If you want to run a successful business, you need to constantly look for new and effective ways to engage with customers, and provide top-notch customer support. Live chat widgets have revolutionized the way companies interact with their website visitors, offering real-time assistance and building stronger relationships between businesses and their customers.
Statistics show that live chat widgets can significantly boost a company’s success. According to our data, the average live chat first contact resolution (FCR) rate is 75%, and the total resolution rate is 90%. Moreover, live chat is also a highly effective tool for generating leads. On average, live chat widgets can identify 30 new, unique leads per day. This can of course vary based on the industry, number of website visits, quality of content, and other aspects.
Customers also love the convenience and speed that live chat offers. It allows them to quickly get their questions and issues addressed without having to wait on hold or send multiple emails back and forth. Plus, live chat enables businesses to provide prompt responses, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty and better conversion rates.
But with so many options available on the market, how do you choose the right one that will meet your needs and improve your customer service operations? We are here to help you! We’ve compiled a list of the top 18 live chat widget providers. On top of that, we will discuss the key features, pros and cons, and pricing to give you a comprehensive overview. So, if you want to find out more, keep reading!
Table of Contents
- How does a live chat widget work?
- Why should you consider adding a live chat widget to your website?
- Quick comparison of the top 5 live chat widgets for your website
- Key factors to consider when comparing live chat widgets
- 18 Top live chat widgets
- Benefits of adding a live chat widget to your website
- Key features of an effective live chat widget
- 5 Common mistakes to avoid while selecting your live chat widget
- The role of integrations in a live chat widget
- Trends to watch out for in live chat widgets in 2024
- Conclusion
What is a live chat widget?
Before we dive into the best live chat widgets, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what exactly a live chat widget is.
Have you ever noticed that small chatbox widget that appears on the bottom left corner of a website when you load the page? Yep, that’s a website chat widget. It typically displays an invitation for visitors to chat with a customer support representative. When a visitor initiates a chat, they can ask questions, seek assistance, or provide feedback directly to your support team.
Live chat can be easily integrated into your website or mobile app. Today, most chat widget solutions offer fully automated features, such as chatbots, that can handle basic inquiries and provide helpful information.
How does a live chat widget work?
When a website visitor clicks on the live chat widget icon, it opens up a chat window where they can start a conversation by typing in their message. This message is then received by a customer support representative on your team who can review the message and respond to them in real-time.
Live chat widgets often come equipped with advanced features that make the whole process even smoother. For example, they allow the visitor to share files or screenshots, providing visual context to better understand their issue. Some widgets also support automated welcome messages where a pre-configured message is automatically sent to the visitor, initiating the conversation and offering assistance right away.
Why should you consider adding a live chat widget to your website?
Here are a few reasons why it’s a smart move to consider using website chat widgets:
- Improved customer support: Offering real-time support allows you to address customer questions and concerns instantly. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and retention.
- Increased conversion rates: Providing immediate assistance to potential customers who may have questions or hesitations about your products or services can increase the likelihood of converting them into paying customers. In fact, 79% of businesses claim that by implementing live chat they were able to increase customer loyalty, sales, and revenue.
- Enhanced customer experience: Visitors can easily engage with your business without the need for phone calls or emails. It’s a convenient and efficient way for them to get the information they need ASAP. To prove this point, over 60% of customers reported that they have stopped doing business with a company due to one bad customer service experience.
- Competitive advantage: Despite live chat becoming more and more popular among businesses, there are still a lot of companies that rely solely on traditional communication channels. By adding live chat to your arsenal, you can set yourself apart from your competitors and show your customers that you are committed to providing exceptional service. Around 51% of customers say they would purchase again from a company that offers live chat support compared to those that do not offer this option.
- Valuable insights: Many live chat widgets come with analytics and reporting features that provide valuable insights into customer behavior and their preferences. You can use this data to optimize your website, or improve your products/services, and make changes accordingly.
Quick comparison of the top 5 live chat widgets for your website
Platform | Capterra rating | Integrations | Free version | Free trial | Price range |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LiveAgent | 4.7/5 | 220+ | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | $9 agent/m |
LiveChat | 4.7/5 | 200+ | ✅Yes | ❌No | $20/agent/m |
Pure Chat | 4.5/5 | 1000+ | ✅Yes | ❌No | $39/agent/m |
Userlike | 4.6/5 | 30+ | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | €90/agent/m |
ChatBot | 4.7/5 | 10+ | ✅Yes | ❌No | $52/agent/m |
Key factors to consider when comparing live chat widgets
When you are looking for the best chat widget for your website, there are a few key factors to consider. These factors can help you choose software that will best suit your business needs. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Features: Look for software that offers essential features that enhance the user experience and make support operations more efficient.
- Integrations: Make sure that the chat widget integrates smoothly with your existing website. Compatibility with other third-party tools such as CMS systems, CRM systems, or help desk software is also crucial to streamline workflows and improve productivity.
- Compatibility with mobile phones: With the rise of mobile browsing, it’s really important to choose a live chat software that is mobile-friendly. This ensures that visitors coming to your website through smartphones can easily engage with your support team as well.
- Customization option: Look at the level of customization the software offers. Make sure you can customize the appearance of your chat widget icon, branding, and messaging to align with your company’s branding.
- Customer support: Consider the level of support provided by the software provider. Look for options that offer 24/7 customer support or comprehensive documentation and resources to assist you in resolving any issues.
18 Top live chat widgets
1. LiveAgent
LiveAgent is a leading live chat provider known for its fast live chat widget and advanced features that make customer interactions a breeze. With real-time support, LiveAgent enables businesses to swiftly address customer queries and provide instant solutions. LiveAgent also stands out as one of the fastest live chat widgets on the market, ensuring efficient communication and exceptional customer service.
Live chat features
LiveAgent offers a wide range of features that help you improve your customer service efforts:
- Chat history
- Proactive chat invitations
- Canned messages
- Internal chat
- Smart chat routing
- Real-time typing view
- Visitor tracking
- Chat distribution
- Max queue length
- Chat button animation
- Chat window docking
- Chats overview
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- Supports multiple languages
- Responsive and helpful customer support team
- Great pricing
Cons
- Missing some customization options
- The reporting features could be a bit more detailed
- Learning the more advanced functions may take some time
Review from Capterra: LiveAgent is a full-featured and easy-to-use customer support platform that offers very robust and scalable features. One of them is the live chat which helps us to resolve the customers’ issues in real-time and easily manage the contact forms. I also appreciate the automation feature which saves us time, and makes our business processes much easier. I also like the UI which is very user-friendly and easy to navigate through so it makes it easy for the first time users. – Luke W., Help Desk Analyst
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Small: $9 per agent/month, billed annually
- Medium: $29 per agent/month, billed annually
- Large: $49 per agent/month, billed annually
- Enterprise: $69 per agent/month, billed annually
Free trial: Yes, LiveAgent gives you the opportunity to try a free website chat widget thanks to the 30-day free trial.
Expert opinion
LiveAgent offers an intuitive user interface that makes it easy for businesses to navigate and utilize its live chat features. The pricing is flexible and suitable for companies of all sizes and industries, making it accessible to a wide range of businesses. The availability of a mobile app for both iOS and Android further enhances its accessibility.
However, while LiveAgent provides good reporting and analytics features, some users may desire more detailed analytics for deeper insights into customer interactions. Lastly, as with any comprehensive software, it may take some time for users to fully grasp and utilize the more advanced functions of LiveAgent.
LiveAgent’s seamless integration capabilities with popular tools like WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and Google Analytics along with its extensive list of over 220 integrations, offer added convenience and functionality to users.
2. LiveChat
LiveChat is a customer service platform that enables businesses to solve customer problems in real-time. Whether it’s answering questions, providing assistance, or guiding customers through the sales process, LiveChat empowers businesses to deliver exceptional customer service and drive sales conversions.
Live chat features
LiveChat offers many live chat features, some of them include:
- Customizable widgets
- Canned responses
- Chat archives
- Chat transfer
- Chat ratings
- In-chat voice, video & screen-sharing
- Inactivity messages
- File sharing
- Message sneak-peek
- Chat reports
Pros
- The layout of messages is great and similar to Facebook Messenger
- When there is a new message, the notification system alerts team members
- Friendly and helpful customer support
Cons
- The pricing could be more affordable
- There could be some more features added, such as automatic grammar checks
- The mobile app occasionally stops working
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Starter: $20 per agents/month, billed annually
- Team: $41 per agents/month, billed annually
- Business: $59 per agents/month, billed annually
- Enterprise: Contact their customer support to learn more about this pricing plan.
Free trial: Yes, LiveChat offers a 14-day free trial.
Expert opinion
LiveChat stands out with its user-friendly messaging layout, resembling the familiar interface of Facebook Messenger. The built-in notification system ensures that team members never miss a new message, allowing them to promptly respond to customer inquiries.
The customer support offered by LiveChat is also known for its friendliness and helpfulness. With over 200 integrations, including popular platforms like Shopify and Magento, LiveChat seamlessly integrates into existing workflows.
However, the pricing may be a bit high for smaller businesses, making it more suitable for medium to large companies. Improvement is needed regarding the occasional issues with the mobile app, as it can disrupt the smooth user experience.
3. Pure Chat
Pure Chat is a live chat platform designed to facilitate conversations between businesses and their website visitors. Its goal is to provide a seamless communication channel that helps companies engage with visitors and convert them into customers. With Pure Chat, businesses can connect with their audience in real-time, fostering customer relationships and driving sales.
Live chat features
Pure Chat comes equipped with many features:
- Chat history transcripts
- Canned responses
- Chat notifications
- Trigger-based actions and alerts
- Real time chat analytics
- Visitor tracking
- Widget customization
- SMS notifications
- Account statistics and reports
Pros
- Customizable live chat widget can be easily integrated with the website
- It works well on both computers and mobile devices
- Easy to set up and use
Cons
- The pricing is a little bit high
- There could be some more features added
- Customer support is unresponsive
- It signs you out if you are inactive for a certain amount of time
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Growth: $39/month, paid annually
- Pro: $79/month, paid annually
Free trial: Yes, Pure Chat offers a 30-day free trial.
Expert opinion
Pure Chat offers a user-friendly setup process and intuitive interface which makes it quite easy to use even if you do not have any technical knowledge. The customizable live chat widget seamlessly integrates with websites, allowing businesses to tailor it to their branding. Its compatibility with both computers and mobile devices ensures a smooth user experience across platforms.
They offer many direct integrations with popular software products such as Google Analytics or HubSpot. In addition, if you need more, you can use Zapier to integrate with over 1000+ other applications.
However, the pricing may be a drawback, as it tends to be on the higher end, making it less accessible for companies with limited budgets. Additionally, customer support responsiveness can be a concern, with some customers reporting long waits for replies. Another minor inconvenience is that Pure Chat signs users out after a period of inactivity.
4. Userlike
Userlike is an all-in-one customer service platform that aims to help businesses generate leads, enhance customer satisfaction, and improve service efficiency through live chat. With its powerful automation tools and chatbot features, it streamlines customer interactions and provides personalized support.
Live chat features
Userlike offers a wide range of features that can enhance the performance of their live chat widget:
- Chat transcripts
- Chat forwarding
- Internal chat
- Sticky chat – connects customers and agents who have chatted before
- Smart customer profile builder
- Chat rating
- Pre-chat and post-chat surveys
- Proactive chat
Pros
- User interface is fully customizable and easy to use
- Ability to chat with multiple customers simultaneously
- Storage of past interactions with web visitors – all the previous issues
Cons
- Occasional delays in responses, but the support is helpful
- Can be a bit pricey for smaller businesses
- No mobile app
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Team: €90 per month, billed annually
- Corporate: €290 per month, billed annually
- Flex: For more info about this plan, you need to contact Userlike.
Free trial: Yes, Userlike offers a 14-day free trial.
Expert opinion
Userlike offers a fully customizable and user-friendly interface, allowing businesses to tailor the chat widget to their brand and easily navigate the platform. The ability to handle multiple customer chats simultaneously is also a big plus as it improves efficiency and customer satisfaction. The chat archives feature provides a valuable resource for businesses to reference previous communications and address recurring issues.
On the other hand, customers experience occasional delays in receiving responses from the customer service team. It’s also worth mentioning that there is currently no mobile app available, which may limit accessibility for users on the go. Because of the pricing, Userlike may not be as affordable for smaller businesses, therefore it is more suitable for medium to large-sized companies.
5. ChatBot
ChatBot is an AI-powered software that enables businesses to provide instant assistance to their customers and website visitors. With its advanced technology, ChatBot offers quick and accurate AI-generated responses to customer queries, improving customer satisfaction and efficiency. The smart chatbot can also help boost sales by facilitating easy purchasing, ordering, or scheduling of meetings, enhancing the overall user experience and driving conversions.
Live chat features
ChatBot offers a wide range of advanced features, including:
- Pre-built templates
- Chat archives
- No-code chatbot builder
- Real-time analytics and reporting
- Tags
- Multilingual support
- Canned responses
Pros
- The analytics reveal visitor origins and devices for issue troubleshooting
- Modern and easy-to-use user interface
- Customization options
Cons
- The chatbot cannot deal with more complex issues
- Implementation may take time – required customization of each chatbot
- The Learning Academy could offer enhanced information and training for product usage
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Starter: $52 per month, billed annually
- Team: $142 per month, billed annually
- Business: $424 per month, billed annually
- Enterprise: For more information about this plan, contact their customer support.
Free trial: Yes, ChatBot offers a 14-day free trial for their Team plan.
Expert opinion
The platform features a modern and user-friendly interface with sufficient customization options to tailor the chatbot to specific brand needs. ChatBot also provides valuable analytics that allow you to gain insights that can help with troubleshooting and issue resolution. The fact that it also offers integration with key tools like Shopify, social media platforms, and WordPress enhances its functionality as well.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the chatbot may not be able to handle issues that are more complex. Implementation may require some time to make sure it aligns with the needs of the particular business. The Learning Academy, although valuable, could benefit from additional resources such as tutorials and training guides to help new users to get the hang of it.
Overall, ChatBot can cater to a wide range of businesses, making it suitable for companies of various sizes and across diverse industries.
6. Intercom
Intercom is a comprehensive customer support platform that combines the power of an AI chatbot, help desk, and proactive support. With Intercom’s Business Messenger, businesses can engage with customers on a personal level, no matter how many conversations they have. This all-in-one solution enables businesses to provide efficient customer support, which can ultimately lead to improved satisfaction and growth.
Live chat features
Intercom offers a live chat functionality that comes equipped with multitude of valuable features such as:
- Proactive messaging
- AI-powered chatbot
- Automation builder
- Triggers, conditions, and rules
- Macros
- In-product messages
- Scheduled messages
- Message targeting
- Reporting and analytics
Pros
- It is fairly easy to customize chat flows
- The live chat functionality is very user-friendly
- With every new feature introduction, they provide thorough onboarding
Cons
- Challenging to juggle multiple customer conversations simultaneously
- Lack of live support – only available via chat with 1-5 business day response times
- High price – their pricing model is difficult to understand
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Essential: $39 per agent per month
- Advanced: $99 per agent per month
- Expert: $139 per agent per month
Free trial: Yes, Intercom offers a 14-day free trial to try their Advanced plan.
Expert opinion
Intercom offers a user-friendly live chat functionality that allows businesses to engage with customers seamlessly. They excel in providing comprehensive onboarding support when introducing new features, ensuring that users can make the most out of their platform. With over 300+ integrations, Intercom easily integrates with popular tools like WordPress and Shopify, enhancing workflow efficiency.
However, some users may find it challenging to communicate with multiple customers simultaneously and navigate between conversations. The lack of live support and longer response times can be a drawback for users seeking immediate assistance.
The pricing model of Intercom can also be complex and difficult to understand, which may pose challenges for businesses when determining the most suitable plan. And because of the higher price, it may not be the most suitable option for smaller businesses with limited budgets.
7. Chaport
Chaport offers a live chat widget that allows businesses to add a seamless communication channel to their websites. With the ability to answer customer questions in real-time, businesses can effectively engage with website visitors and convert them into loyal customers. Chaport’s modern messenger interface ensures that communication with customers is not only easy but also enjoyable.
Live chat features
Chaport offers a variety of features that will make the communication with your customers easy:
- Auto-invitations
- Typing view
- Group chats
- Chat routing
- Chat history
- Pre-chat forms
- Messenger mode
- Answer templates
- Chat ratings
- Autoresponder
Pros
- Easy to use – nice and simple design
- The installation into WordPress is easy
- The mobile app is working well
Cons
- It could use more features and functionalities, e.g., knowledge base
- It has very limited customization and reporting
- The free version is not very functional, it lacks many basic capabilities/features
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Pro: $29 per month, billed annually (includes 4 operators)
- Unlimited: $99 per month, billed annually (unlimited operators)
Free trial: Yes, you can try their Unlimited plan for 14 days for free.
Expert opinion
Chaport stands out with its user-friendly interface and straightforward design, making it easy for businesses to use and navigate. The seamless installation process for WordPress users adds to its convenience. The mobile app also performs quite well, allowing users to stay connected and responsive on the go. While Chaport offers some 3rd party integrations, such as WordPress and Joomla, the availability of Zapier opens up a wider range of 4000+ additional integrations.
However, the functionality of the free version is very limited, lacking many essential features that may be necessary for efficient customer support. To further improve, Chaport could benefit from additional features and functionalities to enhance its capabilities. Additionally, customization options are also limited, and reporting features could be more robust, providing more in-depth insights.
8. Tidio
Tidio is a live chat provider that aims to boost customer loyalty and build trust through personalized interactions, and efficient communication. With Tidio’s live chat app, businesses can provide excellent customer support and generate more sales, particularly focusing on e-commerce and small businesses.
Live chat features
Tidio offers their customers a wide range of live chat features:
- Universal inbox
- Chatbot
- Canned responses
- Video calls
- Live visitor list
- Live typing view
- Pre-chat surveys
- Offline messages
- Widget customization
- Reporting and analytics
Pros
- The chatbot is easy to set up and customize
- Friendly and helpful customer support
- Easy to integrate live chat on your website
Cons
- Delays in receiving notifications
- The pricing is quite high
- Slow loading times
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Starter: €29 per month
- Growth: €59 per month
- Tidio+: Starts at €394 per month
Free trial: Yes, Tidio offers a 7-day free trial on their Starter and Growth subscription plan.
Expert opinion
Tidio offers a user-friendly chatbot setup and customization process, making it easy for businesses to personalize their automated interactions. The platform also seamlessly integrates live chat widgets onto websites, allowing for efficient customer engagement. With Tidio’s browser, desktop, and mobile apps, businesses can engage with customers from anywhere. The extensive integration capabilities with various third-party tools and apps, including WordPress, Shopify, and social media platforms, provide flexibility and convenience.
However, there have been occasional delays in receiving notifications, which can impact response times and customer satisfaction. Additionally, some users have reported slow loading times, which can affect the overall performance. In addition, their pricing structure is considered high by many users.
9. Drift
Drift is an innovative, AI-powered platform that revolutionizes the way businesses engage with their website visitors. By leveraging its live chat software, companies can engage and convert more visitors, leading to improved website conversion rates, shorter sales cycles, increased engagement with target accounts, and ultimately, boosted revenue.
Live chat features
Drift offers:
- Chat routing
- Personalized welcome messages
- Chat to call/chat to Zoom
- Multiple inboxes
- Saved replies
- Custom chatbots
- Conversational ratings
- Internal notes
- Conversational analysis
- Response timer
Pros
- You can create customized chat experiences for users based on all sorts of criteria
- Support chat integration, enabling direct contact with product experts for assistance
- Setting up a chat bot and customizing it is easy with Drift’s playbook feature
Cons
- High price
- Having to switch between the app and the browser for different functionalities
- The backend admin panel can be confusing
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Premium: Starting at $2,500 per month, billed annually
- Advanced: For more details, contact Drift.
- Enterprise: Custom plan, for more details you need to contact Drift.
Free trial: No, Drift currently doesn’t offer a free trial.
Expert opinion
Drift provides a built-in support chat that allows users to easily reach out to product experts for assistance in case they bump into an issue. Their playbook feature simplifies the process of setting up and customizing chatbots, making it user-friendly. While Drift integrates with tools like Salesforce and Marketo, users may find a need for more native integrations to enhance workflow efficiency.
On the other hand, the pricing may be a hurdle for smaller companies, as it is quite high and therefore, more suitable for larger organizations. Some users may also find it annoying that they have to switch between the app and browser for different functionalities. Although Drift offers a mobile app, it could benefit from additional improvements to match the desktop version’s features and functionalities.
10. Brevo
Brevo offers a live chat solution designed to deliver instant support and product recommendations to customers. With Brevo, businesses can boost their productivity and reduce response times by engaging with customers in real-time. By providing seamless communication and personalized assistance, Brevo empowers businesses to enhance customer satisfaction and increase sales.
Live chat features
These are some of the features offered by Brevo:
- Customizable chat widget
- Online and offline chat widget
- Chat notifications
- Conversation history
- Universal inbox
- Chat ratings and reports
- Chatbot
- Targeted messages
- Typing insights
- Saved replies
Pros
- Layout and design of the platform makes it easy to use and navigate
- Affordable pricing
- YouTube video tutorial are very helpful to understand how the features work
Cons
- Getting used to some advanced automation features may take time
- Limited customization
- The customer support could be more responsive
Pricing
Their pricing depends on the type of product you choose. Each product has different pricing plans. Their live chat feature is a part of their Conversational product, where the pricing is as follows:
- Free version: Yes
- Pro: €13/month per user
Free trial: Yes, Brevo offers a 30-day free trial.
Expert opinion
Brevo stands out with its user-friendly layout and design, making it effortless for businesses to navigate and utilize. The competitive pricing structure makes it also affordable for smaller to medium-sized businesses. The availability of YouTube video tutorials is a valuable resource in understanding how the features work.
Integrations with popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and WordPress, alongside compatibility with Zapier, provide businesses with flexibility. The inclusion of a mobile app further enhances accessibility and convenience.
While Brevo offers advanced features, users may need some time to fully grasp and utilize them. However, one downside is the limited customization options available within the platform.
11. Olark
Olark is a platform that provides simple and effective chat tools for delivering support and driving sales. With AI-powered chatbots, businesses can automate the handling of less complex issues or questions, freeing up time for support agents. Additionally, Olark stands out for its focus on accessibility, offering an accessible live chat option for people with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity in customer interactions.
Live chat features
Here is a list of the features offered by Olark:
- Customizable chat box
- Live chat automation rules
- Personalized messages
- Chat routing
- Real-time reports and analytics
- Live chat transcripts
- Custom chat box forms
Pros
- Easy-to-use platform with a simple interface
- Affordable pricing
- Ability to attach screenshots to live chat, chat forwarding, and message marking
Cons
- Olark is missing some features that could enhance its capabilities
- Compatibility with smartphones
- Managing large amount of support requests can get overwhelming
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Full featured live chat: Starting at $29/month per seat
- Pro plan: The pricing is not stated on the website, you need to contact their support for more information.
- PowerUps: Add-on features that are priced individually from $29 to $99 per month
Free trial: Yes, Olark offers a 14-day free trial.
Expert opinion
Olark offers an easy-to-use platform with a simple interface, making it accessible to users of all levels of technical expertise. The affordable pricing makes it a cost-effective choice for businesses of all sizes. The ability to attach screenshots, forward chats, and mark messages enhances the communication capabilities of the platform. The availability of over 100 plugins and integrations, including popular options like WordPress, Salesforce, and WooCommerce provides added flexibility and functionality.
However, Olark is missing some features that could further enhance its capabilities, potentially limiting its suitability for more advanced or specific use cases. Additionally, while Olark offers a mobile app for on-the-go convenience, there is room for improvement in terms of compatibility and performance on smartphones.
12. LiveHelpNow
LiveHelpNow offers a comprehensive live chat feature that enables businesses to provide exceptional customer service. With their live chat solution, businesses can engage with visitors in real-time, addressing their questions and concerns promptly. LiveHelpNow’s platform offers a range of chat tools and functionalities to enhance customer interactions and nurture relationships.
Live chat features
Let’s take a look at some of the features LiveHelpNow has to offer:
- Intelligent routing
- Chat queuing
- Chatbot
- Automatic chat tagging
- Real-time language translator
- Canned responses
- Real-time typing view
- Reporting
Pros
- Good and responsive customer service
- Easily integrated into a WordPress website
- Easy to install and customize
Cons
- There is a room for additional chat window layouts and graphics
- Occasional problems with receiving reply alerts
- The user interface could be updated
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Live chat and texting: $21 per month per agent seat
- Enterprise plan: For more information, you need to contact their customer support team.
Free trial: Yes, you can test out the free chat widget for website thanks to their 30-day free trial.
Expert opinion
LiveHelpNow is known for its responsive and reliable customer service, ensuring that businesses receive the assistance they need when they come across any issues that need immediate resolving. They offer integrations with various tools such as Joomla, BigCommerce and WordPress – the integration with WordPress is seamless and makes it easy for users to integrate LiveHelpNow into their websites. The installation and customization process is straightforward, allowing businesses to tailor the live chat to their specific needs.
However, users may desire more chat window layouts and graphics for further customization. Some customers have reported occasional issues with receiving reply alerts, which may impact the overall customer experience. Additionally, updating the user interface to a more modern and intuitive design could enhance the overall user experience.
13. Acquire.io
Acquire.io offers a customer engagement platform with robust live chat features. With their live chat, businesses can engage with customers in real-time, and provide personalized support and assistance. It also empowers all types of businesses to connect with customers seamlessly and deliver exceptional customer service.
Live chat features
Let’s take a look at some of their most notable features:
- Timeline view
- Conversational history
- Automatic routing
- Analytics and reports
- Notes
- Translate conversations
- Send and share files
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- Check on the real time visitors on your webpage and initiate customer conversations
- Good customer support
Cons
- High price
- It may take some time to learn the dashboard
- No mobile app at the moment
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Self service: $500 per month, billed annually + $25 per month per agent
- Integrated solution: $2000 per month, billed annually + $45 per month per agent
Free trial: No, Acquire.io does not offer a free trial.
Expert opinion
Acquire.io offers an easy-to-set-up and user-friendly live chat solution that allows businesses to proactively engage with website visitors. The ability to use real-time visitor monitoring and initiate conversations enhances customer engagement. With integrations like Calendly and Zapier, businesses can further customize and automate their customer support experience.
However, the pricing of Acquire.io may be considered relatively high for some businesses, which could be a drawback for smaller companies. While Acquire.io offers a range of live chat features, there is room for expansion to meet the evolving needs of users. Additionally, the absence of a mobile app may limit accessibility and convenience for users on-the-go.
14. HubSpot Live Chat
HubSpot Live Chat connects businesses with their website visitors in real-time. With the live chat feature, companies can convert more leads, close more deals, and deliver excellent customer support. The ability to automatically direct visitors to the appropriate team members ensures efficient and personalized interactions, leading to positive customer experiences.
Live chat features
HubSpot offers many features, including:
- Customizable live chat widget
- Universal inbox
- Automatic chat routing
- Create targeted welcome messages
- Conversation history
- Fully integrated with chatbot
- Chatbot builder
- Create personalized rules
Pros
- Easy to organize and track customer issues and service requests
- User interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate
- Slack integration to chat live instead of only using the HubSpot interface
Cons
- High pricing
- Mobile app is not as user friendly as the desktop version
- Finding specific tasks can difficult since they aren’t searchable
Pricing
- Free version: Yes
- Starter: Starts at $18/month
- Professional: Starts at $450/month
- Enterprise: Starts at $1,200/month
Free trial: No, HubSpot doesn’t offer a free trial option.
Expert opinion
HubSpot Live Chat has an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for businesses to navigate. The platform offers valuable integrations with popular tools like WordPress, WooCommerce, and Slack, enhancing functionality and workflow. Moreover, the ability to receive live chat notifications and respond through the Slack integration adds to the convenience.
While a mobile app is available, some users may find it less user-friendly compared to the desktop version. Additionally, the lack of search functions can make finding specific tasks a bit challenging. The high pricing is another downside because it can be quite pricey for smaller companies with limited budgets.
15. Nextiva
Nextiva offers a live chat feature that enables businesses to provide faster and efficient customer service. With Nextiva’s live chat, businesses can promptly address customer issues, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. The ability to chat in real-time has proven to positively impact customer perception of the business, making it a valuable tool for businesses looking to improve their customer experience.
Live chat features
Nextiva offers a set of live chat features, including:
- Internal chat
- Chat history
- Chat routing
- Convert chats to cases
- Customizable chat button
- Customer surveys
- Shortcuts
- Chat reports
- Offline forms
Pros
- Customer support is always ready to help and solve issues promptly
- Easy to set up
- User-friendly interface makes navigating the platform very simple
Cons
- Occasional outages
- Creating reports is a bit difficult even with their video tutorials
- A bit complicated onboarding process
Pricing
Live chat is a part of their Contact Center subscriptions. However, in order to find out more about the prices, you need to contact Nextiva. These are the options they offer you:
- Free version: No
- Core: This plan does not offer a live chat feature.
- Premium
- Optimum
- Ultimate
Free trial: No, Nextiva doesn’t offer a free trial.
Expert opinion
Nextiva is praised by many of their customers for their exceptional customer support team that is always ready to promptly solve any issues. The platform is known for its easy setup process and a user-friendly interface that simplifies navigation. Nextiva also offers a mobile app, but while it may be slightly challenging to use initially, it performs well once users become familiar with it.
However, there have been occasional reports of outages, which could affect the overall performance of the service. Additionally, creating reports can be challenging, despite the availability of video tutorials.
Nextiva’s integrations, while compatible with some popular tools like Salesforce and NetSuite, lack integration with widely-used platforms like WordPress, Shopify, or WooCommerce. Expanding integration options would be beneficial for users seeking seamless automation across their preferred tools.
16. Zendesk
Zendesk is a well-known customer service platform that offers a live chat feature, allowing businesses to provide instant help to customers across various channels. With Zendesk’s live chat, businesses can assist customers on their websites, mobile apps, social media platforms, and other communication channels.
Live chat features
Here are some of the key features:
- Proactive chat
- Intelligent chat routing
- Canned responses
- Group messaging
- Customizable chatbot
- Pre-written responses
- Chat tags
- Inactivity messages
- Reporting
Pros
- Easy to set up and use even without technical skills
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- Comprehensive tool with many useful and advanced features
Cons
- Notifications can be delayed sometimes
- The pricing can get quite high
- The customer support can be unresponsive sometimes
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Suite Team: €55 per month per agent, billed annually
- Suite Growth: €89 per month per agent, billed annually
- Suite Professional: €115 per month per agent, billed annually
- Suite Enterprise: For more information about pricing, you need to contact Zendesk
Free trial: Yes, Zendesk also offers a free trial.
Expert opinion
Zendesk is easy to set up and offers an intuitive interface, which makes it accessible even for users without technical skills. As a comprehensive customer service tool, Zendesk offers a wide range of useful and advanced features to enhance customer support.
The platform also has an extensive list of integrations with popular apps and tools like Trello, Shopify, and WooCommerce, enabling businesses to streamline their workflows effectively. The availability of a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices further enhances its usability.
However, there have been occasional reports of delayed notifications, which may impact response times. Additionally, some users have found Zendesk’s pricing to be on the higher side, making it more suitable for larger enterprises with a greater budget. While Zendesk’s customer support is generally reliable, there have been instances where the responsiveness was lacking.
17. Freshchat
Freshchat enables businesses to provide real-time interactions between customers and support agents thanks to their live chat feature. The platform also provides full access to chat history, allowing agents to understand the context and respond quickly, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction.
Live chat features
Freshchat offers their customers many features. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable ones:
- Customizable chat widget
- Proactive messages
- Chat history
- Unified inbox
- Customizable chatbot
- Canned responses
- Assignment rules
- Real-time dashboard
- Custom reports
Pros
- Simple and elegant interface that is easy to navigate
- Easy integration with other tools
- The automated responses are intelligent and learn from previous answers
Cons
- Limited reporting and analytics capabilities
- There could be more features to collaborate with other team members
- Some tickets get lost while transferring between teams
Pricing
- Free version: No
- Growth: €29 per agent/month, billed annually
- Pro: €69 per agent/month, billed annually
- Enterprise: €1099 per agent/month, billed annually
Free trial: Yes, Freshchat offers a 14-day free trial.
Expert opinion
Freshchat offers a simple interface that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Its seamless integration with popular tools like Slack, Shopify, and WordPress enhances functionality and workflow efficiency. The platform’s intelligent automated responses learn from previous interactions, providing more personalized and efficient customer support.
However, there have been occasional reports of tickets getting lost during the transfer between teams, posing a potential challenge for efficient customer issue resolution. Addressing this issue would help maintain a smooth customer support experience. The reporting and analytics capabilities could also be improved to provide more in-depth data. Additionally, users have expressed a desire for more collaborative features to improve team communication.
Overall, Freshchat is suitable for businesses of all sizes and industries, making it a versatile solution.
18. iAdvize
iAdvize is an e-commerce platform that offers a live chat feature powered by generative AI. With their self-training chatbots, businesses can provide instant and accurate assistance to customers. iAdvize’s AI technology enables businesses to enhance the customer experience by efficiently addressing customer queries.
Live chat features
Here are some of their key features:
- Customizable messenger
- Smart answers
- Close a conversation
- Snooze a conversation
- Share files
- Canned responses
- Reporting and analytics
Pros
- Ability to automatically translate messages from one language to another
- Ease of use
- The possibility of deleting a message
Cons
- The mobile version has small delays
- Limited reporting capabilities
Pricing
For more information about the exact pricing, you need to contact iAdvize. These are the plans they offer:
- Free version: No
- Success Essentials
- Success OnDemand
- SuccessPro & SuccessMax
Free trial: No, iAdvize does not offer a free trial.
Expert opinion
The platform’s ease of use and the helpful option to delete messages contribute to a streamlined user experience. You can also automatically translate messages between languages, which enables businesses to cater to a global audience.
iAdvize’s Messenger innovation extends its live chat functionality to mobile devices, ensuring businesses can engage with customers wherever they need support. However, there have been occasional reports of small delays in the mobile version, which could impact real-time interactions.
The reporting capabilities are also somewhat limited, reducing the depth of available data and insights. Additionally, more integrations with popular tools would enhance iAdvize’s versatility and enable smoother automation across different platforms.
Benefits of adding a live chat widget to your website
Adding a live chat widget to your website can bring numerous benefits that can positively impact your business. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits you can expect from implementing live chat:
- Improved customer engagement: Live chat is an easy way to provide instant and personalized communication with your visitors. Engaging with them in real-time allows you to promptly address their concerns, build stronger relationships, and guide them through their purchasing process.
- Increased efficiency: It is nearly impossible to monitor all your communication channels and still offer assistance to customers in real-time. With live chat widgets, your support team will be able to handle multiple inquiries simultaneously, reducing response times and increasing their efficiency and productivity. According to Statista, the customer wait time decreased to 30 seconds between 2021 and 2022. This is also possible thanks to intelligent chat routing features that automatically assign appropriate agents, resulting in reduced waiting times.
- Reduced cart abandonment: Live chat can also play a significant role in reducing cart abandonment rates. Due to a lack of real-time assistance, around 22% of customers abandon their shopping carts. This results in a significant revenue loss for businesses. Having a live chat option while browsing a website and receiving immediate help can prevent this from happening by addressing any questions or concerns customers can have during their checkout process.
- Access to customer feedback: By analyzing customer inquiries and comments, you can get valuable feedback about your products, services, and website usability. This allows you to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance the overall customer experience.
- Proactive assistance: Live chat allows businesses to proactively initiate conversations. By monitoring user behavior on a website or offering proactive assistance based on specific triggers, businesses can engage with customers at critical moments, guiding them through the sales funnel and increasing the chances of converting leads into customers. Research shows that 60% of companies report an increase in sales by providing proactive customer support.
- Training and knowledge base development: You can use live chat interactions as a valuable resource for training new support agents and developing your knowledge base. Analyzing chat conversations helps identify common issues, responses to FAQs, and best practices, which helps to provide well-informed chat agent training.
Key features of an effective live chat widget
Now, let’s explore some of the key features that an effective live chat widget should have in order to help you provide a seamless and engaging customer experience.
- Customization options: This feature allows you to tailor the chat widget’s appearance, color scheme, and messaging to match your brand identity and website design. Consistent branding is important because it enhances the overall visual appeal and reinforces brand recognition and professionalism.
- Chat history: The ability to save chat transcripts is valuable for both customers and support agents. For support agents, it provides a full history of interactions and enables them to pick up where they left off in case of follow-up inquiries or escalations. It is also highly useful when the issue needs to be transferred to a new agent. With a chat history feature, your customers don’t need to repeat everything to a new representative as the information is already available in the chat.
- Canned responses: Canned responses, also known as macros, are pre-made responses to common customer queries. They are written in advance and can be sent with a few single clicks to save time and effort and allow support agents to solve more inquiries in less time. Canned responses also ensure that accurate information is shared, reducing the chances of errors and miscommunication.
- Chat routing: Automated chat routing ensures that all incoming customer requests are directed to the appropriate live chat agent or department according to predefined routing rules. This feature helps streamline communication and ensures customers are connected with the right person who can assist them. This can have a positive impact on resolution times, which, in turn, directly affects customer satisfaction. Additionally, ticket distribution capabilities allow agents to escalate or hand off conversations to specialized team members when needed, ensuring efficient problem-solving.
- Proactive chat invitations: This feature enables support agents to initiate conversations with website visitors, offering assistance or promoting specific products or services. Proactive engagement can lead to higher customer engagement, and improved conversion rates, and help provide a more personalized experience.
- Internal chat: This is also an essential feature as it enables real-time communication and collaboration among employees within the organization. This feature allows them to seek assistance, exchange information, share updates, and coordinate efforts to resolve customer issues more efficiently. It promotes teamwork and knowledge sharing, ensuring that everyone has access to the expertise and resources they need to provide prompt and accurate support.
- Real-time typing view: This is another valuable feature that shows what the customer is typing before they hit send. It enables agents to prepare relevant responses, providing faster and more accurate support, and reducing response times.
- Online visitors: This feature provides real-time visibility into website visitors who are currently browsing the site. It allows support agents to proactively reach out to visitors, offering assistance and guiding them through the website. By leveraging the online visitor feature, businesses can enhance customer engagement, improve conversion rates, and provide a better browsing experience.
- Analytics and reporting: Analytics and reporting features provide valuable insights into chat volume, response times, customer satisfaction ratings, and other key performance indicators. These metrics help you evaluate the effectiveness of your support operations, pinpoint areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.
5 Common mistakes to avoid while selecting your live chat widget
Mistake 1: Overlooking mobile compatibility
Neglecting to make sure that the live chat widget is fully compatible with mobile devices can result in a poor user experience. If the widget doesn’t display properly or is difficult to use on mobile phones, visitors may abandon the chat and potentially leave your website.
Example: Let’s say a service-based business implements a chat widget that does not offer a mobile-responsive design. As a result, customers who come to your website on their mobile phones can face difficulty navigating the chat window and experience formatting issues on their smaller screens. This results in reduced engagement and potential loss of business opportunities.
With the increasing use of smartphones for internet browsing, ensuring mobile compatibility is crucial. Failing to do so may result in a poor user experience, leading to visitor frustration and potential loss of business.
Mistake 2: Ignoring integration capabilities
Failing to consider how well your chosen live chat widget integrates with your existing systems can lead to inefficiencies and data silos. Therefore, it’s crucial to select a widget that seamlessly integrates with your CRM or help desk software to ensure smooth workflows and effective customer relationship management.
Example: A company selected a live chat software without looking into its integration capabilities. As a result, support agents had to switch between multiple platforms to access customer information, leading to duplicative data entries and delays in resolving customer issues.
Mistake 3: Lack of scalability
As your business grows, you also need to take into consideration the scalability of your chosen solution. Failing to do so can cause the chat widget to not be able to accommodate increasing chat volumes, which will negatively impact your performance and customer experience.
Example: A growing e-commerce business implemented a live chat widget that could only support a few chat conversations simultaneously. As the business gained popularity among people, the website traffic increased, overwhelming the widget’s capacity and leaving customers frustrated with long wait times.
Mistake 4: Limited reporting and analytics
Selecting a live chat widget that doesn’t offer advanced reporting and analytics capabilities can hinder your ability to track and measure key metrics. Metrics such as chat volume, response times, and customer satisfaction ratings are essential for improving your support operations and making data-driven decisions.
Example: A company chose a widget that lacked these more advanced analytics and reporting features. Therefore, they were unable to track important metrics like average response time or customer satisfaction, making it challenging to identify areas for improvement and optimize their support operations.
Mistake 5: Insufficient customer support and training
Adequate customer support and training are essential for a smooth and effective use of the live chat widget. Neglecting this aspect can result in difficulties integrating the chat widget into your website, a lack of expertise in utilizing advanced features, and challenges in resolving technical issues.
Example: A business chose a live chat software provider that lacked comprehensive customer support and training resources. Therefore, their team faced difficulties implementing the chat widget on their website, causing delays in launching the feature, and decreased confidence among support agents.
The role of integrations in a live chat widget
As previously noted, integrations are vital for the functionality and effectiveness of a live chat widget. These integrations allow the widget to connect with various systems and platforms. This includes customer relationship management systems, help desk software, e-commerce platforms, and analytics tools. Such connections enable businesses to seamlessly exchange data. This facilitates a comprehensive understanding of customer interactions, enhances customer support operations, streamlines communication, and aids in gathering valuable insights.
For example, integrating a live chat widget with a CRM system ensures that customer details are captured and stored within the CRM. This enables customer support agents to have a complete history of interactions and empowers them to provide personalized support. It also allows sales and marketing teams to access chat data and use it for lead generation, customer segmentation, and targeted marketing campaigns.
Most useful integrations to look for in a live chat widget
Let’s look at some of the most useful integrations to look for in a live chat software:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Integration with popular CRM systems such as Salesforce, Intercom, or HubSpot allows you to sync your data and customer information to give sales and support teams a comprehensive view of customer interactions and enables personalized engagement.
- Help desk and ticketing systems: Integrating with help desk or ticketing systems can create seamless workflows between chat conversations and ticket management. This integration ensures that chat conversations are properly tracked, assigned, and resolved, enhancing efficiency and ensuring customer satisfaction.
- E-commerce platforms: Integration with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento or WooCommerce enables chat widgets to display real-time product information, order tracking, and customer data. This can improve the customer experience by empowering customer service reps to provide accurate product recommendations and assist with order-related inquiries.
- Social media platforms: Integration with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Twitter gives you the opportunity to manage and respond to social media inquiries directly through the live chat widget. This integration centralizes communication channels, making it easier to provide consistent support across different platforms.
- Knowledge base and FAQ systems: This integration lets you provide self-service options within the chat widget. It automatically directs customers to relevant articles and resources, reducing support ticket volume and empowering users to find answers on their own.
- Collaboration and communication tools: Integrating your live chat software with collaboration platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams allows support agents to receive chat notifications, collaborate internally, and escalate issues seamlessly.
To show you an example of how simple it is to integrate LiveAgent with some of these tools, let’s look at how to integrate LiveAgent with Shopify.
- Create a custom app for this plugin → log in to your Shopify admin panel → go to Settings → Apps and sales channels → Develop apps for your store. You might need to Allow custom app development if it’s not allowed yet on your Shopify account.
- Once the custom app development is allowed, create an app.
- Name your custom app and choose the app developer.
- In the app configuration Overview screen, click on Configure Admin API scopes.
- In the Admin API access scopes section, search for “Customers” and “Orders“, allow the “read_customers” and “read_orders“, and save the changes.
- Go to the API credentials tab and install the app.
- Reveal the access token and copy it together with the API key, they will be used later to configure the plugin in the LiveAgent panel.
Now, let’s set it up in LiveAgent:
- In your LiveAgent panel, go to Configuration → Integrations → search for “Shopify Integration” and activate it.
- After that, a new menu item “Shopify Integration” will appear under the Integrations menu item. Navigate to it to access the integration configuration screen → fill up the required fields (the store URL, the API key, and the admin API access token).
- And that’s it! Your Shopify store is now integrated with your LiveAgent account.
Trends to watch out for in live chat widgets in 2024
As we look ahead to the future of live chat widgets, there are several trends emerging that are definitely worth keeping an eye on in 2024.
- AI-powered chatbots
You have certainly noticed the massive growth of chatbots over the past few years. And as artificial intelligence technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more sophisticated AI-powered chatbots. They will be able to handle more complex customer inquiries, provide personalized recommendations, and simulate conversations similar to those with human agents.
Many businesses will jump on the bandwagon of chatbots and leverage their capabilities to manage customer interactions at scale. Using chatbots can significantly reduce agent overload and help businesses provide 24/7 customer support even outside working business hours.
So, if you want to revolutionize the customer experience, streamline processes, and maximize overall performance, keep an eye on the latest releases and news.
- Omnichannel support
The demand for seamless interactions across multiple channels continues to grow. Many customers use multiple channels; they may start a conversation on one, but choose to continue on another. Don’t expect your customers to switch channels to talk to you. Instead, be available on channels they prefer and meet them where they are. To ensure that these customers receive seamless support, companies need to focus on omnichannel customer engagement.
Therefore, live chat widgets will likely offer seamless integration with other communication channels such as social media, voice, and video calls. This integration will allow businesses to provide consistent support regardless of the channel customers choose to engage on.
According to research, the purchase frequency on omnichannel was 250% higher compared to a single channel. This proves that focusing on providing an omnichannel environment can help businesses build long-term relationships, gather positive customer reviews, and increase customer lifetime value.
- Data security and privacy features
Feeling secure about your data is crucial. Your customers want to be sure that their private information is safe and confidential when they interact with your business. Having consent should be a top priority. Therefore, be upfront and transparent when you collect customers’ data, and let them know how you plan to use it.
Live chat software providers should, therefore, also focus on improving security measures. This may include more robust encryption protocols, compliance with data protection regulations, and features that allow customers to have more control over their personal information that is being shared during chat interactions.
- Predictive analytics and assistance
Providing excellent customer service is no longer just about solving customer problems when they arise. It’s about staying one step ahead and predicting and addressing customer needs before they become an issue. By doing so, you can enhance the customer experience and build long-lasting relationships.
Using predictive analytics can help predict trends based on current or historical data in order to create strategies that will address what customers want and need. These predictions can also help target valuable leads and improve conversion rates. Companies should use the information they gather for proactive sales outreach and offer solutions that will show their customers that they care about their satisfaction.
Live chat can evolve to provide more comprehensive analytics and insights in order to deliver advanced reporting on customer interactions, sentiment analysis, chatbot performance, and customer behavior. These insights will help organizations better understand customer needs, optimize support processes, and drive data-based decision-making processes.
Conclusion
You made it to the end of this live chat widget journey! Now, you should have a better understanding of why live chat has become a vital tool for many businesses that are looking to improve customer support, increase conversion rates, and gain a competitive advantage in the market.
We discussed what exactly a live chat widget is and its benefits, such as improved customer support, increased conversion rates, competitive advantage, and gaining valuable insights. When comparing live chat widgets, don’t forget to consider features, customization options, mobile compatibility, and integrations. We also provided an overview of the top 18 live chat widget providers, analyzing their features, integrations, pricing, and more to help you find the best fit for your business.
Additionally, we explored the key features that shouldn’t be missing in reliable live chat software and explained why integrations with other tools play a vital role in the functionality of live chat widgets. Looking ahead, it is important to keep an eye on emerging trends in live chat widgets, as they continue to evolve and provide more advanced features and functionalities.
If you are ready to experience the benefits of a powerful live chat widget, give LiveAgent a try with our 30-day free trial. Experience firsthand how it can enhance your customer support and drive sales.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this live chat service on any type of website?
You can use it for any type of website that sells products or services. You can even use it for informative websites if you want to provide your users with a better understanding of the content you offer. In short, live chat services allow websites to contact their customers directly and help guide them to the answers they need.
How to install live chat software on your website?
Anyone can install a live chat plugin onto their website in a matter of minutes. Most customer support solutions require you to create an account. Once registered, you will get a piece of the code you have to paste into your website’s footer or header. After that, your live chat solution will be implemented and you can start enjoying all its features through your account dashboard.
How do chat widgets affect website speed and performance?
Chat widgets can slightly slow down website loading times due to the additional scripts they load. However, modern chat widgets are designed to minimize this impact. They typically load asynchronously, ensuring the main content of the website is unaffected, and their performance impact is generally minimal.
Can chat widgets provide automated responses?
Yes, many chat widgets offer automated responses. They use pre-set rules or AI to provide instant replies to common queries, improving efficiency and response time. This feature is particularly useful for handling frequently asked questions and providing immediate assistance outside of business hours.
How much do chat widgets cost?
The cost of chat widgets varies widely based on features and scale. Options range from free basic versions to more advanced ones with higher costs. LiveAgent, for instance, offers a budget-friendly option starting at just $9 per month, making it an affordable choice for businesses seeking essential chat widget functionalities.
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The best 18 live chat widgets: Reviews, tips, and more
Find the perfect live chat widget for your business. Review the top providers and discover the key features and benefits of a powerful live chat software.