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LiveChat combines live-agent chat and AI, with tools for tracking chat-attributed revenue. But its published pricing starts at $19 and is annual-only, while the Essential plan has limits that may not suit every team. The alternatives below cover different needs: free live chat, shared inboxes, messaging apps and multichannel support. Compare each option’s caps and paid extras with your actual support workflow before moving agents and customer conversations.
01Why people leave LiveChat
Annual pricing makes commitment harder
LiveChat's published pricing is annual-only, which may not suit teams that want to compare tools before committing for a year.
Essential plan limits may pinch
The Essential plan has limits, but the available source does not specify the caps. Check the pricing page against your team's usage.
Some teams prefer familiar channels
One Reddit commenter said their team moved support to Telegram because it was cheaper and staff already used it; that is one team's account.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Best shared inbox
ChatwootChatwootChoose Chatwoot if you want to replace LiveChat with a shared multichannel inbox. Its listed starting price is $19 per agent, and it has a free plan, giving small teams a way to start without paying upfront. It may fit better when consolidating channels matters more than LiveChat's broad chat-and-AI toolkit.
Trade-off: Voice and automation cost extra.
7.8/10from
$19/mofree plan - Best free live chat
tawk.totawk.toTawk.to is worth considering if your main need is live chat and you want to avoid a per-agent seat cap: its free plan includes unlimited agent seats. The listing also calls out chat and CRM together. That makes it a straightforward alternative for teams that do not need LiveChat's wider AI toolkit.
Trade-off: Paid extras can add cost; verify support links.
7.0/10from
Freefree plan - Best all-in-one inbox
CrispCrispCrisp combines a shared support inbox with chat, CRM and a knowledge base, and its listing includes no-code AI workflows. The pricing page lists a free plan and a starting price of $45. Consider it if you want more than live chat in one place, but check the AI allowance before budgeting.
Trade-off: The free plan includes zero AI allowance.
6.8/10from
$45/mofree plan - Best channel routing
ChatyChatyChaty suits sites that mainly need to route visitors to messaging apps, target channels by traffic and collect leads with forms. It has a free plan and starts at $12, so it may be a simpler fit than LiveChat's broader chat-and-AI toolkit if app routing is the priority.
Trade-off: The free plan caps traffic at 500 visitors.
7.2/10from
$12/mofree plan - Best CRM messaging
WazzupWazzupWazzup is built for sales teams working inside a CRM and managing WhatsApp and Telegram conversations, with chat oversight for managers. It starts at $12. If your team already handles customers in messaging apps, it may fit better than shifting those conversations into a separate LiveChat workflow.
Trade-off: Channel costs or chat caps can add up.
6.8/10from
$12/mo - Best multilingual support
KindlyKindlyKindly is a candidate for teams supporting customers across several channels and languages. Its feature set is broad, but pricing is custom and there is no product-specific Reddit feedback in the available material to help verify the pitch. Shortlist it when multichannel coverage matters more than a public starting price.
Trade-off: No public price; expect a custom contract.
6.2/10from
Custom
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 LiveChat LiveChat (current) | 6.5 | $19/mo | No | Teams combining AI and live-agent chat |
| Chatwoot Chatwoot | 7.8 | $19/mo | Yes | Small teams starting with live chat |
| tawk.to tawk.to | 7.0 | Free | Yes | Teams starting with free live chat |
| Crisp Crisp | 6.8 | $45/mo | Yes | Small teams wanting one shared support inbox |
| Chaty Chaty | 7.2 | $12/mo | Yes | Small sites routing visitors to messaging apps |
| Wazzup Wazzup | 6.8 | $12/mo | No | Sales teams working inside a CRM |
| Kindly Kindly | 6.2 | Custom | No | Teams supporting customers across several channels |
Questions people ask
Why do teams leave LiveChat?
The pricing overview lists annual-only published pricing starting at $19, and notes limits on the Essential plan without specifying the caps. One Reddit commenter also said their team moved support to Telegram because it was cheaper and already familiar to staff. Those are reasons to compare options, not proof that every team will save.
What is the cheapest LiveChat alternative?
Tawk.to is listed with a free plan and unlimited agent seats. Chaty and Wazzup start at $12, while Chatwoot starts at $19 per agent. Check paid extras, channel costs and usage caps before treating any starting price as your total bill.
What should we compare before switching from LiveChat?
Compare the annual commitment, agent seats, channel coverage, AI allowance and plan limits against your actual support volume. The published information does not specify LiveChat Essential's caps, so verify those on its pricing page. Also check which features cost extra on alternatives, including voice and automation on Chatwoot.