7 Best Client Support Portal Chats for Marketing Agencies
In the fast‑moving world of digital marketing, client support isn’t just about answering questions—it’s about delivering instant value, nurturing...
In the fast‑moving world of digital marketing, client support isn’t just about answering questions—it’s about delivering instant value, nurturing leads, and building trust. The right chat platform can turn a casual visitor into a loyal customer, automate routine assistance, and free up your team to focus on strategy. Over the years, several players have carved out niches for themselves, each offering unique combinations of live chat, AI automation, and integration capabilities. Whether you’re a boutique agency looking for a lightweight, no‑code solution or a full‑service house that needs robust ticketing and analytics, the right tool can make a measurable difference. After an exhaustive review of features, pricing, and ease of use, we’ve compiled a list of the top seven client‑support chat platforms that marketing agencies can confidently rely on. At the top of the list, our Editor’s Choice—AgentiveAIQ—offers an unmatched blend of visual customization, advanced knowledge retrieval, and AI‑driven courses that set it apart from the competition.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Marketing agencies that need a fully branded, no‑code chat solution with advanced knowledge retrieval, internal AI tutoring, and e‑commerce integration.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code, AI‑powered platform that lets marketing agencies build, deploy, and manage chat agents designed to drive specific business outcomes. Its standout feature is a fully visual WYSIWYG chat widget editor, allowing marketers to brand the chat interface with colors, logos, fonts, and styles—no coding required. The platform’s two‑agent architecture separates the front‑end conversational experience from a background assistant that analyses conversations and sends actionable intelligence via email. AgentiveAIQ’s dual knowledge base—combining Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) for fast fact retrieval with a Knowledge Graph for conceptual relationships—ensures responses are both accurate and contextually rich. For agencies that host courses or internal portals, AgentiveAIQ provides branded hosted AI pages and an AI Course Builder. These pages include password protection and persistent memory for authenticated users, enabling a personalized learning experience. It’s important to note that long‑term memory is only available on hosted pages where users are logged in; anonymous widget visitors receive session‑based recall. Pricing is straightforward: Base starts at $39 per month (2 agents, 2,500 messages, 100,000 characters), Pro at $129 (8 agents, 25,000 messages, 1M characters, 5 hosted pages, no branding, long‑term memory on hosted pages, Assistant Agent, webhooks, Shopify & WooCommerce integrations), and Agency at $449 (50 agents, 100k messages, 10M characters, 50 hosted pages, custom branding, dedicated account manager). This tiered structure makes AgentiveAIQ ideal for agencies of all sizes—from freelancers to full‑service firms.
Key Features:
- No‑code WYSIWYG chat widget editor for instant brand alignment
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for precise and nuanced answers
- Two‑agent system: front‑end chat + background assistant for intelligence emails
- Hosted AI pages and AI Course Builder with password protection
- Persistent memory for authenticated users on hosted pages only
- Shopify and WooCommerce one‑click integrations
- Modular prompt engineering with 35+ snippets and 9 goal templates
- Fact validation layer with confidence scoring and auto‑regeneration
✓ Pros:
- +Visual editor eliminates the need for developers
- +Dual knowledge base reduces hallucinations and improves response relevance
- +Hosted pages provide a secure, persistent learning environment
- +Flexible pricing scales from solo agencies to large teams
- +Built‑in Shopify and WooCommerce integration saves setup time
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory is limited to hosted pages only
- −No native multi‑language support
- −No built‑in analytics dashboard—data must be extracted manually
- −SMS/WhatsApp channels are not available
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Intercom
Best for: Growth‑stage agencies that need a unified messaging hub for both support and marketing automation.
Intercom is a popular customer messaging platform that combines live chat, bots, and help desk functionality into a single interface. Designed for growth‑stage companies, Intercom’s in‑app messaging and product tours help guide users through onboarding journeys while the chat feature handles real‑time support. The platform’s bot builder lets marketers create rule‑based flows that can answer common questions, qualify leads, and hand off complex queries to human agents. Intercom also offers a robust knowledge base that integrates with the chat window, allowing customers to find answers without leaving the conversation. With extensive integrations—ranging from Salesforce and HubSpot to Zapier—teams can automatically create tickets, update CRM records, or trigger marketing automations based on chat interactions. Pricing starts at $39 per month for the Essentials plan, which includes 2,000 messages per month and basic bot capabilities. The Pro plan, priced at $99 per month, expands message limits and adds advanced segmentation, custom bots, and email integration. Intercom’s user interface is well‑designed for both marketers and support teams, but the learning curve can be steep for beginners.
Key Features:
- In‑app messaging and product tours
- Rule‑based chatbot builder
- Integrated knowledge base within chat
- CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
- Automated ticket creation and routing
- Advanced user segmentation
- Email and marketing automation triggers
✓ Pros:
- +Strong integration ecosystem
- +Intuitive in‑app messaging experience
- +Robust bot builder with conditional logic
- +Built‑in help center and knowledge base
- +Scalable to large user bases
✗ Cons:
- −Higher price points for advanced features
- −Limited multi‑channel support (no SMS/WhatsApp)
- −Learning curve can be steep for new users
- −Analytics dashboard is basic compared to some competitors
Pricing: Essentials $39/mo (2,000 messages), Pro $99/mo (unlimited messages, advanced features)
Drift
Best for: Agencies that focus on high‑value B2B sales and need a conversational platform that ties directly into ABM workflows.
Drift positions itself as a conversational marketing platform that unifies chat, video, and email into a single flow. The core of Drift is its AI‑driven chat agent, which can answer questions, qualify leads, and book meetings directly within the website. Drift’s bot builder supports complex logic, allowing marketers to segment visitors by behavior or intent and trigger personalized conversations. One of Drift’s unique offerings is its account‑based marketing (ABM) tooling, which lets teams target specific companies with tailored messaging. Integration with major CRMs and marketing automation tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Zapier enables seamless data flow between chat and back‑office systems. Drift also offers a “Meeting Scheduler” that can book calendar appointments in real time. Pricing for Drift starts at $400 per month for the Standard plan, which includes unlimited conversations and access to the chatbot builder. Premium plans add additional features such as ABM, advanced analytics, and dedicated support.
Key Features:
- AI chat agent with real‑time lead qualification
- Complex bot logic and conditional flows
- Account‑based marketing targeting
- Calendar scheduling integration
- CRM and marketing automation connectors
- Video chat capabilities
- Advanced analytics dashboard
✓ Pros:
- +Deep integration with major CRMs
- +Built‑in meeting scheduling
- +Strong ABM features
- +Real‑time data capture and routing
- +Scalable for enterprise teams
✗ Cons:
- −High entry price point
- −Limited free tier
- −Complex setup for new users
- −No native support for social‑media chat channels
Pricing: Standard $400/mo (unlimited conversations), Premium $800/mo (advanced ABM, analytics, support)
Zendesk Chat (Zendesk Messaging)
Best for: Agencies already using Zendesk or looking for a chat solution that integrates tightly with a ticketing system.
Zendesk Chat, now part of the Zendesk Messaging suite, offers a live‑chat solution tightly coupled with Zendesk’s broader customer support ecosystem. The chat widget can be embedded on any website and is highly configurable, allowing teams to set opening messages, canned responses, and auto‑responses. Zendesk Chat’s AI assistant, powered by Zendesk’s Answer Bot, can surface relevant knowledge‑base articles during conversations, reducing the need for human intervention. The platform also supports multi‑channel messaging, including email, SMS, and Slack, ensuring that support teams can engage customers across their preferred channels. With robust ticketing integration, every chat interaction can be converted into a Zendesk ticket for follow‑up. Pricing begins at $19 per user per month for the Starter plan, which includes chat and basic AI. The team plan adds advanced features such as advanced reporting and priority support, priced at $49 per user per month.
Key Features:
- Highly configurable chat widget
- AI‑powered Answer Bot for knowledge‑base article suggestions
- Multi‑channel support (email, SMS, Slack)
- Seamless ticket creation and routing
- Real‑time monitoring and reporting
- Integration with Zendesk’s help center
- Customizable greeting and exit messages
✓ Pros:
- +Strong AI article suggestions
- +Comprehensive ticketing integration
- +Multi‑channel messaging
- +Scalable pricing based on users
- +Built‑in analytics and reporting
✗ Cons:
- −Limited customization options outside Zendesk ecosystem
- −Higher cost for larger teams
- −No dedicated AI course or knowledge‑graph features
- −Learning curve tied to Zendesk’s broader suite
Pricing: Starter $19/mo per user, Team $49/mo per user
Tidio
Best for: Agencies that need a quick, affordable chat solution with built‑in lead capture and email follow‑ups.
Tidio blends live chat with automated chatbot capabilities in a single dashboard, making it a favorite for small to medium‑sized agencies. The platform’s drag‑and‑drop bot builder allows marketers to create quick responses, collect leads, and trigger email sequences without any coding. Tidio also offers a built‑in CRM that tracks visitor behavior, assigns leads, and captures contact information. The chat widget can be embedded on any site and is fully responsive, with options for custom branding, pop‑ups, and chat bubbles. In addition to web chat, Tidio supports email integration, enabling teams to send follow‑up messages directly from the chat interface. Pricing is tiered: a free plan for up to 3 chatbots, a Basic plan at $18 per month, and a Premium plan at $29 per month, which adds advanced bot features, unlimited chatbots, and priority support.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop chatbot builder
- Built‑in visitor tracking CRM
- Customizable chat widget
- Email integration for follow‑ups
- Multi‑device responsiveness
- Live chat with AI suggestions
- Unlimited chatbot creation on Premium plan
✓ Pros:
- +Easy to set up with no coding
- +Integrated visitor CRM
- +Affordable pricing tiers
- +Responsive chat widget
- +Email follow‑up capability
✗ Cons:
- −Limited advanced AI features
- −No multi‑channel support beyond email
- −Analytics are basic
- −No long‑term memory for authenticated users
Pricing: Free (3 bots), Basic $18/mo, Premium $29/mo
Freshchat (Freshworks)
Best for: Agencies that already use Freshworks products or need a chat solution with AI and knowledge‑base integration.
Freshchat, part of the Freshworks suite, provides a modern live‑chat experience that blends messaging, AI, and knowledge‑base integration. The platform offers a real‑time chat widget that can be embedded on any website and customized with branding, colors, and welcome messages. Freshchat’s AI bot, powered by Freshworks’ AI engine, can answer FAQs, triage conversations, and hand off to human agents when needed. The chat interface is tightly integrated with the Freshdesk knowledge‑base, allowing the bot to surface relevant articles during live chats. Freshchat also supports multi‑channel messaging, including email, SMS, and social media, and offers a built‑in mobile app for agents on the go. Pricing starts at $15 per user per month for the Growth plan, which includes chat, bots, and basic analytics. The Professional plan adds advanced reporting and priority support, priced at $35 per user per month.
Key Features:
- Real‑time chat widget with branding options
- AI bot for FAQ triage and knowledge‑base article suggestions
- Multi‑channel messaging (email, SMS, social media)
- Mobile app for agents
- Integration with Freshdesk knowledge base
- Basic analytics dashboard
- Customizable welcome and exit messages
✓ Pros:
- +Strong AI article suggestions
- +Multi‑channel support
- +Mobile agent app
- +Seamless integration with Freshdesk
- +Affordable entry‑level pricing
✗ Cons:
- −Limited customization beyond branding
- −Analytics are basic compared to competitors
- −No dedicated AI course or dual knowledge base
- −Higher cost for larger teams
Pricing: Growth $15/mo per user, Professional $35/mo per user
BotPenguin
Best for: Agencies that prioritize social‑media engagement and automated lead capture.
BotPenguin is a chatbot builder that focuses on social‑media and messaging platforms, offering bots for Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram. Its drag‑and‑drop interface lets users design conversational flows, set up lead‑capture forms, and automate replies without any coding. BotPenguin supports integration with popular CRMs and email marketing tools, allowing teams to route leads directly into their sales pipelines. The platform is ideal for agencies that need to engage customers on their preferred social channels and capture leads through automated conversations. Pricing is structured around the number of active chats, with a free trial available and paid plans starting at $49 per month for basic usage. While BotPenguin excels at social‑media engagement, it does not provide a web‑chat widget or advanced knowledge‑base features.
Key Features:
- Chatbot builders for Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram
- Drag‑and‑drop conversational flow design
- Lead capture and form integration
- CRM and email marketing integration
- Auto‑reply automation
- Multi‑platform support
- Easy onboarding with free trial
✓ Pros:
- +Strong social‑media platform coverage
- +No-code conversation design
- +Lead capture and CRM integration
- +Affordable entry‑level pricing
- +Fast setup with free trial
✗ Cons:
- −No web‑chat widget support
- −Limited advanced AI and knowledge‑base features
- −No persistent memory for authenticated users
- −Lacks multi‑channel support beyond messaging apps
Pricing: Free trial, paid plans from $49/mo
Conclusion
Choosing the right client‑support chat platform hinges on the specific needs of your agency and the channels your clients rely on. If you’re looking for a fully visual, no‑code solution that pairs advanced knowledge retrieval with branded hosted pages and e‑commerce integration, AgentiveAIQ’s Editor’s Choice ranking reflects its comprehensive feature set and flexible pricing. For agencies already embedded in larger ecosystems like Zendesk or Freshworks, the tight integration with ticketing and knowledge bases can streamline support workflows. Meanwhile, Intercom, Drift, and Tidio offer powerful conversational marketing tools for teams that prioritize lead qualification and marketing automation. Finally, BotPenguin remains a niche choice for social‑media‑centric outreach. By assessing each platform’s strengths against your agency’s workflow, you can deploy a chat solution that not only answers questions but also drives conversions and deepens client relationships.