customers to ask sales questions and get guided to purchases.
- Valuable insights – Visitor tracking and chat transcripts provide data to improve customer experiences.
- Enhanced productivity – Agents can handle multiple chats simultaneously versus phone calls.
- 24/7 availability – Chatbots allow customers to get quick answers any time.
Alternatives to Explore
Other customer service software solutions to consider:
The Bottom Line
Implementing live chat software can transform the way you support and engage customers. This guide summarized the top solutions based on critical features, benefits, real user reviews and key considerations to simplify your buying decision. Focus on platforms that align with your business goals, channels, budgets and requirements.
With the right live chat software choice, you can boost customer satisfaction, increase sales, improve agent productivity and gain data-driven insights to take your customer service strategy to the next level.