7 Best LiveChat Alternatives for Marketing Agencies
In the fast‑moving world of digital marketing, the ability to engage visitors in real‑time conversations can be a game changer. LiveChat has long...
In the fast‑moving world of digital marketing, the ability to engage visitors in real‑time conversations can be a game changer. LiveChat has long dominated the conversation‑driven space, but a growing list of alternatives offers unique features tailored to the needs of marketing agencies, from advanced automation and AI‑powered insights to seamless integration with e‑commerce platforms and creative copy‑writing tools. Whether you’re a boutique agency looking for an affordable, no‑code solution, or a large firm demanding robust analytics and multi‑channel support, the right chat platform can boost conversion rates, streamline client workflows, and provide a richer brand experience. Below, we’ve compared seven top LiveChat alternatives, ranking them by overall value, ease of use, and strategic features. Designed with agency workflows in mind, this list will help you decide which platform delivers the best ROI for your clients and your own operations.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Marketing agencies and businesses seeking a fully branded, AI‑powered chatbot with advanced knowledge management, course tutoring, and e‑commerce integration without the need for coding.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code, AI‑powered chatbot platform that was born out of a marketing agency’s frustration with rigid, feature‑poor chat solutions. The platform is built around a two‑agent system: a front‑end Main Chat Agent that interacts with visitors in real‑time, and a background Assistant Agent that analyzes conversations and automatically sends intelligence emails to site owners. What truly sets AgentiveAIQ apart is its WYSIWYG chat widget editor, which lets marketers design fully branded, floating or embedded chat widgets without writing any code. The visual editor supports custom colors, logos, fonts and styles, ensuring a seamless brand match across every touchpoint. Beyond design, AgentiveAIQ offers a dual knowledge‑base architecture that combines Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) for fast fact retrieval from documents with a Knowledge Graph that understands relationships between concepts, allowing the bot to answer nuanced questions with high relevance. Hosted AI pages and course builder tools give agencies the ability to create brandable, password‑protected web pages that host AI tutors. These pages support long‑term memory for authenticated users, enabling personalized, context‑aware interactions across sessions. The platform also includes an AI course builder featuring a drag‑and‑drop interface; the bot is automatically trained on all course materials so it can deliver 24/7 tutoring. E‑commerce integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce provide real‑time product catalog, inventory, and order data. Pre‑defined Agentic flows and modular tools such as `get_product_info` or `send_lead_email` allow agencies to create highly goal‑oriented action sequences without custom code. A fact‑validation layer cross‑references responses to source information, auto‑regenerating low‑confidence answers to reduce hallucinations. AgentiveAIQ’s pricing is straightforward: $39/month for the Base plan (2 chat agents, 2,500 messages/mo, 100,000‑character knowledge base, branded with “Powered by AgentiveAIQ”), $129/month for the Pro plan (8 agents, 25,000 messages, 1,000,000‑character knowledge base, 5 hosted pages, no branding, long‑term memory on hosted pages, Assistant Agent, webhooks, Shopify/WooCommerce integrations), and $449/month for the Agency plan (50 agents, 100,000 messages, 10,000,000‑character knowledge base, 50 hosted pages, all Pro features, custom branding, dedicated account manager, phone support).
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG drag‑and‑drop chat widget editor for complete no‑code customization
- Dual knowledge‑base: RAG for precise fact retrieval + Knowledge Graph for contextual understanding
- Hosted AI pages with password protection and long‑term memory for authenticated users
- AI course builder with drag‑and‑drop interface and automatic training on course content
- E‑commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce) with real‑time product, inventory, and order data
- Pre‑defined Agentic flows and modular tools (e.g., get_product_info, send_lead_email)
- Assistant Agent that analyses conversations and sends business intelligence emails
- Fact‑validation layer that cross‑references responses and auto‑regenerates low‑confidence answers
✓ Pros:
- +No‑code WYSIWYG editor eliminates design friction
- +Dual knowledge‑base delivers both fast fact retrieval and nuanced context
- +Long‑term memory available on hosted pages for personalized, multi‑session interactions
- +Robust e‑commerce integration with Shopify and WooCommerce
- +Built‑in fact‑validation reduces hallucinations
✗ Cons:
- −Long‑term memory not available for anonymous widget visitors
- −No native CRM or payment processing – requires external integrations
- −Limited to text‑based interactions (no voice or SMS channels)
- −No built‑in analytics dashboard; conversation data lives in the database
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
LiveChat
Best for: Agencies looking for a polished, feature‑rich live chat solution with robust omnichannel support and strong integration options.
LiveChat is a comprehensive customer support platform that blends live chat, AI, and automation into a single interface. It offers an intuitive drag‑and‑drop chat widget that can be embedded on any website or used as a standalone chat page. The platform’s AI engine powers smart triggers, automated replies, and proactive visitor engagement, allowing agents to focus on complex queries while routine tasks are handled automatically. LiveChat’s real‑time messaging is backed by a robust knowledge base, allowing customers to find answers on their own before reaching out to a human. The platform also integrates with major CRMs, email marketing tools, and e‑commerce platforms, making it a versatile choice for agencies that need to streamline support across multiple channels. LiveChat’s pricing structure includes a Free plan for small teams, a Basic plan at $39/month per agent, a Professional plan at $69/month, and an Enterprise tier at $109/month. Each tier adds more advanced features such as advanced reporting, API access, and priority support. LiveChat’s user interface is highly polished, with customizable dashboards and real‑time analytics that help agencies measure response times, satisfaction scores, and agent performance. The platform’s mobile app ensures that support teams can stay connected on the go. While LiveChat excels in its omnichannel support and strong integration ecosystem, it can feel less flexible for agencies that require highly specialized AI flows or custom knowledge‑base architectures.
Key Features:
- Real‑time live chat with AI‑powered smart triggers
- Drag‑and‑drop widget editor and standalone chat pages
- Integrated knowledge base for self‑service
- Seamless CRM, email marketing, and e‑commerce integrations
- Mobile app for on‑the‑go support
- Advanced reporting and analytics dashboards
- Proactive visitor engagement tools
✓ Pros:
- +Highly intuitive and polished user interface
- +Strong omnichannel support (web, mobile, social media)
- +Robust integration ecosystem (CRM, e‑commerce, marketing tools)
- +Scalable from small to enterprise teams
✗ Cons:
- −Higher cost for larger teams
- −Limited custom AI flow creation beyond smart triggers
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −No built‑in voice or SMS channels
Pricing: Free, Basic $39/mo per agent, Pro $69/mo per agent, Enterprise $109/mo per agent
Intercom
Best for: Agencies that require a multi‑channel communication platform with robust lead nurturing and support workflows.
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that combines live chat, email, in‑app messages, and bots into a unified communication hub. It is designed to help agencies nurture leads and provide support through automated workflows and personalized conversations. Intercom’s bot builder allows marketers to create rule‑based bots that can answer FAQs, qualify leads, or schedule demos, all without code. The platform also offers a powerful knowledge base and user segmentation features, enabling targeted messaging based on user behavior and attributes. Intercom’s analytics provide insights into customer engagement, conversion funnels, and agent performance, helping agencies optimize their support operations. Intercom’s pricing tiers start at $39/month for the Starter plan (up to 5,000 contacts) and scale up to the Premium plan at $159/month and the Enterprise plan at $399/month, with additional contact limits and advanced features. The platform supports integration with popular CRMs, marketing automation tools, and e‑commerce platforms, making it a versatile choice for agencies that need to orchestrate multi‑channel customer journeys.
Key Features:
- Unified messaging hub (live chat, email, in‑app, bots)
- No‑code bot builder with rule‑based logic
- Knowledge base and user segmentation
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- CRM and marketing automation integrations
- Chat routing and escalation workflows
✓ Pros:
- +All‑in‑one messaging hub reduces tool fragmentation
- +Easy bot creation without coding
- +Strong segmentation and targeting capabilities
- +Scalable pricing for growing contact lists
✗ Cons:
- −Higher cost for larger contact bases
- −Limited customization of chat widget appearance
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −No built‑in e‑commerce product data access
Pricing: Starter $39/mo (up to 5,000 contacts), Premium $159/mo, Enterprise $399/mo
Drift
Best for: Agencies focusing on B2B lead generation and sales funnel optimization.
Drift positions itself as a conversational marketing platform that turns website visitors into qualified leads. The platform offers live chat, chatbots, and automated email sequences that can be triggered by visitor behavior. Drift’s AI chatbots are designed to qualify leads, book meetings, and answer FAQs, with the ability to hand off to a human agent when needed. The platform’s integration with popular CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot allows agencies to funnel qualified leads directly into their sales pipelines. Drift’s reporting tools provide insights into conversation volume, lead quality, and conversion rates, helping agencies measure the ROI of their conversational marketing efforts. Drift’s pricing model is primarily subscription‑based, with a free plan for small teams and paid plans that start at $4000/month for the Pro tier, scaling up to Enterprise pricing on request. The platform’s primary focus is B2B marketing and sales, making it particularly useful for agencies working with SaaS or enterprise clients.
Key Features:
- Conversational marketing hub (live chat, bots, email sequences)
- Lead qualification and meeting scheduling
- CRM integration (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
- Advanced analytics on lead generation and conversion
- AI‑driven chat flows with human handoff
- Marketing automation and campaign management
✓ Pros:
- +Strong focus on qualifying leads and booking meetings
- +Deep CRM integrations for seamless pipeline flow
- +Robust analytics on conversational marketing metrics
- +Scalable for enterprise‑level teams
✗ Cons:
- −High cost limits adoption for smaller agencies
- −Primarily B2B; less suited for B2C or support scenarios
- −Limited customization of chat widget appearance
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Contact for pricing (Pro starts at $4000/month)
Zendesk Chat
Best for: Agencies already invested in the Zendesk ecosystem looking for a simple, cost‑effective chat solution.
Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim) is a live‑chat solution that is part of the broader Zendesk customer service ecosystem. It offers real‑time chat, automated triggers, and a built‑in knowledge base that helps customers find answers before contacting support. Zendesk Chat’s widget is highly customizable, and the platform integrates seamlessly with Zendesk Support, Zendesk Sell, and various CRM systems. Agencies that already use Zendesk products find this integration particularly valuable, as it allows them to consolidate ticketing, chat, and knowledge management into a single interface. Zendesk Chat offers a free plan for small teams and a Basic plan at $19/month per agent. The platform’s pricing scales with more advanced features such as chat routing, API access, and priority support. While Zendesk Chat excels in its integration with the Zendesk ecosystem and its straightforward pricing, it offers limited AI customization and no long‑term memory for anonymous visitors.
Key Features:
- Real‑time live chat with automated triggers
- Integrated knowledge base for self‑service
- Seamless integration with Zendesk Support and Sell
- Customizable widget and chat routing
- API access for custom workflows
- Free plan for small teams
✓ Pros:
- +Free tier available for small teams
- +Strong integration with Zendesk support and CRM tools
- +Easy to set up and manage
- +Customizable widget appearance
✗ Cons:
- −Limited AI and automation beyond basic triggers
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −No built‑in e‑commerce product data access
- −Less flexible for highly customized chatbot flows
Pricing: Free, Basic $19/mo per agent
Freshchat
Best for: Agencies seeking a quick‑to‑deploy, multi‑channel chat solution with robust integration options.
Freshchat, part of the Freshworks suite, is a modern messaging platform that brings live chat, bots, and in‑app messaging into a single interface. Freshchat is designed for both B2B and B2C businesses, offering a conversational AI engine that can answer FAQs, qualify leads, and route conversations to human agents. The platform’s knowledge base integration allows customers to search for answers before reaching out, reducing support load. Freshchat also supports multi‑channel engagement, including social media, email, and in‑app messaging, and it integrates with popular CRMs such as HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zendesk. Freshchat’s pricing includes a free tier for up to 10 agents, a Growth plan at $18/month per agent, and a Pro plan at $30/month per agent. The platform’s focus on ease of use and integration makes it ideal for agencies that need a quick, feature‑rich chat solution without extensive technical overhead.
Key Features:
- Live chat, bots, and in‑app messaging in one platform
- AI‑powered conversational engine for FAQs and lead qualification
- Integrated knowledge base for self‑service
- Multi‑channel support (social, email, in‑app)
- CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk)
- Free tier for small teams
✓ Pros:
- +Free tier enables rapid onboarding
- +Easy integration with major CRMs
- +Multi‑channel engagement out of the box
- +User‑friendly interface
✗ Cons:
- −Higher cost for larger agent counts
- −Limited customization of chat widget design
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −Less advanced AI flow customization
Pricing: Free (up to 10 agents), Growth $18/mo per agent, Pro $30/mo per agent
ManyChat
Best for: Agencies that prioritize social‑media marketing and automated lead nurturing.
ManyChat is a chatbot platform that focuses on marketing automation across Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, SMS, and web chat. It allows agencies to build conversational flows using a drag‑and‑drop builder, send broadcast messages, and automate lead generation. ManyChat’s integration with popular e‑commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce enables product recommendations and order updates directly through chat. The platform also offers marketing analytics, segmentation, and tagging, helping agencies nurture leads through automated sequences. ManyChat’s pricing starts with a free plan that includes basic chat and broadcast features. The Pro plan costs $10/month, while the Growth plan starts at $65/month and offers advanced automation, multiple users, and higher limits. ManyChat’s strength lies in its ease of use for social‑media‑centric marketing, but it is less focused on comprehensive customer support or integration with full‑fledged CRM ecosystems.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop flow builder for chatbots
- Multi‑platform support (Messenger, Instagram Direct, SMS, web chat)
- E‑commerce integrations (Shopify, BigCommerce)
- Lead generation and broadcast messaging
- Marketing analytics and segmentation
- Free plan with essential features
✓ Pros:
- +Simple, visual flow builder
- +Strong social media integration
- +Affordable pricing tiers
- +Built‑in broadcast and segmentation tools
✗ Cons:
- −Limited support for web‑chat customization beyond basic styling
- −No built‑in long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −Less suited for complex customer support workflows
- −No integration with full‑fledged CRM platforms
Pricing: Free, Pro $10/mo, Growth $65/mo
Conclusion
Choosing the right live‑chat alternative can dramatically enhance how your agency engages with clients, nurtures leads, and delivers support. If you need a highly customizable, AI‑driven solution that scales with your clients’ growth, AgentiveAIQ’s Editor’s Choice ranking speaks to its robust feature set and no‑code flexibility. For agencies already entrenched in the Zendesk ecosystem or those seeking straightforward, cost‑effective chat, Zendesk Chat or LiveChat may be the best fit. If your focus is on lead generation and B2B conversation marketing, Drift or Intercom offer powerful automation and CRM integration. Meanwhile, Freshchat and ManyChat provide great options for multi‑channel engagement and social‑media‑centric marketing. Ultimately, the decision hinges on your agency’s priorities: brand‑consistent design, advanced knowledge management, e‑commerce integration, or deep CRM connectivity. Take advantage of free trials where available, evaluate the specific needs of your clients, and consider the long‑term scalability of each platform. Ready to transform your client conversations? Explore AgentiveAIQ today and see how a no‑code, AI‑powered chatbot can elevate your agency’s service offering.