NERDY PICKS · CUSTOMER SUPPORT CHAT
Best Customer Support Chat tools
Answer customer questions automatically on your site or inbox.
Prices checked Oct 26, 2026
Which customer support chat tool should I start with?
If you want free, start with Tidio, Crisp, Help Scout. Answer customer questions automatically on your site or inbox. Below you'll find 22 tools with what each one does, the free plan and the cheapest solo plan in US dollars, checked Oct 26, 2026.
| Tool | What it does | Free plan | Paid from | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercom | Customer service platform with live chat, a shared inbox and an AI agent that answers customers. | Unclear | Essential: US$29/month (promo), or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year) (promo) | Nov 1, 2026 |
| Zendesk | Well-known help desk for email, chat and phone tickets, with a help center and AI agents. | Unclear | Support Team: US$25/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Tidio | Live chat and AI chatbot for small online stores and websites. | Yes | Starter: US$29/month, or US$24.17/month on a yearly plan (US$290/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Crisp | Website chat and shared inbox for small teams, with chatbot and AI add-ons. | Yes | Mini: US$45/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Freshdesk | Help desk that turns emails, chats and calls into tickets your team can track. | No | Growth: US$23/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Help Scout | Simple shared inbox and help center for answering customer emails as a team. | Yes | Standard: US$30/month, or US$25/month on a yearly plan (US$300/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| LiveChat | Dedicated live chat software for sales and support teams. | Unclear | Essential: US$25/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Chatbase | Builds an AI chatbot trained on your own website and documents. | No | Hobby: US$40/month, or US$32/month on a yearly plan (US$384/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| tawk.to | Free live chat, ticketing and help center; you pay only for optional add-ons. | Yes | Remove branding add-on: US$29/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Botpress | Visual builder for AI chat agents you can put on your site, WhatsApp and other channels. | Yes | Plus: US$189/month, or US$150/month on a yearly plan (US$1,800/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| HubSpot Service Hub | HubSpot's customer service tools: tickets, live chat and a help desk tied to the CRM. | Yes | Starter: US$10/month (promo), or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year) (promo) | Oct 30, 2026 |
| Landbot | No-code chatbot builder for websites and WhatsApp, often used to capture leads. | Yes | Starter: US$45/month, or US$36/month on a yearly plan (US$432/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Manychat | Automates replies and sales chats in Instagram DMs, Messenger and WhatsApp. | Yes | Essential: US$17/month, or US$14/month on a yearly plan (US$168/year) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Chatfuel | Chatbot builder for Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. | No | Business: US$20/month, or US$18/month on a yearly plan (US$216/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Re:amaze | Help desk and live chat built for online stores, with order info next to each chat. | No | Basic: US$29/month, or US$26.10/month on a yearly plan | Oct 26, 2026 |
| LiveAgent | Help desk that combines email, live chat, calls and social messages in one inbox. | No | Starter: US$19/month, or US$15/month on a yearly plan (US$180/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Front | Shared inbox that lets a team answer customer emails and chats together. | No | Starter: US$35/month, or US$25/month on a yearly plan (US$300/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Olark | Simple live chat for websites, with an optional AI agent. | No | Live Chat: US$29/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Smartsupp | Website live chat with AI reply help, aimed at online shops. | Yes | Solo: US$24/month, or US$17/month on a yearly plan (US$204/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| JivoChat | Live chat for websites that also brings in messages from WhatsApp and social apps. | Yes | Basic: US$40/month, or US$28/month on a yearly plan (US$336/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Zoho Desk | Help desk software for tracking and answering customer tickets. | Unclear | Express: US$9/month, or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Gorgias | Help desk built for online stores, priced by tickets rather than agents. | Unclear | Starter: US$10/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
All 22 tools
Intercom
Customer service platform with live chat, a shared inbox and an AI agent that answers customers.
Free plan: Unclear: Free plan or trial not confirmed.
Paid from: Essential: US$29/month (promo), or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year) (promo)
Discounts: New-customer discount on Essential: 25% monthly, 35% annual.
Cheaper or similar: Crisp, Tidio, Help Scout
Checked Nov 1, 2026
Zendesk
Well-known help desk for email, chat and phone tickets, with a help center and AI agents.
Free plan: Unclear: Free plan or trial not confirmed.
Paid from: Support Team: US$25/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year)
Cheaper or similar: Freshdesk, Help Scout
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Tidio
Live chat and AI chatbot for small online stores and websites.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan with limited conversations.
Paid from: Starter: US$29/month, or US$24.17/month on a yearly plan (US$290/year)
Discounts: Annual billing = 2 months free.
Cheaper or similar: Crisp, tawk.to, Landbot
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Crisp
Website chat and shared inbox for small teams, with chatbot and AI add-ons.
Free plan: Yes: Free forever plan for 2 seats.
Paid from: Mini: US$45/month
Cheaper or similar: tawk.to, Tidio
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Freshdesk
Help desk that turns emails, chats and calls into tickets your team can track.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Growth: US$23/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year)
Discounts: Save with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Help Scout, Zendesk
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Help Scout
Simple shared inbox and help center for answering customer emails as a team.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan for up to 5 users.
Paid from: Standard: US$30/month, or US$25/month on a yearly plan (US$300/year)
Cheaper or similar: Freshdesk, Re:amaze
Checked Oct 26, 2026
LiveChat
Dedicated live chat software for sales and support teams.
Free plan: Unclear: Free plan or trial not confirmed.
Paid from: Essential: US$25/month, or US$19/month on a yearly plan (US$228/year)
Discounts: Save with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Tidio, Crisp
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Chatbase
Builds an AI chatbot trained on your own website and documents.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Hobby: US$40/month, or US$32/month on a yearly plan (US$384/year)
Discounts: Save $96 per year on annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Botpress, Tidio
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
tawk.to
Free live chat, ticketing and help center; you pay only for optional add-ons.
Free plan: Yes: Core live chat is free forever.
Paid from: Remove branding add-on: US$29/month
Cheaper or similar: Crisp, Tidio
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Botpress
Visual builder for AI chat agents you can put on your site, WhatsApp and other channels.
Free plan: Yes: Free $0 plan with usage-based AI spend.
Paid from: Plus: US$189/month, or US$150/month on a yearly plan (US$1,800/year)
Discounts: Save with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Landbot, Chatbase
Checked Oct 26, 2026
HubSpot Service Hub
HubSpot's customer service tools: tickets, live chat and a help desk tied to the CRM.
Free plan: Yes: Free tools at $0.
Paid from: Starter: US$10/month (promo), or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year) (promo)
Discounts: Special Starter pricing for new customers (limited time, no end date stated); regular price US$20/seat/month.
Cheaper or similar: Freshdesk, Help Scout
Checked Oct 30, 2026
Landbot
No-code chatbot builder for websites and WhatsApp, often used to capture leads.
Free plan: Yes: Free forever plan.
Paid from: Starter: US$45/month, or US$36/month on a yearly plan (US$432/year)
Discounts: Save with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Botpress, Manychat
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Manychat
Automates replies and sales chats in Instagram DMs, Messenger and WhatsApp.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan.
Paid from: Essential: US$17/month, or US$14/month on a yearly plan (US$168/year)
Cheaper or similar: Chatfuel, Landbot
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Chatfuel
Chatbot builder for Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Business: US$20/month, or US$18/month on a yearly plan (US$216/year)
Cheaper or similar: Manychat
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Re:amaze
Help desk and live chat built for online stores, with order info next to each chat.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Basic: US$29/month, or US$26.10/month on a yearly plan
Discounts: Save with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Help Scout, Tidio
Checked Oct 26, 2026
LiveAgent
Help desk that combines email, live chat, calls and social messages in one inbox.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Starter: US$19/month, or US$15/month on a yearly plan (US$180/year)
Cheaper or similar: Freshdesk, Help Scout
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Front
Shared inbox that lets a team answer customer emails and chats together.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Starter: US$35/month, or US$25/month on a yearly plan (US$300/year)
Discounts: Billed annually saves 24%.
Cheaper or similar: Help Scout, Freshdesk
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Olark
Simple live chat for websites, with an optional AI agent.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Live Chat: US$29/month
Cheaper or similar: tawk.to, Tidio
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Smartsupp
Website live chat with AI reply help, aimed at online shops.
Free plan: Yes: Free ($0): 25 conversations per month, 1 operator.
Paid from: Solo: US$24/month, or US$17/month on a yearly plan (US$204/year)
Discounts: Annual billing saves $85 a year on Solo.
Cheaper or similar: Tidio, tawk.to
Checked Oct 26, 2026
JivoChat
Live chat for websites that also brings in messages from WhatsApp and social apps.
Free plan: Yes: Free ($0).
Paid from: Basic: US$40/month, or US$28/month on a yearly plan (US$336/year)
Discounts: Prices shown as 'if billed annually'.
Cheaper or similar: tawk.to, Crisp
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Zoho Desk
Help desk software for tracking and answering customer tickets.
Free plan: Unclear: Free trial.
Paid from: Express: US$9/month, or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year)
Discounts: Monthly or yearly.
Cheaper or similar: Freshdesk, Zendesk
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Gorgias
Help desk built for online stores, priced by tickets rather than agents.
Free plan: Unclear: 'Sign up free' shown; plan not stated.
Paid from: Starter: US$10/month
Discounts: Annual billing on Basic and higher is about 17% lower.
Cheaper or similar: Re:amaze, Freshdesk
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Other jobs
FAQ
What's the best free customer support chat tool?
10 of the 22 customer support chat tools here have a free plan, including Tidio, Crisp, Help Scout, tawk.to. Start with the one whose job description matches yours, and check the free-plan limits in each card before you commit.
What's the cheapest paid customer support chat tool?
Of the prices we could confirm, HubSpot Service Hub is cheapest: its Starter plan is US$10/month (promo), or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year) (promo). Next is Zoho Desk: its Express plan is US$9/month, or US$7/month on a yearly plan (US$84/year). Prices are in US dollars before tax, checked Oct 30, 2026.
How do you check these prices?
We read each tool's official pricing page (or the maker's own help pages) in US dollars before tax, and note the date. If a price isn't shown clearly, we leave it blank rather than guess.
Want to spend less? Tick the tools you pay for in the Nerdy Savings calculator.