Are you a business owner? Do you want to help your customers more? You can use live chat on your WordPress website. This lets you talk to customers right away.
There are many live chat plugins. It can be hard to choose. This article helps you find the best one. We picked 12 great plugins. They have simple chat boxes and more.
We’ll talk about what to look for in a plugin. We’ll also tell you why live chat is good for your business. Finally, we’ll review the top 12 plugins. After reading this, you’ll be ready to choose the right one for your WordPress.
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Why Live Chat is a Must-Have for WordPress?
If you want to improve your customer service and increase your sales, you need to use a live chat plugin. Live chat plugins allow you to add a feature to your WordPress website and communicate with your website visitors in real-time.
Live chat plugins can improve operational efficiency by allowing support teams to handle multiple conversations simultaneously. This is more efficient than phone support, where agents can typically assist only one customer at a time.
Advanced live chat plugins also offer features like automated responses, chatbots, and integration with CRM systems, further streamlining customer support processes and enhancing productivity.
Best Live Chat Plugins for WordPress
Choosing the right live chat plugin for your WordPress website can significantly enhance customer experience. Here are 12 of the best live chat plugins available for WordPress.
| Plugins | System Requirements | User Reviews and Ratings | Update Frequency and Support | Plans and Pricing Model |
| Tidio | WordPress ≥ 4.7; PHP ≥ 7.2 | 4.8 out of 5 stars | Bi-Weekly | Free version available; Paid plans start at €29/month |
| LiveChat | WordPress ≥ 4.4; PHP ≥ 7.2 | 4.7 out of 5 stars | Monthly | Free version available;
Paid plans start at $20/month |
| Zendesk Chat | WordPress ≥ 3.5; PHP ≥ 5.6 | 5 out of 5 stars | Monthly | Free plan Paid plans start at $14/month |
| HubSpot Live Chat | WordPress ≥ 5.8; PHP ≥ 7.2 | 4.4 out of 5 stars | Bi-Weekly | Free plan |
| Pure Chat | WordPress ≥ 3.0.1; PHP ≥ 5.3.0 | 4.1 out of 5 stars | Semi-Annual | Free for 30 days; Plan Pro plan at $39/month |
| Support Board | WordPress ≥ 3.0; PHP ≥ 7.4 | 5 out of 5 stars | Monthly | One-time payment plan for $59 Extended support at $79 |
| Facebook Chat | WordPress ≥ 3.0.1; PHP ≥ 7.0 | 4.5 out of 5 stars | Bi-Weekly | Free plan |
| JivoChat | WordPress ≥ 3.0.1 | 5 out of 5 stars | Bi-Weekly | Free plan Paid plans start at $19/month |
| 3CX | WordPress ≥ 5.3; PHP ≥ 5.4 | 4.6 out of 5 stars | Monthly | Free plan;
Paid plans from $195 billed annually |
| WP Social Chat | WordPress ≥ 4.7; PHP ≥ 5.6 | 4.9 out of 5 stars | Monthly | One-time purchase of: Pro plan: $39 Agency Plan: $78 |
| Smartsupp | WordPress ≥ 3.0; PHP ≥ 5.3.2 | 4.7 out of 5 stars | Monthly | Free plan Paid plans start at $10/month |
| Crisp Live Chat | WordPress ≥ 3.0.1; PHP ≥ 5.3 | 4.6 out of 5 | Quarterly | Free + Paid plans start at $25/month/ per workspace |
1. Tidio
– Source: WordPress.org
Tidio is cloud-based, ensuring your chat is always up-to-date and running smoothly without putting extra strain on your server. Tidio also integrates with popular e-commerce platforms, allowing you to track and engage with customers as they browse your online store.
What amazed us most about Tidio was its ability to combine live chat with email marketing tools, providing a powerful customer communication solution all in one place.
Key Features
- Real-time live chat with customizable widgets
- AI-powered chatbots that can handle customer inquiries 24/7
- Multi-channel communication, including Messenger, email, and more
- Detailed analytics and visitor tracking to optimize customer engagement.
Pros & Cons
✓ Easy integration with WordPress and WooCommerce
✓ Offers both live chat and automated bots
✓ Mobile app available for managing chats on the go
✗ Limited features on the free version
✗ Specific integrations require paid plans
Screenshot
– Tidio Dashboard / Source: Tidio
2. LiveChat
– Source: WordPress.org
LiveChat is a feature-rich live chat plugin that provides instant support to website visitors. It is known for its user-friendly dashboard and robust performance. LiveChat also offers a vast library of integrations, ensuring it can work seamlessly with your existing tools.
The thing that stood out during our use of LiveChat was its smooth integration with CRM systems, making customer data management incredibly efficient.
Key Features
- Customizable chat window to match your brand
- Rich integrations with CRM, email marketing, and e-commerce platforms.
- Automated greetings to engage visitors proactively
- Reporting and analytics to track team performance and customer satisfaction
Pros & Cons
✓ Extensive third-party integrations
✓ Highly customizable chat experience
✓ Supports multiple communication channels
✗ Higher cost for advanced features
✗ Limited customization in lower plans
Screenshot
– LiveChat Dashboard / Source: LiveChat
3. Zendesk Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
Zendesk Chat is a reliable and flexible live chat solution that seamlessly integrates with the Zendesk suite of customer service tools. The plugin is highly customizable, making it easy to align the chat interface with your brand identity.
What we found most impressive about Zendesk Chat is its advanced analytics, offering insights into customer behavior and team performance.
Key Features
- Integration with Zendesk’s customer service platform
- Trigger-based chats that initiate conversations based on visitor behavior
- Real-time monitoring of website visitors
- Advanced reporting and analytics for team performance evaluation
Pros & Cons
✓ Deep integration with the Zendesk suite
✓ Proactive chat triggers based on visitor actions
✓ Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools
✗ Steeper learning curve for beginners
Screenshot
– Zendesk Chat integration on WordPress
4. HubSpot Live Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
HubSpot Live Chat is part of HubSpot’s free CRM suite, offering an integrated approach to customer communication.
Since it’s part of the HubSpot ecosystem, all conversations are automatically logged in the CRM, giving your sales and support teams full context on each interaction. HubSpot Live Chat is highly customizable, ensuring it fits seamlessly into your website design.
Key Features
- Integrated with HubSpot’s free CRM, providing full context for conversations
- Customizable chat widget to match your website’s design
- Automated chatbot functionality to qualify leads and assist customers
- Seamless handoff between live chat and CRM tools for effective follow-ups
Pros & Cons
✓ Free plan includes robust CRM integration
✓ Automated chatbots for lead qualification
✓ User-friendly interface and easy setup
✗ Limited customization options in the chat widget
✗ Requires HubSpot CRM for full functionality
Screenshot
– Source: HubSpot
5. Pure Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
Pure Chat is a simple, no-frills live chat plugin designed for small—to medium-sized businesses.
It offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, allowing you to chat with your website visitors within minutes of setup. The plugin also includes basic visitor tracking and analytics to help you better understand your audience.
Key Features
- User-friendly interface with easy setup
- Customizable chat widgets to match your brand
- Real-time visitor tracking and basic analytics
- Mobile app for managing chats on the go
Pros & Cons
✓ Extremely easy to set up and use
✓ Affordable pricing options
✓ Mobile app for chat management
✗ Limited advanced features
✗ Basic analytics and reporting
✗ No integration with CRM tools
Screenshot
– Source: Pure Chat
6. Support Board
– Source: WordPress.org
Support Board is a comprehensive live chat and chatbot solution designed for businesses looking to enhance their customer service and support capabilities. Support Board also integrates with popular messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, providing a unified communication channel.
What really stood out for us was the Support Board’s seamless integration with AI-powered chatbots, which significantly reduced the workload on our support team.
Key Features
- AI-powered chatbots to handle common customer queries
- Integration with popular messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger
- Multi-language support for global reach
- Real-time visitor tracking and chat analytics
Pros & Cons
✓ AI-powered chatbots for automated support
✓ Integration with multiple messaging platforms
✓ Multi-language support
✗ Limited customization options in lower plans
✗ Requires additional add-ons for some features
Screenshot
– Support Board integration on WordPress
7. Facebook Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
Facebook Chat for WordPress allows you to integrate Facebook Messenger directly into your website, offering visitors an easy and familiar way to contact you. This plugin is particularly beneficial for businesses with a strong presence on Facebook, as it lets you manage all your messages from one platform.
Key Features
- Seamless integration with Facebook Messenger
- Mobile-friendly chat interface for connecting on the go
- Easy setup and configuration through WordPress
- Syncs all messages across Facebook and your website
Pros & Cons
✓ Leverages existing Facebook Messenger users
✓ Mobile-friendly and easy to use
✓ Syncs messages across platforms
✗ Limited to Facebook users only
✗ Lack of customization options
✗ Relies heavily on Facebook’s platform stability
Screenshot
– Facebook Live Chat Settings / Source: WordPress.org
8. JivoChat
– Source: WordPress.org
JivoChat is an all-in-one business messenger that combines live chat, phone, email, and social media messaging into a single platform. Its sleek interface and robust features make it a powerful tool for engaging with customers.
It also offers multilingual support, making it ideal for businesses operating in various regions.
Key Features
- Unified inbox for managing chats, emails, phone calls, and social media messages
- Proactive chat invitations to engage visitors automatically
- Multilingual support for global customer bases
- Detailed visitor information and real-time monitoring
Pros & Cons
✓ Manages multiple communication channels
✓ Multilingual support
✓ Proactive chat invitations
✗ Premium features can be expensive
✗ Free plan has limited functionality
✗ Initial setup may take some time
Screenshot
– JivoChat archive and visitors directory / Source: WordPress.org
9. 3CX
– Source: WordPress.org
3CX is more than just a live chat plugin; it’s a complete communications system that integrates chat, voice, and video into a unified platform. Ideal for businesses looking to streamline all forms of communication.
3CX live chat feature is highly customizable and integrates seamlessly with other communication channels, offering a holistic approach to customer service. It also supports CRM integration, ensuring that all customer data is centralized.
Key Features
- Integrates live chat with voice and video communication
- CRM integration for centralized customer data
- Customizable chat widgets to match your brand
- Real-time visitor tracking and chat analytics
Pros & Cons
✓ Unified platform for chat, voice, and video
✓ CRM integration for better data management
✓ Highly customizable chat interface
✗ More complex setup compared to other plugins
✗ Higher learning curve for non-technical users
✗ Some features are only available in premium plans
Screenshot
– 3CX Dashboard / Source: WordPress.org
10. Social Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
Social Chat allows you to add a WhatsApp chat button to your WordPress website. This makes it easy for visitors to connect with you directly through the popular messaging app. This plugin is particularly useful for businesses that rely on WhatsApp for customer communication.
Key Features
- Add WhatsApp shortcodes anywhere on your site
- Customizable chat buttons to match your website design
- Support for multiple agents, allowing customers to choose who to chat with
- Mobile-friendly design for connecting with mobile users
Pros & Cons
✓ Leverages the popularity of WhatsApp
✓ Supports multiple agents
✓ Customizable chat buttons
✗ Limited to WhatsApp communication only
✗ Lacks advanced features like analytics
✗ Dependent on WhatsApp’s availability
Screenshot
– Social Chat integration on WordPress
11. Smartsupp
– Source: WordPress.org
Smartsupp is a versatile live chat plugin that combines live chat, chatbot automation, and detailed visitor tracking into a single platform. The plugin’s integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce make it particularly valuable for online stores.
What truly amazed us about Smartsupp was its session recording feature, which allowed us to understand our customer’s journeys in a way that other live chat tools simply don’t offer.
Key Features
- Live chat and chatbot integration for a hybrid support system
- Session recording to analyze visitor behavior and improve user experience
- Customizable chat widgets to align with your brand
- Integration with popular e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce
Pros & Cons
✓ Session recording for in-depth visitor insights
✓ Combines live chat with chatbot automation
✓ Integrates seamlessly with e-commerce platforms
✗ Free plan has limited features.
✗ Some advanced features may require additional learning
Screenshot
– Smartsupp Dashboard / Source: Smartsupp
12. Crisp Live Chat
– Source: WordPress.org
Crisp Live Chat is a complete marketing and support solution. Crisp Live Chat offers tools for managing customer relationships, email marketing, and additional services. It looks a lot like Tidio and Sendinblue. But there are some notable differences.
Crisp offers a service called a ‘shared inbox’ that helps people work together. It allows businesses to provide real-time support and engage with visitors directly on their site.
Crisp Live Chat aims to improve user satisfaction by bridging the gap between users and support teams, creating a more engaging and approachable online experience.
Key Features
- Supports multiple channels, including email, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, enabling a unified communication experience
- Offers an AI-powered chatbot to handle frequently asked questions and automate repetitive tasks
- Allows agents to view and interact with the visitor’s screen to provide guided support
Pros & Cons
✓ Quick and straightforward setup with WordPress, with minimal configuration required
✓ Intuitive and clean dashboard makes it easy for support teams
✓ Offers a range of pricing plans, including a free tier, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes
✗ Free plan has limited features
✗ Could affect website performance if not optimized correctly
Screenshot
– Crisp Chat Dashboard / Source: WordPress.org
How to Choose the Best WordPress Chat Plugin?
Features and Functionality
- Chat Channels: Determine if the plugin supports various chat channels like live chat, group chat, and private messaging.
- Customizable Interface: Look for plugins that allow you to customize the chat widget’s appearance to match your website’s design.
- File Sharing: If file sharing is essential for your business, ensure the plugin supports this feature.
- Integration with Other Tools: Consider if the plugin integrates with other tools you use, such as CRM or marketing automation software.
- AI-Powered Features: Some plugins offer AI-powered features like automated responses and sentiment analysis. Evaluate if these are beneficial for your specific needs.
System Requirements
- Check if the plugin is compatible with your WordPress version and theme.
- Ensure your server meets the plugin’s minimum system requirements, including the PHP version and database.
User Reviews and Ratings
- You can check online reviews from other WordPress users to get insights into the plugin’s performance, ease of use, and customer support.
- Look for Ratings of the plugin’s overall rating on platforms like WordPress.org or G2.
Update Frequency and Support
- Regular Updates: Choose a plugin that is actively maintained and receives regular updates to address bugs and security vulnerabilities.
- Support Options: Consider the support options offered by the plugin developer, such as live chat, email, or forums.
Plans and Pricing Model
- Evaluate whether the free version of the plugin meets your needs or if you require premium features.
- Compare the pricing plans of different plugins to find the best value for your budget.
- Be aware of any hidden fees or recurring costs associated with the plugin.
Summary
The benefits of live chat plugins extend beyond just customer support. They can significantly boost conversion rates by offering real-time assistance to potential customers about to make a purchase.
The plugins we’ve highlighted in this post offer a variety of features to suit different needs, from basic chat functionality to advanced AI-powered chatbots.
By carefully considering your website’s specific requirements and budget, you can select the best live chat plugin to help your business thrive.
Q1. What is a live chat plugin?
A. A live chat plugin allows you to add real-time chat functionality to your WordPress website, enabling you to communicate directly with your visitors.
Q2. Why should I use a live chat plugin for my business?
A. Live chat plugins can improve customer satisfaction, boost sales, and increase website engagement.
Q3. What are the key features to look for in a live chat plugin?
A. Some essential features include customization options, integration with other tools (e.g., CRM, email), chatbots, file sharing, and analytics.
Sandhya Goswami
Sandhya is a contributing author at Cloudways, specializing in content promotion and performance analysis. With a strong analytical approach and a keen ability to leverage data-driven insights, Sandhya excels in measuring the success of organic marketing initiatives.
