Live chat has become a critical tool for customer service, with more consumers preferring it over other support channels. Businesses that implement live chat often experience higher engagement and more conversions.

Two of the top contenders in the live chat space are Zendesk Chat and Chaport. Zendesk Chat is part of the robust Zendesk Suite, offering omnichannel support and enterprise-level features. Chaport, on the other hand, is a cost-effective, user-friendly alternative designed for small to mid-sized businesses.

This comparison will evaluate Zendesk Chat vs Chaport based on features, usability, integrations, pricing, and best use cases to help you choose the right tool for your business.

Overview of Zendesk Chat

Background: Zendesk Chat is the live chat software offered by Zendesk, a company founded in 2007 and known for its customer service and CRM products. Zendesk Chat was originally the product of Zopim (acquired by Zendesk) and is now integrated into the Zendesk Support Suite. As part of an all-in-one support platform, Zendesk Chat benefits from Zendesk’s robust ecosystem of ticketing, knowledge base, and multi-channel support tools.

Key Features:

• Omnichannel support (Live chat, email, phone, social media)
• AI-driven chatbots & automation
• Proactive chat triggers for engagement
• Advanced reporting & analytics
• Enterprise-level security & compliance

Pros:

• Strong integrations with CRMs & ticketing systems 
• AI chatbots & automation features 
• Ideal for large teams needing omnichannel support 

Cons:

• Expensive – pricing starts at $55/user/month billed annually
• Can feel overwhelming for small teams 
• Steeper learning curve

Overall, Zendesk Chat is a feature-rich, enterprise-ready live chat solution ideal for organizations that want an integrated customer support suite. It’s best suited for companies prepared to invest in a comprehensive platform and leverage advanced features to improve customer experience.

Overview of Chaport

Background: Chaport is an all-in-one customer messaging software founded in 2014 (based in the USA) with the mission to make online customer communication as easy as chatting with friends. Unlike Zendesk, Chaport is focused primarily on live chat (with complementary features like chatbots and a knowledge base) and is geared toward small and medium-sized businesses looking for a modern, easy-to-use chat tool. Chaport has gained popularity by offering a generous free plan and affordable paid plans, making advanced live chat accessible even to those on a tight budget. As of today, Chaport reports being used by over 100,000 teams worldwide .

Key Features:

• Unlimited chats, even on the free plan
• Unlimited chat history
• Chatbots & FAQ automation (on higher plans)
• Multi-channel messaging (Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Viber)

Pros:

• Free plan available (2 agents, unlimited chats)
• Easy setup & intuitive UI 
• Supports multiple websites under one account 

Cons:

• Chatbot only available on the Unlimited plan 
• Limited integrations compared to Zendesk 
• No phone or SMS support

Pricing & Plans: Zendesk Chat vs Chaport

Zendesk Chat Pricing (Part of Zendesk Suite)

• Suite Team: $55 per agent/month billed annually (basic omnichannel support)
• Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month billed annually (multi-brand support, HIPAA compliance)
• No standalone free plan (14-day trial available)

Chaport Pricing

• Free Plan: 2 agents, unlimited chats, basic customization
• Pro Plan: $39/month (4 agents, API, saved replies, chat history)
• Unlimited Plan: $129/month (unlimited agents, chatbot, knowledge base)
• 14-day free trial available

Best Value?

For small businesses, Chaport’s free or low-cost plans offer incredible value. Larger teams that need multi-channel support, AI, and compliance features will benefit from Zendesk Chat, despite its higher cost.

Best Use Cases: Zendesk Chat vs Chaport

Choosing between Zendesk Chat vs Chaport largely comes down to your business size, requirements, and budget. Let’s outline scenarios where each tool shines:

When is Zendesk Chat the better choice?

• Medium to Large Businesses and Enterprises: If you run a sizable operation with a dedicated support team (let’s say 10, 20, 100+ agents), the Zendesk Suite offers the scalability and administrative control you’ll need. You can organize agents into departments, leverage skills-based routing, and integrate with enterprise systems. Zendesk Chat can handle high chat volumes and concurrent sessions without trouble, making it suitable for enterprise support centers.
• Omni-Channel Customer Support: If your business needs a unified solution for handling chats, emails, phone calls, and social media messages all together, Zendesk is built for that. For example, a digital marketing agency that provides multi-channel customer service for a client’s product might prefer Zendesk so that all channels feed into one dashboard. Or a software company that supports users via email and chat might like that both come into one queue with Zendesk.
• Advanced Customization & Integration Needs: Businesses that have specific workflows – e.g., needing chat data to sync to a CRM, or wanting to build a custom chatbot – will benefit from Zendesk’s extensive APIs and app ecosystem. A SaaS company that wants to integrate chat with their in-app user data and trigger personalized messages can achieve that with Zendesk’s developer tools..
• 24/7 Global Support Teams: If you operate a support team across multiple time zones or offer 24/7 support, Zendesk’s features like operating hours, agent workspace, and its proven reliability under constant use are ideal. Also, if you require guaranteed high uptime and priority support from the vendor, Zendesk (especially on higher plans) is suited for mission-critical setups.
• Multi-brand or Complex Operations: Zendesk allows managing multiple brands (with separate widgets, departments, etc.) under one account on certain plans. So a large agency or conglomerate that handles support for multiple brands can configure all within Zendesk systematically.

Industries that lean toward Zendesk: Large software/SaaS companies, telecom, financial services (for the security), enterprises with IT helpdesks, and any organization where support is a major, scaled operation with omni-channel needs.

When is Chaport the better choice?

• Small Businesses and Startups: If you’re a small business owner or startup founder wearing many hats, Chaport’s simplicity and free/low-cost plans are very attractive. For example, a small online store can install Chaport for free and immediately start chatting with site visitors, converting them to customers, without worrying about budget. A 2-3 person marketing agency can use Chaport to manage client inquiries in real time without a heavy helpdesk solution.
• Budget-Conscious Teams: Chaport is ideal when budget is a primary concern. Non-profits, early-stage startups, or small local businesses (like a local clinic or a retail shop that has an online presence) often can’t afford $50+ per agent. Chaport giving a free option or a flat $39 for a whole team(4 people team) is a huge win. You still get professional chat functionality to appear responsive and modern to your website visitors.
• Ease of Implementation: If you need a solution up and running today with minimal configuration, Chaport is a great fit. A small B2B company with a basic website can add Chaport code in a few minutes and start engaging leads instantly. There’s no need to spend days configuring flows as might happen with more complex systems. So for teams without a dedicated IT admin, Chaport is friendly.
• Multiple Websites or Platforms: Chaport supports unlimited domains on one account, which is useful for businesses that have several websites. For instance, a web development agency that wants to add a live chat to all client sites could theoretically use one Chaport account to monitor all incoming chats (though volume would have to be manageable). Or a company with a main site and a microsite (or separate country sites) can handle chats from both in one place.
• Use of Messaging Apps: If your audience commonly reaches out via Facebook or Telegram, Chaport bundling those channels is convenient. A small restaurant or service provider might get Facebook messages frequently – connecting that to Chaport means the team doesn’t have to monitor Facebook separately. Chaport’s ability to unify a couple of messaging channels plus your website chat is perfect for small businesses that communicate on those platforms.
• Situations without Existing Helpdesk: If you don’t already have any ticketing or support system, adopting Zendesk might be overkill. Chaport can serve as a mini help desk (especially with email integration on Pro plan). Think of a freelance consultant who has a website – using Chaport, they can chat live when available and receive offline questions to email when not, all in one app. It’s an elegant lightweight solution.

Zendesk Chat vs Chaport Alternative: Chatway Live Chat

If neither Zendesk Chat nor Chaport perfectly fits your needs, there’s an alternative live chat app called Chatway. Chatway live chat is designed to offer a balance between powerful features and affordability, making it another attractive option for businesses of all sizes.

Overview of Chatway

Chatway is a live chat software that’s clean, customizable, and easy to embed on any website. Chatway positions itself as a simple yet powerful solution that can enhance customer service and boost engagement. One of its key selling points is that it offers a forever-free plan and very low-cost upgrades, making it a great alternative for budget-minded users who still want advanced capabilities.

Features:

• Real-time live chat with an intuitive agent dashboard.
• Full widget customization to match your brand colors and style.
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android to chat on the go.
• Canned responses/FAQ creation for quick replies.
• Chat transcripts to keep records of conversations.
• Live visitor insights – see who is browsing your site and what page they’re on in real time.
• Multi-language chat widgets (supports 20+ languages) to cater to international customers.
• Installation on multiple platforms, including Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Duda, and more.
• Social Chat Buttons: Add social chat buttons such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, Telegram, SMS, Click to Call, LINE, or any custom link to your Chatway live chat widget.
• Centralized inbox that combines Messenger and email chats into one dashboard.
• Team collaboration tools, including chat assignments, private notes and follow ups.
• Chat analytics to review and improve support performance.

Pricing: Chatway offers a Free plan forever which includes 1 agent seat, unlimited conversations, 30-day chat history, FAQ and canned responses, buttons for social chat channels, and other basic features. This is great for a solo entrepreneur or a small site. 

The Pro plan is only $9 per agent per month (billed annually; $15 if monthly), which is far lower than most competitors. With the Pro plan, you get unlimited chat history, all integrations (email, Messenger), live translation & multilingual widget, unlimited agents (you pay per agent), and other advanced features.

Essentially, for the cost of two Zendesk agent licenses, you could have 10+ agents on Chatway. Chatway also provides a 14-day free trial of Pro features to test everything out. This pricing model allows a small business to scale their support team without the steep cost jump.

Why Consider Chatway?

If you liked Chaport’s affordability but perhaps want even more bang for no buck (one extra free agent) or slightly different feature set, Chatway is worth a look. For example, a digital marketing agency that manages a website’s chat might use Chatway’s free plan to start and only pay $9/month when they add a second agent. Or a startup might choose Chatway because they anticipate growing their support team and Chatway’s per-agent cost is very low.

Moreover, Chatway is very user-friendly – it was built with simplicity in mind. Chatway is also a nice alternative if you find Zendesk too expensive and Chaport almost right but you’re curious about newer solutions. It’s somewhat in between – more robust than very simple live chat tools, but not as costly as the big names.

Common Mistakes Businesses Make with Live Chat

Implementing live chat can significantly improve customer engagement, enhance conversion rates, and boost customer satisfaction. However, many businesses make mistakes during the implementation and use of live chat that can diminish its effectiveness. Below are some of the most common pitfalls businesses should avoid, along with actionable best practices for using Zendesk Chat and Chaport effectively:

1. Slow Response Times

Customers expect instant gratification, especially when they reach out via live chat. If your team takes too long to respond, visitors might become frustrated and abandon the chat, leading to missed opportunities.

Why It’s a Mistake:
Slow response times can result in poor customer experience and higher bounce rates. Many visitors will leave a site if they don’t receive an answer within a few minutes, or worse, they may contact a competitor.

Solution:

• Use Chatbots for Instant Replies: Zendesk Chat and Chaport both offer AI-powered chatbots that can handle frequently asked questions instantly, giving customers immediate assistance while they wait for an agent.
• Set Up Automated Greetings: Both platforms allow you to create proactive chat triggers, so your site visitors are immediately welcomed and informed that help is on the way. Automated greetings can provide an initial response to acknowledge customers’ queries.
• Ensure Proper Staffing During Peak Hours: Make sure that your support team is adequately staffed, especially during peak hours, holidays, or when your website is seeing heavy traffic. Consider using chat scheduling or setting up queues to manage response time effectively.

2. Robotic Chatbot Interactions

While chatbots are an excellent way to provide quick responses, over-reliance on robotic, generic chatbot conversations can frustrate visitors and make your business appear impersonal or unresponsive.

Why It’s a Mistake:
Customers prefer more natural, human-like interactions that make them feel heard. If chatbots only provide scripted, robotic answers, customers may feel like their issues are not being addressed properly.

Solution:

• Personalize Chatbot Responses: Set up dynamic and personalized responses. Both Zendesk Chat and Chaport allow you to adjust the chatbot’s responses to be more context-specific, making interactions feel more genuine.
• Offer Seamless Handover to a Live Agent: Whenever the chatbot detects that it cannot fully solve the customer’s issue, make sure there’s a smooth transition to a live agent. Chatbots in both platforms can pass the conversation along to a human when needed, ensuring customers aren’t left hanging.
• Leverage AI to Improve Chatbot Intelligence: Zendesk Chat’s AI-driven bots and Chaport’s higher-tier bots can provide more advanced, context-aware responses. Make sure your bot is trained to recognize and respond to a variety of customer inquiries intelligently.

3. Not Making Full Use of Live Chat Features

Live chat is much more than just a tool for answering customer questions in real-time. Many businesses use it for basic conversations but miss out on more advanced features that could elevate their customer service game.

Why It’s a Mistake:
Failing to use live chat’s advanced functionalities means missing out on opportunities to automate processes, engage customers proactively, and gather valuable data that can improve future interactions.

Solution:

• Implement Proactive Chat Triggers: Set up proactive chat triggers to automatically reach out to visitors after a set amount of time, or when they perform certain actions (e.g., visiting multiple pages, adding products to a cart). This can help engage visitors and drive conversions before they leave the site.
• Integrate with CRMs for Better Customer Insights: Both Zendesk Chat and Chaport allow integrations with CRM tools, enabling you to track customer interactions and gain insights into their behavior across touchpoints. This integration is important for personalizing support and improving future customer service.
• Leverage Analytics to Measure Effectiveness: Use built-in reporting and analytics tools in the live chat tools to track key metrics such as response times, agent performance, and customer satisfaction. Regular analysis will help you identify areas for improvement and ensure that your live chat service meets customer expectations.

4. Poor Chat Widget Placement

If the live chat widget is too hard to find, intrusive, or not optimized for mobile, it can negatively impact the user experience and hurt your business’s engagement rates.

Why It’s a Mistake:
An improperly placed chat widget can be frustrating for users who are trying to get assistance quickly. If it’s hard to spot, customers may not use it at all. If it’s too prominent, it may disrupt the user experience and annoy potential customers.

Solution:

• Position the Widget for Easy Accessibility: Place the chat widget in a visible but non-intrusive area, typically at the bottom right corner of your website. Make sure it doesn’t cover key content and is easily accessible across all device types.
• Customize the Chat Widget for Branding and User Experience: Chatway, Zendesk Chat and Chaport offer customizable widget designs that allow you to match your branding and make the widget easy for users to interact with. Also, ensure the widget is mobile-responsive to accommodate users on smartphones and tablets.
• Test Widget Functionality: Always test your chat widget to ensure it’s working correctly. Make sure it’s loading quickly, doesn’t interfere with the user’s navigation, and is always visible when needed.

5. Ignoring Chat Transcripts & Customer Feedback

Live chat transcripts and customer feedback are valuable resources for identifying areas of improvement in both your customer service processes and the live chat experience itself. Neglecting to analyze these elements can lead to missed opportunities for optimization.

Why It’s a Mistake:
Without regularly reviewing chat transcripts and feedback, you risk overlooking recurring issues or customer pain points. This can lead to a deterioration in service quality over time.

Solution:

• Regularly Review Chat Transcripts for Patterns: Set aside time to go over chat transcripts to identify common questions, concerns, or recurring issues. This will help you improve your knowledge base and create better workflows for handling inquiries.
• Collect Customer Feedback: After every chat interaction, prompt customers to leave feedback on their experience. Use this data to assess agent performance, identify customer pain points, and tweak your support strategies.
• Create an Actionable Follow-Up Process: If a customer provides negative feedback or mentions a recurring issue, ensure that a system is in place to follow up with them, solve their problem, and implement necessary changes in your process.

By avoiding these common mistakes and leveraging the strengths of the live chat tools, businesses can unlock the full potential of live chat, offering customers a seamless and highly responsive experience that enhances engagement, builds trust, and improves satisfaction.

Conclusion: Zendesk Chat vs Chaport

Both Zendesk Chat and Chaport are great live chat solutions, but they cater to different audiences.

• Zendesk Chat is best for enterprises, offering advanced automation, omnichannel support, and deep integrations.
• Chaport is best for small businesses, providing an easy-to-use, cost-effective live chat solution with a free plan.
• Chatway is an alternative worth considering for businesses looking for a low-cost yet feature-rich option.

Final Recommendation: Zendesk Chat vs Chaport

If you need enterprise-level support, Zendesk Chat is the way to go. If you want an affordable, effective live chat tool, Chaport is the best option. And if you’re looking for a flexible, low-cost alternative, Chatway is worth trying.

Tip: Take advantage of free trials to test each tool and find the best fit for your business. Explore Chatway for free today!