If you’ve been using Freshchat for your business, you probably know it’s a solid tool for customer communication. But let’s be real – there’s always room for improvement, right? Sometimes, you need a live chat solution that offers a bit more flexibility, better integrations, or features tailored to your specific needs. That’s where trying out some Freshchat alternatives can be a game-changer.

Today, we’re going to break down some of the top Freshchat alternatives that not only match but often surpass it in terms of live chat capabilities. Whether you’re looking for something with more robust automation, better eCommerce integrations, or simply a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you covered.

7 Freshchat Alternatives with Better Live Chat Features

If Freshchat isn’t quite hitting the mark for your business, don’t worry – there are plenty of other live chat options that might be a better fit.

So, if you’re looking for more customization, advanced automation, or simply a tool that’s more aligned with your business needs, in this section we’ll walk you through some great Freshchat alternatives.

1. Chatway

First on the list of Freshchat alternatives is Chatway. Chatway is an intuitive live chat platform that offers many features to help businesses connect with their customers more effectively. With Chatway, you can fully customize your chat widget to match your brand, tag, and segment conversations for better organization and use canned responses to speed up your replies.

The platform also supports file sharing, canned responses, chat transcripts, and offers detailed chat analytics to help you track performance. Also, you can leave private notes and reminders during conversations and support customers in multiple languages through a multilingual widget.

What’s also great about Chatway is that it integrates seamlessly with other tools. Its mobile-friendly design ensures that you can manage customer interactions on the go, which makes it a flexible solution for businesses of all sizes.

Pricing: Chatway offers a free forever plan and a Pro plan that starts at $9/agent/month

2. Intercom

Intercom is a great platform that goes beyond simple live chat because it provides tools to manage customer relationships at scale. It includes features such as in-app messaging, product tours, and targeted messages that can be customized based on user behavior.

Moreover, Intercom’s conversation automation and chatbot integration help businesses manage large volumes of customer inquiries efficiently, ensuring no message is missed. The platform can easily handle complex customer journeys, and it offers everything from automated responses to seamless handovers to human agents.

Intercom’s extensive integration capabilities make it easy to connect with your existing tech stack, which further streamlines your customer communication processes. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Intercom’s scalability ensures it grows with your needs.

Pricing: There are three plans available: Essential ($39 per seat per month), Advanced ($99), and Expert ($139), with a 14-day free trial available​​.

3. Drift

Drift is known for its powerful conversational marketing capabilities, which make it a top choice for businesses looking to engage with customers in real-time. This platform’s live chat features include chatbot qualification (helps in pre-screening leads) and conversation routing (ensures inquiries reach the right person or team).

It also supports lead scoring, meeting scheduling directly through chat, and provides in-depth chat analytics to measure effectiveness. Also, Drift’s focus on integrating chat with sales processes makes it particularly valuable for businesses that want to improve their lead-generation efforts.

Moreover, Drift’s AI-powered tools help personalize interactions, which makes customer engagement more effective. Despite its higher price, the return on investment can be significant for businesses that rely heavily on sales-driven customer interactions.

Pricing: Drift’s premium plan starts at $2,500 per month (billed annually), which makes it one of the more expensive options, but it comes packed with features tailored for enterprise-level businesses​.

4. Tidio

Tidio is a popular choice for businesses looking to streamline their customer service through live chat. It offers a robust chatbot builder that allows you to automate a big portion of your customer interactions. Also, Tidio provides real-time website visitor monitoring, giving you insights into who’s browsing your site and what they’re interested in.

The platform offers chat transcripts and analytics so you can review past conversations and measure the effectiveness of your customer service efforts. Essentially, it’s particularly strong in supporting eCommerce businesses with its seamless integrations and easy setup.

It even supports multi-channel communication, which brings together your live chat, email, and social media messages in one place. This makes it easier to manage all customer interactions efficiently.

Pricing: Tidio offers a free plan with essential features, while paid plans are $29 and $59 per month​.

5. Smartsupp

Smartsupp is a solid live chat solution that stands out with its unique features, such as session recordings and heatmaps. These tools allow you to see how visitors interact with your website, which can provide valuable insights for optimizing your user experience.

It also includes a chatbot builder, allowing you to automate customer interactions, and it offers comprehensive chat analytics to track performance. The platform is user-friendly and offers both free and paid plans, which makes it accessible for small to medium-sized businesses.

With its strong focus on improving customer engagement, Smartsupp makes sure that every interaction is as efficient and personalized as possible. This can help you drive more conversions and customer satisfaction.

Pricing: Smartsupp’s free plan includes basic features, with premium plans at $15 and $30 per month for more advanced options (based on how many live-chat conversations you need)​​.

6. Tawk.to

Tawk.to is a free live chat platform that offers a surprisingly comprehensive set of features given its price tag. It includes a chatbot builder, allowing you to automate responses to common inquiries. The platform also supports canned responses and file sharing and provides chat transcripts so you can review past conversations whenever needed.

Furthermore, Twak.to is highly customizable and lets you tailor the chat widget to match your brand. It offers detailed chat analytics to help you monitor and improve your customer service efforts.

This platform’s ease of use and powerful features make it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes looking to improve their customer communication without breaking the bank.

Pricing: Tawk.to is completely free, with no hidden costs​.

7. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk integrates live chat seamlessly with its broader help desk software, which makes it a great choice for businesses that need a comprehensive customer service solution.

This platform includes a chatbot builder for automating routine interactions and integrates smoothly with your knowledge base, allowing agents to provide quick, informed responses.

Also, Zoho Desk offers in-depth chat analytics, which can help you optimize your customer service strategies. The live chat feature can reduce wait times and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Its integration with other Zoho products makes it a great tool for businesses already using the Zoho ecosystem. Because of this feature, it offers a unified and efficient customer service experience.

Pricing: You have three paid options for Zoho Desk: Standard ($20 per user per month), Professional ($35), and Enterprise ($50).

Summary of Freshchat alternatives

Wrapping Up

Choosing the right Freshchat alternative really depends on what your business needs most. If you’re looking for a free, feature-rich option, Tawk.to might be your best bet.

For those who want advanced eCommerce integrations, Tidio is a strong contender. Now, if you need detailed insights with session recordings, Smartsupp has you covered. And if you’re already using Zoho products, Zoho Desk will seamlessly fit into your existing setup.

But if you’re ready to elevate your customer service with a tool that’s intuitive and packed with features, Chatway could be the perfect fit. Why not give it a try? Sign up for Chatway today and experience the difference it makes.