Best Live chat software for 2026

Lets website visitors chat with support or sales staff in real time through an embedded widget. Below: the names buyers expect to see, the newer tools gaining ground, and how their key features and prices compare. How we pick; nobody pays for a place here.

Feature LiveChat Category leader Olark Category leader tawk.to Category leader Chatway Rising Crisp
Pricing$19 per user / month$29/agent/monthFree plan
$29/month
Free plan
$31/month
Free plan
$45 per month (Mini)
Best forSupport and sales teams of 5 to 100 agents that want a per-agent-priced chat widget with reporting.Small to mid-size sales and support teams that want agent-priced live chat with HubSpot or Salesforce lead capture.Small businesses and solo operators that want free live chat and can accept vendor branding on the widget.Small websites and online stores with 1 to 10 agents that want a free-to-start chat widget with Shopify or WordPress installs.Small businesses of 1 to 20 agents adding website live chat and a shared inbox on a budget under about $100 a month.
Team size2–500+ people2–500+ people1–500 people1–50 people1–50 people
Website chat widget YesYesYesYesYes
Chat routing YesYesYesYesYes
Visitor tracking YesYesYesYesYes
Canned responses YesYesYesYesYes
Offline messages YesYesNot listedNot listedNot listed
Chat transcripts YesYesYesNot listedYes
VisitVisit Visit Visit Visit Visit

The best-known live chat tools: the ones most buyers shortlist.

Live chat Category leader

LiveChat

$19 per user / month 2–500+ people

Live chat and AI agent software for support and sales teams

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Chat routing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Canned responses
  • Offline messages
  • Chat transcripts

Live chat Category leader

Olark

$29/agent/month 2–500+ people

Live chat with an optional AI website agent

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Chat routing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Canned responses
  • Offline messages
  • Chat transcripts

Live chat Category leader

tawk.to

Free plan· $29/month 1–500 people

Free live chat with paid branding removal and AI add-ons

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Chat routing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Canned responses
  • Chat transcripts

Newer tools with real traction and a clear difference from the leaders.

Live chat Rising

Chatway

Free plan· $31/month 1–50 people

Live chat widget with free plan, apps and an AI support agent

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Chat routing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Canned responses

Live chat

Crisp

Free plan· $45 per month (Mini) 1–50 people

Live chat and shared inbox for small teams

Key features

  • Website chat widget
  • Chat routing
  • Visitor tracking
  • Canned responses
  • Chat transcripts

Browse and filter all live chat software