# Best live chat software in 2026

> Tidio, Crisp, LiveChat, tawk.to, HubSpot Live Chat, Freshchat, Intercom, Zendesk, Smartsupp, Lime Connect and Chatwoot, ranked on free plans and costs.

Published: 18 September 2026 · Updated: 18 September 2026 · Prices and limits verified: 18 September 2026 · By the live-chat.reviews team

This page was researched and drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed on it. We have not installed or tested these products ourselves. Method: [How we review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/how-we-review)

The best live chat software for a small team is the one whose free plan holds up and whose price does not jump when the third or fifth person joins. Every product below is scored on five published criteria, read from the pricing pages, help-centre articles and legal pages each vendor publishes.

Three things decide most purchases: whether the vendor bills per seat or per workspace, how it counts AI usage, and where it stores chat data. The [free-plan audit](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/tools/free-plan-audit) shows what each free tier documents, and [per-seat vs per-workspace pricing](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/per-seat-vs-per-workspace-pricing) explains why team size changes the answer.

**Quick picks**

- **No seat cap:** [tawk.to](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to) — Unlimited agents, chats and history on the free core; branding removal is an add-on.
- **Predictable AI billing:** [Freshchat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/freshchat) — Freddy AI Agent costs US$49 per 100 sessions, with the session defined in writing.
- **Flat team price:** [Crisp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/crisp) — Essentials is US$95 a month for the workspace, with 10 seats included.
- **Online stores:** [Smartsupp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/smartsupp) — Smartsupp lists Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Magento and BigCommerce integrations, priced per workspace in euros.

> **Scored on a public rubric, from pages you can open.** Every score on this site comes from five published criteria: free-plan usability, cost as you add agents, AI billing clarity, channels and integrations, and data location and compliance. Each price and limit is stored once, links to its source, and shows the same value on every page. Rubric v1.0 · We have not installed or speed-tested these widgets yet, and no page here claims we did. [Read the full method](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/how-we-review)

## The ranking

### 1. tawk.to — 8.8/10

_Budget teams wanting unlimited free agents_

- **Paid plans from:** Free
- **Pricing model:** Free, with paid add-ons
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** No

tawk.to is a US-based live chat, ticketing and knowledge base platform whose core product is free with unlimited agents, conversations and chat history. The vendor earns from optional add-ons bought per property (roughly one website or brand), such as branding removal, AI Assist credits and hired human agents. tawk.to suits small businesses and solo operators who want real support on a free plan and can accept US data hosting.

> tawk.to documents unlimited agents, conversations and chat history on its free core, and sells extras such as branding removal (US$39 a month per property on monthly billing) as add-ons.

**The catch:** Data is stored only in the United States, and removing the Powered by tawk.to badge costs US$39 a month billed monthly per property according to the help centre, while the marketing pages say US$29.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/tawk-to) · [Alternatives](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/alternatives/tawk-to)

### 2. Freshchat — 8.1/10

_Teams wanting many agents on a free plan_

- **Paid plans from:** US$19 per seat per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus AI usage
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

Freshchat is Freshworks' live chat and messaging product, with a Free plan for up to 10 agents and paid plans billed per agent from US$19 a month on annual billing. Its Freddy AI Agent is sold in packs of 100 sessions for US$49, available from the entry paid plan. It suits small and mid-sized teams that want several people on chat for free and may later move up to Freshworks' helpdesk.

> Freshchat is free for up to 10 agents and defines its AI unit in writing: US$49 per 100 Freddy AI Agent sessions.

**The catch:** Freddy AI Agent is billed per 24-hour session whether or not the question gets resolved, and rule-based bot flows and builder previews draw from the same session pool.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/freshchat) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/freshchat)

### 3. HubSpot Live Chat — 7.7/10

_Two-person teams already on HubSpot CRM_

- **Paid plans from:** US$20 per seat per month, billed monthly
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus AI usage
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free tools
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

HubSpot Live Chat is the chat widget and shared inbox that come with HubSpot's free CRM, for up to 2 users at no charge. Removing the HubSpot branding, routing chats and adding the AI customer agent all require paid Service Hub seats, billed per seat, with the agent's resolutions billed in HubSpot Credits on top. It suits small teams that already use, or plan to use, HubSpot as their CRM.

> HubSpot Live Chat's free tools cover 2 users with no documented conversation cap, and Service Hub Starter lists at US$20 per seat a month when you add people.

**The catch:** The widget keeps HubSpot's branding until you buy a paid seat, and HubSpot's own pages list three different Starter prices: US$7, US$10 and US$20 a seat a month.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/hubspot-live-chat) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/hubspot-live-chat)

### 4. Crisp — 7.2/10

_Teams wanting flat pricing and EU hosting_

- **Paid plans from:** US$45 per workspace per month, billed monthly
- **Pricing model:** Per workspace
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

Crisp is a French customer support suite (shared inbox, chat widget, CRM, knowledge base) that charges a flat monthly price per workspace with a fixed number of seats and no conversation cap. Paid plans run from Mini at US$45 a month for 4 seats to Plus at US$295 for 20, and the Hugo AI agent is metered through included USD credits. Crisp suits small and growing teams that want a predictable bill, many channels and data held in the EU.

> Crisp charges per workspace, not per agent: Essentials costs US$95 a month for up to 10 seats with unlimited conversations, and EU hosting applies on every plan.

**The catch:** The Crisp watermark stays on every plan below Plus at US$295 a month, and the Free plan has no full conversation history and caps you at 100 customer profiles.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/crisp) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/crisp)

### 5. Chatwoot — 6.7/10

_Technical teams willing to self-host, or US-based teams_

- **Paid plans from:** US$19 per seat per month, billed monthly
- **Pricing model:** Per seat
- **Free plan:** Yes — Hacker
- **EU data hosting:** No

Chatwoot is an open-source customer support inbox from Chatwoot Inc. in San Francisco, sold as a US-hosted cloud service billed per agent and as a free, MIT-licensed Community Edition you run on your own servers. The cloud plans cover website chat, email, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, SMS, Telegram and, on Business and Enterprise, voice. Its Captain AI is metered in credits, with 1 credit per AI message or action.

> Chatwoot's free Hacker plan states every limit (2 agents, 500 conversations a month, 30 days of history), and the Startups plan costs US$19 per agent a month.

**The catch:** Chatwoot Cloud is hosted only on AWS in the United States, so keeping data in the EU means self-hosting and maintaining the software yourself.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/chatwoot) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/chatwoot)

### 6. Smartsupp — 6.7/10

_Small online stores with up to three people_

- **Paid plans from:** €14 per workspace per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Per workspace
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** Not documented

Smartsupp is a live chat, WhatsApp and Messenger inbox from Brno, Czechia, sold per workspace: Solo covers 1 operator, Plus 3 and Expert 5. Its Mira AI Agent is an add-on billed in blocks of 100 conversations a month, and prices are published in EUR, USD, CZK and PLN. The "Powered by Smartsupp" logo stays on the widget on every plan, paid ones included.

> Smartsupp's Expert plan covers 5 operators for €99 a month and lists the major store platforms, though its free plan stops at 25 conversations a month.

**The catch:** The "Powered by Smartsupp" branding cannot be removed or hidden on any plan, including Expert and Enterprise.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/smartsupp) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/smartsupp)

### 7. Tidio — 6.1/10

_Small teams with low, predictable chat volume_

- **Paid plans from:** US$24.17 per workspace per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Tiers by conversation volume
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

Tidio is a Polish live chat and help desk suite that sells three separately metered quotas: human-handled conversations, Lyro AI Agent conversations and Flows chatbot visitors. Every self-serve plan, including Free, includes 10 seats, so the bill grows with conversation volume rather than headcount, from US$29 a month billed monthly on Starter. Tidio suits small shops and support teams with several people but modest, predictable chat volume.

> Tidio includes 10 seats on every self-serve plan, so the bill follows conversation volume, starting at US$29 a month for Starter on monthly billing.

**The catch:** The Free plan covers only 50 human-handled conversations a month, and at the limit agents can neither see nor answer new messages until the quota resets or the plan is upgraded.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tidio) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/tidio) · [Alternatives](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/alternatives/tidio)

### 8. LiveChat — 5.5/10

_Established teams with budget per agent_

- **Paid plans from:** US$19 per seat per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Per seat
- **Free plan:** No free plan · 14-day trial
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

LiveChat is a paid live chat and messaging platform from Text, a Polish company, billed per agent account from US$19 a month on annual billing or US$25 billed monthly. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and the autonomous AI Agent is sold in Text and ChatBot.com plans rather than in classic LiveChat plans. LiveChat suits established sales and support teams that want wide channel coverage and can afford a price that rises with every seat.

> LiveChat has no free plan and bills every agent (US$59 per seat a month on Team, billed monthly), but it earns full marks on channels and integrations, including mobile SDKs and a public marketplace.

**The catch:** LiveChat has no free plan and Starter holds a single user, so any team of two or more pays the Team rate of US$59 per person a month billed monthly, or US$49 billed annually.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/livechat) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/livechat) · [Alternatives](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/alternatives/livechat)

### 9. Intercom — 5.4/10

_Support teams building around an AI agent_

- **Paid plans from:** US$29 per seat per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus AI usage
- **Free plan:** No free plan · 14-day trial
- **EU data hosting:** On some paid plans

Intercom is a customer service helpdesk whose live chat widget, the Messenger, comes with every plan, sold per full seat from US$29 a month on annual billing and US$39 on monthly billing. Its Fin AI Agent is available on all plans and billed separately at US$0.99 per outcome. The company behind it renamed itself Fin in May 2026 and has been owned by Salesforce since September 10, 2026; Intercom suits teams that want a full helpdesk with an AI agent built in and can pay per seat for it.

> Intercom has no free plan and Essential costs US$39 per seat a month on monthly billing, but the US$0.99 per-outcome price of Fin AI Agent is documented in detail.

**The catch:** Intercom has no free plan and no included Fin allowance on standard plans, so the bill is seats at up to US$39 each plus US$0.99 for every Fin outcome, including customers who simply leave after Fin's answer.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/intercom) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/intercom) · [Alternatives](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/alternatives/intercom)

### 10. Zendesk — 5.3/10

_Multichannel support teams wanting one helpdesk_

- **Paid plans from:** US$55 per seat per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus AI usage
- **Free plan:** No free plan · 14-day trial
- **EU data hosting:** On some paid plans

Zendesk sells live chat and messaging only as part of the Zendesk Suite, a per-agent helpdesk that starts with Suite Team at US$55 an agent a month billed annually or US$69 billed monthly; standalone Zendesk Chat is no longer sold to new customers. Zendesk AI agents are billed per automated resolution, with a small free allowance per agent each month. It suits teams that want chat, email, voice and social channels in one ticketing system and have the budget for per-agent Suite seats.

> Zendesk starts live chat at Suite Team (US$69 per agent a month, billed monthly) and includes 5 automated AI resolutions per agent a month on that plan.

**The catch:** Live chat starts at Suite Team, US$69 an agent a month billed monthly, and the Zendesk branding can only be removed on Suite Enterprise, which is quote-only.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/zendesk) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/zendesk) · [Alternatives](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/alternatives/zendesk)

### 11. Lime Connect — 4.5/10

_Teams that need chat data stored in Germany_

- **Paid plans from:** €87 per month, billed annually
- **Pricing model:** Seats plus AI usage
- **Free plan:** Yes — Free
- **EU data hosting:** Yes

Lime Connect is the product formerly sold as Userlike, a Cologne-based chat and messaging platform owned by Lime Technologies since 2021 and renamed on September 10, 2025. It covers website chat, email, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram and SMS, and the vendor says all chat data is stored on servers in Germany. The only self-serve paid plan, Pro, starts at €105 a month with a 3-seat minimum, and the Connect AI Agent is a separate add-on.

> Lime Connect stores chat data in Germany, but its Pro plan is priced from €105 a month with a 3-seat minimum and no published price for more seats.

**The catch:** The pricing page does not say whether Pro's €105 a month is per seat or covers the whole 3-seat minimum.

[Read the review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/lime-connect) · [Pricing explained](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/pricing/lime-connect)

## Comparison table

| Product | Score | Pricing model | Paid plans from | Free plan | AI chatbot | EU data hosting | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [tawk.to](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to) | 8.8 | Free, with paid add-ons | Free | Yes — Free | AI Assist — billed per credit | No | Budget teams wanting unlimited free agents |
| [Freshchat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/freshchat) | 8.1 | Seats plus AI usage | US$19 per seat per month, billed annually | Yes — Free | Freddy AI Agent — billed per session | Yes | Teams wanting many agents on a free plan |
| [HubSpot Live Chat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/hubspot-live-chat) | 7.7 | Seats plus AI usage | US$20 per seat per month, billed monthly | Yes — Free tools | Customer agent — billed per resolution | Yes | Two-person teams already on HubSpot CRM |
| [Crisp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/crisp) | 7.2 | Per workspace | US$45 per workspace per month, billed monthly | Yes — Free | Hugo — billed per credit | Yes | Teams wanting flat pricing and EU hosting |
| [Chatwoot](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/chatwoot) | 6.7 | Per seat | US$19 per seat per month, billed monthly | Yes — Hacker | Captain AI — billed per credit | No | Technical teams willing to self-host, or US-based teams |
| [Smartsupp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/smartsupp) | 6.7 | Per workspace | €14 per workspace per month, billed annually | Yes — Free | Mira AI Agent — billed per conversation | Not documented | Small online stores with up to three people |
| [Tidio](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tidio) | 6.1 | Tiers by conversation volume | US$24.17 per workspace per month, billed annually | Yes — Free | Lyro AI Agent — billed per conversation | Yes | Small teams with low, predictable chat volume |
| [LiveChat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/livechat) | 5.5 | Per seat | US$19 per seat per month, billed annually | No free plan · 14-day trial | AI Agent (sold in Text and ChatBot.com plans) — billed per resolution | Yes | Established teams with budget per agent |
| [Intercom](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/intercom) | 5.4 | Seats plus AI usage | US$29 per seat per month, billed annually | No free plan · 14-day trial | Fin AI Agent — billed per resolution | On some paid plans | Support teams building around an AI agent |
| [Zendesk](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/zendesk) | 5.3 | Seats plus AI usage | US$55 per seat per month, billed annually | No free plan · 14-day trial | Zendesk AI agents — billed per resolution | On some paid plans | Multichannel support teams wanting one helpdesk |
| [Lime Connect](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/lime-connect) | 4.5 | Seats plus AI usage | €87 per month, billed annually | Yes — Free | Connect AI Agent — billed per conversation | Yes | Teams that need chat data stored in Germany |

## Free-plan audit

| Product | Free seats | Conversations | Chat history | Remove branding | AI on the free plan | Beyond website chat |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [tawk.to](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to) | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Paid add-on | 100 / month | Yes |
| [Freshchat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/freshchat) | 10 | Not documented | Not documented | No | No | Yes |
| [HubSpot Live Chat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/hubspot-live-chat) | 2 | Unlimited | Not documented | No | No | Yes |
| [Crisp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/crisp) | 2 | Unlimited | Not documented | No | No | Chat only |
| [Chatwoot](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/chatwoot) | 2 | 500 / month | 30 days | No | No | Chat only |
| [Smartsupp](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/smartsupp) | 1 | 25 / month | 14 days | No | 10, one-off | Yes |
| [Tidio](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tidio) | 10 | 50 / month | Not documented | No | 50, one-off | Yes |
| [Lime Connect](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/lime-connect) | 1 | 200 | Not documented | Not documented | No | Chat only |
| [LiveChat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/livechat) | No free plan · 14-day trial | — | — | — | — | — |
| [Intercom](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/intercom) | No free plan · 14-day trial | — | — | — | — | — |
| [Zendesk](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/zendesk) | No free plan · 14-day trial | — | — | — | — | — |

_Read from each vendor's pricing and help pages on the verification date shown on this page. We have not installed these plans. "Not documented" means the vendor does not say._

[Free-plan audit: does your team fit a free live chat plan?](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/tools/free-plan-audit)

## What it costs at 2, 5 and 10 seats

| Product | 2 seats · 100 conversations a month | 5 seats · 500 conversations a month | 10 seats · 2,000 conversations a month |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| tawk.to | Free (Free) | Free (Free) | Free (Free) |
| Freshchat | Free (Free) if the undocumented conversations limit allows; otherwise US$46 a month (Growth) | Free (Free) if the undocumented conversations limit allows; otherwise US$115 a month (Growth) | Free (Free) if the undocumented conversations limit allows; otherwise US$230 a month (Growth) |
| HubSpot Live Chat | Free (Free tools) | US$100 a month (Service Hub Starter) | US$200 a month (Service Hub Starter) |
| Crisp | Free (Free) | US$95 a month (Essentials) | US$95 a month (Essentials) |
| Chatwoot | Free (Hacker) | US$95 a month (Startups) | US$190 a month (Startups) |
| Smartsupp | €30 a month (Plus) | €99 a month (Expert) | €244 a month (Expert) |
| Tidio | US$29 a month (Starter) | US$129 a month (Growth) | US$349 a month (Growth) |
| LiveChat | US$118 a month (Team) | US$295 a month (Team) | US$590 a month (Team) |
| Intercom | US$78 a month (Essential) | US$195 a month (Essential) | US$390 a month (Essential) |
| Zendesk | US$138 a month (Suite Team) | US$345 a month (Suite Team) | US$690 a month (Suite Team) |
| Lime Connect | €105 a month (Pro) | No published plan fits | No published plan fits |

_List prices in the vendor's own currency, billed monthly where the vendor offers it, otherwise the annual-billing rate. AI usage, taxes and discounts are not included._

## How to choose

If you want to pay nothing, start with [tawk.to](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to): its free core documents unlimited agents and conversations, and you pay only for add-ons such as branding removal. Check the [free-plan audit](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/tools/free-plan-audit) before you rely on any other free tier.

If five people will answer chats and you want a fixed bill, compare per-workspace plans first. Crisp Essentials (US$95 a month) and Smartsupp Expert (€99 a month) cover five people at one price, while per-seat tools such as LiveChat multiply the seat price by five.

If AI answers matter more than the widget, compare billing units before prices. Intercom, Zendesk and HubSpot Live Chat bill per resolution, Freshchat per session, Tidio per conversation, and Crisp and tawk.to in credits; [how live chat vendors bill for AI](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/how-live-chat-vendors-bill-for-ai) explains what each unit counts.

If chat data has to stay in the EU, rule out tawk.to and Chatwoot Cloud, which both host in the United States, and read the [EU-hosted list](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/eu-hosted-live-chat): Crisp, Tidio and Lime Connect document EU storage on every plan, while Intercom and Zendesk offer it only on higher plans.

If you already run HubSpot CRM, [HubSpot Live Chat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/hubspot-live-chat) puts chats next to your contacts at no cost for 2 users; a free HubSpot account stops at 1,000 contacts.

## Verdict

**tawk.to** is the default pick: its free core documents unlimited agents, conversations and history, so a growing team never has to buy a seat. Ignore it if chat data must be stored in the EU (tawk.to stores it in the United States) or if you need a vendor-held SOC 2 report; [Freshchat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/freshchat) covers both and is the next pick.

## For buyers in the United Kingdom

Under [PECR regulation 6](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2426/regulation/6), as replaced on 5 February 2026, a chat widget must not store or read anything on a visitor's device without consent unless a listed exception applies, and none of the exceptions names live chat. The practical reading is to load the widget's non-essential cookies and local storage only after consent, or when the visitor clicks to open the chat. If the vendor is in the US, the UK-US data bridge covers the transfer only when the vendor's Data Privacy Framework certification includes the **UK Extension**; otherwise you need the IDTA or the UK Addendum. This is general information, not legal advice.

UK GDPR then governs the conversation itself. Tell visitors who receives the transcript and how long you keep it at the pre-chat form, not only in the footer, sign a written processor contract with the chat vendor, and set a retention period for transcripts. The order that commenced the new PECR rules also commenced new ICO enforcement powers on 5 February 2026; a law firm reports the maximum PECR fine is now £17.5 million or 4% of global annual turnover, a figure the ICO's own enforcement page had not yet confirmed on 18 September 2026.

A vendor's "EU data residency" is not UK residency. Of the products in our catalogue, only [Zendesk](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/zendesk) documents a UK hosting region, available on Suite Professional and above; the rest document EU, EEA, German or US hosting, which we compare in [EU-hosted live chat](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/eu-hosted-live-chat). The UK has no statute that makes you label a chatbot, but transparency duties still apply, and the EU AI Act's disclosure rule reaches bots that serve visitors in the EU.

[Live chat, privacy and the law in the United Kingdom](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/live-chat-privacy-and-the-law)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best free live chat software?

On documented limits, [tawk.to](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/reviews/tawk-to) offers the most: unlimited agents, conversations and history on its free core. Chatwoot, Crisp, HubSpot Live Chat and others also have free plans, with their caps listed in the [free-plan audit](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/tools/free-plan-audit) and on the [free live chat list](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/free-live-chat-software).

### Is per-seat or per-workspace pricing cheaper?

It depends on team size. Per-workspace plans such as Crisp Essentials charge one price for a block of seats, so the cost per person falls as the team grows. Per-seat plans such as LiveChat Team charge US$59 for every agent on monthly billing. See [per-seat vs per-workspace pricing](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/per-seat-vs-per-workspace-pricing).

### Did you test these live chat tools?

No. Every score here is read from vendor pricing pages, help-centre articles and legal pages. We have not installed or measured the widgets, and [how we review](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/how-we-review) lists the rule behind each score level.

### Which live chat tools include an AI chatbot?

Every product on this list sells an AI agent or assistant, but they bill in different units: resolutions, sessions, conversations or credits. The [live chat with AI chatbot list](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/live-chat-with-ai-chatbot) compares those units side by side.

### Why are some prices shown in euros?

Prices appear in the currency the vendor publishes. Smartsupp and Lime Connect price in euros; the other products on this list publish US dollar prices. No figure on this site is converted.

## Keep reading

- [Best free live chat software in 2026](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/free-live-chat-software)
- [Best live chat software for small business](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/live-chat-for-small-business)
- [Best live chat software for ecommerce](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/live-chat-for-ecommerce)
- [Best live chat software with an AI chatbot](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/live-chat-with-ai-chatbot)
- [Best live chat software with EU data hosting](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/eu-hosted-live-chat)
- [Is a free live chat plan enough for your team?](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/is-a-free-live-chat-plan-enough)
- [Per-seat vs per-workspace pricing: what your team size does to the bill](https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/guides/per-seat-vs-per-workspace-pricing)

## Sources

- [tawk.to pricing](https://www.tawk.to/pricing/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [tawk.to add-ons](https://www.tawk.to/add-ons/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Add-on pricing and key features](https://help.tawk.to/article/add-on-pricing-and-key-features) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Why is tawk.to free?](https://www.tawk.to/why-free/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [tawk.to live chat](https://www.tawk.to/products/live-chat/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [How to manage billing for AI Assist](https://help.tawk.to/article/how-to-manage-billing-for-ai-assist) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [How to add message credits (overages) to your AI Assist plan](https://help.tawk.to/article/how-to-add-message-credits-overages-to-your-ai-assist-plan) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [How to purchase tawk.to's Hired Agent service](https://help.tawk.to/article/how-to-purchase-tawktos-hired-agent-service) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Why do you need my personal data?](https://help.tawk.to/article/why-do-you-need-my-personal-data) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Data Processing Addendum](https://www.tawk.to/data-protection/dpa-data-processing-addendum/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Sub-processors](https://www.tawk.to/data-protection/sub-processors/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Data protection](https://www.tawk.to/data-protection/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [GDPR](https://www.tawk.to/data-protection/gdpr-2/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [What languages does tawk.to support?](https://help.tawk.to/article/what-languages-does-tawkto-support) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [An introduction to integrations in tawk.to](https://help.tawk.to/article/an-introduction-to-integrations-in-tawkto) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [How to add the tawk.to widget to your mobile application](https://help.tawk.to/article/how-to-add-the-tawkto-widget-to-your-mobile-application) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Viewing, deleting and exporting your chat history](https://help.tawk.to/article/viewing-deleting-and-exporting-your-chat-history) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [Q1 2026: omnichannel grows, automation expands and AI gets smarter](https://www.tawk.to/resources/blog/q1-2026-omnichannel-grows-automation-expands-and-ai-gets-smarter/) — tawk.to · 18 September 2026
- [tawk.to company profile](https://dealroom.co/companies/tawk-to/) — Dealroom · 18 September 2026
- [Shopify integration](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000002532-how-to-install-chat-widget-on-my-website-shopify-wordpress-etc-) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [WordPress plugin](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000004454-wordpress-integration) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshchat pricing](https://www.freshworks.com/live-chat-software/pricing/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freddy AI Agent and chatbot sessions FAQs](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000004664-freddy-ai-agent-and-chatbot-sessions-faqs) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Understanding Freddy AI features and pricing](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000009124-understanding-freddy-ai-features-and-pricing) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [How can I remove the Freshworks branding from the widget?](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000004487-how-can-i-remove-the-freshworks-branding-from-the-widget-) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Provide multilingual support to your customers](https://crmsupport.freshworks.com/support/solutions/articles/50000004403-provide-multilingual-support-to-your-customers) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Where are your data servers located?](https://support.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/235810-where-is-your-data-servers-located-) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshworks sub-processors](https://www.freshworks.com/privacy/sub-processor/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshworks Trust Center](https://trust.freshworks.com/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [What is Freshchat?](https://www.freshworks.com/products/what-is-freshchat/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshchat live chat software](https://www.freshworks.com/live-chat-software/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshchat developer documentation](https://developers.freshchat.com/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Freshworks announces winners of the 2026 Global Customer Awards](https://www.freshworks.com/pressrelease/freshworks-announces-winners-of-the-2026-global-customer-awards/) — Freshworks · 18 September 2026
- [Shopify integration](https://apps.shopify.com/hubspot-2) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [WordPress plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/leadin/) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Service Hub pricing](https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/service) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Service Hub Preise (hubspot.de)](https://www.hubspot.de/pricing/service) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [HubSpot Product & Services Catalog](https://legal.hubspot.com/hubspot-product-and-services-catalog) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Service Hub pricing (HubSpot blog)](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/hubspot-service-hub-pricing) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Service Hub product page](https://www.hubspot.com/products/service) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [HubSpot live chat](https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm/live-chat) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [AI customer service agent](https://www.hubspot.com/products/artificial-intelligence/ai-customer-service-agent) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Understand the customer agent](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/customer-agent/understand-the-customer-agent) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [HubSpot cloud infrastructure and data hosting FAQ](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/account-security/hubspot-cloud-infrastructure-and-data-hosting-frequently-asked-questions) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [HubSpot security](https://legal.hubspot.com/security) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Create and customize a mobile chatflow](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/chatflows/create-and-customize-a-mobile-chatflow) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Our story](https://www.hubspot.com/our-story) — HubSpot · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp pricing](https://crisp.chat/en/pricing/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Getting started with the Free plan](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/getting-started-with-the-free-plan-1rjhsh5/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Hugo pricing and billing explained](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/hugo-pricing-billing-explained-h78hkv/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [How to increase my limits and quotas](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/how-to-increase-my-limits-quotas-1tuarq7/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp EU GDPR compliance status](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/crisp-eu-gdpr-compliance-status-nhv54c/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp compliance status with SOC 2](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/crisp-compliance-status-with-soc2-1xet2vz/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp compliance with ISO 27001](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/crisp-compliance-with-iso-27001-10e05uc/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp sub-processors](https://crisp.chat/en/sub-processors/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [What languages are supported by Crisp](https://help.crisp.chat/en/article/what-languages-are-supported-by-crisp-1ivdmy2/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Chatbox SDKs](https://docs.crisp.chat/guides/chatbox-sdks/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [About Crisp](https://crisp.chat/en/about/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp live chat](https://crisp.chat/en/livechat/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Crisp AI Core Update (Hugo launch, AI replies become paid)](https://crisp.chat/en/blog/crisp-ai-core-update/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Summer 2026 Crisp product update](https://crisp.chat/en/blog/summer-2026-crisp-product-update/) — Crisp · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot Cloud pricing](https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot self-hosted plans](https://www.chatwoot.com/pricing/self-hosted-plans) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [How AI credits work in Captain](https://www.chatwoot.com/hc/user-guide/articles/1765223602-how-ai-credits-work-in-captain) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Captain AI credits and billing](https://www.chatwoot.com/blog/captain-ai-credits-and-billing) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Fair use policy](https://www.chatwoot.com/fair-use-policy) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot security](https://www.chatwoot.com/security) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot home page](https://www.chatwoot.com/) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot for enterprise](https://www.chatwoot.com/solutions/size/enterprise) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot integrations](https://www.chatwoot.com/features/integrations) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot changelog](https://www.chatwoot.com/changelog) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot handbook: company](https://www.chatwoot.com/hc/handbook/en/categories/company) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Chatwoot LICENSE](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chatwoot/chatwoot/develop/LICENSE) — Chatwoot · 18 September 2026
- [Smartsupp pricing](https://www.smartsupp.com/pricing/) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [Can I remove the chat box logo?](https://help.smartsupp.com/en_US/faq/can-remove-chat-box-logo) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [Data privacy and GDPR](https://help.smartsupp.com/en/articles/12647741-data-privacy-gdpr) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [AI shopping assistant FAQ](https://help.smartsupp.com/ai-shopping-assistant-faq) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [Smartsupp integrations](https://www.smartsupp.com/integrations/) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [About Smartsupp](https://www.smartsupp.com/about/) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [Smartsupp product updates](https://www.smartsupp.com/product-updates/) — Smartsupp · 18 September 2026
- [Introducing Abugo](https://www.abugo.com/news/introducing-abugo-make-commerce-simple) — ABUGO Group · 18 September 2026
- [Tidio pricing](https://www.tidio.com/pricing/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Lyro AI Agent](https://www.tidio.com/ai-agent/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [About Tidio](https://www.tidio.com/about/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [The free version and downgrading your account](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5423925248412-The-free-version-and-downgrading-your-account) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [The monthly conversations limit](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/11874534946460-The-monthly-conversations-limit) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [The Lyro AI agent limit](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/13924459295900-The-Lyro-AI-agent-limit) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [The monthly flow limit](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5454293485596-The-monthly-flow-limit) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Automatic upgrades](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/13590446473372-Automatic-upgrades) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Chat history](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5463122747036-Chat-history) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Change and add languages in your chat widget](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5444549160476-Change-and-add-Languages-in-your-Chat-Widget) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Lyro multilanguage support](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/12643043611036-Lyro-Multilanguage-support) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Privacy Policy and GDPR compliance](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5462910440220-Privacy-Policy-and-GDPR-Compliance) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [How are security matters handled at Tidio](https://help.tidio.com/hc/en-us/articles/5463064556828-How-are-security-matters-handled-at-Tidio) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Tidio trust centre](https://trust.tidio.com/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Tidio integrations](https://www.tidio.com/integrations/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [Tidio mobile SDK](https://www.tidio.com/mobile-sdk/) — Tidio · 18 September 2026
- [WooCommerce integration](https://www.livechat.com/marketplace/apps/woocommerce/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [LiveChat pricing](https://www.livechat.com/pricing/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [Text pricing (plans with the AI Agent)](https://www.text.com/pricing/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [ChatBot.com pricing](https://www.chatbot.com/pricing/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [Pay-per-agent pricing model](https://www.livechat.com/help/pricing-model-update/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [LiveChat subscription policy](https://www.livechat.com/help/livechat-subscription-policy/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [Data storage policy](https://www.livechat.com/legal/data-storage-policy/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [Data Processing Addendum](https://www.livechat.com/legal/data-processing-addendum/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [List of sub-processors](https://www.livechat.com/help/livechat-list-of-subprocessors/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [How to change the chat widget language](https://www.livechat.com/help/how-to-modify-chat-window-language/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [LiveChat Marketplace](https://www.livechat.com/marketplace/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [LiveChat features](https://www.livechat.com/features/) — Text · 18 September 2026
- [Shopify integration](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/16188-install-the-shopify-app) — Fin (Intercom) · 18 September 2026
- [WordPress plugin](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/173-install-intercom-on-your-wordpress-site) — Fin (Intercom) · 18 September 2026
- [Intercom pricing](https://www.intercom.com/pricing) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Fin pricing](https://fin.ai/pricing) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Fin AI Agent outcomes](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8205718-fin-ai-agent-outcomes) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Your workspace settings](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/15432088-your-workspace-settings) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Early Stage program](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/9361928-early-stage-program) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Usage-based channels](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/9061703-usage-based-channels) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Regional data hosting](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/6124430-regional-data-hosting) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [How data is hosted and processed in Intercom](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/8106177-how-data-is-hosted-and-processed-in-intercom) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Intercom security](https://www.intercom.com/security) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Localize the Messenger to work with multiple languages](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/180-localize-the-messenger-to-work-with-multiple-languages) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Use Intercom in your preferred language](https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/7035581-use-intercom-in-your-preferred-language) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Omnichannel helpdesk](https://www.intercom.com/suite/helpdesk/omnichannel) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Intercom live chat](https://www.intercom.com/live-chat) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Installing Intercom](https://developers.intercom.com/installing-intercom) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [About Fin](https://fin.ai/about) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Today, Intercom becomes Fin](https://www.intercom.com/blog/today-intercom-becomes-fin/) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Salesforce signs definitive agreement to acquire Fin](https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2026/06/15/salesforce-signs-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-fin/) — Salesforce · 18 September 2026
- [Salesforce completes acquisition of Fin](https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2026/09/10/salesforce-completes-acquisition-of-fin/) — Salesforce · 18 September 2026
- [Lightspeed customer story](https://fin.ai/customers/lightspeed) — Fin · 18 September 2026
- [Intercom on the Vendr marketplace](https://www.vendr.com/marketplace/intercom) — Vendr · 18 September 2026
- [Shopify integration](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408820093850-Setting-up-the-Shopify-integration-for-Support-and-Chat) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [WordPress plugin](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408886694810-Setting-up-and-using-the-Zendesk-Support-for-WordPress-plugin) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk pricing](https://www.zendesk.com/pricing/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk free trial](https://www.zendesk.com/free-trial/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [About automated resolutions for AI agents](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5352026794010-About-automated-resolutions-for-AI-agents) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [About automated resolution tiers](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9570369117338-About-automated-resolution-tiers) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Announcing expanded access to AI agent capabilities for all Zendesk customers](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10487730059034-Announcing-expanded-access-to-AI-agent-capabilities-for-all-Zendesk-customers) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [About the Data Center Location add-on](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408838409754-About-the-Data-Center-Location-add-on) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Regional Data Hosting Policy](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408883599130-Regional-Data-Hosting-Policy) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Messaging vs live chat: which is right for you?](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408834108186-Messaging-vs-live-chat-Which-is-right-for-you-) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [About Zendesk Chat plan types (legacy)](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408839327642-About-Zendesk-Chat-plan-types) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk Trust Center](https://www.zendesk.com/trust-center/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk live chat](https://www.zendesk.com/service/messaging/live-chat/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk AI agents](https://www.zendesk.com/service/ai/ai-agents/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk Copilot](https://www.zendesk.com/service/ai/copilot/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk for Startups](https://www.zendesk.com/startups/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Hello Sugar customer story](https://www.zendesk.com/customer/hello-sugar/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk completes acquisition of Forethought](https://www.zendesk.com/newsroom/press-releases/zendesk-completes-acquisition-of-forethought/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Consortium led by Hellman & Friedman and Permira completes acquisition of Zendesk](https://www.permira.com/news-and-insights/announcements/consortium-led-by-hellman-friedman-and-permira-completes-acquisition-of-zendesk) — Permira · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk press](https://www.zendesk.com/company/press/) — Zendesk · 18 September 2026
- [Zendesk on the Vendr marketplace](https://www.vendr.com/marketplace/zendesk) — Vendr · 18 September 2026
- [Lime Connect pricing](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/pricing/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Lime Connect home page](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Data privacy](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/products/data-privacy/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [AI automation](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/products/ai-automation/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Lime Connect integrations](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/integrations/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Multilingual chat support](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/blog/multilingual-chat-support/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Userlike is now Lime Connect](https://docs.lime-connect.com/userlike-is-now-lime-connect) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Userlike becomes Lime Connect](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/blog/userlike-rebranding-lime-connect/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026
- [Userlike joins Lime Technologies](https://connect.lime-technologies.com/en/blog/userlike-lime/) — Lime Technologies · 18 September 2026

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Canonical: https://live-chat.reviews/en-gb/best/live-chat-software