5 Best Freshchat Alternatives for CPA Firms

Intercom is a well‑established customer messaging platform that offers live chat, help desk, and automation tools. It is widely used across industries, including accounting, to manage client queries, provide support, and nurture leads. Intercom’s robust integration ecosystem connects seamlessly with popular practice‑management tools, email marketing services, and CRMs, making it easier for CPAs to maintain a single source of truth for client data. The platform includes a visual chatbot builder that allows users to create automated flows without coding. These bots can answer common accounting questions, schedule appointments, and even trigger email follow‑ups. Intercom’s user segmentation capabilities let firms tailor messages based on client status, industry, or tax cycle, ensuring highly relevant communication. While Intercom’s pricing tiers are not publicly listed, the company typically offers a free trial and custom quotes for larger firms. Features such as in‑app messaging, email integration, and real‑time analytics help CPAs monitor response times and improve service quality. Intercom’s strengths lie in its extensive integration network and powerful automation tools, which are ideal for CPAs looking to streamline client communication and reduce manual support tasks.

Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim) is a live‑chat solution that is part of the broader Zendesk support ecosystem. It offers real‑time messaging, proactive chat triggers, and robust reporting tools that help accounting firms manage client support efficiently. The platform’s visual widget editor allows customization of chat appearance to match a firm’s branding. Zendesk Chat integrates natively with Zendesk Support and Zendesk CRM, enabling seamless ticket creation and customer data access. For CPA firms that already use Zendesk for ticketing, adding chat can unify all client interactions in one place. Zendesk Chat also supports integrations with popular accounting software such as QuickBooks and Xero via Zapier, allowing chat conversations to automatically create or update client records. The platform’s AI capabilities, including automated responses and sentiment analysis, help triage inquiries before they reach human agents. Pricing for Zendesk Chat begins at $19/month per agent for the Essentials plan, with a Professional plan at $49/month and a Enterprise plan at $79/month. These tiers provide varying levels of customization, reporting, and advanced AI features. Zendesk Chat is particularly suited for CPA firms that rely heavily on ticketing systems and need a chat solution that integrates tightly with their existing Zendesk stack.

HubSpot Live Chat is part of HubSpot’s all‑in‑one marketing, sales, and service platform. It offers real‑time chat, chatbots, and a knowledge base that can be integrated into a firm’s website. The chat widget is fully customizable, and the platform’s visual chatbot builder allows CPAs to create automated conversations that answer FAQs or collect client information. HubSpot’s strength lies in its tight integration with the HubSpot CRM, allowing chat interactions to automatically update contact records, trigger follow‑up emails, and score leads. The knowledge base feature lets firms publish articles and guides that the chatbot can reference, providing instant answers to common accounting questions. The platform is free to use with basic features, and paid plans start at $45/month for the Starter tier, which adds more chat contacts and advanced chatbot functionality. As firms grow, the Professional and Enterprise tiers offer additional customization, reporting, and AI capabilities. HubSpot Live Chat is ideal for CPA firms that already use HubSpot for marketing or want an all‑in‑one solution that combines chat, email, and CRM.

Crisp Chat is a lightweight, open‑source friendly live‑chat platform that offers real‑time messaging, email forwarding, and a knowledge base. It is popular among small businesses due to its free tier and straightforward setup. For CPA firms, Crisp’s ability to embed a chat widget with customizable branding and the option to add a knowledge base makes it a practical choice for client support. Crisp provides basic chatbot functionality that can be extended via integrations with Zapier or custom webhooks. The platform also supports multi‑channel messaging, allowing firms to respond to client inquiries from various channels in a single inbox. Although Crisp does not offer built‑in AI or advanced knowledge‑graph features, its simplicity and cost‑effectiveness make it suitable for firms with limited budgets. Pricing is transparent: the free plan supports unlimited chats and a single user, while the Pro plan costs $25/month per user and adds features such as custom plugins, chat routing, and automated replies. There is also an Enterprise plan for larger teams. Crisp Chat is best for CPA firms that need a low‑cost, easy‑to‑deploy chat solution and are comfortable managing the knowledge base manually.