Best Live Chat Apps: 9 Amazing Choices for Customer Support

Live chat apps are now a must-have for any business that wants to offer real-time customer support. They help answer questions quickly, reduce response time, and keep website visitors engaged. Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise, live chat support is one of the most important customer service tools you can use today.

The biggest shift? Customers now expect instant messaging support right on your site—just like how they use popular messaging apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. This demand has pushed companies to find the best live chat apps that fit both their business needs and customer expectations. But with so many live chat apps offering different features—video chat, voice calls, chat routing, screen sharing, canned responses, and more—how do you choose the right one?

This guide breaks down 9 of the most popular chat apps built for customer support. You’ll see which ones offer a free plan or a free live chat app option, which ones are better suited for small businesses or medium-sized businesses, and which ones scale well for enterprise-level support.

Key Features to Consider in Live Chat Apps

Not all live chat software is built the same. Before choosing a tool, it’s important to know which features matter most based on your business size, support goals, and customer needs.

Here are the essential features to look for:

1. Real-Time Chat and Instant Messaging

A good live chat solution lets your team respond fast. Instant messaging keeps customer interactions smooth and reduces wait time. Many live chat apps also support group messaging and chat rooms, which help with handling high chat volume.

2. Chat Interface and Usability

The chat interface should be easy to use—for both your support team and your website visitors. Look for a clean, intuitive interface that supports unlimited chats and lets agents work without friction.

3. Chat Routing and Monitoring

Efficient support teams use chat routing to send conversations to the right person. Some chat apps also support chat monitoring so managers can step in if needed. These features improve efficiency and help teams handle more inquiries.

4. Chat History and Transcripts

Saving chat history is crucial for context. Many live chat apps store full chat transcripts, making it easier for agents to see past conversations. This improves follow-ups and customer satisfaction.

5. Voice and Video Chat

Some tools offer voice calls and video chat to handle more complex customer inquiries. These features turn a simple chat widget into a full communication tool.

6. Integration with Other Channels

Your live chat software should integrate seamlessly with other communication apps and channels. Think of Facebook Messenger, email, and knowledge base tools. This gives customers options and creates a smoother experience.

7. Automation and Lead Generation

Marketing automation tools help with lead capture and follow-ups. Features like canned responses, proactive messages, and lead forms can boost customer engagement and increase sales.

8. Security and Data Protection

Security matters. Look for apps with end-to-end encryption, user controls, and proper access management. Especially important for enterprises and regulated industries.

9. Free Version and Scalability

If you’re just starting, pick a free live chat app or one with a free plan. Later, upgrade to unlock advanced features like screen sharing, chat volume reporting, or full customer support suite capabilities.

Best 9 Live Chat Apps

Here’s a breakdown of the most popular chat apps that support businesses of all sizes. Each one brings a mix of basic features and advanced tools designed to improve customer interactions, reduce response time, and offer a smooth live chat support experience.

1. Desku.io

Desku.io is a modern live chat solution designed for fast-growing businesses that need speed, simplicity, and automation in one tool. It combines real-time live chat support with smart routing and built-in tools for lead generation and customer engagement. With its clean interface and automation features, Desku works well across teams.

Key features:

• Live chat widget with chat routing, chat monitoring, and canned responses
• Supports screen sharing, video chat, and voice calls for advanced conversations
• Offers integrations with CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and other helpdesk tools

Pricing: Starts at $19/month. Offers a free version with basic features.

Suitability: Great for small to medium-sized businesses that need a scalable, all-in-one customer service tool with a strong free tier.

2. Zendesk Chat

Zendesk Chat is part of the larger Zendesk customer support suite, built for teams that need organized, scalable support across many channels. It offers real-time chat, chat monitoring, and smart chat routing to help agents work faster and smarter. It’s especially strong for businesses already using Zendesk’s helpdesk tools.

Key features:

• Real-time live chat with a responsive chat widget
• Chat transcripts and chat volume reporting for agent performance
• Integrates with Facebook Messenger, email, and knowledge base

Pricing: Starts at $19/agent/month. Offers a free plan with limited features.

Suitability: Best for medium-sized businesses and enterprises using the Zendesk ecosystem.

3. Intercom

Intercom is more than just a chat tool—it combines live chat, email, and automation into one powerful platform. It’s widely used for lead generation, customer engagement, and ongoing user support. Intercom has one of the most intuitive interfaces on the market.

Key features:

• Customizable chat interface with proactive messaging
• Built-in marketing automation tools and canned responses
• Supports video calls, chat history, and team inbox

Pricing: Starts at $74/month. No forever-free plan, but trials are available.

Suitability: Best for SaaS companies, startups, and online businesses focused on engagement and automation.

4. Tidio

Tidio is a flexible live chat app that combines chatbot automation with human support. It’s popular among small teams that want fast setup, real-time support, and basic automation without heavy costs. Tidio also supports popular messaging apps like Facebook Messenger.

Key features:

• AI chatbot builder with pre-set workflows and canned responses
• Real-time chat support with typing preview and visitor tracking
• Integrates with e-commerce platforms, CRMs, and communication apps

Pricing: Free plan available with basic features. Paid plans start at $29/month.

Suitability: Great for small businesses, online shops, and teams just getting started with live chat software.

5. Chatwoot

Chatwoot is an open-source live chat solution designed to give full control over customer support. It supports multiple channels like Facebook Messenger, email, website chat, and more—all from one dashboard. It’s a solid choice for teams that want customization and privacy.

Key features:

• Omnichannel inbox with support for group messaging and chat history
• Open-source, self-hosted, and includes chat monitoring
• Supports end-to-end encryption and integrates with popular tools

Pricing: Free forever for self-hosted. Cloud version starts at $19/month.

Suitability: Best for engineers, startups, and CTOs who prefer control and want to build on top of their own system.

6. tawk.to

tawk.to is one of the most popular free live chat apps, offering full functionality without charging a cent. It gives access to unlimited chats, agents, and chat history, making it a favorite for budget-conscious teams.

Key features:

• Real-time chat with customizable chat widget
• Chat transcripts, visitor monitoring, and voice/video calls
• Optional add-ons like screen sharing and agent outsourcing

Pricing: 100% free forever with paid add-ons like custom branding ($19/month).

Suitability: Ideal for freelancers, small businesses, and teams needing a no-cost, low-friction customer service tool.

7. Yellow.ai

Yellow.ai offers an AI-powered chat platform that combines voice, chat, and automation across multiple channels. It’s built for scale and designed to handle complex customer interactions through smart bots and human handoff.

Key features:

• Supports video chat, voice calls, and multilingual messaging
• Built-in AI for chat routing, customer feedback, and ticketing
• Works across popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, FB Messenger, and more

Pricing: Custom pricing based on usage and features. No standard free plan.

Suitability: Best for enterprises, global brands, and engineering teams building AI-driven support flows.

8. Freshchat

Freshchat, part of Freshworks, is a modern messaging platform built to help businesses engage and support customers across channels. It offers live chat, bots, and automation, all inside an easy-to-use system.

Key features:

• Context-aware chat with chat history, segmentation, and chat transcripts
• Integrates with e-commerce platforms, CRMs, and Freshdesk
• Supports canned responses, chat monitoring, and other features like FAQs and knowledge base

Pricing: Free for up to 100 agents. Paid plans start at $19/month.

Suitability: Good for medium-sized businesses looking for a flexible customer support suite.

9. Drift

Drift focuses on using live chat to drive sales. It blends real-time conversations with marketing tools like lead capture and automated outreach. Drift is often used by B2B teams looking to connect with high-intent website visitors.

Key features:

• Custom bots for lead qualification and chat routing
• Supports video calls, screen sharing, and CRM sync
• Tracks chat volume and offers deep insights into buyer behavior

Pricing: Starts at $2,500/year (billed annually). No free version.

Suitability: Built for enterprises, sales teams, and B2B companies focused on lead generation and customer engagement.

Integration and Implementation Considerations

Choosing the right live chat app is only step one. The real value comes when it’s fully integrated and set up to support your team’s workflow. A smooth setup process can boost efficiency, improve customer engagement, and keep your support team running without friction.

1. Integration with Existing Tools

Most live chat software now supports easy integration with:

• CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot)
• Helpdesk tools (like Zendesk, Freshdesk)
• E-commerce platforms (like Shopify, WooCommerce)
• Communication apps (like Slack or Microsoft Teams)
• Popular messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp

Before choosing a tool, check if it integrates seamlessly with what you already use. This helps your team track conversations, pull up chat history, and connect chats to customer records automatically.

2. Onboarding and Team Setup

Some live chat apps are ready to go out of the box. Others need configuration, especially if you’re setting up advanced features like:

• Chat routing by department or topic
• Canned responses for quick answers
• Chat monitoring for supervisor support

Pick a tool with easy onboarding steps and clear documentation. Some even offer pre-built templates or migration help from other chat apps.

3. Training and Workflow Alignment

Make sure your support agents know how to:

• Use the chat interface
• Handle multiple unlimited chats at once
• Collect and review chat transcripts for follow-up
• Use voice or video calls when text isn’t enough

For bigger teams, set up internal workflows like:

• When to escalate a chat
• When to request customer feedback
• How to use chat rooms or group messaging to resolve complex cases

4. Analytics and Optimization

Once live chat is in place, you’ll want to track:

• Chat response time
• Agent performance
• Volume of customer inquiries
• Conversion from chat to sales

The best live chat apps offer dashboards to help with this. Some also plug into marketing automation tools to spot trends, generate leads, and improve your support over time.

FAQs

Conclusion

Live chat support is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s expected. Customers want quick answers, real-time help, and the option to talk through chat, voice, or video without waiting on hold. Whether you run a small shop or a global operation, the right live chat app can help you connect with more people, resolve issues faster, and even increase sales.

Each tool we covered offers a different mix of essential features, pricing, and flexibility. Some focus on automation and AI. Others give you simplicity and a free forever plan. Many offer add-ons like chat monitoring, screen sharing, and chat transcripts to handle complex conversations.

Here’s the bottom line:
Pick a tool that fits your business needs, works with your existing stack, and supports your team without slowing them down. If you’re just starting out, go with a free live chat app like tawk.to or Desku.io. If you need a full customer support suite, tools like Zendesk Chat or Freshchat are worth the investment.

The best chat apps don’t just answer questions. They improve customer engagement, speed up resolution times, and turn support into a strength.