1 · Best overall
LiveChat
For most teams that want pricing they can predict.
Starts at $19 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly). You know the cost upfront, and the 14-day trial doesn't ask for a credit card.
Visit LiveChatComparison guide
LiveChat is the best live chat software overall. Essential is $19 per user a month if you pay yearly ($25 month to month), the maths is easy to follow, and you can try it for 14 days without putting a card down.
The tricky part is that a headline price rarely means the same thing twice. One tool's $19 is per agent. Another's is for the whole workspace. A third starts low and climbs with every conversation you have. So instead of lining up homepage numbers, this page works out what each tool actually costs a team like yours.
Short on time? These are the three we'd look at first, and why. The full pricing, pros and cons, and the catches for all seven tools are further down.
LiveChat links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one, this site earns a commission at no extra cost to you. That does not change the picks, and the picker on this page often points to a tool other than LiveChat.
For most teams that want pricing they can predict.
Starts at $19 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly). You know the cost upfront, and the 14-day trial doesn't ask for a credit card.
Visit LiveChatFor small teams that want one flat bill for the whole workspace.
Free $0, then Mini $45 per workspace per month. Adding people doesn't push the bill up until you hit your plan's seat limit, and there's a free tier to start on.
Visit CrispFor larger teams that need the Advanced or Expert tiers.
Starts at $19 per seat per month billed annually for new customers. The higher tiers suit bigger support teams, just budget for the Fin AI Agent too: $0.99 per outcome, on top of the seat price.
Visit IntercomFour questions. One pick and one runner-up at the end. It works on team size and price, using the prices on this page.
Our interactive picker asks 4 simple questions to recommend your best pick, plus a runner-up if that first one doesn't fit. It weighs your answers together, so the pick isn't decided by any single answer. It uses the same pricing as the rest of this page, checked October 27, 2026.
Most roundups skip this part. They shouldn't, because the pricing model changes what you'll actually pay more than the headline price does.
Every person who chats costs another seat. Simple to start, expensive as the team grows.
LiveChat · Intercom · Zendesk · Freshchat · Zoho SalesIQ
One price for the workspace, with a seat limit per plan. Adding agents does not raise the bill until you cross that limit.
Crisp
Priced by how many billable conversations you have, not by headcount. Cheap when quiet, harder to predict when busy.
Tidio
If you read nothing else, read this. Everything below is the detail behind these five lines.
Straightforward per user pricing, a 14-day trial with no credit card, and no add-on needed to know your starting cost.
One workspace price instead of a charge per agent. Best value pattern for a small team that chats a lot.
Crisp free is $0 forever for 2 seats with no limit on conversations. Tidio free covers 50 billable conversations a month.
Seat prices start at $19, but the Fin AI Agent adds $0.99 per outcome on top, on every helpdesk plan.
The $19 plan does not include live chat at all. Live chat starts at $55 per agent per month, billed annually.
Slide to your team size and watch the bills separate. These are each tool's entry paid plan, on yearly billing where the vendor publishes it. Crisp is the exception: it doesn't show annual pricing publicly, so it's monthly here.
LiveChat Essential at $19 per user per month billed annually. Intercom Essential at $19 per seat per month billed annually for new customers, before any Fin AI Agent outcome charges. Zendesk Suite Team at $55 per agent per month billed annually, the first Zendesk plan that includes live chat. Tidio Starter at $24.17 per month billed annually for 100 billable conversations, with 10 seats on self-serve plans, so headcount is not the driver. Crisp picks the cheapest plan that fits your seat count: Free for 2 seats, Mini $45 for 4 seats, Essentials $95 for 10 seats, Plus $295 for 20 or more seats.
The same maths as the calculator, in a plain table you can scan or save. Billed annually unless noted. Per agent tools multiply by team size; flat and volume based tools don't work that way, so they're set out separately under the per agent rows.
| Plan, billed annually | 1 agent | 3 agents | 5 agents | 10 agents | 20 agents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveChat Essential$19 per user per month | $19 / mo | $57 / mo | $95 / mo | $190 / mo | $380 / mo |
| LiveChat Growth$79 per user per month | $79 / mo | $237 / mo | $395 / mo | $790 / mo | $1,580 / mo |
| Intercom Essential$19 per seat per month, new customers, Fin excluded | $19 / mo | $57 / mo | $95 / mo | $190 / mo | $380 / mo |
| Intercom Advanced$85 per seat per month, Fin excluded | $85 / mo | $255 / mo | $425 / mo | $850 / mo | $1,700 / mo |
| Zendesk Suite Team$55 per agent per month, annual only, monthly not published | $55 / mo | $165 / mo | $275 / mo | $550 / mo | $1,100 / mo |
| Zendesk Suite Professional$115 per agent per month, annual only, monthly not published | $115 / mo | $345 / mo | $575 / mo | $1,150 / mo | $2,300 / mo |
| Freshchat Growth$19 per agent per month, billed annually, monthly not shown | $19 / mo | $57 / mo | $95 / mo | $190 / mo | $380 / mo |
| Freshchat Pro$49 per agent per month, billed annually, monthly not shown | $49 / mo | $147 / mo | $245 / mo | $490 / mo | $980 / mo |
| Freshchat Enterprise$79 per agent per month, billed annually, monthly not shown | $79 / mo | $237 / mo | $395 / mo | $790 / mo | $1,580 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Basic, annual$7 per operator per month, billed annually | $7 / mo | $21 / mo | $35 / mo | $70 / mo | $140 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Professional, annual$12.75 per operator per month, billed annually | $12.75 / mo | $38.25 / mo | $63.75 / mo | $127.50 / mo | $255 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Enterprise, annual$20 per operator per month, billed annually | $20 / mo | $60 / mo | $100 / mo | $200 / mo | $400 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Basic, monthly$10 per operator per month, billed monthly | $10 / mo | $30 / mo | $50 / mo | $100 / mo | $200 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Professional, monthly$17 per operator per month, billed monthly | $17 / mo | $51 / mo | $85 / mo | $170 / mo | $340 / mo |
| Zoho SalesIQ Enterprise, monthly$25 per operator per month, billed monthly | $25 / mo | $75 / mo | $125 / mo | $250 / mo | $500 / mo |
| Crisp, flat per workspaceNot per agent. Monthly pricing, annual not shown publicly | Free $0 (2 seats) | Mini $45 (4 seats) | Essentials $95 (10 seats) | Essentials $95 (10 seats) | Plus $295 (20+ seats) |
| Tidio, priced by conversation volume, not agents. Free $0 for 50 conversations. Starter $24.17 per month billed annually for 100 conversations. Growth from $49.17 per month billed annually for 250 or more conversations. Because Tidio is not priced per agent, it does not belong in the per agent columns above. | |||||
Monthly billing equivalents. LiveChat Essential at $25 per user billed monthly: $25 for 1, $75 for 3, $125 for 5, $250 for 10, $500 for 20 per month. LiveChat Growth at $99 per user billed monthly: $99, $297, $495, $990, $1,980. Intercom Essential at $29 per seat billed monthly for new customers: $29, $87, $145, $290, $580. Intercom Advanced at $99 per seat billed monthly: $99, $297, $495, $990, $1,980. Zendesk is shown on annual billing only because Zendesk monthly prices are not published. Intercom figures exclude Fin AI Agent charges at $0.99 per outcome.
Three of them do: Crisp, Tidio, and Freshchat. LiveChat, Intercom, and Zendesk don't have a free plan at all, just trials. But the free plans limit different things, and that's the part worth reading.
2 seats, unlimited conversations. Crisp Free is $0 forever for 2 seats with no limit on conversations.
A good fit for a small site with a couple of agents and steady chat: there's no conversation cap waiting to cut you off mid-month.
50 billable conversations per month, up to 10 seats on self-serve plans. Tidio Free is $0 for 50 billable conversations per month.
Better suited to the opposite setup: plenty of people who might chat, but not many chats. Seats aren't the limit here. Conversations are.
Up to 10 agents, with a chat widget and a shared inbox. Freshchat Free is $0 for up to 10 agents, including a chat widget on web and mobile apps, a shared inbox, email connection, and roles and permissions.
The pick if you're a team of up to 10 and mainly want a shared inbox without paying for one. Here it's the seat count that caps you, not the number of conversations.
All prices are US pricing, taken from each vendor's own pricing page on October 27, 2026, and every price says whether it's annual or monthly billing. That distinction matters: line up one tool's yearly price against another's monthly price and you'll reach the wrong answer.
| Tool | Pricing model | Entry paid price | Next plan up | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveChatBranded Text by LiveChat | Per user | Essential $19per user / mo, billed annually$25 billed monthly | Growth $79per user / mo, billed annually$99 billed monthly | No | 14 days, no credit card required |
| Intercom | Per seat, plus AI outcomes | Essential $19per seat / mo, billed annually, new customers (list $29)$29 billed monthly, new customers (list $39) | Advanced $85per seat / mo, billed annually$99 billed monthly | No | 14 days, no card |
| Zendesk | Per agent | Suite Team $55per agent / mo, billed annuallyFirst plan with live chat | Suite Professional $115per agent / mo, billed annually | No | 14 days, defaults to Suite Professional |
| Tidio | Per workspace, by conversation volume | Starter $24.17per mo, billed annually100 billable conversations, 10 seats | Growth from $49.17per mo, billed annuallyFrom 250 conversations | Yes, $0, 50 conversations | 7 days on paid plans |
| Crisp | Flat, per workspace | Mini $45per workspace / mo, monthly4 seats | Essentials $95per workspace / mo, monthly10 seats | Yes, $0 forever, 2 seats | 14 days, any plan |
| FreshchatFrom Freshworks | Per agent | Growth $19per agent / mo, billed annuallyMonthly prices not shown, unverified | Pro $49per agent / mo, billed annuallyMost popular | Yes, $0, up to 10 agents | 14 days, starts on Enterprise |
| Zoho SalesIQ | Per operator | Basic $7per operator / mo, billed annually$10 billed monthlyLocal taxes extra | Professional $12.75per operator / mo, billed annually$17 billed monthly | Yes, $0, 3 operators | 15 days, no credit card required |
Zendesk monthly prices are not published on its pricing page, so Zendesk is shown on annual billing only. Tidio monthly prices are unverified, so Tidio is shown on annual billing only. Crisp annual pricing is not shown publicly, so Crisp is shown on monthly pricing only. Freshchat monthly prices are unverified, so Freshchat is shown on annual billing only.
Our featured pick. The pricing is the easiest to follow in this group, and the trial doesn't ask for a card.
LiveChat costs $19 per user per month when billed annually.
LiveChat Essential costs $19 per user per month billed annually, or $25 billed monthly. LiveChat Growth costs $79 per user per month billed annually, or $99 billed monthly.
Yes. LiveChat is priced per user per month, so the bill rises with team size. At Essential annual pricing, 5 users cost $95 per month and 10 users cost $190 per month.
At first glance it looks priced just like LiveChat. Then the AI charges show up.
Intercom costs $19 per seat per month when billed annually for new customers, plus $0.99 per Fin AI Agent outcome.
Yes. Intercom is priced per seat per month, plus Fin AI Agent charges at $0.99 per outcome on all helpdesk plans.
A name everyone knows, and the easiest pricing trap on this page.
Zendesk live chat costs $55 per agent per month when billed annually on Suite Team.
No. Zendesk Support Team at $19 per agent per month billed annually has no live chat. Live chat starts at Suite Team at $55 per agent per month billed annually.
The odd one out here: it doesn't charge per agent at all.
Tidio costs $24.17 per month billed annually for Starter with 100 billable conversations, and Tidio is priced by conversation volume, not per agent.
No. Tidio does not charge per agent. Tidio is priced per workspace by billable conversation volume, with 10 seats on self-serve plans.
One flat price per workspace. Simple, as long as your team fits inside a plan's seat limit.
Crisp costs $45 per workspace per month for Mini with 4 seats, and Crisp is priced flat per workspace, not per agent.
No. Crisp does not charge per agent. Crisp charges flat per workspace, with a seat limit on each plan.
Freshworks' entry in this list, and the strongest free plan of the lot.
Freshchat costs $19 per agent per month when billed annually.
Freshchat Growth costs $19 per agent per month billed annually, Pro costs $49 per agent per month billed annually, and Enterprise costs $79 per agent per month billed annually. Pro is the most popular plan. Monthly prices are unverified, so this guide shows annual billing only for Freshchat.
Yes. Freshchat Free is $0 for up to 10 agents, including a chat widget on web and mobile apps, a shared inbox, email connection, and roles and permissions.
Nothing paid on this page starts cheaper. The catch is in the limits.
Zoho SalesIQ costs $7 per operator per month when billed annually.
On monthly billing, Basic costs $10 per operator per month, Professional costs $17, and Enterprise costs $25. On yearly billing, Basic costs $7 per operator per month billed annually, Professional costs $12.75, and Enterprise costs $20, and the yearly option is labelled "2+ months free" on the pricing page.
Yes. Zoho SalesIQ Free is $0, with 3 operator licenses, visitor insights for 10,000 visitors per month, 100 operator chat sessions, and 3 profiles.
Olark plays in a different league on price. Its AI Website Agent is $400 a month billed annually ($4,800 a year), which includes one human agent seat; extra human agents are $29 per agent per month, and Olark's page doesn't say what billing period that add-on uses. Human-only chat without the AI is $29 per agent per month, billing period also unstated.
There's no free plan that we could find. The trial is 14 days with no credit card required, and AI conversations are unlimited with no token costs. It's AI-first and priced well above everything above it, so it would distort the tables rather than inform them. That's why it's mentioned here instead. Visit Olark
It mostly comes down to two things: how many of you there are, and how much you want to spend. Here's how that plays out.
Start with Crisp Free ($0 forever, 2 seats, no limit on conversations) or Tidio Free ($0, 50 billable conversations). Choose Crisp if you expect more than 50 conversations, Tidio if you want to test a volume based model.
Crisp Mini at $45 per month for the whole workspace is hard to beat on price alone. On per agent pricing, 4 LiveChat Essential users billed annually cost $76 a month, and 4 Intercom Essential seats cost the same before Fin charges.
This is where the models split. Crisp Essentials is $95 total for up to 10 seats. LiveChat Essential is $95 a month for 5 users and $190 for 10, billed annually. Tidio depends on conversations, not headcount, starting at $24.17 a month billed annually for 100 conversations.
Per agent costs add up fast. At 10 agents, Zendesk Suite Team is $550 a month billed annually, Intercom Essential is $190 a month billed annually before Fin charges, and Intercom Advanced is $850 a month billed annually if you need that tier. Get quotes, check seat limits on flat plans like Crisp Plus at $295 for 20 or more seats, and model Tidio on your real conversation count.
Steer clear of anything priced by volume or outcome. With Tidio, and with Intercom's Fin at $0.99 per outcome, your busiest month is automatically your most expensive one. A flat or per agent plan at least lets you see the bill coming.
Budget from Suite Team at $55 per agent per month billed annually if you need live chat. Do not budget from the $19 Support Team price, because that plan does not include live chat or messaging.
LiveChat is the best live chat software overall. LiveChat Essential starts at $19 per user per month billed annually ($25 billed monthly), its per agent pricing is predictable, and it offers a 14-day trial with no credit card required. Crisp is the best value pick on flat pricing with a free tier, and Intercom suits larger teams if you budget for Fin AI Agent charges at $0.99 per outcome.
LiveChat Essential costs $19 per user per month billed annually, or $25 per user per month billed monthly. LiveChat Growth costs $79 per user per month billed annually, or $99 per user per month billed monthly. Enterprise pricing is custom, with no public per user price shown.
Crisp, Tidio, and Freshchat are free. Crisp Free is $0 forever for 2 seats with no limit on conversations. Tidio Free is $0 for 50 billable conversations per month, with up to 10 seats on self-serve plans. Freshchat Free is $0 for up to 10 agents, with a chat widget on web and mobile apps, a shared inbox, email connection, and roles and permissions. LiveChat, Intercom, and Zendesk have no free plan, only trials.
No. Zendesk Support Team at $19 per agent per month billed annually does not include live chat. Live chat starts at Zendesk Suite Team at $55 per agent per month billed annually, and Suite Professional costs $115 per agent per month billed annually.
Yes. LiveChat is priced per user per month. Essential is $19 per user per month billed annually and Growth is $79 per user per month billed annually, so 5 Essential users cost $95 per month and 10 cost $190 per month on annual billing.
Yes. Intercom is priced per seat per month, plus Fin AI Agent charges at $0.99 per outcome. Intercom Essential is $19 per seat per month billed annually for new customers, or $29 billed monthly for new customers. Intercom Advanced is $85 per seat per month billed annually, or $99 billed monthly.
Zoho SalesIQ Basic is the cheapest paid option per operator, at $7 per operator per month billed annually. Crisp is the cheapest flat workspace option: Crisp Free is $0 forever for 2 seats, Crisp Mini is $45 per workspace per month for 4 seats, and Crisp Essentials is $95 per workspace per month for up to 10 seats. Tidio Free and Freshchat Free are also $0.
For 5 agents, LiveChat Essential costs $95 per month billed annually. Intercom Essential costs $95 per month billed annually for 5 seats, plus Fin charges. Zendesk Suite Team costs $275 per month billed annually for 5 agents. Crisp Essentials costs $95 per month flat for up to 10 seats. Tidio is priced by conversation volume, not by agents.
No. Tidio does not charge per agent. Tidio is priced per workspace by billable conversation volume: Free is $0 for 50 conversations, Starter is $24.17 per month billed annually for 100 conversations, and Growth is from $49.17 per month billed annually for 250 or more conversations. Self-serve plans include 10 seats.
No. Crisp does not charge per agent. Crisp charges flat per workspace: Free is $0 forever for 2 seats, Mini is $45 per month for 4 seats, Essentials is $95 per month for 10 seats, and Plus is $295 per month for 20 or more seats.
Yes. Freshchat Free is $0 for up to 10 agents, with a chat widget on web and mobile apps, a shared inbox, email connection, and roles and permissions. Paid plans start at Growth, $19 per agent per month billed annually.
Zoho SalesIQ Basic, at $7 per operator per month billed annually. Basic is $10 per operator per month billed monthly. The price applies within Basic limits of 50,000 visitors per month and 1,000 operator chat sessions, and local taxes such as VAT and GST are charged in addition to the prices shown.
Don't take our word for it. Every price on this page links to the vendor page it came from, so you can check it yourself.
We took each price from the vendor's own pricing page on October 27, 2026. The box below links to all eight pages. If a price here doesn't match the vendor's page, the vendor's page is right and ours is out of date.
Zendesk doesn't publish monthly prices. We couldn't confirm monthly prices for Freshchat or Tidio. Crisp doesn't show annual pricing. We didn't guess any of them. This page marks them as not published or unverified and leaves them out. A gap beats a made-up number.
No vendor paid for placement. LiveChat links on this page are affiliate links. Every other vendor's links are plain links to vendor homepages, not affiliate links.
This is a pricing comparison, not a hands-on review. We haven't collected user ratings. There are no star scores and no testimonials. When a tool looks bad here, like Zendesk's $19 plan having no chat, that's because its own pricing page says so.