7 Best Freshchat Alternatives for Churches

Tidio combines live chat and chatbot functionalities into a single platform, allowing churches to provide real‑time support and automated responses to common queries. The platform offers a user‑friendly interface where administrators can set up chatbot flows using a visual editor, schedule messages, and integrate with email marketing tools. Tidio’s bots can be trained to answer FAQs about service times, membership, donation processes, and event details, which helps volunteer staff focus on more complex pastoral tasks. Tidio also supports integration with popular CMS and e‑commerce systems, making it a versatile choice for churches that run online stores or ticket sales for events. The platform’s analytics dashboard provides insights into chat activity, allowing ministries to monitor engagement and improve their outreach strategies. While Tidio offers a free tier with essential live chat features, its paid plans start at $18/month (billed annually) for the Pro plan, which unlocks advanced chatbot capabilities, automated message scheduling, and priority support. For larger ministries seeking custom integrations, the Business plan at $49/month (billed annually) includes additional API access and advanced analytics.

Intercom is a comprehensive customer messaging platform that offers live chat, automated bots, and a knowledge base, making it suitable for churches that need a robust communication hub. The platform’s live chat feature lets ministries engage with visitors in real time, while its AI bots can handle common inquiries about worship services, volunteer opportunities, and donation procedures. Intercom’s knowledge base module allows churches to publish articles, FAQs, and guides that users can search, reducing the volume of repetitive messages. Intercom also provides advanced segmentation and automation tools, enabling ministries to target specific groups—such as new members, volunteers, or event attendees—with tailored messages. Integration with major CRM systems and email marketing platforms enhances data collection and follow‑up. Pricing for Intercom starts at $59/month for the Essentials plan, which includes live chat and basic automation. The Pro plan, at $99/month, adds advanced automation, multi‑channel support, and priority access to the knowledge base. Larger ministries can opt for the Enterprise plan, priced on a case‑by‑case basis.

Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim) is a widely used live chat solution that integrates seamlessly with the Zendesk support suite. For churches, it offers real‑time chat support, automated greetings, and a simple way to capture visitor data. The platform’s chat widgets can be embedded across a church’s website, allowing volunteers to assist with questions about services, events, or membership. Zendesk Chat provides analytics dashboards to monitor chat volume, agent performance, and visitor satisfaction. It also supports integration with Zendesk’s ticketing system, enabling conversations to be converted into support tickets for further follow‑up. Churches can use the platform’s canned responses to quickly address common inquiries. Zendesk Chat offers a free plan with limited features, while the Pro plan starts at $14/month per agent, and the Enterprise plan provides additional customization options and priority support.

Drift is a conversational marketing platform that focuses on lead qualification and real‑time engagement. Although it is often used by sales teams, churches can leverage Drift to engage visitors, qualify leads for ministry programs, and schedule follow‑ups. The platform’s chatbots can ask visitors about their interests, recommend upcoming events, or collect contact information. Drift offers visual flow builder, AI‑powered responses, and integration with major CRM systems. It also provides robust analytics to track engagement metrics and optimize conversation paths. The platform supports scheduling integrations, allowing ministries to book counseling or small‑group meetings directly through chat. Pricing for Drift starts at $499/month for the Starter plan, which includes basic conversational features. The Growth plan at $1,500/month adds advanced automation and multi‑channel support, while the Enterprise plan is available upon request.

Crisp is a lightweight chat solution that combines live chat, bots, and a shared knowledge base. Churches can use Crisp to provide instant support for visitors, answer FAQ about church activities, and offer a self‑service knowledge base. The platform’s bot builder allows simple automation of common responses, while the chat widget can be customized with brand colors and logos. Crisp’s team inbox feature consolidates all messages across channels, helping volunteer staff manage conversations efficiently. The platform also offers integrations with email marketing services and Slack, enabling seamless workflow integration. Crisp offers a free tier with basic features, including live chat and bot builder. Paid plans start at $25/month per user for the Pro plan, which adds advanced automations and priority support.

LiveChat is a widely used live‑chat platform that provides real‑time support, chatbot automation, and a knowledge base. It is well‑suited for churches that require a reliable chat solution with robust support for multiple agents. The platform offers a customizable chat widget, automatic greetings, and the ability to route conversations to specific team members. LiveChat’s chatbot feature can be configured to answer common questions about service times, volunteer opportunities, or donation procedures. The platform also supports integrations with popular CRM and help desk systems, allowing conversations to be logged and followed up within existing workflows. LiveChat offers a 14‑day free trial, after which the paid plans start at $15/month per agent for the Basic plan, $25/month for the Plus plan, and $35/month for the Enterprise plan.